304 - Trace Pickering on Community-Connected Projects

<p><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">Today, Tom is virtually sitting down with Trace Pickering, the Executive Director of Iowa BIG <span style="color: #0f1419;">—</span> one of Getting Smart’s favorite learning programs in the country!</span></p> <p><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">Trace has a background in community building, has served as the Associate Superintendent of Cedar Rapids Community School District, and has also served as the Associate Director of Education Reimagined. Trace has a legacy of empowering people to pursue interesting and important projects while bringing together an entire community.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">In this conversation, Tom and Trace discuss the power of community-connected projects, how to scale a program like Iowa BIG, and how to create a culture of project-based learning. Trace also shares about the genesis of Iowa BIG, some incredible student-led projects that have come out of Iowa BIG, and his thoughts on why community-centered learning is more important than ever.</span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;"><strong>Key Takeaways:</strong></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">[:09] About today’s episode with Trace Pickering.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">[:55] Tom Vander Ark welcomes Trace to the podcast!</span></p> <p><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">[1:05] Did Trace grow up in Iowa?</span></p> <p><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">[1:16] Trace and Tom go into the “Way-back Machine” to 12 years ago after the Cedar River covered Cedar Rapids in a flood. Trace shares his reflections from what he learned in the process of a local newspaper inviting him to host a series of community conversations about what was next for Cedar Rapids. He also shares how this series of community conversations led to the creation of Iowa BIG.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">[6:54] Trace explains what Iowa BIG is, what its mission is, an