Kinard CARES Collaborates With CSU Graduate MBA Leadership Programs​​​​

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​April 20, 2011

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Students in the Kinard CARES environmental leadership class had the unique opportunity to participate in a leadership development challenge course sponsored by Colorado State University Graduate Students in a business administration program. The MBA final project SOAL: Step Out And Lead, focused on designing a business model that could effectively teach and develop 21st century leadership skills for students. The session began with a discussion to develop an understanding of the four phases of successful teams (forming, storming, norming, performing). After a brief introduction, students participated in a hands-on, interactive challenge course outside the school. The leadership course was designed to help students experience the dynamics of leadership and teamwork while developing problem solving skills. After working through a variety of scenarios in small groups, the class discussed they key components of successful teams and effective leadership qualities. This unique collaboration between middle school students and higher education college students provided an enhanced learning environment for both groups. This is the second time that Kinard C.A.R.E.S. has collaborated with CSU graduate students (see below).

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​Graduate Class Assists Kinard Middle School with Sustainable Project
12.22.2009 Students in CON571 Facilities Planning and Management, co-taught by Brian Dunbar and Bill Franzen, former director of facilities and operations for the Poudre School District, participated in a service learning project with students and faculty from Kinard Middle School in Fort Collins. The goal of the Sustainable Operations, Maintenance, and Occupant Behavior project was to increase student awareness, participation, and conservation of resources at Kinard, a green school built in 2005.

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CM graduate students and faculty collaborated with Kinard students and faculty to inventory current practices and identify potential opportunities for increased energy efficiency, water and electrical conservation, waste recycling and composting, and other sustainable practices. While Kinard is one of the most energy efficient schools in Colorado, students in the "Kinard CARES" (student organization focused on community and environ-ment) are interested in having the lowest environmental footprint in the state and creating higher awareness and learning about energy, waste, water, and related community and environmental issues. The CM graduate students compiled the ideas and results of the project into a report and PowerPoint which was presented on campus to the Kinard CARES students and faculty advisors, along with representatives from the school district's facilities office.

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Results of the project were organized into leadership, motivation, and communication recommendations to be implemented by Kinard CARES and will become part of a national pilot study effort organized by the U.S. Green Building Council and their LEED for Existing Schools Operations and Maintenance program. Chris Bergman, advisor for the Kinard CARES group remarked that, "It was wonderful to see the positive interactions between CSU students and our eighth graders. Having the university engage us in a process that can contribute to a better performing facility and increased awareness of the ways we can teach and learn from our school building is something we'll refer to for years to come."

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Watch the video to see another collaboration with Bill Franzen and Brian Dunbar's Construction Management graduate students in a lecture hall on campus last year.  <<< Full Article

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