304 - Trace Pickering on Community-Connected Projects

Today, Tom is virtually sitting down with Trace Pickering, the Executive Director of Iowa BIG — one of Getting Smart's favorite learning programs in the country! Trace has a background in community building, has served as the Associate Superintendent of Cedar Rapids Community School District, and has also served as the Associate Director of Education Reimagined. Trace has a legacy of empowering people to pursue interesting and important projects while bringing together an entire community. In this conversation, Tom and Trace discuss the power of community-connected projects, how to scale a program like Iowa BIG, and how to create a culture of project-based learning. Trace also shares about the genesis of Iowa BIG, some incredible student-led projects that have come out of Iowa BIG, and his thoughts on why community-centered learning is more important than ever. Key Takeaways: [:09] About today's episode with Trace Pickering. [:55] Tom Vander Ark welcomes Trace to the podcast! [1:05] Did Trace grow up in Iowa? [1:16] Trace and Tom go into the "Way-back Machine" to 12 years ago after the Cedar River covered Cedar Rapids in a flood. Trace shares his reflections from what he learned...