Featured Interview with Blank Check Author Aaron Smith

Repeat guest Aaron Smith joins Michael to discuss the new book Blank Check:  This intriguing, inspirational Young Adult novel takes place on a fictional U.S. island, but the story that evolves could help reshape public schools in America. Challenges young adults to think outside the box and care enough about how children are educated to participate in re-imagining public education Shares a discussion as to how education is currently viewed and the cultural impact on how one learns Asks the reader to think about what graduates should look like upon completing high school and how they should be prepared for a career Helps the reader understand why public education is not working for all students Allows the opportunity for readers to have empathy for the frustration educators face on a daily basis Inspiring young adults to reimagine public education, Blank Check is a novel about young people and a generation that is prepared to step in and re-engineer public education. The problem with gathering the forces of educators and businesses to advance the process of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) with Career and Technical Education (CTE) education is not that it is unworthy of their attention. It’s not that it’s unimportant to the future kids coming through public schools. It’s not that people do not get cheered when they champion new standards. It’s ALL of these. STEM and CTE education need a story. Today’s culture advances things through storytelling. It needs a context. That’s what happens when there is allowed incremental advances to nonchalantly lead the way. It fails to inspire. Blank Check is that story. It’s a fictional tale grounded in pure reality. It is an intriguing, inspirational Young Adult novel that takes place on a fictional U.S. island, but the story that evolves could help reshape public schools in America. So here, for the first and hopefully not the last time, there is a tale offered that can inspire people because when the destination can be seen in the distance, it quickens one’s pace. https://aaronsmithphd.com/blank-check/