Our children are our future. Education is at the heart at developing their skills and abilities and yet year after year we hear about the degrading state of our educational system. Our nation has spent trillions of dollars on failed programs that research and experts had promised would work. Achievement gaps persist, performance declines are accelerating and so it is of paramount importance that we explore novel ideas and solutions. You might not agree with many or any of the ideas below, and we certainly are not endorsing policies – our hope is just to create a space where bright, dedicated folks from the community can share their ideas – so that we can all come together and better understand each others experiences, concerns and how we might move forward together to build a brighter future.

Jenny Badman

I had a couple of fantastic teachers in grade school that I think set the tone for me feeling empowered to follow my creativity. My fourth grade teacher started class every morning my playing (on the record player!) Cat Stevens’s song Morning Has Broken. I guess this could be considered a small thing, but for me, it was huge. Besides being a beautiful song, hearing music before a day full of schoolwork just centered and calmed me. Mr. Minarck, our teacher, was an athlete and an incredibly sensitive human. I remember that he read us inspiring stories from the newspaper now and again, and he’d choke up, exhale and say, “Children, this is a very powerful story.” It was incredible to see an adult exhibit that kind of emotion. He normalized feeling deeply for many generations of fourth graders! Read more>>

Ayomipo George

I believe that, at its core, education should truly prepare students for the realities they will face beyond the classroom. Right now, education often focuses heavily on technical expertise in specific fields, which is valuable, of course. But technical knowledge alone doesn’t necessarily make someone a leading figure in their field. There are critical, essential skills that go beyond technical ability, skills that can actually set a person apart when combined with their knowledge. Read more>>

Qodi Chacon

To start I think most of the educational system is a one size fits all mold like teaching monkeys to swim and fish to climb trees. Especially in the beauty industry, most schools only teach you how to do longer hairstyles as a hairstylist would do, and don’t usually go into as much detail as a Barber Student would actually need to learn how to cut hair. I would suggest to all aspiring barbers to spend time in real barbershops. Learn from real Barbers, ask questions and take at least one piece of information from each Barber you watch and combine it. In order to cultivate your own style your own style, that is what keeps people coming back to you and your chair spinning. It’s not the fact that you can cut just like all of these barbers you see on social media or like the other Barber from down the street. Read more>>

Ayodele Olawaiye

I believe that we should learn about financial literacy at a young age. Possibly even middle school. I think we are encouraged to go to college without being set up properly. We should learn about the importance of saving, credit, bills, etc. A lot of us have to learn the hard way which puts us at a disadvantage. Read more>>

Will Tondo

As an entrepreneur and business owner, I have learned a great deal over the past few years that has shaped me into the person I am today. I developed my sense of drive and organization during my school days, and now, five years out of college and nine years out of high school, I find that my career path is quite different from what I expected at those points in my life. While I wouldn’t change a thing, there are aspects of my educational experience that I wish had been different. Read more>>