Naperville Community Unit School District 203’s Post

Today, us Scots celebrate St. Andrew’s Day, I’m reflecting on the incredible legacy of Scotland—a small country with a massive impact on the world. From our rolling hills to our lochs, our landscapes are breathtaking, but for me it’s the sheer ingenuity of our people that truly defines us. Scotland has always been a land of ideas. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Adam Smith, the father of economics, taught the world about the invisible hand of the market—but also the importance of fairness and morality. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 James Watt revolutionised the Industrial Age with the steam engine, reshaping how the world worked and lived. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Alexander Graham Bell gave us the telephone, changing how we connect across the world. These are just some of the countless Scots whose innovations have shaped humanity. It’s a legacy of bold thinking, unrelenting curiosity, and a deep drive to improve the world. I like to think I emulate that spirit!! St. Andrew’s Day reminds us of these values: humility, collaboration, and resilience in the face of challenges. As a proud Scot, I carry these values with me every day. Our history isn’t just something to look back on—it’s a foundation for what we can build in the future. Let’s celebrate Scotland not only for what it has achieved, but for what it continues to inspire. What innovation or moment in Scottish history inspires you most? PS I will from Monday begin publishing the analysis from my polls on industry reforms. #bigcoatweather #scottish #standrewsday

"It's an entire community that needs to stand up and say, okay what can I do to help participate." 🙋 In our eighth episode of #InTheStudio with 325 we're joined by Samuel Rowser the Executive Director of On Point for College. Tune in below to hear our conversation about On Point's work in the community, the importance of education, and passionate community building! 🙌 https://lnkd.in/eUSJ6iU3

This past Saturday, we came together with families, students, and community members for CYL’s 2024 Family Volunteer Day—and what an incredible day it was! At Montbello Central Park, we joined forces with Denver Parks & Recreation to clean, beautify, and care for a space that brings people together. Together, we: - Gathered eight full trash bags, revitalizing the park. - Cleared 100 feet of invasive vines from fences around the baseball field—a project DPR has been hoping to tackle for years. - Made the park a cleaner, safer, and more welcoming space for everyone in the community. But the impact didn’t stop there. Family Volunteer Day wasn’t just about the tasks we completed but about the connections we built. Students from multiple schools and neighborhoods came together, forming new friendships, learning from one another, and discovering what’s possible when we work as a team. We also dove into an important leadership lesson, exploring the difference between prescribing solutions and truly listening to community needs. The result? It was a collaborative day of service that was as much about growth and learning as it was about impact. At CYL, we’re all about empowering young leaders to take action, foster connections, and make a meaningful difference in their communities. Family Volunteer Day reminded us that when we work together, we can create spaces—not just physical but emotional and social—that invite belonging, joy, and togetherness. Here’s to stronger parks, vibrant communities, and the next generation of leaders paving the way. #CYLLeads #FamilyVolunteerDay #CommunityLeadership #YouthImpact #BuildingConnections

Reflecting today on the inspiring 'More Than a Village' conference yesterday and the learning shared from ten years of Blackpool Better Start, Sure Start and much more besides. Thanks so much to Clare Law and to everyone who contributed. One key message for me was the importance of trust and allowing for local difference within accountability and outcomes frameworks and not seeking a simple or over-simplified view of what success and impact could and should look like - striking a balance of consistency where it makes sense with local flexibility. I found Sally Hogg's points about seeking a realistic view of what works and what might be impactful really helpful - bringing the evidence that's available (with healthy questioning of its relevance, especially for minoritised and disadvantaged communities as we discussed last week at the Nesta and Foundations – What Works Centre for Children & Families event on parenting interventions), in particular the common elements of evidence-based practice and change at a systems level, together with the voices and testimonies of local individuals and communities to shape and create local solutions. Really looking forward to contributing to the next stage of the journey, as a member of the Expert Advisory Board and linking to the Common Outcomes for Children and Young People Collaborative.

I did a thing yesterday! I got to represent Essential Partners at an AmeriCorps Symposium! It was such an honor to be able to talk about bridging work in educational spaces and meet people who are doing some really thoughtful work! Here are some Qs and ideas I am sitting with after this experience: ✨ What will bridging work look like in 5 years? ✨ How do we bridge bridge-makers? ✨ Inviting people to come sit in the mess and discomfort is hard, requires trust in the process (without having experienced it) ✨ Educational spaces are a real impactful cornerstone and third space for communities ✨ Naming how the power, position, and stakes are different for different people feels crucial

