South Gwinnett High School students selected as finalists for The Home Depot National Case Competition

     The D.I.Y. Visionaries at South Gwinnett High School garnered national recognition as one of four finalists to compete in The Home Depot National Case Competition. Earlier in March, the school’s 3DE student team—Achilles Campuzano Sabino, Cheridan Hill, and David Madu, collectively known as the D.I.Y. (do it yourself) Visionaries, tied for first place with its innovative solution, “Test It Yourself” (T.I.Y.).

     This competition challenges students to apply real-world problem-solving skills, a key focus of the 3DE instructional model, which empowers students through experiential learning and business case studies. The South Gwinnett High team competed against two teams from Florida and one from Georgia. Contestants were tasked with finding a way for The Home Depot to create an innovative shopping experience that highlights one of its departments.

     The D.I.Y. Visionaries proposed enhancing the D.I.Y. experience by reintroducing adult workshops in a T.I.Y. format, allowing customers to actively test tools. Participants would sign up for classes via an app or in-store, with workshops conducted by knowledgeable associates. These sessions would allow customers to experiment with various tools and paints in a soundproof glass room designed for an immersive experience, enabling them to apply what they learned in their own D.I.Y projects at home. This environment would also allow customers shopping in-store to observe with minimal distractions. Some departments would be condensed, with excess materials routed to distribution centers.

     For this experience, materials for the workshops would be available for purchase both in-store and online. After each class, effectiveness would be evaluated through metrics such as attendance tracking, in-store observations, and feedback from employees. More advanced workshops would focus on projects such as constructing wheelchair ramps and park benches. The team provided a budget for their prototype and outlined costs for implementation across 2,200 stores nationwide.

     After their presentation, the three members of the team said they “felt great.”

     Each champion will receive a pair of Apple AirPods along with a certificate and a “Final Four” hoodie, and South Gwinnett High will receive a Champion Banner from The Home Depot.