South Fayette High School Student Consultants
Present Solutions to Covestro Business Partners
K
eeping the 11 year tradition of South Fayette High
School students providing solutions and advice to their
corporate partners through the Innovation Studio class,
the 2018-2019 team, which consisted of; Payton Blunkosky,
Aaron Cardillo, Jake Hanich, Zoe Koutavas, Jack Passyn,
Rithvik Raja, Abhinav Srinivasan, Varun Sundaram, and
Sean Sutcavage, has once again proven that authentic
problem solving through team work and collaboration is a
win-win for all. During the March 15 final presentation of their
solutions to department
managers, engineers, sales
and marketing groups, the
team provided their ideas
to Covestro’s Advocacy
Group on how to change
the negative perception
of the chemical industry in
general and particularly for
the younger generation.
Because the students are
tasked with researching,
collaborating, and problem
solving, they transform into
consultants. Teachers Brian
Garlick and Tom Isaac
then become facilitators, a
new and exciting role for
educators.
Their presentation
included creating marketing and outreach methods to address
various personalities of the general population and formed
solutions based on their extensive research and data analysis.
Emphasis was placed on the millennial generation.
As with all the previous projects, the student consultants
received an invaluable education that combines their academic
knowledge with the essential skills needed to be successful in
the future. Graduates of the Innovation Studio and the earlier
project-based learning after school projects have afforded those
graduates with the extra experience of working with business
partners that made a significant difference in their post high
school educational and professional life.
52
SOUTH FAYETTE
In addition, a team from Avonworth High School collaborated
with the South Fayette student consultants to provide their ideas
for the needs of the advocacy group with a unique, creative
approach by designing story boards to produce impactful video
presentations for social media outlets. Being able to partner
students from different districts is an important part of these
projects as they provide an indication of what each one of them
will experience upon graduation: to leave the comfort of their
familiar surroundings to enter a new and diverse future.