The Student Sustainability Design Challenge (SSDC) is back again this year, with not one, but two regional programs in Western Pennsylvania.
The SSDC is a 5-month-long program for both middle and high school students, exposing them to careers in sustainability as they use project-based learning to develop solutions to local challenges in their communities. The program begins with a kickoff in the fall, with students ultimately presenting their ideas to sustainability experts in the spring. (Check out some of last year’s student projects!)
Since its inception in 2023, the SSDC has grown to include hundreds of students from 16 districts across the region, and with capacity at a maximum, the Consortium has decided to launch two programs this year: One that is still centered in Pittsburgh and another that will engage learners in the IU1 footprint of Fayette, Greene, and Washington counties.
Both programs will launch this fall, with a kickoff on October 29th at Washington and Jefferson University (Washington County), and another kickoff on November 13th at Rodef Shalom Congregation (Allegheny County).
Our region is jam-packed with sustainability careers and post-secondary pathways, making it imperative that students not only gain exposure to those opportunities, but they are also able to see how they can have an impact right in the communities in which they live.
Throughout the program, students connect directly with sustainability professionals from across industries; they visit businesses and organizations to see sustainability practices in action; and they develop key employability skills while collaborating to design community-focused solutions to real challenges. Many districts return each year with new student teams, while others opt to bring the same core team year after year, often working to make their ideas into reality.
If you are interested in joining the SSDC for the 25-26 school year, please contact Candice Murrell for more information.
