Imagine being 12 years old, lying awake all night while your parents scream at each other, break things, and slam doors. Your father is drunk and raging. You’re terrified someone might get hurt — or worse. You huddle with your siblings, trying to keep them safe. When morning comes, your mom has a black eye, […]
“There is a vast difference between knowing the right thing to do and actually doing the right thing,” Nobel-winning economist Thomas Schelling once said. The evidence is unequivocal: early childhood education is one of the most impactful investments a society can make. Ninety percent of brain development occurs before the age of five, and decades of […]
In the harbor town of Cedarville, Michigan, the Marine Trades Institute is tackling one of the country’s most urgent workforce challenges: the shortage of skilled trades professionals. Once known as the Great Lakes Boat Building School, the nonprofit educational institution has spent the past two decades training students for hands-on careers in boat building and […]
As a child growing up in New York City, I could always find escape and comfort in books. I didn’t know it then, but those stories would become my compass, guiding me through adversity, identity, and inequality. Today, as the founder of Read It and Leave It, I work to offer that same compass to […]
We often speak of our world’s vastness — a place of countless cultures, languages, and lived experiences. We emphasize the importance of cross-cultural understanding, of listening and learning from others. But too often, these ideals remain abstract. Now, imagine a way for young people around the world to connect directly — to share their thoughts, […]
Dinner conversations with kids often hit a wall: “How was school today?” “Fine.” But what if you could turn that routine question into a launchpad for deeper thinking? Picture your family’s version of the following scenario. Instead of asking your kids to describe something they learned, try asking them to share one new question that […]
A decade of transformative impact was celebrated at ASCENSION, Surge Institute‘s 10th anniversary celebration, which brought together alumni, supporters, and special guests to honor the organization’s decade-long mission of empowering leaders of color in the education sector. Held Nov. 7, 2024 at WildmanBT in Chicago, the evening was a powerful blend of inspiring storytelling, meaningful […]
Anyone living in the Chicago area knows winter weather can be brutal — even with the right gear. But many Chicago students lack sufficient winter outerwear, and this can mean the difference between walking safely to school and staying home. To provide Chicago children with warm winter essentials, Cradles to Crayons Chicago hosted its 9th […]
In 1996, I wrote a book called Gifted Children: Myths and Realities, and ever since then parents have written to me either to say “You described my child exactly!” or to ask “How can I tell if my child is gifted?” Most parents want to think of their children as gifted. Most teachers want to […]
For millions of families across the U.S., the back-to-school season isn’t just a time for excitement—it’s a time for difficult choices. In 2023, families with school-aged children spent an average of $890 on back-to-school essentials — a record high that left many parents and guardians scrambling to afford basic supplies. When budgets are tight, simple […]
