FUTURE FOCUSED

BY BLAIR LOWRY, HEAD OF SCHOOL

As a school leader, I enjoy the great privilege of being surrounded by people who imagine. Our students arrive each day with curiosity about the world and lean into reflection and dialogue about possibility and “what ifs.” Our faculty are coaches of creativity in the many ways they interact with their students and in how they design lessons and courses.

Today’s TVS students will not only fill jobs that have not been invented yet, but they will create those jobs. They will shape how we think about work, how we communicate, and how we interact with one another. TVS is choosing to be a center for ideas and a testing ground for future-oriented thinking. When we are intentional about this, we inspire young people to think differently and to take intellectual risks.

This semester, I am enjoying the opportunity to co-teach with Dr. Dave Ostroff in the Upper School. Our course, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, focuses on creativity as a skill for innovative thinking. As students develop their “entrepreneur’s eye,” they are learning many transferable concepts that help them in their other classes, their startup businesses, and their journey beyond our campus. This spring, we welcomed guest speaker Mandy Ginsberg, former CEO of Match Group, who spoke with students about how to use these skills, take risks, and think about the future. She also shared that the ability to collaborate with others across borders, languages, and cultures has been key in her work.

As students develop their “entrepreneur’s eye,” they are learning many transferable concepts that help them in their other classes, their start-up businesses, and their journey beyond our campus.

The pace of change in our world is ever increasing. How we think about changes – and even leverage them – will make a huge impact. I remember when using iPads at school seemed a radical idea to many. Now, we are having conversations about generative Artificial Intelligence. Imagination, creative thinking, collaboration, flexibility, and adaptability are at the heart of futurefocused thinking. Walking the halls here at TVS fills me with excitement about the future. This is where it all begins! I hope you enjoy this edition of Trojan Voice – Future Focused.