Ascend at the Aspen Institute’s Post

We want to introduce someone to you who knows all about resilience. You can read more about Traci’s amazing work in our recent case study, however today we want to highlight LaCheryl Coleman as the real hero of this case study. In 2019, LaCheryl became the leader of Legacy Early College, a school that was 3 points away from being an “F-rated” school. 💔 Instead of giving up, LaCheryl did her homework.📝 She called Traci and expressed her desire to invest in cultural repair and in understanding her faculty better. Together, Traci and LaCheryl decided that CliftonStrengths might be a good addition to address the needs of the LEC team and have grown available resources for the LEC team year after year. 🎉 This year will be the sixth year Traci will work with the LEC teams. Legacy Early College recently celebrated being just ONE point shy of an A-rating. 🎉 While LaCheryl commented on Traci’s gift for making the content fresh and relevant for her staff year after year, we want to comment on LaCheryl’s ability to… ➡️ Recognize a problem ➡️ Seek out a solution ➡️ Stick with growth over complacency ➡️ Not. Give. Up. With LaCheryl’s initiative, she turned a failing school into a success through workshops & collaboration — effectively changing lives and futures. In pictures, the world now sees a group of underserved kids with real potential. We see a picture of a leader that has made — and is making — a real difference. 💪 LaCheryl is the epitome of RESILIENCE and we applaud her today. 👏 #ResilientLeadership #StrongHumanCapital #HumanPotentialAdvisors #LeadershipDevelopment

A great poem at the end of this article from an inspiring Intergenerational pioneer Build Bond-fires, A Poem Dedicated to the 2023 Class of Erikson Alumni by Helene Block Fields Light up our world. Light up the darkness of loneliness, separatism, ageism, and egocentrism in our society. Help reconnect the generations through GrandFriendships. Build bond-fires that will remain glowing embers in children’s memories throughout their lives. Build bond-fires of mutual kindness, empathy, character, and love. Bring the young and old together in schools, communities, and families. Listen to their words, their voices. They are sending smoke signals that say, “We need each other”. Let the weakest voices in our society point us back to real strength.

By Caleb Sasser, US Principal, adapted from his 2024 Graduation Address As we continue celebrating the achievements of our recent graduates at Westside Christian Academy, I want to share how these remarkable individuals are particularly well-prepared to address a specific challenge facing our society—a challenge that gets to the very heart of bringing the light and life of Christ to the world. Our communities today are fractured and broken. People are distanced from one another, lacking the close-knit ties of the past. We live in a society where neighbors often don't know or speak to each other, struggling to envision true community. However, our graduates have been given a vision of what a redeemed community looks like. Through their time at WCA, they have experienced and built genuine community. They have read and reflected on works like Flannery O’Connor’s Good Country People, Wendell Berry’s A Vision, and St. Paul’s epistle to the Corinthians, which cast this vision for them. Building true community requires taking uncomfortable steps—meeting your neighbors, talking to, crying with, building up, and listening to friends. It involves hosting meals and sharing in a thousand small ways, even in dorm rooms. Our graduates are equipped for this. They have tutored younger students, encouraged and built up their peers, and led with a desire to give back. They have shown leadership and a commitment to our community. Graduates, do not let this preparation go to waste. Embrace the hard work of building community wherever you find yourself. You are well-prepared to make a significant impact in this world. #WCA #Graduation2024 #BuildingCommunity #FaithInAction #ClassicalChristianEducation #Leadership

Experience, both personal and otherwise, has shown me there are very few things that bring about amazing results. The scope is everything from family relationships to schooling and a variety of ambiguous, but life changing factors. No one can predict the future - but there are places that give all the benefits of a courageous and supportive step up -regardless of your past, values, aspirations or defining attributes. Want to learn how to *LEAD *GROW *GIVE BACK *INSPIRE *LIVE “AMDG” THIS IS WHERE YOUR FUTURE BEGINS…… AND IT’S GOING TO BE AMAZING! Take the first step , apply https://lnkd.in/gBMXFeXb The rest will take care of itself 💙💛

There is no question about it, mentorship and education are key to helping unlock opportunities and potential. This is true across the board, but wow is it transformative when trying to address inequity. Proud to see the brilliant minds of my former KIPP colleagues leading this conversation. #mentoringmatters

