"Middle schoolers are not just our future. They have the ability to investigate real change, starting now."
In TomTod Ideas from PechaKucha Night Akron Vol.3, Joel Daniel Harris shares on TomTod Ideas which gives middle schoolers a serious avenue to explore creativity. Harris is the founder and Executive Dreamer of TomTod Ideas, an innovation incubator for middle school students, centered on launching students’ dreams for the common good. A Malone University alum, Harris has more than a decade of experience as an advocate for early adolescents and has served on a variety of boards and causes in his community. His work includes chairing committees for United Way and Leadership Stark County, serving as a mentor for both Canton City and Plain Local school districts, as a Service Learning Trip leader for Malone University. JDH received his Masters in 2012 from George Fox University and has been regularly honored for his work with students and in the community, including receiving the Layperson of the Year Award from the Canton Professional Educators’ Association (2014), Malone University’s Young Alumnus of the Year (2012) and as a Twenty under 40! recipient (2015).
Joel will be speaking to the underestimated abilities of middle schoolers. The best ideas often come from the places least expected. Rarely does anyone expect much of anything from a middle schooler. The fact is, though, that early adolescence, that liminal space in which middle schoolers reside, is a place of beauty, opportunity and imagination. Get ready for some stories of middle school brilliance and the chance to re-consider what we think "kids" are capable of.
This was "PechaKucha of the Day" on Monday September, 12th, 2016.
