Problem Statement
​Fast fashion's environmental harm and ethical concerns often go unnoticed among high school students, leading to choices that contribute to waste, exploitation, and a larger carbon footprint.

Solution Statement
We aim to raise awareness about fast fashion's ethical and social impacts, encouraging students to embrace sustainable practices like thoughtful spending, recycling, and supporting ethically made clothing. Our initiatives include a sustainable clothing fair and clothes swap, updates to the mother/daughter fashion show, a Sion gear pass-it-on event for seniors and freshmen, and securing a new sustainable uniform vendor.​

Presentation

THE TEAM

Ava Sheedy

My name is Ava Sheedy, and I am a senior at Notre Dame de Sion High School. I enrolled in the Designing Real World Impacts course because traditional classes have never excited me, and I was seeking skills that would benefit me in professional settings. As someone interested in a career in business, specifically digital marketing, this class truly piqued my interest. Throughout the course, I have strengthened my abilities in pitching, professional writing, networking within my community, thinking outside the box, and public speaking.

This semester, I chose to focus on sustainability in the Kansas City area and the effects of the fast fashion industry, targeting teenagers as our main audience. As a teenager myself, I gained valuable insights from my research, which highlighted the urgent need for change. My team and I have a unique advantage because we can directly relate to this issue. Our Sustainability Fair at Sion will showcase sustainable businesses in the Kansas City area, providing the Sion student body and staff with alternative options. Our proposal to build a Sustainable Clothing Fair at Sion intends to make a long-term impact by cooperating with the Green Team to ensure that these initiatives continue in the future. 

I am excited about the opportunity to observe the potential impact of our Sustainability Fair at Sion this year and in future years to come.


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Ava Lynn

My name is Ava Lynn, and I am a senior at Notre Dame de Sion High School. I enrolled in the Designing Real World Impacts course to expand my understanding of the business world, as I plan to major in marketing in college. I was drawn to this class because I sought a challenge that would push me to analyze and propose practical solutions to real-world problems, all in hopes of improving the quality of our world. I was eager for a more impactful form of education.

This course has familiarized me with contemporary challenges and the business tactics used to address them and has sharpened my skills in pitching, professional writing, and task management. After brainstorming numerous potential topics, I became particularly interested in the environmental harm and ethical concerns associated with fast fashion, issues that often go unnoticed among high school students. These concerns lead to choices contributing to waste, exploitation, and a larger carbon footprint. Witnessing the dangers and prevalence of this problem firsthand has motivated me to drive change in my own life and influence those around me.

Through data collection and analysis, I applied my knowledge of statistics to draw meaningful conclusions and develop effective solutions. Our initiative to create a Sustainable Clothing Fair at Sion aims to leave a lasting impact by collaborating with the Green Team to ensure these efforts continue in future years. Additionally, we plan to advocate for a more sustainable uniform and transform event t-shirts also to be sustainable.
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I am excited to witness the potential impact of these initiatives in shaping a more sustainable future, not just within our school community but beyond. Together, we can inspire others to make more conscious choices and promote a culture of sustainability.

Gretchen kowalewich

Hello! My name is Gretchen Kowalewich, and I am a senior at Notre Dame de Sion High School. I enrolled in the Designing Real World Impacts class because I have a passion for business and view myself as an innovative creator. I enjoy honing my entrepreneurial skills and am currently serving as the Communications Coordinator for my group, Sustaining Sion. In this role, I manage our team's emails and engage with local partners, focusing on building relationships and networking to expand my experiences and knowledge. As well as being the Communications Coordinator, I strive to foster strong team collaboration.

Throughout this semester, and working with my group, I deepened my understanding of the importance of sustainable shopping. Our problem statement highlights how the environmental harm and ethical concerns of fast fashion often go unnoticed among high school students, leading to choices that contribute to waste, exploitation, and a larger carbon footprint. Our goal was to find a solution to this issue, and we developed Sustaining Sion through our creativity, determination, and hard work.

I am particularly motivated to address the growing environmental and social problems caused by fast fashion because I am a teenage girl who has bought and seen the downsides of fast fashion. Every day, I witness firsthand the increasing popularity of cheap, trendy clothing among my peers. This has fueled my determination to educate my classmates and the Sion community about the significance of a sustainable lifestyle.

This project and course have provided me with valuable insights into career and project development, as well as the skills needed for professional communication, teamwork, and networking. I have further explored my entrepreneurial mindset and feel prepared and excited to enter a professional work environment. Additionally, this class allowed me to foster critical thinking and problem-solving abilities, which are crucial for making informed decisions and driving innovation. The emphasis on teamwork and communication in this class prepared me to collaborate effectively in diverse professional environments. Most importantly, throughout this class, I have connected with different entrepreneurs across the Kansas City area and was able to learn so much from them, and I am forever grateful for this experience.