Rebooting Our Politics and Schools to Engage Young People
It’s a paradigm shift they feel happening under their feet
Why Social Impact Beats a Bonus
According to the Gallup management journal, an astounding 73% of American workers are disengaged with their work. They're either "checked out," just sleepwalking through their work day, or worse, actively undermining the company and costing hundreds of billions each year. Any corporation that can...
Peace Corps and Ashoka: Celebrating Anniversaries and Collaborations
Did you know that Sargent Shriver, the dynamic force behind the creation of the Peace Corps, provided thought leadership for the creation of Ashoka as a member of the Ashoka Council? In fact, there have been many powerful points of intersection throughout the history of Peace Corps and Ashoka...
The Future of Solar Born from a Lifetime of Innovation
UPDATE: Although it’s been just two weeks since we last checked in on the 19-year-old whiz kid Eden Full, there are a couple of updates to her impact story. TechChrunch gave Full a shout-out for her contributions to the solar industry, and for winning the 2011 Staples/Ashoka Youth Social...
Hone Your Empathy Chops (by Playing a Game)
You don’t have to be in a classroom to improve your ability to be empathetic. Scientists, game-makers, and designers are creating new ways of measuring, cultivating, and boosting empathy. And you can even get started on your own. Want to try? Here are three empathy-building resources to check out...
Equipping the Next Generation to Propel Us Forward: The Cordes Innovation Awards and Ashoka U
The Cordes Foundation’s search for impact led it to partner with the Ashoka U program to co-develop the Ashoka U - Cordes Innovation Award for recognizing the most innovative approaches to social entrepreneurship education. The first year of “Ashoka U – Cordes Innovation Awards” were launched in...
Growing Great Ideas: a STEM Story
In the spring of 2009, I set out on a quest to expose students in metro Atlanta schools to a fun and engaging experience in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education. I love these subjects and believe in the skills and perspective that they give to students. I had first shown...
Empathy Evolving
Reflections from Ashoka Fellow David Castro on the inaugural Empathy in Action gathering in Washington, D.C. The children sat in a semicircle around a nearly-toddling baby, who could crawl but not quite stand. A program instructor asked the youngsters: What did the baby want? What was she trying to...
Empathy is a Winning Strategy
Think of the word “athlete,” and stereotypical “jock” images will likely come to mind: the guy (almost always a guy) with the pumped up muscles and fierce demeanor, whose aggression doesn’t go away when he leaves the court or field. But these associations overlook a little known fact: the best...