The Straits Times: Dear daughter, sorry we were a bit negative about poly next year

One of my LinkedIn connections had liked a post that came across my feed. That article referred to an article titled “Dear daughter, sorry we were a bit negative about poly next year”  dated March 20, 2023 and written by Jill Lim. Fortunately, an image of the article was included in the LinkedIn article so I could read a slightly blurred version of the article.

Anyway, I wanted to share some perspective on this article because it deals with one of the transitions in education, plus I originally started the YCISL program with students from Singapore Polytechnic.

My 1-sentence summary of the article: This story is about an emotionally-driven change in perspective on the part of parents concerning an educational choice expressed by a daughter in a highly status-conscious society & culture.

Remark #1: There was EQ growth. One of the most common places we can learn and practice EQ is as a family, and such was the case in this instance where the connections in an EQ framework changed. There was the changed awareness about institutional as well as academic field of study options. There were management changes in how the parents perceived their daughter as well as adapted connection to the changed academic landscape in Singapore. A great family unit undergoes EQ growth.

Remark #2: Improve with Divergent-Convergent Thinking. Great parents are leaders who are adept at divergent-convergent thinking to go along with an EQ-based sense of timing and wording. There was an initial fixed mindset that took a little time to flip to a growth mindset. Hopefully, the growth mindset which uses the divergent-convergent method skillfully will become more engrained and a matter of preferred habit. As I like to say, there is a personal story and each is about a journey that can have all kinds of directions. Tie this together using the YCISL Your Personal Story approach, and it would make a lot more sense and be filled with positive hope and dreams instead of regret.

Remark #3: Think Transition. In YCISL terms, the “stage” is mid-Proof. There is no mention of a Proof element in the journey. A Proof element would help support the basis of this story. In GameStorming terms, we are in the Explore phase of the Proof Element where exploration allows for enlightenment in all directions. Eventually, she will reach the Close phase of this Proof element, and transition to the Open phase of the next element, Integration. As parents, making sure this transition goes well is of utmost importance to the “fulfilling education” mentioned in the article’s tagline.

I’ll wrap it up here by re-iterating that this is about a personal story and that the main character person is on a design thinking journey. The parents each have their own personal story. Their daughter has her own personal story too.

Lessons: The YCISL Business Card Exercise

Based on the inspiration from Satoru Iwata’s opening line at the GDC 2005 Keynote address (“On my business card, I am…), YCISL added a Business Card exercise as part of the Who am I? effort in workshop programming. This exercise was launched with university students from China in Summer 2018 with the idea to help them develop & clarify their integrated personal profile.

The first step was to analyze the Stanford template for Business Cards in the Identity Guide (https://identity.stanford.edu/print/business-cards/).

Then we listed the required and optional information for the business card design that the students would create:

REQUIRED
Name
Profession, Title, or Function
Primary Contact Method & Information

OPTIONAL
Address
Logo
Web Site
LinkedIn URL or QR Code
Organizational Information
Secondary Contact Information
Qualifications & Certifications

Students then received a blank business card (from the printer-compatible 10-per-sheet perforated edges type) to draw on. We provided a variety of colored pens/pencils. This was a creativity first-draft exercise so a high quality product was not needed.

The students were then asked to come up with an oral self-introduction to go along with the presentation of their business card…then they did an actual self-introduction to another student which including exchanging of their business cards. After the initial self-introductions, students would then hand the business card they received to another student accompanied with some remarks to introduce the student whose information was on the business card. This was to see what kind of impression was made by the initial self-introduction when being forwarded to a third person. This essentially simulated the memorable impression that a self-introduction has to have.

