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.

Mateo Solorzano

The education system is a bit out of the place. I would love to give the students a more personalized experience, students would be able to choose more what they do for their curriculum. Also would love to have a more open and collaborative space where projects between students are encouraged to work with people from different disciplines. Also would give up tests. As well as create more opportunities to get involved with any industries, internships and collaborative classes are amazing experiences that all people would benefit from. Read more>>

Jorge Vega

If I can change something in the educational system, it would be teaching the kids more about themselves their personality and mastering their emotions. from there, the next step would be mindset, coaching, teaching them that thoughts become things, and giving them the tools that they need to become the architect of their life. Read more>>

Blair Gianatti

I think we need a major change in our educational system to adapt to all types of learners. The system has always heavily focused it’s efforts on kids who are categorically “book smart” or “good learners” and a significant portion of kids are hands on learners or don’t fit the traditional learning mold. We are seeing a significant decrease in the next generations of workers for the trades industries and we need to help educate but also prepare the kids to work labor intensive jobs. Not everyone needs to go to college, not everyone needs a higher education to have an incredibly successful life and that needs to be talked about more. Adapting our system to keep up with those book smart kids while also accommodating different styles of learning so that every kid in the system can get a productive education is the most important thing. Read more>>

James Bonner

I rarely took my education seriously. My parents, though loving, had a hands-off — or passive — approach to my sisters and my development; unless we asked for help. However, I didn’t know how or what to ask when it came to asking for help. As an adult, looking back at my childhood, and particularly how my parents’ parenting style influenced my education (a proactively individual approach to parenting compared to a collective, standardized approach to education), I couldn’t help but recognize a disconnect between what it means to be human and the structures we laid to accommodate the social dynamic of our individual journeys. Read more>>

Will Jones

I think one of the greatest things about being a graphic designer is the versatility of the field. There are so many different jobs you can apply for with those skills, it really comes down to what interests you the most and what you are passionate about. I think the biggest way the education system can prepare students for a fulfilling career is to help them figure out what inspires them to create, and help them bring their work to life. The graphic design major at my college was in the art department and had a fine art foundation which I believe helped a lot when it came to understanding fundamentals of art and visual media. Read more>>

Lana Spencer

I believe today’s education system misses the mark on what I’d call “life education”—the essential knowledge that truly prepares students for financial stability and success in adulthood. Schools focus heavily on traditional academics but often neglect critical subjects like investments, assets vs. liabilities, business ownership, tax strategies, and the power of compounding interest. Basic accounting and investment strategies should be just as fundamental as math and science because they directly impact a person’s ability to build wealth and make informed financial decisions. Read more>>

Emme Mcdonald

I’m a junior in high school right now, and I think many will agree that academics have started to feel more like a zero-sum game than a means of gaining knowledge. The competition for top colleges and pressure to get “high stats” are real; people (myself included) feel they have to forgo classes they’re interested in if the GPA weighting is lower. I think there needs to be a bigger focus on pursuing topics you’re passionate about and building projects related to them rather than getting perfect scores on every test or grinding out high-status extracurriculars. Read more>>