Calling all Educators! Albertus Magnus College is holding a virtual information session on July 10 for those interested in our Master's of Science in STEM Education Program. I cannot stress enough that STEM is more than the acronym. It is GOOD teaching-- a pedagogical tool that provides access, inclusion, and equity through experiential, trans-disciplinary learning. STEM can and should be integrated into all classrooms, and it is easier to do than some of us think! Our program is geared toward just that. In 11 months, you will earn 30 credits, learn practical ways to incorporate STEM across subject areas, learn grant-writing and leadership skills, and if you so choose, become prepared to pass the Praxis II in Technology Education for the 047 cross-endorsement. New Haven Public Schools is funding a portion of tuition for New Haven teachers. Teachers from any alliance district receive 15% off tuition. Register to learn more here: https://lnkd.in/eumZvW7N

At Baylor's Institute of Faith & Learning last weekend, I got to present on "Beyond the Outpouring: Is this Awakening?" (great opportunity!), but I also heard a panel of presidents: Notre Dame retired president John Jenkins, Baylor President Linda Livingstone, and CCCU President David Hoag. I am always fascinated with the big conversations about what Christian higher education brings to the world and they didn't disappoint. In a conversation about the rise of secularism, lack of trust in institutions and for a swath a decline in the importance of higher education at all, Christian higher ed uniquely brings holistic and purposeful formation for students for the future of the world. We get to talk about the WHY & HOW of education and vocation from a transcendent and spiritual realm, and not just talk about it, but live, embody(with the Spirit) and become. That's the big vision, so inspiring! We are about hope in something more than an idea of progress, but actually about transformation.

Two years ago we created the Drs. Davis and Alexander Honorary Scholarship Fund to recognize the legacy and leadership of Drs. Terri Davis and Apryl Alexander at the University of Denver and in the overall psychology community. This scholarship fund specifically provides support to BIPOC students within our former department, the Graduate School of Professional Psychology (GSPP). As described here (Addressing the Shortage: The Crucial Need for BIPOC Therapists in America’s Diverse Communities – MHA Spartanburg), and elsewhere, the demand for representative care from BIPOC therapists is related to their unique ability to provide a shared cultural experience and understanding for BIPOC patients. Yet, there is a dramatic shortage - the current ratio of BIPOC persons to BIPOC therapists (1,002:1) is woefully inadequate to meet currently growing mental health needs nationwide. As we continue to honor Drs. Davis and Alexander, both of whom go above and beyond to train more BIPOC providers via their teaching, mentorship, advocacy, and modeling, we know we need more funding to continue to support new BIPOC providers entering the field. Graduate coursework in psychology costs tens of thousands of dollars and student loan debt is a main reason potential trainees choose not to enter or to leave the field. Friends and colleagues, please consider donating anything you are able to support a BIPOC trainee to continue their studies in Psychology. And/or please share this post to widen our giving audience. Together, we can help diversify the field, encouraging all who need care to seek support.

The St. Louis region has an amazing ecosystem of concerned and invested citizens. Seventeen (17) of these folks took the next step in fulfilling their civic duty by signing up for -- and successfully completing -- our inaugural School Board Fellowship (SBF). These awesome individuals have invested their time and energy in understanding and preparing to serve on a school board and are poised to make an amazing impact. The School Board Fellowship focused on four key things: 1. Building a network of like-minded public education advocates, 2. Learning about the education landscape in St. Louis and how to support public education, 3. Understanding how to be an effective school board member, 4. Supporting our fellows to join a charter school board, run for elected school board, or pursue other opportunities. As one of the fellows reflected, "The group of people in this cohort make me really excited because they are all so engaged, and they all have completely different backgrounds. I am optimistic that we can impact change regionally by taking the time to question and understand where the disparity lies and better understand not just how to address disparity...but how to be more equitable with resources and engagement.“ For more information about our school board fellowship visit our website: https://lnkd.in/gQKP-kJf #SBF #SchoolBoardFellowship #StLouis #Volunteerism #CommunityService #BoardService #Education #STLEducation #StLouisPride #CivicLeadership #SchoolBoardFellowship #SBF #CommunityImpact #EducationLeaders #InvestedCitizens #STLRegionalEducation #BoardGovernance #EquityDriven #LeadershipDevelopment #MakingADifference #CommunityService #JoinTheMovement #EducationAdvocates #LeversforSuccess #EmpoweredCommunities #FellowshipJourney #OpportunityTrust

Looking forward to hearing what John Fink has to say! #dualenrollment101