TIPS:
1. The self-introduction should be like an elevator pitch. Remember how a YCISL elevator pitch has 9 components?  Design think how these components can be supported by visuals on the business card.
2. The business card should reflect your persona & be a resource to learn more about you. In this way, it is like a invitation to “research” more about you or contact you directly to learn more. A successful self-introduction typically induces follow-up actions.
3. Sometimes, the person you meet & self-introduce yourself to is a “scout” such that another person becomes responsible for learning more. That is why the self-introduction & business card should be well-supported by second tier information which might include your LinkedIn profile, or your website.
4. Our exercise only requires one primary contact method. This is guided by your personal preference & convenience, but also should be a part of the design thinking whereby it is your chance to lead a person to a strategic perspective.
5. Choose words & phraseology to conjure vivid imagery. Spin a story that connects with the other person. This is reflected in the business card through the title, profession or function. This is based on my personal experience where the most memorable business card I have ever seen had “Bug Squasher” as the tagline under the person’s name (the person was a QA Engineer).

As with every YCISL exercise, the method involves iteration & practice such that design thinking evolves. If anything, it helps you answer the question “Who am I?”

QED: YCISL Fun, Form & Function (Audio)

YCISL Media

Audio recording of a reading of the e-book “QED: YCISL Fun, Form & Function” by Colin Ong, PhD

Posted: March 26, 2023

Format & Size: MP3 Audio. 14 MB.

Duration: ~14 minutes.

Language: English.

Copyright © 2023. Stanford University YCISL Program.

Thoughts: A Beginner’s Guide to Design Thinking Project Titles

Design thinking can be applied to creating project titles. Actually, project titles should be created using design thinking. Let’s apply YCISL principles to design thinking project titles.

1. Divergent-Convergent Thinking. We can apply the divergent-convergent thinking method to start. Make a list of all the key words from the project. Next, select only up to 5 of the most important key words. These are the words that most differentiate your project from others. These words will very likely appear in the final project title.
2. Feature List. From the 5 most important key words, mark those on the short list that are also hook words; that is, the two or three words that are most likely to catch attention. These should reflect the primary features of the project. These words will be the initial candidates as subject words (as opposed to object words) in the project title.
3. Elevator Pitch. Using one of the nine components (grab, problem, solution, team, opportunity, competitive advantage, model, promise and ask) that we coach in the YCISL elevator pitch exercise as a theme, form a preliminary project title using the key words making sure to position the hook words as subjects.
4. Storyboarding.  Add filler words to the preliminary project title so that it flows and makes sense. Keep filler words to a minimum. Re-arrange the project title so that the project title has that just right feel.
5. Check for Positivity. Avoid disengagement from focusing on a negative impression in the project title. Phrase for positive language and story.
6. Rapid Prototyping & Iteration. Create at least three project title candidates. Do this by returning to any of the preceding steps.
7. Readiness. Check that the selected project title is both precise and accurate. A precise project title should have a well-defined and focused scope. An accurate project title highlights the most important work and findings in the project. Remove any bits that make the project title imprecise or inaccurate.
8. EQ. When checking for precision and accuracy, consider your intended audience and whether the project title fits their domain. Would they want to find out more about your project from your project title? Does the title demonstrate self-awareness, self-management, social awareness and social management?
9. Final Check. Remember that the project title is going to show up in several situations, and you should make sure it works for each. Situations may include a proposal, a report, a talk, a poster presentation, a video presentation, a newspaper article, a journal publication, on your resume, in web search engine results, in a group discussion, & more. Is your project title amenable and adaptable for the situations you are likely to encounter?

Some of the best models for title creation can be found in TED Talk titles.

Example 1: “Schools Kill Creativity.” The title of the quintessential TED Talk by Sir Ken Robinson. Zero filler words. “Kill” as the hook word. And written as a Problem. There is deep negativity in that hook word and overall statement, and some time (in years) after the video was published, the title was changed to “Do Schools Kill Creativity?” which adds a filler word, changes the theme to a Grab (asking for an opinion), and makes the story less negative. This adaptive change may be the reason why this particular TED Talk continues to be so popular and impactful.

