As board members of Animas High School, we are well aware that the world our students are stepping into is nothing like the one we grew up in. With everything from climate change and AI to a constantly shifting economy and global connections, our youths face challenges we never imagined. So our question is: how do we help them not just get by, but to thrive and build meaningful, purposeful, impactful and fulfilling lives?
We believe there are many ways to define student success. While academic achievement remains essential, we’re convinced that truly preparing students for fulfilling lives requires a holistic approach – one that nurtures their intellectual curiosity, emotional intelligence, civic responsibility and personal well-being.
Too often, educational conversations center on test scores and college admissions rates. While these metrics have their place, they fall short of capturing what really matters: Are our students developing critical thinking skills? Can they collaborate effectively, communicate with empathy and adapt to change? Do they understand their role as citizens? Are they equipped with the emotional resilience to navigate life's inevitable challenges?
We believe that meaningful, engaging education happens when teachers take the time to understand how their students learn best and then build their curriculum around these insights. It requires educators to be both flexible and intentional, creating multiple pathways to specific learning objectives while ensuring that every student receives the support they need to succeed. This personalized approach to curriculum design ensures that all students are challenged and, ultimately, successful.
Today’s students face mental health difficulties at unprecedented rates. Schools cannot ignore this reality – we must establish environments that support emotional growth and self-awareness. This means teaching students to understand their emotions, develop healthy coping strategies and build meaningful relationships. Students use these essential skills to make responsible decisions and to advocate for themselves and their peers.
We also cannot get students ready for the future without recognizing the digital world they live in every day. We should help students use technology wisely, understanding both its power and its limits. That means teaching them to think critically about the information they see, use AI as a helpful tool (not a shortcut), and still prioritize real human connections.
Importantly, we must raise young people who understand their responsibility to others and their communities. Democracy depends on engaged citizens who can think critically, listen respectfully to different perspectives and work collaboratively toward common goals. A curriculum infused with community-based learning and civic engagement provides students with structured opportunities to reflect on problems that matter to them and consider how they might step up to make a difference.
No school can accomplish this alone. Meaningful education requires genuine partnership between schools, families and communities. Parents need support navigating the challenges of raising teenagers. Communities must provide real-world learning opportunities and mentorship. Schools must engage authentically with both families and community partners. When we work together, we create the supportive ecosystem that allows young people to explore their passions and discover their purpose.
These challenges have inspired Animas High School to launch a podcast called Beyond the Bell: Education for a Meaningful Life. Over seven episodes, we explore critical questions with local educational professionals, mental health experts, and community leaders as well as feature inspirational and insightful voices of our younger generation sharing their authentic perspectives. We examine how schools can support student well-being, thoughtfully integrate technology, encourage civic engagement and prepare students for an evolving professional landscape.
We invite our entire community to engage with these conversations. Whether you’re a parent, educator, employer or community member, you have a stake in preparing our young people for the future. Visit animashighschool.com/btb to listen to our podcast, share your perspectives and join us in reimagining what education should be.
Maren Bicknell, Michelle Bonanno, Greg Phillips, Julie Kremer, Lily Oswald and Martha Minot are members of the Animas High School Board of Directors.