For all the budding entrepreneurs, this can be a great opportunity to learn the fundamentals of innovation and entrepreneurship in the heart of Silicon Valley (Stanford's d.school). I was a participant of this program in 2019 (then, it was called the Silicon Valley Innovation Academy). And during this program, I decided to shut down my last startup, that I had been working on for more than a year. Multiple startup events, competitions (several of which we won), and accelerator programs couldn't teach me what I learnt here in 10 weeks. Things like, what really matters in a founding team, frameworks of innovation thinking and exposure to what is already possible in the world. On top of it, I have also gained some great friends, across different cultures, through this program. Apply for this program and feel free to connect with me if you have any questions. #innovation #entrepreneurship #technology #startup

Givers get lucky. Every summer some of the world’s most amazing minds gather on a small farm in west Wales. The purpose is to gather the world’s DOers, disruptors and changemakers. Have them 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 and encourage others to go and DO great things too. The organizers want to inspire, to unite, and to 𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐧 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐬. Their aim is simple and ambitious: To make DO Wales the 𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 100-𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝. ____________________ On one of the farm walls is the quote 𝐆𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐆𝐞𝐭 𝐋𝐮𝐜𝐤𝐲. This phrase can take on different meanings over the course of three days. One of the best framings I heard was 𝐢𝐧 𝐛𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬. People who are in a 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠, receive more. Which seems counterintuitive. But is not. ____________________ Working with 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬 is fun. Those are the people you want to work with. Because together as givers, 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐛𝐨𝐭𝐡 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐥𝐮𝐜𝐤𝐲. ____________________ The farm and event were founded by clare hieatt and David Hieatt, creators of the The DO Lectures. Thank you both for being givers and to the entire community of givers you have created! We are all lucky😊! Photo - Alex Lloyd Jenkins I M Human   #givers #lucky #wellbeing #loneliness #strategy #vulnerability #connection #belonging #psychologicalsafety #innovation #humanresources #leadership #culture #thedolectures #dowales #whatinspiresme #imhuman

Wake up in a vibrant, affordable home that you and your neighbors built together. Tend to your community garden, grab fresh eggs from the co-op farm, and chat with parents at the community-run school. This isn't a dream – it’s a reality you can create! Join the "Cooperative Consciousness Revolution" and learn how to: 🔹 Apply the Rochdale Principles for democratic, equitable organizations. 🔹 Design and implement affordable cooperative housing projects. 🔹 Develop community gardening and farming skills. 🔹 Establish and run community-owned businesses. 🔹 Explore models for innovative, community-run schools. Our communities need new leaders. Are you ready to answer the call? 👉 Click "Yes, I'm Ready to Build Our Future!" and start transforming your community today. https://lnkd.in/gaV4-EpZ Let’s create thriving, sustainable communities together.

We have drawn from our 20 years of experience to design programs like the Elevate Initiative, a partnership between Frontline Solutions and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation that funds organizations doing on-the-ground work to remove structural barriers and accelerate economic mobility for communities of color. Here are 5 lessons we've learned over the last three years of designing and facilitating this community of practice and learning opportunities alongside and for the Elevate grantees. Download the full report here: https://lnkd.in/eUyrjZgu

My inspiration for this inaugural event came from my deep connection to professional sports and the respect I hold for the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award, which honors NFL athletes for their excellence both on the field and in their communities. In the same spirit, the CHANGE AGENTS OF PHOENIX event was created to celebrate real estate professionals who excel in their field while also making a lasting impact beyond their transactions. In real estate, where authenticity is key, I believe greatness extends far beyond exceptional performance in transactions. True greatness enriches an agent’s work and purpose—it embodies the ability to think beyond individual deals, to give back, and to positively influence the communities that support them. My mission is to elevate real estate and showcase how the industry, through its unique relationship capital, can serve at a much greater capacity—transforming lives and communities through our everyday business responsibilities. A select few outstanding local agents, nominated and voted on by my event partners and industry peers, have been named this year’s CHANGE AGENTS for exemplifying these core values: - Create Impact Beyond Transactions: Using their success to drive positive change. - Embody Core Values: Integrity, purpose-driven action, and collaboration. - Lead with Inspiration:Their stories inspire meaningful service. - Serve the Phoenix Metro: Dedicated to improving their local communities. - Engage Online: Amplifying their impact through a strong online presence. Their stories are inspiring, and we can’t wait to walk alongside them and honor their dedication and lasting contributions. Next month’s event will be an exclusive, private gathering held at a custom spec home still under construction, thoughtfully planned in partnership with my builder partner Living Stone Builders and Brian North of North&Co. This intimate setting will provide the perfect backdrop to celebrate the remarkable achievements of our honorees and the genesis of what’s to come. #changeagent #changeagentsofphx #realestate #homesforgood #phoenix #scottsdale #paradisevalley #arizona Real https://lnkd.in/gg4BSY6v