Learning Unboxed

High school is a critical age for students. As our kids’ social lives expand, it can be harder to keep them interested in learning. And the skills that they are taught in school may not be the most readily applicable for their future. So what can be done to improve that system?Giant Leaps Learning provides an after school enrichment program that helps prepare creative and curious students for life in college, the workplace, and beyond. Michael Trezza is the founder and CEO; his perspective aligns well with ours here at the PAST Foundation. We discuss how teaching kids the skills of critical thinking and self-learning can carry them much further than most archaic classroom lessons.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgWe unbox:How the world is changing faster than our current education system can keep upWhat Giant Leaps Learning doesHow coaching meets educational needsTeaching kids critical thinking skillsResources:giantleapslearning.comLearning Unboxed is produced, in part, by Crate Media.

Little Inventors is a creative education organization that inspires imagination by taking young peoples’ amazing ideas seriously. Dominic Wilcox is a British artist and designer who creates innovative and thought provoking work that is shown in galleries and museums across the world, as well as the founder of Little Inventors. Mark Muzzin is a K-12 STEM consultant for the Macomb Intermediate School District. He loves to develop new initiates, collaborate, and leverage his experience to empower others. Together, they share how kids can learn to think of themselves as inventors and the synergy that comes when working together with teachers and engineers to come up with innovative programming.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgWe unbox:The story behind Little InventorsGiving kids a sense of agencyHow schools can shake things upGetting schools to buy into an ambitious new programBalancing open source and formal educationResources:littleinventors.orgFollow Dominic on Instagram: @dominic_wilcoxLearning Unboxed

Today’s guest has had a remarkable journey in the innovation and entrepreneurship space within education. His name is Josh Chernikoff and he is an innovative entrepreneurship advisor and strategist with over 20 years of experience in education, broadcast journalism, sales, marketing, and communications. He’s used that unique combination of skill sets and applied them to a wide range of work. We hear about his successes, failures, and the thinking that goes on behind the scenes.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgResources:joshchernikoff.comcascadego.coLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/joshuachernikoffLearning Unboxed is produced in part by Crate Media

Let’s talk about a place, a program, and a whole ecosystem all living under one name: IslandWood. Washington-based IslandWood is an environmental education nonprofit that believes there are many paths to creating a more sustainable and equitable world. Megan Karch, our guest today, has been the CEO of IslandWood since 2018. She sees, and tells us all about, the magic in the science and intention brought to the project. We talk about the importance of this kind of work, how it opens kids up to seeing the significance of the natural world, and how those without access to IslandWood can replicate its lessons in their own backyard.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgResources:islandwood.orgLearning Unboxed is produced in part by Crate Media

Rachel Shreve has been involved in Cooking with Kids, a nationally recognized nonprofit organization based in Northern New Mexico, since 2006. It is dedicated to educating and empowering children and families to make healthy food choices through hands-on learning with fresh, affordable ingredients. We talk about nutrition, healthy foods, and the lifelong learning experiences that can take place between kids and their families as they learn how to cook, eat, and be in a happy and joyous relationship with food.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgResources:cookingwithkids.orgLearning Unboxed is produced in part by Crate Media

Reading and literacy are skills we can often take for granted, but they aren’t as accessible as we might think. Many children – and parents alike – don’t have access to reading material that can allow them to learn at their own pace. That’s where Worldreader and their mission comes in.The Worldreader website and app offer a digital library of books as part of their Keep Children Reading US programming and provides access to books in English and Spanish to families who otherwise struggle to access books and reading in a meaningful way.Kristen Walters is the Director of US Programs. She shares how the organization tackles overcoming the barriers to learning, helps parents and their kids connect and learn together, and provides reading materials around the country.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgResources:worldreader.orgWorldreader AppBookSmart AppLearning Unboxed is produced in part by Crate Media

Archaeology is one of the best examples of STEM education you can find. But it can take a lot of effort to get meaningful programming, access, and opportunity into communities as it relates to archaeology and local history. Joining us to talk about this is Dr. Alexandra Jones. She’s the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Archaeology in the Community and is an education leader focused on community outreach and service. We talk about how she started getting archaeology-based education into schools without giving teachers more work, what motivated her to start this nonprofit in the first place, and why it’s so important to get kids learning about archaeology.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgResources:archaeologyincommunity.comLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/alexandra-jones-phd-rpa-79203162Learning Unboxed is produced in part by Crate Media

