INSPIRED IMPACT is an ongoing blog series that gives voice to purpose-driven organizations and passionate leaders and entrepreneurs who are making an impact in their communities and industries.
Wendy Loloff Cooper is the CEO of Generation Schools Network which also facilitates the Colorado Rural Education Collaborative. Follow them on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube and learn more at www.generationschools.org and www.coruraledcollab.org.
WHAT DO YOU DO?
The vision of Generation Schools Network is to transform public schools to ensure all students – regardless of life circumstances – are prepared for success in school, work, and life. Our mission is to transform public education through sustainable, scalable strategies that drive student achievement and teacher effectiveness for all students and teachers.
WHY DO YOU DO IT?
To bring educational equity to underserved students to ensure they can fully develop their talents and gifts and use them to make the world a better place.
WHAT IMPACT ARE YOU MAKING?
All sorts of cool stories: from traveling rural itinerant advocates reaching kids in remote districts and providing support to the most at-risk 15%, to Military & Protective Services Career Fairs to help students find their way, to supporting turnaround schools to deliver better education and working on anti-bullying efforts in remote rural schools to make sure all students can learn in a safe environment. Systems change is required to prepare our workforce and not have students left behind.
WHAT (OR WHO) INSPIRES YOU TO MAKE THIS IMPACT?
For me personally, I believe every student was created with a purpose they need to be equipped to fulfill and educational inequity is rampant in our country. A student’s destiny should not be determined by demography!
WHAT’S YOUR BIG DREAM FOR THE ORGANIZATION AND THE IMPACT YOU WANT TO MAKE?
I want to see every student receiving a whole child education where they are prepared academically, socially/emotionally and with the college/career skills to succeed in life and take a step out of poverty or avoid poverty.
WHAT RESOURCES DO YOU NEED TO MAKE THOSE DREAMS COME TRUE?
We need investors who will provide for program launch and coaching to move programming toward sustainability, especially for students in isolated rural districts.
WHAT IS (OR HAS BEEN) YOUR BIGGEST CHALLENGE?
1) Changes in mindset required throughout school systems and 2) Funding for program launch where schools are ready to learn to do things differently. Funding is not needed long-term, but just to get things going.
WHAT WORDS OF ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR OTHER LEADERS LOOKING TO MAKE AN IMPACT?
Dig in. Adopt a school, school system, student, area of focus (like getting STEM opportunities) to rural schools or join a board of directors doing this type of work and stick with it more than 3-5 years to see the impact.
HOW CAN OTHERS SUPPORT YOU OR YOUR CAUSE?
Just call me at 720-299-0474 and let’s match your passions and concerns to work we have going on so you can have an impact. Ensuring every student is prepared for success in school, work and life is a beautiful endeavor!
Orapin Marketing + Public Relations serves those who serve others. We amplify the voice and reach of purpose-driven companies and nonprofits so they can increase their impact. We tell their stories to educate, inspire and motivate, and get our clients the attention and recognition they deserve for the impact they make.