Edvolution Podcast

In this episode, we sit down with Whitney Cohen, Executive Director of Life Lab and lecturer at UC Santa Cruz, to explore what it truly takes to spark lasting change in our classrooms, schools, and communities. Whitney shares her journey from developing her own Sustainable Community Development major and teaching outdoor science to stepping into leadership at Life Lab and shaping garden-based education nationwide.

We dive into how educators and school leaders can use garden-based learning as a living laboratory to foster deep belonging, authentic science learning, and student agency:

Fostering Real Belonging & Purpose: How hands-on outdoor work gives students a genuine sense of purpose, helping them step into roles as caregivers for living things and building teamwork across the school.

Bringing Curriculum to Life: Using school gardens to teach Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), balanced forces, life cycles, math, and literacy in meaningful, real-world contexts.

Overcoming Operational Challenges: Why long-term sustainability requires investing in people and anchor educators—not just physical infrastructure—to keep gardens thriving past initial enthusiasm.

Greening Urban Spaces: Creative strategies for urban and cement-heavy campuses to introduce raised beds, container gardens, and grant funding so every student can build a connection with nature.

Resources & Topics Mentioned:

  Life Lab

Connect and learn about Whitney's work: 

Get in Touch

Have feedback or want to collaborate? Email us at [email protected] or connect through LinkedIn.

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Stay tuned for upcoming Season 3 episodes covering service learning, sustainability, edible education, and global citizenship!

Welcome to another episode of the Edvolution Podcast! In this episode, we sit down with Mike Johnston, CEO of St. Joseph's Institution International, to explore what it truly takes to spark lasting change in our classrooms, schools, and communities. Mike shares his incredible journey across international schools in Mexico, Russia, Qatar, Singapore, Guatemala, and Germany, reflecting on how a single spark of inspiration set his global mission in motion.

We dive deep into how educators and school leaders can build robust programs from the ground up, moving past traditional limits to focus on what matters most for a better future:

Resources & Topics Mentioned:

St. Joseph's Institution International (SJII) "Way of Being"

Compass Education & Systems Thinking

Connect and learn about Mike's work: 

Get in Touch

Have feedback or want to collaborate? Email us at [email protected] or connect through LinkedIn.

Subscribe & Connect

Stay tuned for upcoming Season 3 episodes covering service learning, sustainability, edible education, and global citizenship!

Welcome to another episode of the Edvolution Podcast! In this episode, we sit down with Alice Whitehead, CEO and founder of Orenda Learning, an organization dedicated to guiding young people to build deeper relationships with themselves and their communities while taking action for positive change.

Alice shares her unique journey as a third-culture kid raised in Singapore, her full-circle return to United World College (UWC) as an educator, and how that deep commitment to peace and sustainability inspired her to launch Orenda Learning and its globally recognized Be The Change program.

We talk about how to move service learning away from performative, one-off events and toward deeply authentic, sustainable partnerships.

Resources & Links

Connect and learn about Alice's work: 

Get in Touch

Have feedback or want to collaborate? Email us at [email protected] or connect through LinkedIn.

Subscribe & Connect

Stay tuned for upcoming Season 3 episodes covering service learning, sustainability, edible education, and global citizenship!

Welcome to another episode of the Edvolution Podcast! In this episode, we sit down with Dom Verwey, Middle and High School Service Learning and Student Leadership Coordinator at the American International School of Budapest. In this conversation, Dom shares his unique journey from studying advanced human biology and exercise physiology in South Africa to shaping progressive service leadership and IB Core programs internationally.

We dive into how educators can build robust student leadership and CAS (Creativity, Activity, Service) programs from the ground up, even when starting without a formal blueprint. Dom breaks down the shift from isolated leadership to genuine community contribution, the importance of pairing high expectations with high support, and how to move from transactional connections to deep, co-designed community partnerships. We also look at the neuroscience behind adolescence, exploring how authentic service learning helps students navigate their developing brains and step into active, heart-led agency.

Resources & Links

Connect and learn about Dom's work: 

Get in Touch: Have feedback or want to collaborate? Email us at [email protected] or connect through LinkedIn.

Subscribe & Connect: Stay tuned for upcoming Season 3 episodes covering service learning, sustainability, edible education, and global citizenship!