This week, we’re talking about diversity and inclusion as it relates to the STEM fields and how we can continue working towards a more inclusive industry. Dr. Jose Morey is an MD known as the first “intergalactic doctor.” He’s also a leader in technology and innovation, and the founder and CEO of Ad Astra Media, a STEAM edutainment company that provides role models and educational content to encourage more diversity in STEM and STEAM fields. We talk about Dr. Morey’s approach to media education, why it’s so important for kids to see themselves in the careers they pursue, and how this content is being integrated with the traditional education landscape.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgResources:drjosemorey.comadastrasteammedia.comInstagram: @drintergalacticLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/josé-morey-03942357Learning Unboxed is produced in part by Crate MediaRecorded by Eric French at WOSU Studios in Columbus, Ohio

Andrea Ferrero is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of Pockets Change, a nonprofit that provides curriculum workshops and professional development to build financial literacy and resilience through Hip Hop pedagogy.If you’re not sure what that means, we dive into all of that and more in this episode, including the difficulties involved in teaching finances in school, understanding different personalities and their relationship to both learning and money, and where you can get started including this in your schools.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgResources:pocketschange.comLearning Unboxed is produced in part by Crate Media

Michael W. Dennis is the Vice President of Legal, PMO, and Innovation for CAS. He earned his PhD in biochemistry from the Ohio State University, and JD from Capital University. In this episode, we discuss the advancement of individual communities on a global scale.CAS is looking to make science and data accessible across the globe, fueling innovation, curating information, and advancing scientific progress. We explore what it means to innovate at a community level, how CAS is contributing to that, and how you can take charge in your own area.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgResources:cas.orgLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/michael-dennis-b262165Learning Unboxed is produced in part by Crate Media

As always on this podcast, we’re excited to have conversations about innovative opportunities for students, for schools, and in this case, for professionals as well. In this episode, we cover a new program called Mentor Ship.Joining the conversation is Rania Ajami, an award-winning filmmaker and founder of several successful entities and organizations centered around creating modern programming for students. With Rania is Angelica Estevez, an attorney and legal counsel.Mentor Ship is an interactive learning platform that connects children with experts from around the world, bringing together changemakers and thought leaders in the areas of survival skills, climate change, space, artificial intelligence, archeology, health and wellbeing, arts, and more.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgResources:mentor-ship.tvLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/rania-ajami-7457452Learning Unboxed is produced in part by Crate Media

We know that the traditional education system doesn’t work for most people, but rarely do people set out to come up with solutions on their own. We talk to Vivian Shen, the founder of Juni Learning, about what subjects give students the most value throughout their lives, how Juni is doing things differently from the traditional school system, and how to prepare kids for the real world.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgResources:junilearning.comLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/vivianmshenLearning Unboxed is produced in part by Crate Media

In this episode of Learning Unboxed, we take another field trip, this time, to the New Albany Intermediate School. Our guide is Pete Barnes, a twenty-five year veteran of education with eighteen of those spent serving young people in New Albany schools. He shares his fresh take on curriculum work involving pollinator gardens, outdoor education, and environmental science – and why it makes such a big difference for kids.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgResources:New Albany Intermediate SchoolLearning Unboxed is produced in part by Crate Media

Communion is an aspect of education that we rarely discuss, but it can have a tremendous impact on students’ personal outlooks and futures. Christopher Travers is a scholar, minister, writer, speaker, and curator of communion. Anchored in an ethic of love, his work explores the intersection of spirituality, race, and gender among Black men. Joining him is Derrick Tillman-Kelly, who serves as the Chief of Staff to the Dean of The Ohio State University College of Engineering. In this episode, we have a conversation that allows us to think critically, to think deeply, to think about community and what it means to be a part of one.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgResources:communioncollective.comLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/christopher-travers-97865236LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/derricktillmankellyLearning Unboxed is produced in part by Crate MediaRecorded by Eric French at WOSU Studios in Columbus, Ohio

