4.0

?? Reintroducing the 4.0 2025 Tiny Fellows! This year, we’re proud to unveil an ???????????????? ???????????? of over 100 visionary leaders who are redefining education with their innovative and groundbreaking ideas. We’re re-uploading our previous post to include even ???????? ??????????????, to celebrate the brilliance, leadership, and diversity of these changemakers who’ve been accepted into the Tiny Fellowship program.?And that’s just the beginning! Later today, we’ll launch Tiny Highlights, a special series featuring these fellows and their incredible ideas. We are, once again, truly honored to support these passionate individuals in their journey to building a brighter future for learners everywhere. ??Meet the ?????????? ?????????? of rising founder-changemakers as they are now proudly part of the Tiny Founders Community! AD Williams Aliyah Daley Amber Hamilton & Marva Stokes Amaris Evans Arlean W. Arpan Somani Ashlee Dollar, M.Mus. Aziza Taylor, MS Bayo Fagbamila Jr. Brittany Jayroe Cedric Nelms, MJA Chayanee Brooks, NBCT & David Brooks Chloe Morris Chris Singer Christine Chen Cinthya Vasquez Courtney Mauldin-Jones Cristina G. Chacon Damien Howard Danielle Horton Daniel Fountenberry Darren Beck David Charles Metler Devon (Marrow) Copeland Davon Raspberry, MBA DérNecia Phillips, Ed.D. DJ Little Edmund S. Adjapong Erika Hall Johnson Freddy Price George Nunez Gisselle Ramirez & Franklin Espaillat Harriette Gibbs & Norris Goode Jr Heather Bryant Ileane Barrera & Patricia Bessie Isaiah Walker & Micah Wilson, M.Ed. Isabella Kulstad ??Let’s cheer, once again, on these inspiring Tiny Fellows and this exciting new season of the Tiny Fellowship! Follow us for updates, #TinyHighlights, and stories of their journeys, challenges, and triumphs. #4pt0 #TinyFellowship

?? #2025TinyFounders | Meet three of the 100+ visionary founders of the 2025 Tiny Fellowship! 1?? Jéri L. Ogden, EdD | She BLOOMS With She BLOOMS, Jéri is creating a sacred space for Black women in education at all levels to connect, grow, and thrive — fostering mentorship, empowerment, and sisterhood to support their journey in education. 2?? Jess Jones With their program for transgender teens, Jess is building an affirming space for exploring identity, creativity, and voice through storytelling and relationship-building — supporting youth in developing socioemotional and literacy skills to navigate minority stress. 3?? DérNecia Phillips, Ed.D. | Identity Preparatory Academy With Identity Preparatory Academy, Dr. DerNecia is providing a liberatory education option for 4th-8th grade girls in North Omaha — uplifting identity, community, and cultural consciousness as keys to academic and personal growth. ?? Curious about Culturally Responsive Education, Holistic Well-Being, and Microschools? Follow us and stay tuned as we continue to support Jéri, Jess, Dr. DerNecia, and other remarkable innovators on their journeys. #4pt0 #TinyFellowship

??"Every single boy raised his hand when asked if they'd been mishandled or profiled by police." In the latest Pitch Playground episode, Lisa María Rhodes, founder of ALAS, describes asking a simple question at a New Orleans school assembly and witnessing an answer that exposed a reality many of us never see: young boys being stopped, searched, and harassed during everyday activities—walking to their grandmother's house, running errands for family, or taking siblings to practice. These aren't isolated incidents. They're daily experiences reshaping how young people view themselves, their safety, and their ability to trust the world around them. What would happen if we asked this same question at schools across America? Have you witnessed how these interactions affect the young people in your life? Share your opinion in the comments below. ?? #EducationReimagined #FutureOfLearning #EquityInEducation Listen to the full episode:? ?? Apple Podcasts - https://lnkd.in/gS2bf4-4 ?? Spotify - https://lnkd.in/gkh_p2Cb ?? Amazon Music - https://lnkd.in/gp75z34C

?? #2025TinyFounders | Meet three of the 100+ visionary founders of the 2025 Tiny Fellowship! 1?? Isaiah Walker & Micah Wilson, M.Ed. | Our Sun Montessori With Our Sun Montessori, Isaiah and Micah are creating an eco-friendly early childhood center that blends Montessori principles with African cultural roots — uplifting BIPOC educators, supporting families with wraparound services, and fostering a liberatory, hands-on learning environment for youth. 2?? DJ Little | SEEDschool With SEEDschool, DJ delivers game-based tech and business training programs to forward-thinking education providers, offering an all-in-one solution that simplifies their work while equipping their students with future-ready skills. ?? Curious about Microschools and Personalized Learning? Follow us and stay tuned as we continue to support Isaiah, Micah, DJ, and other remarkable innovators on their journeys. #4pt0 #TinyFellowship

??"Miss, I don't want to go to college." When a student literally runs the other way when they see their college counselor coming, something is fundamentally broken. In this powerful moment from our Pitch Playground podcast, Victoria describes chasing a former student down the hallway—only to learn he was avoiding her because the system had given him one option he didn't want. How many students feel this way but never say it aloud? When 100% of your performance metrics are tied to college applications, what happens to the students who need something different? Have you witnessed students being pushed toward paths that weren't right for them? What alternatives should we be offering? Share your opinion in the comments below. ??#EducationReimagined #FutureOfLearning #EquityInEducation Hear the full story here: ?? Apple Podcasts - https://lnkd.in/dM26g9Xj ?? Spotify - https://lnkd.in/dGzvX-B9 ?? Amazon Music - https://lnkd.in/dEpyv2-r

