We were never really taught how to steer our own lives. Not in school, not in most workplaces, not even in many families. We were taught how to follow directions, how to meet expectations, how to stay in line.

But what if we were encouraged to be different?

Why we do what we do. About how integrity shows up when no one’s watching.

As an adolescent, I didn’t know what it meant to truly connect, with others, with nature, or even with myself. I was unsure of my place in the world.

As students develop, particularly during adolescence, there are a multitude of factors that shape how they engage with the world around them. Physical and emotional changes unfold, often at different times.

We live in a world that feels like it's teetering. Between polarization, digital noise, and systems that reward egocentrism, it’s no wonder so many young people feel lost or worse, indifferent. But I believe there’s a path forward. And it starts in the classroom.