A Nation of Builders
XQ Institute
XQ's mission is to transform America's high schools so every student can succeed.
By Edward Montalvo - Director, Educator Network
This Teacher Appreciation Week, let’s do more than thank our educators. Let’s recognize them for the nation builders they are—shaping the future with every lesson, project, and challenge.
At XQ, along with the schools, communities, and organizations we partner with, we are building a new education architecture that works for all. We envision a different way of doing high school that liberates us from the confines of the Carnegie Unit by creating an infrastructure for capturing and communicating student learning focused on future-ready skills and competencies.?
We can’t build it alone, nor overnight. However, teachers are building this future now with their students and communities. They are thinking creatively, acting with bravery, and planning critically. That’s why XQ considers these educators builders and visionaries crafting a future that embraces innovation and inclusion at every turn. I extend my deepest gratitude and thanks to my colleagues and mentors during this year’s Teacher Appreciation Week.
Constructing a Future for All
Throughout this academic year, I’ve heard from hundreds of educators how they’ve turned their classrooms into incubators for better student learning experiences, leveraging XQ’s Design Principles and Learner Outcomes to foster environments where every student thrives. From the East Coast to the West, these educators embody the spirit of innovation and commitment to community uplift.
Here are some examples of teachers at XQ schools achieving great things and what a nation of builders looks like.
?? “The First Class” Documentary: A window into the world of high school transformation, this film showcases the inspiring journey of Crosstown High, a school created by the Memphis community. The film follows the school’s founding class and their teachers—notably Nikki Wallace, Ryan Pryor, Ginger Spickler, and Chris Terril—as they tackle the challenge of reimagining the high school experience through project-based learning. This inspiring film comes with great resources for teachers, too.
???The Murder 101 Podcast: This podcast series highlights how Alex Campbell, an educator at Elizabethton High School in Tennessee, galvanized his students to solve a nearly 40-year-old cold case. Each episode shows how powerful project-based learning led by students can make a real impact and tap into teens’ vast potential for solving problems and caring about their community.
?? DC+XQ Series: This ongoing video series spotlights DC high schools participating in XQ’s district-wide approach to rethinking high school from beginning to end. Witness how DC educators and redesign directors like Dr. William Blake, Nubia Gerima-Rogers, Kira Rowe, and Travis Bouldin use different perspectives from their wards and communities to make high school learning more engaging. These schools focus on unique themes, such as entrepreneurship, the U.N.’s Sustainable Development goals, and Afrofuturism. All keep students at the center.
??Future of High Schools: In an ongoing collaboration with The 74 Million, the education website is elevating the stories of numerous schools and educators across the country that are innovating the high school learning experience for students and teachers alike.
A Shared Culture and Mission
A growing network of educators and school leaders in XQ’s community is showing how to scale this work within their own communities. They include hundreds of teachers, administrators, counselors, librarians, and others who are amplifying student voice, providing meaningful, engaged learning, and building caring, trusting relationships with their students.
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These educators are united around a shared pedagogical approach through XQ's Design Principles and Learner Outcomes. These principles and outcomes aren't just guidelines but the foundation for the new educational architecture described above that educators are developing now.
A Call to Appreciation
This Teacher Appreciation Week, let’s do more than thank our educators for their tireless work over the past academic year. Whether you’re an educator yourself or a community member who cares about high school, let’s elevate the important work they achieve—they’re not just teaching, but actively building a better future.
Join our movement to rethink high school and share with all the work of teachers in your community who are building the future with their students.
Share with Us
Share Your Story: On social media, thank XQ educators with #ThankATeacher and share how they've inspired or changed your community.
Engage with Content: Watch "The First Class," listen to "Murder 101," and follow the DC+XQ series to see real examples of educational transformation.
Join the Movement: Share your appreciation and celebrations and learn from others in our digital community, the XQ Xchange. Click the button above to add your questions and share insights and experiences for others to learn from.
Contribute stories and insights about high school transformation with us on social @XQAmerica using #RethinkHighSchool, and we will include them in a later edition of the Xtra.
?? Or send us a message directly at [email protected]
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