Today’s guest in the Owlcast is metaverse expert and futurist Costantino Roselli, who pokes us with quite provocative topics as what is reality and what is imagined. He combines elements nobody sees, and raises brand identities you had never thought were there. He is the founder & CEO of the Branding & Digital Agency, Weird Authentic People, co-founder and CVO of NTZNS, Digital Fashion Studio & Multi-brand eCommerce, and a member of “The Infinite Club”, a club that studies the future in the world. Costantino challenges himself to read 100 books a year, he loves snow, red wine, fast cars, and Art as he believes that the future of humanity belongs to artists of any form.

Stay with us as we attempt to break into the virtual realm of the Metaverse. With Costantino Roselli today we discuss:

... and much more!

Today’s guest was one of the keynote speakers at the recent EduTech Europe conference in Amsterdam. Her speech was titled “The limits of knowing: uncertain futures for education,” and those of us who expected one more presentation with slides were pleasantly surprised, as she did not need a slide deck to pass her message through.

Our guest today is Kathleen Naglee, an award-winning global leader in education for innovative and inclusive practices. She’s the Head of the International School of Helsinki and a Commissioner for NEASC. She’s also a fellow podcaster with a show named Unhinged Collaboration.

With Kathleen, today we discuss:

Welcome to the 2023 Gala Edition of the Owlcast!

If you missed the 2023 Gala and Alumni Awards event last Saturday,  this is your chance to listen to what transpired. Hosted at the iconic Grande Bretagne Hotel located at the center of Athens, this year’s Gala marked the 78th anniversary of the founding of ACS Athens. A celebration of the spirit of the school, the coming together of its entire body, students, parents, teachers and administrators, joined by ACS Alumni, reminded everyone what a colorful, diverse and strong this community has been forged to be through the years.

Celebrating different cultures in an international school setting, especially during dedicated Heritage Months, is a powerful way to foster inclusivity and appreciation for the rich tapestry of backgrounds that make up the student body. During Hispanic Heritage Month, which typically spans from September 15th to October 15th, students have the opportunity to delve into the diverse and vibrant cultures of the Hispanic world. From the colorful traditions of Mexico's Dia de los Muertos to the passionate rhythms of salsa dancing in the Caribbean, there is a wealth of fascinating aspects to explore. Students can learn about the importance of family in Hispanic culture, the impact of influential figures like Frida Kahlo and Gabriel García Márquez, and savor the delicious cuisine. Embracing Hispanic heritage not only allows students to appreciate the contributions of Spanish-speaking communities but also encourages cross-cultural connections and fosters a sense of unity and respect for one another.

Today’s Owlcast hosts Writing Studio coordinator Helen Seretis and Maria Marcella Orego Tamayo, along with a group of the Hispanic Heritage month students. They all discuss their experience of the cultural journey they went through, talking about cultural understanding and empathy, finding common grounds through their differences and expecting the unexpected.

Today's episode is a student edition Owlcast on AI and Machine Learning. Academy student Adrianos Botsios discusses artificial intelligence and machine learning with a world expert and pioneer of the field, Michalis Bletsas of the MIT media lab. A truly remarkable conversation  that attempts to unbundle some common and not so common perceptions about AI and its role in our lives. 

Here's what they discuss:

...And much more

The new Middle School Principal this year, Mike Embrock, talks to us about his transition from a rural U.S. middle school to an American International school in Europe.

With Mr. Embrock, today we discuss: 

"Dignity builds strength and character. Dignity builds self-worth... Our Collective well-being depends on grounding our thoughts and actions in the power of dignity to transform our lives". These the words of Rosalind Wiseman, author, speaker, and guest of ACS Athens who visited our campus a few days ago. Her book Queen Bees and Wannabes  inspired the movie Mean Girls.

Rosalind Wiseman is an internationally renowned author and educator on children, teens, parenting, bullying, social justice, and ethical leadership. She was invited to talk to the ACS Athens' students and faculty, on issues that touch upon the growing pains facing families, the tough discussions when emotional trauma is evident and the dynamics of family and friends, especially in the era of social media and self awareness and empowerment.

Rosalind Wiseman was joined at the studio by Elliott, Lincoln and Marios, three Academy students. Together we discussed:

We are always happy to welcome our alums whenever they visit our campus, but we are particularly excited when we have visitors who know how the school was in the 80s and 70s or even earlier.

Chris Snyder, class of '77, visited us recently and had the opportunity to see the campus, and the classrooms and talk to students, some of whom are here with us today. The wisdom from his years in school and his exciting life are good starting points for a discussion that spans his school life, his travels, his career choices, and the challenges he faced as he built his livelihood. How timely this discussion is as we prepare for the upcoming grand Celebration of ACS Athens in November, the 2023 Gala in Athens, where two notable graduates will receive the ACS Athens Alumni Award for their achievements in their life and career and their continuous support to the school. Stay with us as Chris Snyder lays out his path in life, and listen to how many common points this path has with the path of this generation of high schoolers, as they listen to his story and try to outline their own goals after high school.

Our co-host today is Lydia Skampavia, from the office of Alumni Relations and the ACS Athens Global team, and an ACS Athens Alumna herself.

Today's show is about being resilient to.... a no-show. Usually, there's a carefully prepared discussion, with a pre-arranged guest, over a topic that has been carefully selected for an intentional result. Today's show is the exact opposite. Sometimes an ad-lib dialogue proves to be more interesting and the result more entertaining. Michael Januzzi assumes the role of co-host and the discussion goes to another level.  

Welcome to the new season of the Owlcast, the official podcast of ACS Athens. The new 2023-24 academic year is under way, and everyone in the international community of the school returned, or came for the first time, to experience a unique model of education, which, as our guest fittingly says, is designed to lead our student to grow and develop as they enter the world.

As every year, the inaugural episode of the season hosts the president of the school, who sets the tone for the year and outlines her vision. This will be the 5th year that Dr. Peggy Pelonis leads ACS Athens.

With Dr Pelonis, today we discuss: