I was exactly who the current education system would say is an ideal high school graduate.  

I graduated as valedictorian with a 4.0 GPA. I received a full-ride scholarship to college and later graduated magna cum laude with a degree in business administration, emphasis in finance, with a minor in economics. Then, I started working in what I thought was going to be the perfect career for me: investment banking.

And I hated it.

See, while on paper I am an exemplary academic achiever, I had missed the true purpose of education — to discover, develop, and apply my talents and gifts in a meaningful way so I can live a fulfilling life. Yes, I absolutely could do the work of an investment banker with my talents and the skills I learned; however, it was that second part — fulfillment — that I completely missed. And no one ever stopped me to work through what that meant.

So, what did I do? I became a teacher.

The struggle to personalize learning in a public school

I had always loved learning (and still do). And I had loved my entire education experience — I had amazing teachers who cared about me, who helped me learn content in various ways. My older sister and aunts inspired me as I witnessed their journeys as educators. I had always wanted to become a teacher, but I thought it would be a second career later in life. 

After a quick Google search, I saw an opening for a business teacher in Kansas City, Kansas. I emailed the principal directly, and — after a flurry of emails to enroll in a transition to teaching program — I walked into my classroom in August 2013. It was an immediately humbling experience. 

I enjoyed school, and, at the risk of sounding arrogant, learning had always come easily to me. I soon realized this was not the case for every student in my classroom. I was confronted with the perplexing challenge of helping 120+ students across six different classes understand the material in a way that met their needs, interests, and abilities. And it was quickly evident I could not only teach them how I would have wanted to learn the content. Because — shocking, I know — not all kids are the same, so they don’t all learn the same.

I became obsessed with this challenge. 

I worked tirelessly to create engaging activities and meaningful projects. I began teaching the Youth Entrepreneurs program (now called Empowered) and experienced firsthand what bringing experiential, hands-on learning could do for kids’ self-perception. I discovered project-based learning and co-launched a fully immersive pilot program for 125+ high school students with a group of four teachers in the basement of our school. 

I loved teaching. I loved my kids. And I was exhausted.

‍

Helping other educators best serve students

I decided it was time to leave teaching, and — again, not thinking truly about what fulfilled me — I earned a second degree in accounting. I was about to start working as a commercial accountant when I was asked to record lesson videos for Empowered, subsequently meeting the team. After the video recording, Empowered leadership asked me to join its curriculum and training team, and I said yes.

For about four years, I helped create activities and host trainings for Empowered educators. It helped me feel like I was still impacting education in a meaningful way without being in the classroom. After some time, it became clear that I wanted to make an even deeper impact on the education world. 

And that’s what led me to Learning Lab Wichita. I saw a LinkedIn post from a colleague about an opportunity to lead a school. After an initial conversation, the opportunity shifted from operating a school to launching and operating an entire facility dedicated to generating more, better, and different personalized learning pathways. Because — here’s where it comes full circle — we know all kids are different, so why shouldn’t their education be as unique as they are?

I felt this so deeply as a teacher. I feel it deeply now as a parent to two small children. And I know there are countless educators, parents, and community members — both inside and outside the education system — who feel this deeply, too.

‍

How Learning Lab Wichita broadens the quest for personalized learning

Learning Lab Wichita is here to equip, empower, and elevate the education innovators who are stepping up to transform education. These individuals face barriers that a typical entrepreneur might encounter — lack of affordable real estate, difficulty accessing expensive equipment and supply of materials, or a struggle to find a community of people who can share knowledge, ideas, and support. Whether they are a microschool leader, public school educator, education support specialist, or a homeschool parent, Learning Lab is here to partner with these innovators to help them get what they need. 

Our collaborative hub and co-learning space is outfitted with flexible workshop space to host four different school models and open space that can be booked by anyone to use for K-12 education experiences. Our specialty spaces have podcasting and video recording equipment, desktop computers, makerspace tools and supplies, 3D printers, and more. 

We maintain an introductory and exposure-focused level of equipment, materials, and supplies for art and science activities, so our members don’t have to keep all those items at their schools or homes. We host programming and classes for learners so they can explore areas of interest. And, because we view our entire community as a classroom, we build partnerships with local organizations to cultivate unique opportunities for our members.

We aim to give education innovators back some of their scarce resources — time, attention, and money — so they can focus on creating sustainable and impactful learning models. Doing so enables every learner to discover, develop, and apply their talents and gifts while simultaneously understanding their values and interests so they can pursue meaningful careers that keep them happy and fulfilled.  

(In other words, so they don’t repeat my mistakes.)

We believe that by supporting these innovators, we will see a more rich and dynamic landscape of education pathways, creating a chain reaction of new ideas, improvements, and reshaping of learning across all learning environments that benefits all stakeholders. 

As you might be able to tell, I still am obsessed with the challenge of making personalized learning accessible to as many students as possible. It’s an honor every day to work alongside and on behalf of the brave, courageous changemakers who are willing to try the big, audacious ideas for the sake of our kids. 

My message to all those forging new pathways in education: I believe in you.

‍

If you want to explore an innovative K-12 education option, please reach out to our team at www.golearninglab.org/contact.