Ashoka
All children are intrinsically motivated learners and constructors of knowledge. All children can develop a deep sense of empathy and compassion for others. The IDEA School promotes these qualities and helps our students build upon them, for the benefit of themselves, their families, our community, and the world. The IDEA School models community expectations and community-based solutions. They hold each other accountable and understand the natural consequences of their choices. The adults at the IDEA School hold ourselves to this same standard, and model this level of accountability for the kids in everything we do. Educators don’t give false praise, but rather, descriptive feedback. There is not just one path to success at our school. The IDEA School is very clear: there are a number of ways to contribute to the community and to express ideas and expertise.
David Higuera
The most profound experience David had creating change has been in becoming a father. David grew up without his father. His greatest aspiration is to be the father to his sons that he never had. David met Jaime Johnson when he and his wife enrolled Elliot in the preschool she had recently co-founded, Downtown Community School. David and his wife were immediately struck by the truth: be true to the kids, to how children learn and what is most important to them. As someone who has engaged in a lot of advocacy work, the most important lesson he learned in watching Jaime and her colleagues nurture kids in that holistic preschool environment was this: at the end of the day, it is how one raise their kids that matters more than anything else. As a community, parents must take the responsibility to raise their kids to know themselves, know their community, and to give back. Outside of education and fatherhood, the most transformative Changemaking experience he had was to help lead a collaboration of Faith community leaders, senior citizens’ advocates, consumer and children’s advocates and others to defeat the payday loan industry in Arizona in 2008-2010. In his transformative moment, David realized that bringing people together across ideological lines for a clear, common purpose, you cannot lose.
One of the greatest joys for David in this adventure of co-founding and co-leading the IDEA School is knowing that the IDEA School is an example of what’s possible when educators put as much emphasis on social and emotional development, relationships and collaboration as reading and math. The IDEA School nurtures kids who are capable of being agents of their own lives and compassionate human beings who treat others with empathy and kindness -- kids with purpose.