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In Bonus Episode 3, we had the chance to speak with Anya Smith and Abigail Emerson about an innovative high school program – Innovation Diploma. (We previously spoke with Anya on our Shift Your Paradigm podcast – Episode 2 – where we learned about learner-centered education.)
Anya is a recent graduate from the inaugural cohort of the Innovation Diploma and is now a freshman at the Georgia Institute for Technology studying to become a social entrepreneur in education. Since high school she has been striving to forward the education transformation movement by networking with thought leaders around the world, speaking and coaching at education conferences, and being a pioneer of innovative learner-centered education practices. Anya dreams of a future where “school” consists of students working side-by-side with business leaders to design for pressing issues in the world.
Abigail is a creator looking for new ways to solve problems. She is an Innovation Diploma inaugural member and a graduate of the Class of 2018. In the past, she’s worked with clients, such as S.J. Collins Enterprises Developing Company, AT&T Foundry, and Buckhead Christian Ministries. Abigail strives to inspire and empower other students to believe that they can make a change now and don’t have to wait until they’re “older” and “wiser” to start.
Here is a question our conversation prompted:
- How has the Innovation Diploma program at Mount Vernon inspired you to think differently about how we educate our learners?
Resources:
- Innovation Diploma website – MVIFI
- Trailblazers – Issue 1, Issue 2
- Anya’s blog – The Life of Pinya
- Link to Education Reimagined video
- Abigail’s blog – Ideas From a Creator