Example 2: “Inside the Mind of a Master Procrastinator.” This is the title of the TED Talk that most YCISL students tell me that they have watched. Why is that? Let’s analyze it. The title covers the who, where and when of our asking questions design thinking method: Inside -> Where, Mind -> What, and Who -> Master Procrastinator. There is an EQ aspect of awareness and an implied promise of action with regards to this condition. The word “master” suggests a solution as well as a focus on a particular character who is part of an interesting story. The “Master Procrastinator” is the clear subject of this title and the “Mind” is the object. Few filler words. The hook word is “procrastinator” as that highlights something that many of us have personal experience with, if not a habit.

Epilogue. I wrote this article after my latest experience with reviewing project proposals for a science fair. I found that many projects failed OOBE by having project titles that needed improvement. Many chemistry and environmental science project proposals had project titles that over-promised and under-delivered by suggesting an impact outside their actual scope. Then there were computer science and electrical engineering projects that over-stated their depth and rigor. For most of these projects, I had to request that the project proposal include a rationale statement so that it would clarify the scope and purpose for the project idea – which I would then check for alignment with the project title.

Lessons: Synopsys Science & Technology Championship 2023

Last week was the 2023 Synopsys Science & Technology Championship in San Jose, CA. I was invited to volunteer for Grand Prize (High School) judging, Category (Middle School) Judging, and Check-in. It was my first time doing check-in and it was fun being a trainee. I’ve done the judging before. But this time, I was tasked with selecting a project for a Special Award in the Environmental area, and I learned a few things. The following are impressions I got from the project and student I selected for the Special Award, and reflections on what influenced the decision with respect to YCISL ideas.

• “I thought the idea had creative and personally connected origins.” Part of creativity depends on what on what others are doing at this instance in time. I had reviewed many Machine Learning projects and none had problem-solving depth. I also had reviewed numerous environmental sustainability projects that made over-reaching claims and promises. The winning project had a simple creative idea and involved a rigorous scientific approach and process. During the judging interview, I checked that there was a personal interest in the subject which in conversation expanded to similar applications. In YCISL, we have the elevator pitch exercise where students design a creatively persuasive one-on-one discussion.
• “I felt a sense of authentic curiosity and a research question with good scope (not too small, not too big).” Beyond the curiosity that is expected at such an event, an authenticity in the inspiration and motivation helps distinguish the project idea. Then it also helps to frame the idea with a scope that is Goldilocks-“just right” so I don’t wonder why there is such poor alignment between the promise, problem and solution. The winning project had vivid vision that fit the scope and performed actions that made the vision interesting.
• “The project poster was clear and displayed an end to end research study. There was scientific methodology involved that required independent scholarly learning, skill and mastery. The narrative was focused and compelling (I really wanted to know the outcome and where it could lead to).” Poster presentations need to be balanced from end to end for effective storytelling. For me, that includes starting with an idea that has grab, and concludes with a bibliography that gains my trust in the project quality.
• “I did have a 1-on-1 meeting with him at the poster where he presented project highlights…I found his oral presentation presence and delivery to be perhaps the best I saw today (it helped that we were both interested in sports).” For me, there were three opportunities for this project to impress me including the proposal review, the pre-interview poster read, and the interview-based discussion. The most critical one in this case was the poster read. I may not have been as keenly attentive during the interview if the poster hadn’t been so impressive. Still, a successful interview was still required for me to conclude that this project and student researcher was distinctly outstanding and deserving of the Special Award. The student did not rush and, as I recall, practiced active listening.

To wrap up this entry, I am going to list the top three basic dealbreakers that I generally observed at the event:

• Bibliography. A weak or absent bibliography erases credibility.
• Over-promise, Under-deliver. Un-managed expectations reduces believability. Some project titles were not refined enough.
• Science. A scholarly mastery of science at the grade-level or higher needs to be apparent. This is reflected in preparatory, methodology and analysis components.

Thoughts: YCISL-Style Interview Questions

[I “retired” from Stanford in 2022, but I continue to develop the YCISL program. I haven’t posted to this Wiki in months because of the retirement, but I continue to be involved in activities related to YCISL.]

