Can your past define your future? Absolutely. In this episode of The AWB Education Podcast, we shift our focus from preservation to strategic utility, asking how archives can actively drive vision setting and strategic planning at the school leadership level. Dr. Kristen Gwinn-Becker, CEO of History IT, shares her historical expertise, affirming the cliché: "you can't know where you're going without knowing where you've been." A robust, accessible archive fosters a sense of shared community and identity by letting stakeholders understand they are part of a continuous narrative. Dr. Gwinn-Becker provides specific examples, like the McCauley School's five-year anniversary project, and discusses how surfacing hidden stories—the everyday lives, lesser-known figures, and social movements—can inspire current students and staff far more powerfully than just spotlighting celebrities and major successes.

Key Takeaways: Discover how archives inform successful initiatives and flag potential pitfalls; learn how surfacing "hidden stories" inspires a broader community; and understand how major milestones drive comprehensive digital archive projects.

Action: Dive deeper into preservation planning! Contact our guest Dr. Kristen Gwinn-Becker at www.historyIT.com or on social media at HistoryIT and #savehistory.