Our first guest of the season is Alex Budak, faculty member at UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business, social entrepreneur, and author of Becoming a Changemaker. Together, we dive into what it actually takes to spark lasting change in our classrooms, schools, and communities without relying on formal titles and focusing instead on bringing people along, building strong relationships, and creating genuine buy-in every step of the way.

This episode is an inspiring reminder that real change rarely happens in one massive leap; it is built through small, everyday actions. We don't need a big stage to make a difference, just the willingness to take tiny steps forward right where we are.

Resources & Links

Connect and learn about Alex's work: 

Get in Touch: Have feedback or want to collaborate? Email us at [email protected] or connect through LinkedIn.

Subscribe & Connect: Stay tuned for upcoming Season 3 episodes covering service learning, sustainability, edible education, and global citizenship!

Welcome to Season 3 of the Edvolution Podcast! In this episode we kick off the new season with an authentic, unscripted conversation around a visual concept Laurence recently created: Learning Communities of Trust.

Stepping away from predefined curriculums, traditional grading, and one-way learning, we explore how schools can empower students to view themselves as genuine changemakers. Grounded in Laurence's experience with sports psychology, team cohesion, service learning, and intentional community-building, this episode dives into what happens when educators lead with trust to foster agency, self-efficacy, a sense of belonging, and meaningful community contribution.

Resources & Links

Featured Visual: Link to Laurence's "Learning Communities of Trust Framework" 

Get in Touch: Have feedback or want to collaborate? Email us at [email protected] or connect through LinkedIn.

Subscribe & Connect: Stay tuned for upcoming Season 3 episodes covering service learning, sustainability, edible education, and global citizenship!

For our last episode of the season, we are reflecting on where education needs to go next.

In this thought-provoking conversation, we sit down with educator, writer, and public philosopher of education Simon Lightman to explore some of the biggest questions facing schools today. Together, we examine the purpose of education in a time of uncertainty, what meaningful student agency really looks like, and how schools can move beyond compliance-driven approaches toward more ethical, future-focused learning.

We discuss:

As we approach the end of the school year, this episode is a timely invitation to zoom out, reflect on the bigger picture, and consider an important question: What are we really preparing young people for?

Learn about Simon's work here:

We'll be back in September with a whole new season, but until then, don't hesitate to connect with us at [email protected] or follow us on LinkedIn!

What happens when schools move beyond student voice and create genuine opportunities for students to shape decisions, policies, and learning?

In this episode, we speak with Dr. Benjamin Freud, Head of Upper School and Strategic Lead for Regenerative Education at Green School Bali. Benjamin challenges traditional assumptions about education, leadership, and the role of young people in creating positive change.

Together, we explore:

This conversation offers a thought-provoking look at how schools can become communities where advocacy, collaboration, and meaningful participation thrive. As we approach the end of another school year, this conversation also invites us to pause and reflect on the bigger picture. Beyond the day-to-day demands of school life, what kind of learners, leaders, and communities are we hoping to cultivate? And how can we create the conditions for young people to play a meaningful role in shaping the future?

Follow Benjamin's work here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjaminfreud/ 

Connect with us at [email protected] to share ideas, feedback, or topics you’d like explored in future episodes.

In this episode, we sit down with Heather Semon and Daniel Shrewsbury from the International School of Paris to explore how sustainability, service learning, and student voice can transform school culture.

Heather and Daniel share their journeys into international education and describe how their shared passion for environmental stewardship led to the growth of the “Action Cubs,” a student-led initiative empowering young learners to take meaningful action around issues they care about most.

From composting systems and urban gardening to food systems education and global sustainability conferences like ChangeNOW, this conversation is filled with practical ideas, inspiring stories, and thoughtful reflections for educators looking to create purposeful, student-centered learning experiences.

Together, we discuss:

Check out some of Heather and Daniel's favorite resources here:

Connect with us at [email protected] to share ideas, feedback, or topics you’d like explored in future episodes.

In this episode, we sit down with Teresa Tung, Director of Curricular Programs at Hong Kong International School, for a thoughtful conversation about purpose, systems thinking, sustainability, and what it truly means to create flourishing school communities.

Teresa shares her journey from growing up in Taiwan and immigrating to the United States, to becoming an international educator and leader across schools in Asia. Along the way, she reflects on identity, belonging, leadership, and how sustainability education transformed her understanding of the true purpose of schooling.

Together, we explore:

Check out some of Teresa's favorite resources here:

Connect with us for future topics and guests through LinkedIn or [email protected]!