Students in Jordan Englehart’s Engineering 3 class gathered inside the Grow Dome on the campus of Riverview Elementary School, where they delivered five-minute pitches for eight original designs. Their audience included SOIL staff and fellow students, who served as “clients” evaluating each concept.
Each team tackled one of two real-world challenges: improving composting systems for the SOIL campus or designing a way to move water uphill and back down for a planned Animas Watershed model installation in Riverview’s current bus loop area.
The result was a showcase of hands-on problem solving, creativity, and purpose-driven design.
Learning by doing – and iterating
The projects reflected key Durango School District Portrait of a Graduate skills, especially Agile Thinker and Resilient Risk-Taker. Students tested ideas, refined prototypes, and presented solutions grounded in both function and user experience.
Their tools ranged from simple to sophisticated. Teams combined duct tape, Legos, and hot glue with 3D-printed parts and CAD software. The work was technical, but also tactile—focused on building, testing, and improving in real time.
Students also considered cost, manufacturability, and what they called the “fun factor”—ensuring their designs would engage younger students visiting the SOIL campus.
Inside the Grow Dome
Presentations took place in the SOIL Grow Dome, a living classroom filled with inspiration. A large fig tree anchors the space, surrounded by seedlings, overwintered vegetables, and tree saplings. A koi pond with floating plants sits beneath a mounted smart TV, while tilapia swim in a nearby tank with water that fertilizes the plants.
The dome itself reflects student innovation. Its ventilation and misting system were designed by DHS engineering students last year, creating a warm, bright environment that supports year-round growing.
Eight designs, two big challenges
Students presented a wide range of creative solutions:
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A redesigned compost system improving the existing Soil Cube, using an auger and rainwater drainage for easier extraction and higher-quality compost
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A cylindrical compost bin powered by a stationary bicycle, combining efficiency with an interactive, kid-friendly experience
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Multiple versions of an Archimedes screw system to move water uphill—some powered, others fully manual and electricity-free
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A motorized composting auger system with 3D-printed components for consistent mixing
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A watershed education model using sluice gates and drains to demonstrate water flow and distribution
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An interactive water flow device built with gears and valves using Legos
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A pulley-based system using water pressure and a toilet-flap-style plug to demonstrate underground reservoirs and flow
Each design was judged by the SOIL team for its effectiveness, usability, and ability to engage learners of all ages.
A taste of the harvest
The day wrapped up with a shared meal that reflected the purpose behind the work. Students enjoyed pizza donated by Happy Pappy’s alongside a fresh salad made from produce harvested that morning at the SOIL site: tomatoes, peppers, radishes, carrots, chard, and kale, topped with a house-made herb dressing.
It was a fitting close to a day rooted in real-world learning.
From compost systems to water engineering, these students weren’t just completing an assignment. They were designing solutions for their own community — testing ideas, taking risks, and building skills that will carry far beyond the classroom.