Listening to the Sound of Courage in a Changing World

I have been thinking about courage and how it reveals itself. For me, it has rarely appeared as something loud or dramatic. Courage has been steady. It has lived in quiet decisions, in continuing forward when the way ahead was uncertain, and in trusting that the work mattered.

During my years in public education, courage looked like the choice to see students differently. When a student struggled, I learned to ask what they needed, instead of what was wrong. It took courage to trust that behavior is communication and that minds respond to environments not designed for them. Human beings are wired for curiosity, movement, belonging, and purpose. When those needs are honored, students rise. Seeing students through a human lens rather than a compliance lens was an act of courage every day.

Courage also meant standing with teachers and leaders when the workload was hard. Passion for teaching and administration does not fade because someone is incapable; it fades when meaning is lost or when people feel unseen. Learning is a human experience shaped by relationship, trust, and presence. Holding on to that truth, especially in systems that often prioritize efficiency over humanity, required quiet, steady courage.

There was a time when courage meant building something new. I created a school model that applied Fortune 500 leadership and organizational culture practices to education. The belief was simple: if collaboration and purpose elevate adults in business, students and educators deserve the same level of intention. We tested, refined, and learned. The data and results confirmed that when people feel valued, growth follows.

Courage has also meant evolving when it was uncertain. It has meant recognizing that discomfort often signals progress, not failure.

Illuminate XR is the continuation of that belief. It reflects years of listening, observing, and understanding how people learn best. Illuminate XR supports learning that is immersive, connected, and deeply human. It recognizes that we learn most meaningfully when we feel seen, safe, and supported.

My view of courage has changed. I no longer see it as force. I see it as alignment and clarity, as staying close to what matters and allowing that to guide the next step. After 25 years in public education, my work is not ending. It is taking a new form. The insight and understanding I carry are shaping how I lead and build moving forward.

Courage today means saying something clearly: the public school system was not designed for the learners whom we are serving today. It was created for a different time and a different world. The needs of our students have changed, and our approaches must change with them.

This is not disruption; this is responsibility. We are being asked to evolve, to imagine, and to redesign with care. It means creating learning environments where students can grow into who they are capable of becoming.

Courage has a sound. For me, it’s the sound of a beating heart that endures.The sound propels me forward with purpose and hope.

My work is just beginning, and the beat from which I draw strength has never been stronger.