With the city at maximum capacity for electric scooters (e-scooters), their full force is becoming more and visible in the city around us. While they’re sustainable and sleek, they often clog public sidewalks. They’re a potential solution to Boise’s lack of public transportation options and a boon for environmentally friendly policy, but they’re also a bother for business owners and a wheelchair accessibility issue.

Though easy, efficient, and cheap, single-use packaging is a threat to the environment and to the future of the Earth. Plastic is incredibly harmful. Its creation causes carbon emissions and it never truly has an “end” as a product. Whether these plastics are put in the trash or recycled, they will eventually end up in the landfill where they can sit for 400 to 1,000 years before breaking down into microplastics.

The Taste It, Don’t Waste It team worked on the problem of food waste in Boise. Food deemed inedible and thrown away has become a daunting issue, and one that does not seem very approachable. Beyond saving money, individuals who are mindful not to waste food contribute to keeping the environment healthy.

The Rad Radish team partnered with Shoreline Plaza, a low-income housing facility for elderly and disabled individuals, to help provide its residents with fresh, healthy produce. After their initial interview, the team learned that one major problem facing the residents is a lack of access to fresh produce.

Many people are familiar with first responders, but what about dispatchers? Dispatchers are responsible for aiding 911 callers and sending help their way.

This design team focused on the experiences and mental and physical health of 911 dispatchers.

When deciding what to eat, the majority of young adults choose the most convenient, tasty, and affordable option, which is likely not the most nutritious.

The Resources For Mindful Eating team understood that mindful and healthy eating is important to one’s lifestyle. Initially they defined their demographic as young adults, but after deeper inspection of the problem at hand, the Design Lab team found that their problem applied to more than just one user group.

The Vaping Prevention Education Design Lab team identified the significant increase of vape use by minors as an issue threatening their health. After researching possible causes and potential solutions, the team came up with the question: How might we make vaping appear less appealing to at-risk elementary students?

It is well known that college students don’t get enough sleep. According to Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment, 60% of college students feel tired during the day.

In order to help solve this widespread issue, the Tri-Sleep team began by testing a before-bed meditation exercise.

This Design Lab team is very passionate about being in the outdoors. They began the design process by examining issues surrounding outdoor first aid, avalanche safety, and outdoor preparedness.

The Boise River Greenbelt is a jewel of the Boise community. This 36-mile park in the Treasure Valley captures the natural beauty of the outdoors. From the outside, it looks perfect, but in reality, it has some problems.

People who are released from prison face many obstacles. From financial stability to building healthy relationships to receiving trust from the community at large, formerly incarcerated people have many difficulties they must overcome before they can successfully become part of society again.

This Design Lab team originally set out to help recently released prisoners reach some important financial stability goals.

The Redside Short Film Design Lab team created One Stone’s first year-long collaborative D Lab project. During the year, the team partnered with the Redside Foundation, an Idaho-based organization with a mission to support the health and strength of Idaho’s outdoor guiding community.

For many students with special needs at Timberline High school, feeling overwhelmed and overstimulated is an issue. Unfortunately, the school does not have the resources to cater to each student's needs or to have calming objects always available. This Design Lab team saw this issue and decided to hit the ground running.

The Food Fair Thought Design Lab team answered a challenge from their community partner: Simplot Company. Can they come up with an innovative fair food? The group’s chosen users are vegans. Prior to this Design Lab, the team had zero knowledge of the vegan community.

What is a passion?

For the purpose of this Spring 2019 Design Lab project, passion was defined as an energy you get from doing something that excites you and makes you feel fulfilled. Being passionate leads you through a doorway to new opportunities and different aspects of life.

The average age for a successful entrepreneur is 42, yet many high school students have great ideas. Many of these students do not have the resources or experience to create a startup that produces revenue.

With these things in mind, the Young Entrepreneurs Design Lab group asked “How might we create an entrepreneurial mindset among high school students that translates into financial success?”