At Gunston, we see ourselves as an important institution in the development of our larger Eastern Shore community, and we are striving to expand our partnerships within the community. For instance, we partnered with several schools to sponsor a showing of "The Race to Nowhere" several weeks ago, where almost 300 people came to see the film and participate in the discussion. In addition, our GIVE club (Gunston Initiates Volunteer Efforts) has been involved in dozens of local service projects over the course of its existence. Currently, among other efforts, we are working with a group of students from Kenard Elementary in Centreville on an oyster restoration project where the aim is to rehabilitate the decimated population of a creature essential to the health of our watershed.
I also had the opportunity to see presentations by a series of gifted speakers and presenters. Here are some links to some of the speakers' presentations in other contexts:
- Sheena Igyenar: The Art of Choosing--this is a compelling engaging and funny presentation at a TED Conference about the role of choice in our lives. Dr. Igyenar is a professor at Columbia Business School.
- Geoffrey Canada: Mr. Canada is the founder of the Harlem Children's Zone, and one of the most gifted educators of our time. Here is the link: 60 Minutes, Geoffrey Canada
- Dan Heath: Mr. Heath is one of the world's leading thinkers on communication. Here is a short clip about how to make an effective presentation. He is the author of two best-selling books, Made to Stick and Switch.
- Salman Khan: If you want to glimpse the future of the role of technology in education, it's worth watching this video on the Khan Academy. Sal Khan's website can be found at http://www.khanacademy.org/. It is the largest open courseware site in the world.
- Anya Kamentz: She is a journalist who is following innovations in open learning platforms. Here is her Ted Conference presentation.
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