I volunteered as a mock interviewer for a career fair organized by the Sequoia Union High School District. The event will take place in a couple of days. From the information I have received about the event, mock interviewers will (1) need to find an agreeable job scenario to discuss, (b) review the resume together with the student, and (3) engage in Q&A to help the student develop interview skills.

In preparation, I came up with a list of interview questions based on the Life Lessons in EQ-mindset of the YCISL.

1. Can you name one or two work places you would like to get your first job? What role or position would you like to have?
Hopefully, this is a good lead-in question. In a way, it’s a quick divergent-convergent thinking question based on waggle-dance reasoning fast thinking. I might ask what other work places came to mind, but were edited out.

2. Could you recall one or two experiences that have prepared you for such a work scenario?
This question relates to the “A Message to My Past Self” exercise where we reflect on our history including positive influences, decisions & circumstances. This forms our “bibliography” of support & evidence, & initiates our positivity starting point that we learned from Alison Ledgerwood.

3. What would you enjoy contributing to that work place? Can you give an example of where/when you have been a contributor?
Productivity & proactivity are basic expectations of any work situation, and remind me of our Lego exercise, the Spaghetti Tower Marshmallow exercise, the Egg Parachute Drop exercise, Human Knot exercise, and so many more. In YCISL, we look for teamwork, team-building and leadership as the EQ-action elements in developing our growth mindset.

4. What would you do to grow in that work position? Is that consistent with your educational mindset?
A discussion about education is certain to arise in a first job interview. But as Sir Ken Robinson story-told in his epic TEDTalk: “…but if you ask people about their education, they pin you to the wall.” This question would explore the propensity for growth with a growth mindset, but also a balanced understanding that a fixed mindset is sometimes appropriate (and expedient).

5. What traits or habits do you have that make you an outstanding candidate for the role?
This question is a request for the student interviewee’s feature list. We look for 3 soft skills features that will match the preferences & satisfy the needs & requirements. This is about using competitive advantage in the elevator pitch. Compatibility & work quality are also involved.

6. What are your strongest skills? Which weak skill would you most like to improve?
In the early YCISL years, we collaborated with Chris Pohalski on using SkillScan. This exercise lays out the skillset and identifies strengths as well as weaknesses that the person would like to improve upon. This touches on feature list & growth mindset.

7. Do you thrive most working independently or in a team? Explain.
This question relates to our Spaghetti Tower Marshmallow exercise with respect to group interpersonal dynamics. We can also think about the analog-digital model described by Austin Kleon where independent and team work are necessarily interconnected and balanced.

8. Have you worked on a project at school? Were there any challenges? How did they get resolved?
With this question, we can explore the structural approach to problem solving. With the initial response to this question, we can journey through the project experience using (a) the phases of the YCISL Simple Innovation Framework of Brainstorming-Prototyping-Building-Test & Readiness-Rollout, or (b) the Gamestorming framework of Open-Explore-Close.

9. Have you ever experienced a setback? If yes, could you share what you learned from it?
Failures or setbacks are explored in YCISL through our Spaghetti Tower Marshmallow exercise, and the lesson “Fail Early, Fail Fast.” This question would reveal EQ with regards to responding to a setback. Is there ownership? Was there value gained from the setback experience? Was there interest in learning what caused the setback or failure? Was appropriate closed loop-corrective action taken?

10. Imagine yourself in the future at the workplace. Describe the scene.
Of course we need to look at the third stage of our Your Personal Story series: “A Message to My Future Self.” Through this scene setting question, we look at the design thinking details of the potential result of hiring the interviewee. The imagined scene is as much a useful picture for the interviewee as the interviewer.

11. What makes you happy? What motivates you?
Most work places would prefer having a positive environment. We know that a single negative point can trigger a contagion and cause a diversion or distraction. It would be wonderful to learn how intrinsic motivation boosts the interviewee’s state of mind.

