Prepare for positive teamwork and for the design experience. Learn about your community.

Teams gather at the Challenge Forum to hear from leading thinkers who tackle some of our world’s toughest problems. These leaders pose challenges to the teams, asking them to create innovative solutions for their communities.

Teams have one week to select the challenge of their choice, draft their vision, and set goals. Teams are guided to pick challenges based on passion, relevance, feasibility, and sustainability.

Teams are coached to develop a brand identity and messaging to pitch their solution to community stakeholders.

Teams put their work into action by engaging their communities through events, surveys, and media outreach.

Teams present their solutions to a panel of distinguished judges who select top teams based on creativity, feasibility, sustainability, and teamwork.

Post Solution Showcase, teams participate in a reflection meeting with Aspen Institute staff that serves as an inflection point on individual and collective leadership development.