Hello Pioneers,

This has been an unsettling week with Hurricane Harvey hitting Houston and Irma on its way to Puerto Rico and Florida. We have been in touch with the pioneers we know in Houston and surrounding areas and have, thankfully, heard that everyone has weathered the storm. But, their communities are now in need of our support.  

If you and/or your learners are interested in helping Houston ISD, they are calling for children’s clothes of all sizes (clean and in reasonably good repair), school uniforms, and school supplies. They can be sent to this address:

HISD Harvey Recovery
c/o Delmar Stadium
2020 Mangum
Houston, TX 77092

HISD also has a foundation set up for donations, which can be found here. And, if you are looking for other ways to contribute, NPR has a helpful list of different ways donations can be made here.

As the climate changes and we face new global crises, it is a reminder of the complex challenges our world is facing today. It also has me thinking about the creativity, empathy, courage, and generosity we and our young people need to nurture and prize. So often, it is in these all-too-important arenas that young people actually have way more to teach us, than we them. Asking questions of learners and engaging them in solutions is one of the most rewarding experiences for both young and old. This is a time to engage and wonder together about what can be done. A time to build community and imagine a new future.

In this issue, discover how one Texas district did just that. They took a tragedy and used it as a time to reevaluate how they could best support their learners to be safe and fulfilled. Also, read about Eagle Rock School’s amazing community of learners and the role nature plays in kicking off their transformational journeys.

We hope these stories uplift and inspire us to use our surroundings and circumstances—however dire—to build stronger, more resilient, and joyful communities.  

Thank you for all you do!

Warm wishes,

Kelly