Interested in hearing from high school students about their solutions to important local problems? On Friday, March 8, Monroe High School’s LAUNCH students will deliver  presentations about the fourteen projects they tackled during Trimester 2. Each project team will have approximately 10 minutes to explain their project and answer audience questions. Student presentations will be held from 2-3:15 p.m. in the Multipurpose Rooms in the lower level of the Green County Justice Center. 

LAUNCH is a year-long class where students use the knowledge and skills they are learning in the classroom to solve real world problems proposed by local businesses and organizations. Each trimester, LAUNCH students are assigned to a new team of 3-4 students to tackle an important problem, working with a mentor from the business that proposed the project.

This school year began with four topic areas (known as Strands). Our 2023-2024 Strands include Business Analytics, Media Solutions, Behavioral Health and Skilled Building Trades. 

Business Analytics

Business Analytics students receive classroom instruction in Statistics and Business Management to develop skills in capturing and analyzing data to inform decision making. Ten LAUNCH students worked in teams to complete three Business Analytics projects second trimester. They include:

●  Colony Brands — Analysis of employee apparel sale data to determine best methods for future purchases. 

●  Monroe Kiwanis — Develop a database to track donations and make recommendations regarding volunteer hours at fundraising events.

●  SSM Health Monroe Hospital — Analyze data and make recommendations to develop in-home imaging innovation including available technology, demand, and return on investment. 

Media Solutions

Media Solutions students receive instruction in Writing, Social Media for Business, and Graphic Design to develop skills in design, photography, videography, audio, social media, and web design. Ten LAUNCH students worked in teams to complete three Media Solutions projects second trimester. They include:

●  Heartland Graphics — Create an interesting website to showcase products and services.

●  Main Street Monroe, Inc — Develop social media for Instagram to increase the number of followers and improve engagement.

●  Monson Septic Pumping & Portable Restrooms — Develop strategies to diversify social media content amongst divisions, while exploring additional social media platforms.

Behavioral Health

The Behavioral Health strand provides instruction in Sociology and the Culture of Healthcare and is geared toward designing innovative solutions to promote mental health and wellness. Our 20 Behavioral Health Strand students worked in teams to complete seven projects second trimester:

●  Azura Memory Care — Develop an accessible fitness video program that has senior representation and is targeted to the needs of the dementia population. 

●  Aster Assisted Living — Create different types of social engagement for residents to increase resident engagement during the winter months. 

●  SWCAP Behavioral Health Partnership — Create a Break the Stigma campaign for social media geared toward the male population to increase use of the Network of Care by men.

●  Equine Empowerment — Create awareness regarding how interaction with horses can be beneficial to mental health.

●  Green County Public Health — Research interventions and implement a “High School Student Mental Health in the Age of Social Media” intervention to improve student mental health.

Green County Child Advocacy Center — Develop a social media campaign to build awareness which reaches different demographics to build a donor base.

●  Monroe Middle School Outreach — Research and create a presentation about social media and mental health for middle schools.

Skilled Building Trades

The Skilled Building Trades strand exposes students to the math, materials, tools, machines and processes used in light building construction. It uses a problem-based, hands-on learning approach to concrete, carpentry, plumbing, and electrical trades. Fourteen Monroe High School students are also using their education and skills to  renovate a home donated by SSM Health Monroe Hospital to Green County Development Corporation as part of the Home Construction Cooperative program.

Stay Tuned

After their presentations on March 8, students will divide into new project teams to take on new problems from local businesses and organizations for their final trimester in LAUNCH. Presentations for those projects will be held on Wednesday, May 22 at Monroe High School.

LAUNCH is an example of how businesses and our school can work together to solve problems. It provides students with the opportunity to learn about local businesses and organizations and helps them identify and learn the skills they need to be successful in life. 

If your business or organization would like to submit a project for LAUNCH students to solve, please contact Cara Carper at caracarper@monroe.k12.wi.us or (608) 328-7573.

— Cara Carper is the School District of Monroe Student Occupation and Academic Readiness (SOAR) Coordinator. She can be reached at caracarper@monroe.k12.wi.us.