Dan McClure draws on over thirty years of experience in order to, in his words “choreograph ambitious, messy change”. Now, he’s turning his attention to the education landscape, with a focus on which pieces are and aren’t relevant to make the whole thing run as efficiently as possible.If you haven’t noticed, a lot has changed since our current education system was built. But, there aren't many ways in which it’s been updated to match the times. It can be very difficult to get people to embrace change, especially when civic funding is at stake, but that’s exactly what Dan’s work is all about.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgResources:ThoughtworksDan McClure on LinkedInLearning Unboxed is produced in part by Crate MediaRecorded by Eric French at WOSU Studios in Columbus, Ohio

Many people shy away from talking about middle school, but it’s an important topic. Middle school is often where we make or break a kid’s future – and there is so much opportunity and potential during middle school to shape them for the rest of their lives.Andrew Ravin and Denise Daniels join us to discuss what Workshop Middle School does differently and how they’re rethinking the structure of the classroom, from starting later in the day to organizing smaller class sizes. Getting things right for kids at this transitional period in life is so important. To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgResources:workshopmiddleschool.orgLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/andrewravinLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/denise-daniels-5006a611bLearning Unboxed is produced in part by Crate MediaRecorded by Eric French at WOSU Studios in Columbus, Ohio

Mara Mintzer from Growing Up Boulder gives us the scoop on their youth-friendly city initiative, a program established to include the voices of children in the decisions of local government, focusing on things such as public spaces, transit, and housing. If kids are going to be affected by these decisions, doesn’t it make sense to at least hear what they have to say? Involving children – especially those from underrepresented backgrounds – sheds a whole new light on aspects of city and social planning that would otherwise go unnoticed. It also gives them a glimpse of what it looks like to make a true and tangible impact on the world, with the hope that the experience inspires them both professionally and personally down the line.Growing Up Boulder is now working alongside UNICEF USA to inspire and educate children through unique projects their students are sure to remember for the rest of their lives.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgResources:Growing Up BoulderMara’s TED TalkMara on LinkedInLearning Un

In this episode, I connect with Jeneille Branen and Erin Corwine, the powerhouses behind the Palouse Prairie Charter School in Moscow, Idaho. As a credited EL institute, it’s exemplary in executing the EL Education philosophy (formally known as  Expeditionary Learning). We discuss what makes the Palouse community and curriculum unique, the intentionality behind their rigorous hiring process, integrating natural learning environments, and how they pivoted their practices during the pandemic. To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgResources:Website: palouseprairieschool.orgLearning Unboxed is produced in part by Crate MediaRecorded by Eric French at WOSU Studios in Columbus, Ohio

Sal Gordon, the Head of Teaching and Learning at Green School Bali, is here to explain the mission statement and vision behind the school in Bali which has now grown into a global movement. Sal spent 12 years in formal education and, at the end of his journey, realized that all he’d really learned along the way was how to learn. That’s what inspired him to join Green School; it matched up with his unique view of what teaching can and should be.We also get into how Green School Bali pivoted to keep moving during COVID, the ways that their model of education has helped students already, and its global expansion with other Green Schools in South Africa and Tulum.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgResources:Green SchoolGreen School BaliSal on LinkedInLearning Unboxed is produced in part by Crate MediaRecorded by Eric French at WOSU Studios in Columbus, Ohio

The Conrad Challenge has been inspiring students to collaborate and innovate for years as just one of the programs run by The Conrad Foundation. Its founder and chair, Nancy Conrad, joins us, as well as tech investor and Conrad alum, Ankesh Madan, for a discussion on how the challenge continues to benefit people around the globe.A former teacher, Nancy is now a globally recognized leader in transformative education and a highly sought-after speaker. She established The Conrad Foundation to honor her husband, Pete Conrad, the third man to walk on the moon. Also joining us is Ankesh Madan. Ankesh is a self-described recovering materials engineer who made the transition to tech investor following his involvement in the 2010 Conrad Challenge. Together, they give us a full picture of how The Conrad Challenge is able to innovate, bring people together, and bring the best out of our children.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgResources:The Conrad ChallengeNancy Conrad on LinkedInAnkesh Madan on LinkedInLearning