12. How do you make decisions? If I ask you to find and choose a location for a meeting at your school, how would you go about making that decision?
We’re making decisions all the time. Sometimes, it’s using fast (creative) thinking and sometimes it’s slow (reasoned) thinking. And sometimes, it might be that “5-second rule” from Mel Robbin’s about not making decisions. Or worse purposely avoiding having to make decisions. For work place decision making, ethics, honesty & trust may become involved.

Well, I hope these question ideas based on my YCISL experience will serve the purpose to educate these high school students in interviewing skills.

Bloomberg: “The New Magic Word for Branding is Collaborations”

Earlier today, a Bloomberg Quicktake: Explained video popped up on my YouTube screen. The title “The New Magic Word for Branding is Collaborations” mentions two words sometimes seen in the YCISL program – branding and collaborations (I also realize I don’t use the word “magic” much).

“…the magic that happens when brands co-mingle fans.”

In this video, Ben Schott talks about how well-known brands team together to create a blend that succeeds in explosive curiosity among existing consumers. He gives several commercial examples. Not that this strategy works every time, but it is a worthwhile simple strategy to apply our creative energy.

How this connects with YCISL:

• Divergent-Convergent Thinking – it would be useful to first use divergent thinking to list all the candidates for the collaboration. Next, a brainstorming technique like the one we use with sticky notes could list combinations and then convergent-ly sort these combinations from normal to crazy (reminder: recall that the point of this exercise is to find unique competitive ideas).
• Feature List – with the “crazy” candidates, primary feature lists would help set up a brand identity that satisfactorily provides RoI to the combining brands. Satisfaction would be based on (a) no negative effect on the original brand, and (b) a sensible fit between the brands that is supportive and associated.
• Fail Early, Fail Fast – Our rapid prototyping approach values weakness detection with low-cost investment of time, money and resources. This is a necessary refining step in the innovation process that challenges our fixed mindset and biases. We need to don our “Chief Detail Officer” cap (credit to Rory Sutherland) and appreciate the subtleties that result in powerful shifts.

Schott presents several good examples of collaborations that I would admit tickle our senses & move our sensibilities. One example that applies to me is his Beachhead category case of “introducing new shampoos to unsuspecting hotel guests.” My exposure to Le Labo Rose 31 Shampoo at some Fairmont Hotels set my high quality level impressions of both brands. I actually also prefer the small bottles associated with hotel amenities so the collaboration itself is a win.

What are the lessons for youth? Perhaps it is being aware of our collaboration mindset (a willingness based on a growth mindset) and the ability to act in a productive collaboration (ref. Mel Robbins’ 5-second rule). Put effort into teamwork and team-building.

WSJ: For Top Students, Rejections Pile Up

Each year, a few students ask me for a letter of recommendation for their college applications. This commentary is for their benefit.

The article “For Top Students. Rejections Pile Up” by Douglas Belkin in the April 22, 2022 WSJ (Print edition) really misunderstands the purpose of the college admissions process. Note that the Digital edition of this article is “To Get Into the Ivy League, ‘Extraordinary’ Isn’t Always Enough These Days” which really demonstrates how the misunderstanding probably won’t get corrected. While I am not involved in undergraduate admissions at Stanford University, I have been Freshman Advisor to several students, had a few undergraduate assistants, and had some undergraduates enroll in my courses.

First, note the second paragraph in the article which attempts to establish a reference point for the rest of the article…

“She took her first advanced-placement course as a freshman, scored 1550 on her SATs as a junior at McKinney High School near Dallas and will graduate this spring with an unweighted 3.95 grade-point average and as the founder of the school’s accounting club. Along the way she performed in and directed about 30 plays, sang in the school choir, scored top marks on the tests she has so far taken for 11 advanced-placement classes, helped run a summer camp and held down a part-time job.”

