Dan Effland’s Post

Two design sprints. Two weeks. One big question: What does it take for young people to truly thrive in an AI-shaped world? I had the privilege of representing Summit Public Schools at two incredible experiences that have me energized about what's possible for the future of learning. First, the Lift Off Design Sprint brought together educators for intensive, 12-hour days designing full school models ready to build. The focus: getting kids out of simulations and into the real world, using AI as infrastructure to enable more dynamic learning, and balancing academic literacy with the durable human skills students need to thrive. Huge thanks to Kim Smith at LearnerStudio, Aylon Samouha at Transcend, Diane Tavenner at Futre.me, and Katie Martin at Learner-Centered Collaborative for making it happen. Then this week, Silicon Schools Fund and Transcend convened us around a powerful question: What's the portrait of a thriving 25-year-old in the age of AI—and what does that mean for how we design schools today? Thank you to Caitrin Wright, Kelly Garcia, and Aylon Samouha for organizing this and to the brilliant experts who pushed our thinking: Allison Dulin Salisbury, Rishi Jaitly, Diane Tavenner, Abigail Smith, Michelle Weise, PhD, and Jenny Anderson. The common thread: The possibility to redesign school to develop thriving adults exists more than ever! The work ahead is urgent—and I'm grateful to be in it alongside people this committed to getting it right.