I first saw him on Oprah!
Years ago, Oprah featured Ron Clark and his extraordinary way of teaching students. Just watching him with those students and seeing how they responded to his methods was a breath of fresh air.
It was very easy to tell that he was in his element! He was in the midst of his passion and as the Ron Clark Academy opened it’s doors in Atlanta, his dream had come true.
Fast forward to June 2015, I find myself standing in the lobby of The Ron Clark Academy listening to him speak to & about his extraordinary students on the last day of school.
With The Knighten Project, it’s in my soul to ask about Dreams and what keeps you pressing towards what you desire out of life. I was given a few moments to ask Ron Clark about Dreams and what’s next for him.
I asked him should we expect more Ron Clark Academy’s around the country. He quickly said, “No! I’ve had a hard enough time opening up this one. The great thing is we have thousands of teachers that come from around the world to tour our facility and learn our methods to take back to their school.”
So although he is not personally opening up other Ron Clark Academy, more children will have access to his methods.
Staples Introduces Designed by Students Collection
I was invited to the RCA to witness the presentation of the collaboration between Staples, student from MS88 and the Ron Clark Academy. They collaborated on sixteen different teams to develop a new line of innovative school supply products to bring to customers.
Check out the video with these students explaining their inventions:
“Our students’ collaboration with Staples has been one of the most innovative and engaging projects I have seen during my time in education. By listening to the opinions and need of our youth, Staples has been able to create products that speak to the desires and taste of a new generation.” said Ron Clark, co-founder of The Ron Clark Academy.
My mouth dropped when I heard these students speak about their projects and how they initially came up with the idea. These products will now officially be in stores on June 28th with the Ron Clark Academy stamp!
Oh, I forgot to mention Staples donated $50,000 to the Ron Clark Academy to continue his work in education! Isn’t it amazing when people believe in your dreams?
The Designed by Student products include exclusive folders, pencil pouches, backpacks lunch bags, locker shelves and portable desk that all feature multiple uses:
The Big Pen: This colorful all-in-one writing instrument and pencil case features interchangeable writing tips, zipper pocket for small accessories, a built-in pencil sharpener and extra-large eraser. ($8.99)
Big Props Pencil Case: A pencil case in eye-catching color combos, this pencil case not only stores multiple writing instruments and accessories, but also props up most phones, small books and mini-tablets. ($7.99)
Super Folder: The ultimate folder for getting super organized! Available in super color-combinations, this multi-purpose folder includes storage areas, a zipper pouch, clear pockets for class schedules, a pencil sharpener, sticky notes and a writing pad. ($12.99)
Portable Desk: Do classwork anytime, anywhere with this colorful portable desk with a smooth writing surface. Desk also includes interior compartments for notebook and pencil storage and has a side slot for headphones and power cords. ($39.99)
Tray Desk: Create a simple workspace with the Tray Desk featuring an interior base that doubles as a dry erase board and smooth writing surface. The Tray Desk includes inside mesh pockets for writing essentials and a horizontal pocket to hold papers in place. ($29.99)
The Bag: Make taking lunch to school a cinch with The Bag which includes a fork and spoon combo in a hidden compartment handle. Colorful and made of dishwasher safe silicon material, it folds flat for convenient storage ($12.99)
Accordion Bag: Get a backpack that flexes with your ever-changing schedule. The Accordion Bag, available in popular color combos, expands and shrinks when you need it and has plenty of pockets to keep everything organized. It includes two padded compartments for tech devices up to 15”, multiple pockets for accessory storage and a water bottle. Secondary compartments with organization pockets are included with key clips and expanded gusset for extra storage. ($45.99)
Back2Back School Bag: Tote school essentials in this square-shaped school bag that provides wider storage space, water bottle pockets, and a breathable and detachable compartment for additional storage. Available in several color combinations, this bag also includes two compartments for tech devices up to 15”. ($52.99)
Floating Locker Shelves: Add a pop of color and maximize locker space! The Floating Locker Shelves in reversible hot color combos create four triangular sections for storing school essentials. ($12.99)
Could you see your child attending this middle school? Would that be a Dream come true for your child?
Don’t forget to add your ONE BIG DREAM here & DONATE to someone else’s ONE BIG DREAM here!