For what is said in this paragraph, the profile is not extraordinary.  But especially absent is mention of academic achievement of valedictorian or salutatorian honors. At best, her extracurricular activities put her in a 1-in-1000 group, but for Stanford a 1-in-25 is more appropriate.

Later in the article: “Harvard has said it believes enrolling a diverse student body is important”…Stanford has the same diversity aim as well…but diversity can be widely interpreted among an admitted cohort and any same-ness with other applicants will at least give an applicant a chance. None-ness though such as generic qualities or lack of features can be a dealbreaker. And it’s a trap many applicants get caught in.

In the YCISL ITW skillset, there is Positivity. And in the WSJ article: “Ms. Younger wrote in the applications about her history of depression and anxiety to explain the two B’s she earned during her sophomore year.” Unless this is connected to a success story of overcoming the challenges or motivational change, this is actually a red flag in any application. In the Stanford application where there is the Letter to Your Roommate part, is revealing depression and anxiety a good idea? Also, be sure admission staff are looking carefully for those who would succumb to the “Stanford Duck Syndrome” which relates to the probability of academic success.

When I am in group discussions about college admissions – applications & outcomes – I say that most admission offers are based on an experienced belief that there is a good match and reasonable chance for academic success. Near the end of the article: “She plans on attending Arizona State University to study business on an academic scholarship. The acceptance rate there last year was 88%.” Chances are ASU is the best match and a happy result. Assuming she had made her best effort in the application (and the recommenders have checked the box that this applicant is in the top 1% of students they have ever known), she had simply applied to too many reach schools.

Here are three recommendations for any YCISL student in the process of college admissions:

1. Apply Creativity. Make it a pleasure for someone to review your application & read your essays. Would they learn something new & useful? Give your application a chance to be remembered.
2. Apply Design Thinking. Make an emotional connection by framing a story & practice EQ: show self-awareness & self-management, and use social awareness & social management to include the reader in the story. There may be a close connection in interests, but even a distant interest connection would be better than no connection at all. Use the Who? What? Where? When? Why? & How? Asking Questions method of YCISL Design Thinking to provide vivid details.
3. Apply Design Build. How can a particular college help you grow, adjust & change? How will the college phase of life influence & support you? College may seem like a black box, but it really isn’t. Quality input, quality output. It’s that simple. Recall the elements of our Elevator Pitch & Water Bottle Feature List exercises.

BOOK: “Learning by Heart” by Corita Kent and Jan Steward, Second Edition

I was sparked to learn more about Corita Kent from a section of Austin Kleon’s book “Keep Going.” I watched a bunch of YouTube videos (eg, Art + Life Rules from a Nun) and wandered through the Corita Art Center website. Already fascinated by the art, mindset & story, I ordered the book “Learning by Heart” from Amazon.com.  I learned a lot from this book & have some notes to share here especially in the YCISL context.

