106: A Serendipitous Path To Educational Reform - Maria Dantos

Guest Overview Maria Dantos was born to a gregarious Greek immigrant father and ‘Mayflower compact’ mother. She grew up in her family-run haunted hotel in Vermont, with safety and freedom to play and explore her imagination. Immersed in abundant love she developed a world view of social justice and the importance of removing the inequity in education. Maria is an educator to her core; with 15 years of teaching, administration and educational reform experience. She has worked with people of diverse backgrounds and to advocate for justice in education as a means of upward social mobility for minority, female or otherwise less advantaged people. Her work reflects the importance of lifelong education and encouraging curiosity.She founded, and led multiple daycare and pre-kindergarten (Pre-K) education programs and schools of up to 100 students. Driven by her conviction that every child deserves to have access to quality education led her to launch her non-profit organization, Philox to provide humanitarian relief and education to underserved at-risk children in humanitarian areas of concern. Maria is also seeking to collaborate with educators, healthcare workers, community organizers and artists to provide solutions for at-risk children in this time of crisis. Applying her organizational, management and creative skills together Maria has worked as producer for several live events, short films, documentaries and one feature length film. She has also collaborated with members of Yo Yo Ma’s Silk Road Ensemble, Lincoln Center, and with Bank Street College at Columbia University.In Part One we cover Maria’s early years. In Part two we cover her work in educational development and perspectives on the future impact of Covid19 on education and child development. I hope you enjoy the caring compassion and commitment of Maria Dantos. What we discuss Growing up in a playful outdoor environment she discusses her making her own adventures. Maria reflects on the influence of her Greek r