Responding to COVID-19
Keeping our communities healthy during the COVID-19 pandemic
Social distancing has saved lives during the pandemic, but it can also leave people feeling isolated and anxious.
People want to know the right things to do to be safe from COVID-19, but it’s not always easy to tell what information is accurate, or how you should act on information once you have it.
The state is looking for your help in solving one of two major challenges related to keeping our communities safe during the COVID-19 pandemic.
How can we support the mental health of Washingtonians while practicing social distancing-- especially teens and elders?
How can people have accurate, actionable, accessible information about COVID-19, while still respecting individual privacy?
What the community has to say:
To take on this challenge, you can choose from one of the following problem-solving prompts, or create one of your own using the following themes:
Elder Isolation
Design a service or tool the state could use to help alleviate isolation for older adults during the pandemic.
Background information
Teen Mental Health
Design a service or tool that would help people in your age group stay connected to each other socially and support their mental health while also protecting themselves and others from being exposed to COVID-19.
Background information
Contact Tracing
Design a solution to ensure people are notified about their exposure to COVID-19 while still protecting their privacy.
Background Information
Fighting Misinformation
How could the state help ensure that residents can identify accurate information about COVID-19 online? How should the state share information so that the most accurate information gets to people that need it?
Background Information
Understanding Information
Design a public information campaign, community service, or service-learning project that provides accurate information about COVID-19 for your community.
Background Information
Testing Protocol
Design a testing protocol for COVID-19 that is based on your community needs.
Background Information
Tools to help you implement this challenge case:
Get Instructional Guide
Use this guide to support your lesson/activity planning. Contains challenge case background research to share with youth and suggested activities.
Getting Started Guide
Use this checklist to help you plan your engagement with the challenge.
Submission Guidelines
The most creative solutions submitted will be recognized in Spring 2021. Take a look at the list of criteria, and learn how to submit.
Engage with Industry
Learn directly from industry leaders who work on them every day. Visit our schedule page to see the next engagement opportunity, and learn how to register.
Explore Future Pathways
Find information you can share with the youth you serve about college, Career Launch, apprenticeships, or postsecondary training in these fields.
Share on Lesson Bank
Share your lesson and activity plans with other teachers/program leaders statewide, and see what they are using with their students