Scott’s presentation guru, Garr Reynolds, stated it best at his site, presentationzen.com: “We are a storytelling animal. We are not a bullet-point-memorizing animal. We are wired to be attracted to story and to learn from them and to spread them.” “The best stories infuse wonder,” says Pixar’s Andrew Stanton. Come learn how to tell better stories, engage and not enrage your students. (New and improved distance learning edition!)
CTE Arts and Technologies Instructor, Capital High School
Scott has taught creative and technical arts for over 30 years, supporting students of all abilities to develop creative voice and agency in a co‑authored classroom or “Scenius.” He guides filmmaking, game design, songwriting, and audio production workflows, and is a founding... Read More →
Sunday August 2, 2026 10:00am - 10:45am PDT Meeting Room #12Second Floor Davenport Grand
Learning should feel good, or better stated, gratifying. The stronger the emotional response, the better the retention of learning. Let’s take a look at what chemically happens in the brain when we struggle, succeed, and enjoy what we are doing.
CTE Arts and Technologies Instructor, Capital High School
Scott has taught creative and technical arts for over 30 years, supporting students of all abilities to develop creative voice and agency in a co‑authored classroom or “Scenius.” He guides filmmaking, game design, songwriting, and audio production workflows, and is a founding... Read More →
Sunday August 2, 2026 11:00am - 11:45am PDT Meeting Room #12Second Floor Davenport Grand
Rigor seems to be the forgotten lost child of the 3 R's - and it's causing problems all the way up to lawsuits for districts not preparing kids. How can we bring this back *while* still maintaining equity? If we don't - why are we even bothering?
We're observing a remarkable decrease in student resiliency - which has a cascade effect on future learning, college success and ultimately workplace/life success. How can we rebuild this critical foundational ability? In this session we'll learn how to turn the table and create a Culture of Failure in your classroom.
“AI That Thinks With Students, Not For Them” explores how educators can move beyond simple prompting and begin using AI as a true thinking partner in the learning process. This session focuses on building student voice, ownership, reflection, and deeper engagement through conversational AI practices that support learning rather than replace it. Participants will see real classroom examples from photography, business, and CTE programs where AI helps students brainstorm ideas, refine projects, personalize learning, overcome creative blocks, and document growth. The session introduces practical frameworks and prompting strategies that encourage critical thinking, curiosity, and collaboration between students and AI tools. Attendees will experience live demonstrations showing how AI conversations can adapt to student interests, learning needs, and creative goals while reducing teacher workload. Educators will leave with ready-to-use strategies, classroom workflows, and prompt structures that help students think more deeply, create more authentically, and take greater ownership of their learning.
Learn how to build your own AI assistant to support daily teaching tasks. In this hands-on session, participants will create a working assistant that helps with lesson planning, drafting emails, and generating student feedback. Walk away with ready-to-use prompts, clear workflows, and a practical tool you can use immediately to save time and improve communication in your classroom.
Engage in a hands-on session where you build a working pinhole camera designed for use with a smartphone to capture images. Learn how to guide students through light, exposure, and image creation using simple materials. Participants will leave with a completed camera, a ready-to-use lesson plan, and strategies to implement this project across multiple subject areas.
Help students go from apathy to passion. Help students identify their WHY to give PURPOSE to their WHAT. “When you know your WHY, your WHAT becomes more impactful because you’re walking towards or in your PURPOSE.” – Michael Jr. This content especially helps in project-based learning, where students need to know what they are doing and how to do it. Use AI tools to efficiently and effectively engage students and help them build their own learning experience. Essentially, do what Eric Belgau, one of our advisory members, stated best: “Know your lane, stay in it and drive fast.”
CTE Arts and Technologies Instructor, Capital High School
Scott has taught creative and technical arts for over 30 years, supporting students of all abilities to develop creative voice and agency in a co‑authored classroom or “Scenius.” He guides filmmaking, game design, songwriting, and audio production workflows, and is a founding... Read More →
Tuesday August 4, 2026 2:00pm - 2:45pm PDT Meeting Room #12Second Floor Davenport Grand
Career-connected learning often exists across strong but disconnected efforts between K–12, postsecondary, and industry. This session explores how districts and partners can reduce fragmentation by aligning career exploration, classroom learning, and work-based experiences. Participants will examine strategies for onboarding industry partners, strengthening collaboration across systems, and creating clearer pathways that connect education to meaningful workforce opportunities.
Access to career-connected learning opportunities can shape students’ engagement, confidence, and future pathways. This session explores strategies for expanding equitable access to career exploration, CTE programs, and work-based learning experiences. Participants will examine how K–12 schools, postsecondary partners, and industry can collaborate to ensure all students—regardless of background or location—can develop professional skills, academic knowledge, and technical competencies connected to real career opportunities.
Career paths are rarely linear. Mentors, experiences, and unexpected opportunities often shape the journey. This session invites participants to reflect on the stories behind their own careers and explore how those insights can support mentorship and student engagement. Participants will examine how storytelling can help students connect interests, skills, and experiences to potential career pathways.
