Fresh Perspectives

In Episode 15, Nick and Calvin welcome Gemma Lenowitz , Program Officer, and Uchenna Ezibe , Program Analysts with the Overdeck Family Foundation’s Inspired Minds portfolio. The Inspired Minds portfolio supports direct impact and ecosystem organizations that expand access to high-quality out-of-school STEM learning experiences that deepen family engagement, build STEM mindsets, and inspire student...

Nick and Calvin speak with Calvin’s former student and NBA Math Hoops alumnus Daivion Smith. Daivion shares his experience participating in the first NBA Math Hoops National Championship, and how his journey through the program helped shape the student and person he is today. Daivion’s experience in the first annual NBA Math Hoops National Championship was featured in ‘An NBA Math Hoops Story ’, a...

In this episode, Calvin shares his journey as an educator, from a young man with aspirations for the NBA to the ‘Game Changer of Education’. Calvin and Nick discuss the importance of identity representation in education, and how Calvin leveraged culture and fashion to position himself as a positive role model for his students. The discussion then turns to a critical look at the education system: h...

In this episode, Calvin and Nick are joined by David Gould, Chief Diversity and Impact Officer at Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, the ownership group of the Philadelphia 76ers. Throughout the conversation, recorded in January of 2021, the group explores how the Sixers and HBSE think about engaging the community, and the specific programs that they’re using to achieve impact. David share...

Gender Equity in K-12 Education In this episode, Calvin and Nick are joined by Delphi Cleaveland, Special Assistant in the Office of Global Women's Issues at U.S. Department of State, for a conversation about gender equity within American education. Throughout the conversation, recorded in December of 2020, the group explores the international and domestic context for gender equity within K-12 edu...

In the final episode of our “Meet the Learn Fresh Fellows” series, we hear from Learn Fresh Fellow Melanie Young. Melanie is the founder of Infinite Mind Tutors, a Black-owned tutoring agency with the mission to use the collective power of Black minds to transform America's educational landscape.  Melanie's passion is to make high-quality education accessible to all children. Before launching Infi...

In Part III of this series, we hear from Learn Fresh Fellow Dr. Francene Garrett. Francene holds a Bachelors of Arts degree with a specialization in Vocal Performance, a Masters of Science degree in Curriculum, Instruction, and Technology, and an Educational Doctoral degree in Administrative Leadership for Teaching and Learning.  Currently, Francene serves as an Instruction and Personalized Learni...

In Part II of this series, you will hear from Learn Fresh Fellow, Chris Robinson. Chris is a special education teacher and the athletic director at his neighborhood middle school, McAuliffe International School in Denver, Colorado.  Growing up, his family put a high standard on education, but it’s something that he took for granted until he transferred to a private school in 8th grade. Immediately...

Meet the inaugural class of Learn Fresh Fellows! Launched in Fall 2020, the Learn Fresh Fellowship for Culturally Inclusive Education invites educators and curriculum writers of color to create and broadly share standards-aligned curricula that authentically represent the cultural, ethnic, and racial identities of their communities. After a rigorous review process, four fellows from across the cou...

Calvin and Nick share reflections on the role and importance of education in the racial justice movement in a two-part episode recorded in December 2020. Throughout the conversation, they talk about how they’ve seen these themes play out in our own lives, in the classroom, and through our work with Learn Fresh. In Part 2, the pair talk about representation in the classroom, culture, and curricula,...

Calvin and Nick share reflections on the role and importance of education in the racial justice movement in a two-part episode recorded in December 2020. Throughout the conversation, they talk about how they’ve seen these themes play out in our own lives, in the classroom, and through our work with Learn Fresh. In Part 1, Calvin and Nick explore how the American education system approaches Black h...

Today we’re talking again with three long standing educators from the Learn Fresh community about their experiences with the NBA Math Hoops program. In Episode 2, we spoke with Denzel Smith, Robin Seelye, and Sean Patterson about teaching during the pandemic. In this episode, we’re sharing more from that conversation, with a focus on what NBA Math Hoops has meant to them, their students, and their...

Continuing themes from last week around sport and community, this week’s episode explores the case study of The Huddle, an organization leveraging the power of sport to create positive outcomes for youth in Australia. Nick and Calvin are joined by Emma Kearney, captain and star player of the North Melbourne Football Club and Head of Education and Careers at The Huddle. Cam McLeod serves as CEO of...

Can professional sports inspire student learning and social impact? How can sports organizations leverage data to evaluate community outcomes? Do professional athletes and leagues have a responsibility to the community? In today’s episode, Nick and Calvin welcome Sacramento Kings star Harrison Barnes, a leading activist in the NBA community, and Kirk Walters, Director of Math Research at WestEd. T...

K-12 education and the importance of schools have been at the forefront of the national discourse since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. In this episode, Nick and Calvin are joined by three educators from across the United States to discuss their experience teaching through this unprecedented time. Their discussion highlights the challenges of remote learning, the importance of adaptability, an...

Learn Fresh is a nonprofit organization, dedicated to providing innovative STEM learning experiences that empower educators and inspire students. By bringing students’ genuine interests into the classroom, Learn Fresh programs foster a lifelong enthusiasm for learning. Nick is the CEO and Co-Founder of the organization and Calvin serves as the Chief Academic Officer. Throughout the episode, Nick a...