Empowered Learning Podcast

Connecting Across Borders: Education, Travel, and Leaving a Positive Legacy with Andy Smith

Andy Smith
Description:
During this episode, host Andy Bennetts, and his good friend Andy Smith discuss a range of topics, including teaching abroad, the value of education, travel, Innovative Education Global (IEG), and leadership. The conversation also highlights the potential for technology to connect people across borders and the importance of making teaching a more fulfilling and financially sustainable career.
Andy Smith discusses his experiences teaching in the UAE and the challenges he faced with the language barrier. He also shares his insights on the Westernization of the UAE and how it compares to other Middle Eastern countries. Additionally, he talks about his love for travel and emphasizes the importance of traveling and how it can broaden one's perspective and understanding of the world. Smith also introduced the concept of Innovative Education Global (IEG) and its goal to provide immersive learning experiences to anyone who wants to learn.
This episode highlights the importance of building relationships, using technology to connect people, and creating immersive learning experiences. The meeting also emphasizes the importance of leaving a positive legacy and being an influential leader in the lives of others.
Andy’s Bio:
My name is Andy Smith.  I am an English teacher, world traveler, and husband/father.  I have been teaching for around 23 years.  I have taught in Colorado, Georgia and Abu Dhabi which is in the UAE.  Abu Dhabi is about an hour away from Dubai.  My wife and I met there while we both were teaching.  We had our first boy there, and then our other two boys were born here in Atlanta.  When I was in Abu Dhabi, I began to think about how teachers could benefit from learning how to create streams of income to be able to teach and still have enough money to live!  Many teachers love their job, but they are leaving due to the pay they are getting.  I decided to create a business called Innovative Education Global, or IEG. This idea is for anyone because everyone is either a teacher or someone learning.  I am now focused on creating an educational system where people can travel and learn too.  I have partnered with a few companies that will help create revenue for teachers and anyone else with little to no money spent.  These companies provide worldwide opportunities which is exactly what I want to happen.   There is a company called Refer Life Connect which is a social platform created for people to use to connect as well as to make money.  It is very new, but I will be showing people how to use it.  We had been on a social platform that pays people to use it, but it is currently not there because they are creating their V1 after finishing their Beta Version.  The next company that I really want to talk about is called ZenYGE.  This is an energy company that people can join for free and earn money.  There are products that can be sold worldwide that will help people get energy as far as solar, water and health.  There are other options as well.  I also am showing people a way to get free crypto just by adding an extension to their chrome browser.   This is all for the purpose of creating a way for people to be part of an international new way to provide learning experiences for anyone who wants to be a part of IEG.  If anyone wants to learn how to make some extra revenue, build ways to travel, learn from people around the world, help people around the world or just connect with others who love to learn, then being a part of a the IEG global community is just right for you!
Connect with Andy:
Andy’s Email: smithad33@gmail.com
Zen GYE Info: zenyge.com/Smithad33
Referlife Connec: http://rlifeconnect.com/?refer=d2NoS2Q0ODlCZEtpYmp4RjFGd3VLZz09

The Quest for Equity: Daniel Archuleta’s Mission to Lift Up Underserved Communities

