Awards Celebration

This exclusive evening will celebrate the award-winning innovators who are shaping the future of education. Below is the agenda for this event:

7:00 - 7:30: Welcome Reception
7:30-8:00: Dinner
8:00-9:00: Awards Presentations: Meet the award-winning companies who are shaping the future of education
9:00-9:30: Close & Networking
 

Registration and Breakfast

Attendees arrive to register, network, and enjoy breakfast, as well as get their “Passport to Prizes” pass. Throughout the day, attendees will complete their Passport by visiting with our partners either in scheduled meetings or throughout the day if they do not have scheduled meetings.

Welcome and Introductions

Attendees meet their colleagues and learn more about the day’s program, where we’ll work together to create a plan and vision to create a “Portrait of a Graduate” through the lens of a modernized Maslow’s Hierarchy.

Opening Keynote: Beyond Technical Skills: Supporting the Whole Student in Workforce Transitions

Technical training helps a student get the job, but emotional intelligence and mental health support help them keep it. This session explores the High Schools of the Future pilot program, a unique collaboration with Bank of America and the Liberty Science Center that reimagines workforce readiness.

Former program director Kara Mann will share the program's three-year arc: starting with junior/senior year skills training and culminating in a "supported employment" year. Learn why they integrated access to therapy and ongoing professional development into the onboarding process to ease the transition shock many graduates face. 
 

Problem-Solving Table Discussions or Partner Meetings - Physiological = Wellness (Students & Staff)

Modern psychology tells us that well-being isn't a "level" to complete before learning begins—it is the fuel for learning itself. This session covers practical strategies to design school environments that support the human needs for connection, rest, and balance. 

Table discussions will include: 

• Ways Tech Managers Can Improve Busy Lives of Staff 
• Supporting Teacher Wellness to Support Retention (Leanna Mullen)
• Esports and Wellness  (John Phillips & Kammas Kersch)
• How Gamifying Education Brings Out the Best In Students (Dan Ryder)  
• Supporting the Anxious Generation (Carl Hooker)

Problem-Solving Table Discussions or Partner Meetings - Safety

"Safety" in Maslow’s modern context includes psychological security, not just physical protection. This session explores how to build a digital environment where students feel emotionally safe enough to take intellectual risks, ensuring that your security measures support the "whole child" rather than just the network.

Table Discussions: 

• Surviving a Ransomware Attack (Braden Herring)
• Cyber Guardians and Cyber Champions Program (Shanique Worthey) 
• Cybersecurity Best Practices (Heather Brown)
• Building a High School Cybersecurity Academy (Eric Coronado)

Problem-Solving Table Discussions or Partner Meetings - Social = Supporting All Students 

This session explores how embracing universal design and rethinking traditional instructional approaches creates a more robust, flexible learning environment that supports the growth of all students.

Table Discussions: 

• Using UDL To Support CTE Instruction (Daniel Cullen)
• Engaging Families (Julianne Ross-Kleinmann)
• Emerging Tech & Special Education (Phil Hintz) 
• Assessment Redesign in the Age of AI (Alex Mayszak)  
• Ensuring Student Access, Opportunities, and Outcomes (Kimberly Jackson)

Problem-Solving Table Discussions or Partner Meetings - Ego = Student Agency 

True agency requires the safety to take risks. This presentation explores how to create low-stakes environments where students can practice decision-making and resilience necessary for independence.

Table Discussions: 

• The Power of Active Learning Classrooms (John Kerrigan) 
• Building an Exploration Station (Alex Mayszak)    
• Creating a Student Ambassador Program (Alana Winnick)    

Networking Lunch  & Meet Our Partners

Innovation Playground

Get ready to dive into the Innovation Playground—where the future of education comes to life! During this breakout session, you'll experience live, hands-on demos of a variety of cutting-edge products.

Problem-Solving Table Discussions or Partner Meetings - Self Actualization = Development, Creativity, Growth 

Modern updates to Maslow’s theory place "Transcendence" at the peak of human experience. This session explores how district leaders can create learning environments that shift students from passive consumers to active creators, encouraging their curiosity to drive their own learning journeys.

Table discussions will include:

• Mobile Maker Lab Project (Stephen Avery & Susie Simmons)
• Student Podcasting (Nicholas Fountas) 
• Future-Ready Framework PK-12 (Holly Frilot) 
• Integrating Design Thinking and Human-Centered Problem Solving into Project-Based Environments (Dan Ryder)
• Personalizing Learning with AI (Charlie Hinsch)

The Invisible Architecture of Visionary Leadership
Technology moves at lightning speed, but human needs remain constant. In this final session, we examine how to anchor your leadership in the timeless "basics" of connection and safety while navigating the choppy waters of change.

Table discussions will include:

• The Difference Between Average And Remarkable Leadership (Mike Gaskell) 
• Tips For District Leaders To Use Tech To Serve Your District (Bill Runey)
• Leading at Scale in the Age of AI (Matt Winters)
• The Invisible Architecture of Visionary Leadership (Dana Bedden)

Create Your Portrait of a Graduate

Maslow’s final update to his theory wasn't self-actualization; it was transcendence—the drive to help others realize their potential. This closing session challenges teams to create a "Portrait of a Graduate” image using the modernized Maslow’s Hierarchy components we discussed today: safety, wellness, social, student agency, and self actualization. 
 

Closing Keynote: Reflections & Actions

Carl Hooker closes with reflections on the day’s conversations. Attendees share their takeaways from the day’s program, including specific actions they plan to take as a result of their discussions. 

Passport to Prizes Winners Announced