The number one thing we hear from entrepreneurs and artists and creatives when we ask them about their education is about how irrelevant it was to their story. Sure, some folks had wonderful educational experiences, but for many their experiences left them feeling ill prepared for life and their careers. So, we wanted to create a space for folks to share their experiences and ideas for how we can improve our educational system.

Nicole “NeeKKo” Lindsey

What I would change about the education system to prepare students for a more fulfilling life and career is prioritizing mental health and better practices to manage it as well as incorporating trades and more life fundamentals in the education system. This can range from requiring spaces for learning and receiving therapy, obtaining hands on training and experience with various trades that can be leveraged during times like this where the world is becoming more and more dependent on technology and machines. Read more>>

Brittany Veney

I believe that the education system could benefit immensely from incorporating practical life skills into the curriculum to better prepare students for adulthood. One story from my own life illustrates the importance of such a change. During my early career, I found myself in many situations that made me reflect on the gaps in our education system. Read more>>

Shelby Patrice

I would change the curriculum and add Financial literacy through core courses. Growing up and going through life I realized how financial literacy wasn’t taught in the school system because if it was debt and bankruptcy numbers wouldn’t be so high. I then created a curriculum that taught generational wealth through history, science, english, and math. I kept getting turned away to bring financial literacy to the school, so i created my own school and got accredited. Now I teach students grade 6th-12th through core course and give them resources within their classes on wills, testaments, student loan debt, college career readiness, investing and real estate. Read more>>

La Porsche Jackson

I would change children seeing representations of themselves within the education field. I believe young boys should be able to relate to seeing a male teacher even in higher academia as well as being more inclusive and diverse with professors and or teachers that come from minority based background such as African American, Asian Mexican American and everything else in between. I would also change the early childhood education by having corporate America and the education system pay ECE educators just as much as you pay high school teachers as the children in the early years need that great foundation of structure, guidance, and quality education so that when they reach elementary school they will already be set in a grounded foundation for them to be active members of society in the future. Read more>>

Terra Blume

I think there’s a lot that can be done and a lot that should change in the educational system. There should be a stronger focus on creativity and moving in the direction of that. “Modern” school teaches in a one-size-fits-all mindset, and that is detrimental as there’s never a box that “works” for everyone. Every person is different, they have different needs, they learn differently, they act differently, and so on. Putting them in a box only hinders their creative ability to go towards something they actually would enjoy doing as a career/for their life. Read more>>

Flo Rudoff

School was never my thing. Making friends always came easy to me, but algebra and essays…. forget about it. It all was extremely boring and anxiety-provoking. When am I ever going to use this is a question I thought to myself 50 times a day. Watching my friends excel in honor classes, while I had to attend summer school for bad grades made me feel awful! I was never an academic and was never going to be. Ever since I could talk, teachers would tell my mom: “We love Flo, but she talks too much”. I am forever thankful for that chatty little girl because she has made me who I am today. Do I think all of what we teach in school is useless? Read more>>

Tamala Austin

One of the biggest downfalls in today’s education system, no longer do the students have options. Many of the school districts today have removed extra-curricular activities such as cosmetology, welding, c0oking etc. These are some of the classes that were offered back in my day. For various reasons schools are no longer offering these classes. Every child does not desire to go to a 4 year college, but they have a gift/passion that can be discovered while in school so that by the time they graduate they can have the skills to get a job or open their own business. While college degrees are often lauded as the best pathway to higher earnings and financial wellbeing, enrolling in college is not necessarily a golden ticket. Read more>>

Nia Anderson

There’s is too much “what” and not enough “why/how”. For the longest time I believed I was a math teacher, because truth be told, that’s all I thought to do with math other than be a mathematician. In addition to other general studies, more insight into how various subject matter impacts real life, like how math is used to help solve crime or do taxes, how history is important to understanding human behavior and anthropology, how science to the technological and medical advances we live off everyday. In this Information Age, why is the question that matters most. Read more>>

Kenny Vo

Something that I would love to see change in our current education systems is how theres so little emphasis on finding out what the individual is truly interested in and nurturing that. Instead we often approach education as a one size fits all and unique individuals are often times pushed into creating work that they have no interest in because they were told it was the best path or see others doing it. Theres the idea that if you do the most popular style/designs at the time, you will be hire able or more desirable. But in reality, you end up looking like carbon copies of other artists and creatives. Read more>>

Elayna Speight

The major thing I would change about the educational system is I would want to teach students about overall financial wellness and life skills. I would want them to learn how to do their taxes as well as how to save money, budget, and safely invest. I want them to be able to be able to make smart decisions when it comes to money so that they can be more self sufficient. Along with that, I think there should be classes on how to run a business and all that entails (i.e taxes, marketing, business plans, and etc). Luckily I had the luxury of having the opportunity to take Life Skills and Entrepreneurship electives in my high school but I know that there are many that don’t have that option. And even with what I was taught, there were a few things missing like taxes, 401 k’s and the like. If given the choice, I would want more students to learn about that kind of stuff. Read more>>