What does it take to turn around a high school with lagging attendance, low test scores, and few resources? Some educators might say, “baby steps.” Instead, North Edgecombe High School launched a radical rethink of the whole student experience, all guided by a design thinking process led by the students themselves.
In the third season of Like a Sponge, we explore how high schools need to change and the ways some educators are rethinking assumptions and remaking their schools to actually work for students. In this episode, we do a deep dive into a high school that radically rethought every element of the student experience — including what it’s like to take the school bus.
Learn more about how to redesign high school
- Read: Understanding the power of project-based learning
- Watch: The power of positive school culture
- Listen: Podcasts to help rethink high school
Thank you to the high school featured in this podcast
Thank you to Principal Donnell Cannon, teacher Hayley Gearheart, student Mijay Johnson, and North Edgecombe High School.
This episode of Like a Sponge was produced by Carol Lloyd and Jessica Yarmosky for GreatSchools, thanks to the generous support of the Barr Foundation. Sound editing and design by Christopher Ferreira. Editorial support from Jessica Kelmon. Special thanks to Donnell Cannon, Hayley Gearheart, Mijay Johnson, North Edgecombe High School, EducationNC, and PBLWorks. We also want to thank Transcend Education and Springpoint schools.
This season of the podcast is part of our Transforming High School series, a collection of stories, videos, and podcasts exploring the practices that prepare students for success in college and beyond.
