Inspired

Paula Rodriguez Duran was 17 when her family fled Venezuela under political asylum and settled in the United States. In a new country and new high school, Paula discovered a passion for art and technology she’d not been privileged to in her home country. Hear how her experiences in these new high school programs led to a coveted spot in a professional program with Toyota that has helped her discover her career passion and created a life she only dreamed of before coming to the United States. For more InspirED, be sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode, and check out our website, www.pltw.org/podcast. Follow links: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube Subscribe links: iTunes, Google Play, Spotify, Stitcher, email newsletter Feedback or suggestions: Email us at podcast@pltw.org.   GUEST: Paula Rodriguez Duran - LinkedIn HOSTED BY: Jennifer Erbacher - LinkedIn, Twitter

From a district with a struggling identity to now a national model for student success. District CTE Director Aaron Smith tells the turnaround story of Independence School District near Kansas City, Missouri. With community support and a career academies model, the district upped the ante on student value, and in the process grew their graduation and student achievement rate by one of the largest margins in state history. But it wasn’t always a smooth ride. Hear the struggles, the successes, and how you can create similar changes in your district. Also read the white paper at http://bit.ly/2AVhE0x.  

Named one of Kansas City’s 30 under 30 by Inc. Magazine, Ruby Rios wasn’t always the confident, passionate computer science undergrad she is today. Learn how she went from an 11-year-old girl who helped create an app for patients with disabilities to better communicate with their doctors, to almost dropping out of computer science altogether. And how she’s trying to fix the problem for the girls who follow in her footsteps.

How do you get the entire community involved in supporting your district’s STEM programs and promote your kindergartens to district spokespeople? Ask Eryca Card, a 6th grade science teacher and Project Lead The Way PreK-8 coordinator for the rural Elkhorn Area School District in Wisconsin. In less than five years, she’s helped grow a district-wide STEM program that includes everyone from the community’s homeschool students to the local CEO and the state’s governor. At the center of it all is a desire to empower students to start leading the way and creating their legacy before they leave elementary school.    

Abby Harrison, also known as Astronaut Abby by her million+ social media followers, is an aspiring astronaut who has a big goal: to be the first astronaut to walk on Mars. Her passion started early. Encouraged by her mother, early STEM education experiences including Project Lead The Way, and a professional astronaut mentor, Abby tells a story of how perseverance, failure, and focus have put her on the path to her dream. For fellow aspiring astronauts, Abby acts as a mentor and role model. She is the founder of The Mars Generation, a nonprofit that provides resources and mentorship for students who share a love of STEM and space. She has helped provide full scholarships for 36 students to attend Space Camp and continues inspiring students through her journey.  

What would happen if businesses and companies treated recruiting and hiring talent the way colleges and universities recruit athletes? Steve Stokey had that very idea 10 years ago sitting at his desk at Allied Machine & Engineering in Dover, Ohio. As the company’s executive vice president, he saw far too much talent leaving the community, and he knew it wasn’t good for his company or others in the county. So he did something about it, reaching out to the local school districts and other companies in the county to create, what is today, a replicable, thriving education to career pipeline that helps students develop the knowledge and skills to thrive in education and their careers…and fulfills the talent needs of the local workforce.

Students can’t be what they can’t see – they need experiences and mentors to open their eyes to the world of opportunities before them. Meet Markie Wagner, a self-described self-taught computer science lover who by the age of 9 was creating websites and apps that got over 25,000 downloads from around the globe. Despite all this, she never thought a career in computer science or engineering was a possibility. Learn how a high school summer camp transformed her career path and created a deep desire to create opportunities for other students. Wagner started by brining computer science and engineering classes to her high school and then her district, and as a college student, she continues to fight gender inequality and work to inspire other students.

You think differently when it comes to teaching. You understand that the power of education is a pathway to a certain quality of life. You understand the impact a STEM education can have on a student. And you don’t take that responsibility for granted. You -- the school administrator, emerging leader, educational influencer, the parent -- want to inspire the next generation of innovators through the power of education. This show focuses on empowering our network and beyond with practical insights, inspirational messages, and an inside look into how to create transformative learning experiences for PreK-12 across the U.S.