Daniel Archuleta
Description:
Daniel shares his personal background and mission to strive for equity and help underserved communities, which was reinforced by his father's dedication to learning and people. He talks about his career journey, including his work in education reform and strategic management, and how it allowed him to conceptualize an innovative way of managing declining enrollment in school districts through community impact. During the episode, Daniel discusses how his team analyzed data to understand the reasons behind declining enrollment in Colorado districts. They found that population shifts were the main cause and used a map to illustrate the issue. The data shows that this was a statewide issue and the roots of these changes varied widely across the state and nationally due to factors such as low birth rates, gentrification, racism, and changes in the micro and macro economies. The team's findings highlights the need for a comprehensive approach to address declining enrollment in the district and beyond.
Bio:
Daniel has 20 years of experience working in the education and nonprofit sectors. He holds an MBA in Strategic Management from Regis University, was a co-founder of a nonprofit supporting the success of students with disabilities and is the former Manager of Strategy and Accountability at Adams 14. He has served Colorado youth more broadly and holistically at two collective impact organizations, Rocky Mountain Partnership and Denver Metro Community Impact, where he held the roles of Data Director and Director of Operations, respectively. Currently, his company, Surpassing Distinction, is working on a project of the heart. He is here to talk with us about a model to innovate the management of declining enrollment in school districts through community impact.
My ancestors, Spanish explorers and conquistadors, violently colonized the ancestral lands of the Anasazi, the lands of the Apache, Arapaho, Cheyenne, Comanche, Shoshone, and Ute nations. While I am not proud of this history, it is a reason I fight for equity. The Archuletas settled in what was northern Mexico, then, following the Mexican-American War, it would eventually become Colorado. Archuleta remains a county along the southern border of the state. One might think that having a county as a namesake would secure a legacy of privilege, but a long history of discrimination led to poverty and generational trauma for my family.My father was raised on the streets of Denver and attended Manual High School. He made the best of rare opportunities and attended CU Boulder, becoming a founding member of UMAS. He went on to launch several nonprofit organizations providing opportunities to the underprivileged.This instilled in me a passion for learning and the purpose of serving vulnerable communities. As a result, I excelled in school, and when I graduated from Adams City High School, one of the lowest performing schools in one of the lowest performing districts, I gave the concluding speech and advocated for education reform. I received a full-ride, academic scholarship to MSU where I published two anthological works on Chicano topics, which were used as textbooks in the Chicano Studies curriculum. After graduation, I went to work for Regis University where my MBA in Strategic Management was paid through a tuition benefit program.I have spent twenty years gaining knowledge and honing skills to better fulfill my purpose. I developed processes and systems to lift student group performance in Cherry Creek and Adams 14. I served the needs of students with disabilities when I co-founded the nonprofit, IDEAS, Inc. I have volunteered and sat on several committees and boards advocating for justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion. I have lifted Black and Brown, LGBTQ+, and Spanish-speaking voices at Rocky Mountain Partnership and Denver Metro Community Impact.In 2017, I founded Surpassing Distinction to promote my independent work serving Colorado students through contracts with Adams 14, the Colorado Association of School Executives, and Denver Public Schools. This work grew into serving Colorado youth more broadly and holistically through contracts with two collective impact organizations, Rocky Mountain Partnership and Denver Metro Community Impact, where I was hired as the Data Director and Director of Operations, respectively. As my network and impact expanded, my vision for Surpassing Distinction grew as well.In 2023, Surpassing Distinction was awarded a six-figure, sole-source contract to manage an urban school district's declining enrollment project. In the course of the work, Surpassing Distinction consulted with experts to explore the large-scale context of the problem. As a result, we developed a model that would innovate the management of declining enrollment through community impact. Further work in this area will require the development and implementation of a Proof of Concept. We are in the process of securing one pilot school and full proof-of-concept funding.
Connect with Daniel:
https://www.surpassingdistinction.com
https://www.linkedin.com/company/surpassingdistinction/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-archuleta/

Team Excel Effect: How Johnathan Mayo is Sparking Student Success Through Competition

Johnathan Mayo
Description:
Johnathan shares his personal and professional background, discussing his mother's legacy as an educator and his career path in education and entrepreneurship. Andy & Johnathan also discuss the creation of Team Excel, a platform that uses competition and teamwork to motivate students to improve their academic performance. Johnathan shares the impact of the program on students and emphasizes the importance of perseverance for entrepreneurs.
Connect with Johnathan:
To connect with Johnathan and learn more about Team Excel, visit: www.teamexcel.com. 

Empowered Learning Podcast - Episode 0

Episode 0
Join Andy for a fun preview of the Empowered Learning Podcast. In this bonus episode, you will learn:
Who Andy is
What the podcast is about
Who guests will be
Why you should listen
What makes the Empowered Learning Podcast different
The first THREE full episodes will be released on Jan 1, 2024!

Empowered Learning Podcast - Shorts Comp 1

Short Compilation
Enjoy short clips from the upcoming Empowered Learning Podcast, hosted by Andy Bennetts launching Jan 1, 2024!

Empowered Learning Podcast - Trailer (Audio)

Podcast Trailer (Audio)
The Empowered Learning Podcast ignites inspiration through insightful dialogues on education and leadership. Host Andy Bennetts engages notable educators, administrators, and thinkers in discussions that illuminate best practices, overcoming adversity, and the transformational power of lifelong learning. 

Empowered Learning Podcast - Trailer

Podcast Trailer (Video)
The Empowered Learning Podcast ignites inspiration through insightful dialogues on education and leadership. Host Andy Bennetts engages notable educators, administrators, and thinkers in discussions that illuminate best practices, overcoming adversity, and the transformational power of lifelong learning.