Learning Unboxed

One of the main goals of education is to prepare our kids for the future, and that often means preparing them for a career. A great way to do that is through internships, capstones, and mentoring programs. Erika Reeves is the Bodies Early College Experience Coordinator at Metro Early College High School, who we’ve spoken with on the podcast before. She’s joined by a student, Shirish Parasa, who has been participating in the Bodies program this past year and gave an incredible capstone presentation. Together, they talk about the benefits of early work education programs and how they can give more opportunities to kids.

To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.org

We unbox:

• What the Bodies Learning Center is
• Embedding children in the research process
• How students connect with what they learn and experience
• Thinking about the role of the mentor
• Meeting the needs of each individual student

Resources:

• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/erika-reeves
• P3 Applied: pastfoundation.org/p3-applied-mentorship-series

In this special issue of Learning Unboxed, we are kicking off a multi-part series we call “Hacking School.”

The disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, while awful in its own right, brought to light several long-standing issues in the education system—specifically when it comes to equity, technology, and pedagogy. We’ve come to understand that the current system does not prepare students adequately for life or the workforce. Let’s explore how we can take this opportunity to rethink the very foundations of how we teach kids and prepare them for the future.

To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.org

We unbox:

• The unexpected upside of the pandemic
• Why the present education system is obsolete
• How we can rethink education

Art is such a powerful way to expand our creativity and explore unique ways of thinking, but the traditional art world can be uninspiring to outsiders and limiting to the artists themselves. Thankfully, people like Allyson Lupovich mean to change that. Allyson is the Director of Brand Content for Meow Wolf, an immersive art experience company in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Their goal is to inspire creativity through their art and to remind people of the power of play. We talk about all sorts of things, from how Meow Wolf approaches creating their maximalist, impressive art installations to collaborating on creative projects and more. We also discuss how to bring some of this sense of art and inspiration into your own backyard.

To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.org

We unbox:

• What Meow Wolf is and how it got started
• How these experiences are designed
• Giving everyone a voice in creating
• What Omega Mart is and how it was designed
• Bringing creativity to your neighborhood

Resources:

• meowwolf.com
• Instagram: @meow__wolf
• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/allyson-lupovich-b8190488

High school internship programs can be a fabulous experience for students and, when done well, are incredibly productive for all parties involved. Internships can run from work-based experiences to being fully embedded in a workplace. Tammy Cooper has been the internship coordinator at the Marysville Early College STEM School for the past five years. She talks about some of the benefits of internships, how students can get involved, and what’s in it for the businesses that participate as well.

To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.org

We unbox:

• What Marysville Early College STEM School is and what they do
• What students get out of an internship
• The experience for the company during an internship
• Getting workplaces on board for internship opportunities

Resources:

• Marysville Early College STEM School
• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tammy-cooper-a27003104

Travel is a wonderful thing, and so much learning can happen while doing it. Creating opportunities for learning takes a lot of work however, and it isn’t always accessible. How can we make it easy for anyone to learn as they travel?

That’s the goal of the Smithsonian Adventure Labs. Anne-Marie Gilliland a volunteer organizer at the Smithsonian Castle. Adventure Labs is an app based on the idea of geocaching, where you use your phone’s GPS to go on a scavenger hunt to different locations. In the app, you discover new locations, all the while learning more about their history, and you are encouraged to visit and discover new areas and new things you may never have noticed before. While it is made by the Smithsonian, anyone with the app can set up their own Adventure Lab.

Anne-Marie shares with us how, using the Adventure Lab app, you can bring exploration-based learning to your community without the need to invest in tour guides that by necessity limit what can be covered.

To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.org

We unbox:

• The purpose behind Smithsonian Adventure Labs
• How people can use the app
• What is involved in making your own Adventure Lab

Resources:

• si.edu/mobile/adventurelab

How do we get our kids through childhood and teenage years to adulthood?

The world is changing rapidly, and that’s leaving young adults with having to make important decisions about their future—without knowing if the advice that worked for their parents, or even their peers, will work for them in the future. Things like whether or not college is necessary, what jobs will be around in the next five to ten years, or whether or not they’re prepared to live on their own.

Thankfully, there’s Raising the Next Gen, an organization out of central Ohio that helps high school students make smart career and college decisions to become successful adults—regardless of whether that student is college-bound or going right into the workforce. Traci Bakenhaster is the founder of this organization, and she’s going to share with us why this organization exists and what it does to help young adults thrive.

To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.org

We unbox:

• How most adults learn things the hard way
• The foundations of adulting
• Keeping educational content both current and timeless
• Catering the messaging to different age groups

Resources:

• raisingthenextgen.com

How do we create good stewards of Mother Nature from a young age and give our kids a well-rounded education—while having fun? Jessica Kaknevicius is the Vice President of Education at Sustainable Forestry Initiative where she leads the initiative to advance environmental literacy, stewardship, and pathways to green careers. She also leads and directs Project Learning Tree. Sustainable Forestry Initiative is all about the broad aspect of sustainability but approaches it through the lens of forestry. Teachers often don’t have the resources or permission to get their kids outdoors and learning in a natural environment, so anything that helps with that is a huge win.

To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.org

We unbox:

• The mission of the Sustainable Forestry Initiative
• Exploring the benefits of trees and forests
• How the pandemic has affected outdoor education
• Bringing programs to your community
• Learning from indigenous communities

Resources:

• forests.org
• plt.org
• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jessica-kaknevicius-00431525

Learning Unboxed is produced, in part, by Crate Media.

Food is essential to our lives, but kids rarely get a chance to understand where it comes from – or how to participate in the process. Jim Bruner is the farmer extraordinaire at the Mezzacello, an urban farm in the middle of downtown Columbus which hosts programs that expose local kids to urban farming. We discuss how last year’s events went and what lessons he’s learned that will be applied as the project moves in the future.

To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.org

We unbox:

• Why Jim created Mezzacello
• Mezzacello summer camp programming
• Creating a positive learning environment through play
• Lessons Jim learned working with kids
• Long-term impact of the program
• Designing your own backyard curriculum

Resources:

• mezzacello.org
• 2022 Summer Camp

Learning Unboxed is produced, in part, by Crate Media.

When given trust and resources, students can do some incredible things. One Stone is a student-led and directed nonprofit that makes students better leaders and the world a better place. Through allowing students to pursue their passions and interests, they learn to become more confident, empowered, and self-sufficient. Jesse Ross is the director of senior partnerships at One Stone. He’s joined by two senior students, Saumya Sarin and Elani Waight, who share why they joined the program and what they get out of it.

To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.org

We unbox:

• What One Stone is and why it’s necessary in education
• Why students are choosing One Stone for their high school experience
• Balancing educational requirements with new, creative ideas
• The youth innovation challenge
• Experiential learning opportunities

Resources:

• onestone.org

Learning Unboxed is produced, in part, by Crate Media.

Elly Blanco-Rowe is an expert in K-8 mathematics, with over 20 years of experience in teaching, coaching, and school leadership. We’re talking about Teaching Matters, a national New York City-based nonprofit whose mission is to close the opportunity gap of a radically unequal education system for underserved and historically marginalized children. We take a look specifically at their Math Acceleration pilot program and how it helps to build kids up in their critical areas of education.

To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.org

We unbox:

• The background of Teaching Matters
• How Teaching Matters offers support to students and educators
• Asking kids their perspective on their education
• How the learning experience changes from elementary to middle school
• Working with the individual schools

Resources:

• teachingmatters.org
• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/elly-blanco-rowe-2b797a7

Learning Unboxed is produced, in part, by Crate Media.