Education : Features

Denise Smith, Vice President for Early Learning at Excellent Schools Detroit, tackles Detroit's astounding adult illiteracy rate and asks, how can the Detroit of today build its future generation to be the most successful, healthiest, and best educated yet?

Instruction at Michigan State's Detroit Community Music School is done by working musicians and educators who are giving back some of the same elite training they received as students. Gather round as Veronica Grandison tunes into the scene.

Kyle Smitley is the founder of Detroit Achievement Academy, a new charter school opening with grades K & 1 and expanding by a grade level each year. Some might call her a radical education reformer, but she wouldn't. 

Chris Uhl left the world of banking to join the Skillman Foundation (as a director, no less). Here he reflects on his reasons for making that life-changing decision to dedicate his life to changemaking. 

The "hive" was buzzing with ambitious doers leading everything from youth programs to community art projects to startup businesses and micro-lending programs. They came to learn about urban innovation in Detroit, and they left with some new strategies for leadership and social entrepreneurship from special guest Christopher Gergen. Check out our recap & video.