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.

Naomi Sowell

In September 2021, I joined an online school called The Author Conservatory. It’s college-level and beyond training specifically for writing and business. Being homeschooled and becoming a professional musician at a young age had me operating as a loner most of the time. I was used to people leaving and having few true friends outside of my family. (Thank God for siblings!) I always thought I worked better alone, but boy, was I wrong. Read more>>

Micah Nelson

My mom taught me from very early on that it’s important to make people feel welcomed, seen, and heard. We should pay attention to the people who aren’t being included and make the effort to include them, not as an act of pity but one of empathy. It’s a value I still hold very dear. Read more>>

Jessica Leving Siegel

In fifth grade, I had the opportunity to participate in a program called ThinkQuest, Jr. that challenged teams of students to create websites on educational topics. My brother, Billy, had been diagnosed with autism a few years prior, and I had hated watching him struggle among peers who just didn’t get it. The website project seemed like a great opportunity to do something that might help. Read more>>

Chris Klein

What has come to me from reflecting on the experiences I had going through school, is the lesson of recognizing what I am good at, what I am passionate about and enjoy doing, and the differences between them. Growing up in K12 school, math and science came naturally easier to me than other subjects. Growing up with ADHD, having rigid processes to work towards an asnwer that was either right or wrong for a problem allowed the flow of my quickly moving mind to be effectively directed with guard rails. Read more>>