When students speak, the education world must stop and listen. That’s the exciting opportunity we’re presenting in the newest season of Future of School: The Podcast, in which you’ll hear diverse perspectives from a number of learners whose experiences in school and their lifelong trajectories have been transformed for the better as a result of the choices they made with respect to interesting educational options. Future of School is pleased to present the Students Speak series in partnership with National School Choice Week.

The series is hosted by Amy Valentine, Future of School’s CEO and Education Evangelist. In the first episode, we hear from Satara Ehnes, a graduate of the Julesberg School District in Colorado and current student at Nebraska Wesleyan University.

Julesberg is a small rural district of fewer than 900 students, positioned just minutes from the Nebraska border. Despite the district’s small size and remote location, students have abundant opportunity to pursue their goals due to an administration that prioritizes students’ individual objectives and strategically utilizes technology.

In Satara’s case, she determined early on that she would like to pursue a medical degree, but was also aware of the time and cost associated with such a path. Through partnerships, the district made it possible for her to graduate high school with an Associate’s Degree, putting her well ahead by the time she entered a four-year university, and she is now nearing graduation and planning for medical school. Further, Satara is an advocate for the benefits of a well-rounded education that exposes students to real-world opportunities:

“I didn’t just learn how to read and write. I learned how to be a leader. I learned to take responsibility. I learned time management. So when I did make the transition from being in high school, living with my parents, being involved in all the extracurricular activities to the vast realities of being a young adult .. I think that really eased the transition.”

Subscribe to hear more Students Speak episodes along with upcoming series from Future of School. Follow Future of School on Twitter @futureof_school, follow Amy Valentine @amyvalentine555, and learn more on our website: www.futureof.school

National School Choice Week is a not-for-profit, charitable effort to raise awareness of effective K–12 education options for children. NSCW focuses equally on traditional public schools, public charter schools, public magnet schools, private schools, online schools, and homeschools. Participate in the conversation by following @schoolchoicewk on Twitter and using the hashtag #schoolchoiceweek. Learn more at https://schoolchoiceweek.com