?? #2025TinyFounders | Meet three of the 100+ visionary founders of the 2025 Tiny Fellowship! 1?? Darren Beck | Avenues Microschool Network ?With Avenues Microschool Network, Darren is expanding 21st-century high school learning opportunities by collaborating with families, business leaders, and neighborhoods to bring education closer to the students who need it most. 2?? Miho Kubagawa, Ed.L.D. ?Through gamified quests, Miho is helping kids master essential life skills — from nutrition to financial literacy — while building confidence and sparking joy. Think Girl Scouts meets Duolingo for the real-world skills that schools don't teach. 3?? Shareefah Nadir-Mason ?With her innovative initiative, Shareefah is cultivating a strong pipeline of prospective teachers of color from disenfranchised communities, preparing them to become skilled educators who inspire students to see that their address does not define their potential. ?? Curious about Microschools, Personalized Learning, and Lifelong Learning Ecosystems? Follow us and stay tuned as we continue to support Darren, Miho, Shareefah, and other remarkable innovators on their journeys. #4pt0 #TinyFellowship

?? 4.0 Alumni Win! Nick Okafor, founder of trubel&co, has been ACCEPTED into Fast Forward's 2025 Accelerator!

?? Opportunities You Didn’t Know About—Here’s What You Could Be Missing This Week! 1?? LAUNCH: Tennessee Valley Regional Partnership | Singing River Trail Launch Tank: A “Shark Tank”-style pitch competition offering up to $25,000 in cash and prizes for North Alabama entrepreneurs. Deadline: March 23, 2025 2?? Deniese & Co. LLC. | Take Good Care: Join this AI-enhanced learning event designed to create thriving educational spaces for girls of color. Happening March 23, 2025 in Flagstaff, AZ. 3?? B Lab U.S. & Canada | Level Program: Connecting 15 women-led businesses with consulting firms to guide them through B Corp Certification. Deadline: March 25, 2025 4?? Alchemist Accelerator: A top-tier accelerator for enterprise-focused startups. Deadline: March 21, 2025 5?? Founders First CDC | Kitty Fund Mompreneur Grant: Offering $25,000 in microgrants for mother-owned businesses. Pre-registration starts March 18, 2025 6?? Whole Foods Market | LEAP Program: Supporting innovative local and emerging brands with mentorship and potential shelf placement in Whole Foods stores. Deadline: March 19, 2025 7?? City of Long Beach Level Up LB Program: Offering $10,000 grants plus training for small businesses in Long Beach, CA. Deadline: March 20, 2025 8?? Flint & Genesee Economic Alliance | Moving Flint Forward Small Business Grant: Providing grants to Flint neighborhood small businesses to support local revitalization. Deadline: March 21, 2025 9?? unCommon Construction | Expansion Info Sessions: Learn how to bring unCommon's impactful programming to new locations through informative webinars. Sessions: March 20, 21 & 27, 2025 ?? Citizen Schools | Equity in Education Event: Focused on enhancing classroom activities with cultural awareness and inclusivity. Happening March 21, 2025 (Virtual) 1??1?? The Uplift Fellowship | Upperclassmen Boot Camp: Join this two-day virtual boot camp designed for high school juniors and seniors to navigate the college application process. Happening March 22 and 23, 2025 ?? Got an upcoming event, grant, or opportunity to share? Send us the details, and we’ll feature it in our next roundup! Let's spread the word together! #4pt0 #Grants #Funding #Opportunities #Programs

?? #2025TinyFounders | Meet three of the 100+ visionary founders of the 2025 Tiny Fellowship! 1?? Ruka O. & Seth Kamens | Pathstitch With Pathstitch, Ruka and Seth are leveraging AI to provide school administrators with critical insights into teacher needs. Their platform enhances decision-making around teacher development, performance, and burnout reduction—creating a more sustainable and effective education system. 2?? Keina Hodge, M.A., M.B.A. | The Literacy Project Through The Literacy Project, Keina is working to close the literacy gap by delivering high-dosage tutoring to middle school students reading below grade level. By also providing targeted professional development for teachers and at-home resources for parents, she’s ensuring a holistic approach to literacy success. ?? Curious about Personalized Learning and Lifelong Learning Ecosystems? Follow us and stay tuned as we continue to support Ruka, Seth, and Keina—and other remarkable innovators on their journeys! #4pt0 #TinyFellowship

?? Will technology fundamentally change how we learn in near future? In 10 years, will we look back and wonder how we ever taught abstract concepts without immersive technology? One of our latest Pitch Playground episodes showcases a glimpse of this future: "When students put their headsets on, a countdown timer begins. Three, two, one. Now those students have become NASA scientists controlling the James Webb telescope." This isn't science fiction—it's happening now in classrooms using mixed reality. Students aren't watching videos about space; they're manipulating telescopes, adjusting wavelengths, and discovering cosmic phenomena themselves. Imagine history students walking through ancient Rome, biology students traveling through the bloodstream, or literature students stepping into the worlds of the books they read. What would you want to "become" if you could go back to school with today's technology? ?? ?? Let us know in the comments! #EducationReimagined #FutureOfLearning #EquityInEducation Listen to the full episode: ?? Apple Podcasts?- https://lnkd.in/dgCaSJfz ?? Spotify - https://lnkd.in/dAqHdhe8 ?? Amazon Music - https://lnkd.in/dH7Sme3u