1. “Looking is the beginning of seeing.” p.33. This is meaningful to me because I often go from one place to another without being aware or appreciative. I often think back a minute or two, and wonder where I had just been. More of a blank than a blur. I think this is a good reason to have photo essay & video assignments in the YCISL program: taking a blur and trying to sharpen the important parts. Even in a more focused design thinking state of mind, this expression helps remind us to practice divergent thinking (look) & convergent thinking (see): we can look through Corita Kent’s Finder to quickly find a variety of framed content, stories & perspectives, then choose one to evaluate for a closer look (our prototyping phase).
2. “The concepts of limitation, structure, and boundary are sometimes looked on as inhibitors of our creative energy.” p. 82. I am particular excited to see the phrase “creative energy” because that is one of the concepts that YCISL started with. This also connects with our use of Gamestorming where we have the Open phase which is made up things like “limitation, structure, and boundary.” Creative energy really comes into play mainly in the Explore phase. Still, remember that creative energy can be applied in the Open and Close phases if we choose: we can be creative about setting the rules (eg, our YCISL ping pong exercise) & reaching closure (eg, our YCISL launch presentations).
3. “Every child is creative – until the time when teachers, parents and other adults in her world begin to patiently explain the way things should be, what connections can or can’t be made.” p. 104. This reminds me of Sir Ken Robinson’s TEDTalk “Schools Kill Creativity” and the idea that creativity is suppressed starting early in life. I like the graphical image of creativity conjured by the word “connections” where our creativity process really is about making connections – demonstrated by our YCISL Fast Thinking exercises especially the Associative Architecture “What do cows drink?” question.
4. “PLORK…we need a third word – one which combines the two concepts and allows us to recognize them together as one responsible act necessary for human advancement.” p. 159. In the YCISL program, the words “fun” and “party” are introduced in at the start of the workshops with the intention of setting the senses & mindsets to a dynamic mode. The combination of play & work also reminds me of Tim Brown’s “Tales of Creativity & Play” where he says “And if you’re starting a design firm, let’s say, then you probably also want to create a place where people have the same kind of security. Where they have the same kind of security to take risks. Maybe have the same kind of security to play.”
5. Immaculate Heart College Art Department Rules. p. 176. Also known as the 10 Rules Poster. I am surprised by the absence of an explanation of these rules in the book. I imagine these reflected the mindset expectations in that college setting. Still, we can gain wisdom by connecting these rules to our own settings. In particular, note the rule “The only rule is work” in large type, serif type and bold type for obvious emphasis. This attaches to many ideas quoted in YCISL that it takes work, often “hard” work, to be creatively productive.

Reflection: NIFTI Roundtable 2021 “Sustainability in Education”

“Envision an education where sustainability is a core academic subject. Imagine students empowered by global sustainability actions. The NIFTI Roundtable 2021 will bring together education stakeholders to brainstorm and shape a platform of curricula, courses and experiential learning programs to re-define how we learn about sustainability.”

The first NIFTI program (August 14 – October 2, 2020) was a seminar series coupled with a group discussion. In an idea for a followup activity, a NIFTI Roundtable was developed where there would be an organizing committee comprising a small select group of invited NIFTI students. The seed idea was to reverse the students’ roles as audience to organizers, and provide a leadership opportunity. The initial scope called for the students to invite an audience comprising students and educators from their school. The purpose of the roundtable would be to share viewpoints and experiences on a sustainability topic.

We had our organizing committee kick-off meeting on December 18, 2021. There were initially 4 students on the committee. We floated topics that would interest us as well as our prospective audience. At the second meeting on January 15, 2022, the topic of Sustainability in Education eventually stuck. We then discussed organizing timelines, roles and the agenda. We decided to have a Zoom meeting instead of a webinar mainly to allow for stronger engagement.

Progress on organization was slow with students managing with the disruptions to their schooling caused by Covid-19-related responses. After more than 8 months of intermittent progress and passed deadlines, the NIFTI Roundtable was scheduled as part of the Fall 2021 NIFTI program. The audience became the students in that NIFTI program and the panelists comprised educators and students. That firmed up the event date and audience. We then focused on the agenda to make it attractive and fresh.

We had the NIFTI Roundtable on December 3, 2021. We learned a lot about what the educators and students at Sekolah Bogor Raya were doing in the area of sustainability in their school environment. Several students shared their experiences in organizations addressing sustainability. Committee members served as hosts and engaged the panelists and audience in dialog. We had a Mentimeter poll. We had Zoom breakout groups for social networking. We had a brainstorming session. We created an Instagram hashtag so students could post ideas for educational activities on sustainability.

While the organization and delivery of this event was not easy, it was a worthwhile effort to bring us awareness about opportunities to get sustainability to a top tier level in education. The journey has just begun. And we hope others will join this effort to elevate sustainability in our lives.

Epilogue: We are planning on publishing an e-book on this experience. The organizing committee has been invited to contribute chapters covering the organizational effort and event notes. I also plan to author a YCISL White Paper on my reflections about what I learned about Sustainability in Education from this activity.