Over the past two years, some of the best thinkers in the world have shared their ideas for innovation in education at ieSonoma: including Sir Ken Robinson and Dale Dougherty in 2013, followed by Sugata Mitra and Nirvan Mullick in 2014.
This year, three dynamic speakers will take the stage: Dan Pallotta, Emily Pilloton, and Adam Braun. Each brings a unique story about how they have made a difference in their local communities—and in the world—through innovation and by thinking differently about the role and structure of education. With their stories in mind, ieSonoma is adopting “A Call to Action” as this year’s theme.
The third annual ieSonoma event takes place on June 7th and 8th. ieSonoma: innovate | educate Sonoma is a partnership of educational institutions and the larger community dedicated to exploring the research, theory, and practice of transforming education for the 21st century. Started in 2013 by Sonoma County Office of Education, Sonoma State University, and Sonoma Country Day School, ieSonoma is aligned to the Cradle to Career Sonoma County goal of ensuring that every child succeeds academically.
ieSonoma 2015 promises to be an important public gathering of leaders who are interested in rethinking the way institutions and organizations play a role in preparing students for success. It will feature three inspiring and provocative speakers and stimulating dialogue about critical issues today that are shaping the future:
Dan Pallotta is an entrepreneur, author, and humanitarian activist who is changing the way the public thinks about charity. He is best known for creating the multi-day charitable event industry, and a new generation of philanthropists, with the AIDS Rides and Breast Cancer 3-Day events. His 2013 TED Talk, viewed by 3.4 million people, argued that “the way we think about charity is dead wrong.”
Emily Pilloton is an educator, architect, and humanitarian activist who believes that design and building can excite learning and citizenship. She developed and is now teaching a design-build curriculum called Studio H that engages the minds and bodies of high school students while bringing smart design and new opportunities to the poorest county in North Carolina.
Adam Braun is a best-selling author, entrepreneur, philanthropist, and founder of Pencils of Promise, a non-profit organization that builds schools and increases access to education for children in the developing world. His book, “The Promise of a Pencil,” describes how an ordinary person can create extraordinary change. Following the presentations, each speaker will be joined in conversation with Community Foundation’s Karin Demarest.
ieSonoma 2015 will take place over two dates and in two locations. For complete details and to register, visit www.iesonoma.org.
