We asked some of the brightest folks from within the community to reflect back on their days in school and to share with us a story of when they learned a particularly important or impactful lesson. We’ve shared highlights below.

Kareem Youngblood

“The most important lesson I learned in school? That not everything they call education is actually educational.” I was sitting in math class, staring at a calculator I wasn’t allowed to use. The logic was: You’re only smart if you can do the math in your head. But I wasn’t built for that kind of academic gymnastics. On my very first New York State Regents math exam—a test required to graduate—I got a 12. Retook it, got a 21. And honestly, that was a win. Third time around? A 66. One point above the passing mark. That score felt like a damn trophy. Read more>>

Kyle Selley

At the Kansas City Art Institute, I quickly began to realize that there really aren’t many rules in art-making. I had started experimenting with fireworks and smoke, curious if something so unstable could become part of my practice. No one told me not to. That freedom to try something unpredictable opened everything up. Read more>>

Spencer Martin

Studying in Pasadena for college, I had a professor give an assignment that required me to venture out and be inspired by what I experienced. At the time, I was a bit of a homebody and 100% of all my projects were done completely in my apartment. The first artwork I handed in was by habit and I did not follow his instructions. He recognized immediately that it was my usual routine and asked me to honor his request. I contemplated where and what to do. I decided to spend an afternoon at a nursery of plants and study their appearances closely. Read more>>

Georgie Jarmolkiewicz

I really struggled throughout education, from primary school to university graduation.
My twenty years in education was made up of countless hours in exclusion, sporadic praise, endless mentions of unmet potential. I thrived in areas I was passionate about – art, maths, English – but even that was limited to specific projects. Read more>>