History Co:Lab

We’re thrilled to share our annual report, Humanity-Centered Learning: Co-Designing the Future of Learning With and For Young People! Our annual report showcases the progress we’ve made during a transformative year of convergence and expansion. Explore the new playful learning experiences we’re creating with iThrive Games for U.S. history, UnTextbooked’s game-changing year of growth, our catalytic learning ecosystem development work in Kansas City and Pittsburgh, as well as inspiring stories of the young people we’ve learned from and impacted. Dive into our journey of designing and accelerating humanity-centered learning with and for youth: https://lnkd.in/eeFFQsFP #innovation #socialimpact

We’re excited to be in Austin, TX with our iThrive Games team next week, joining other champions of youth thriving and learning innovation at SXSW EDU 2025 to weave and acclerate our collective impact! For starters: • 🎨With Big Thought and the youth game design team, Big Creators, we’re hosting an interactive workshop introducing their game, The Porcelain Child, on Wednesday, March 5, from 10:30 to 11:30 am CT • We are also hosting drop-in youth-led playtesting sessions on Monday, March 3, from 2 to 2:30 pm, and Tuesday, March 4, from 11 to 11:30 am and 1 to 2 pm • 💻Our iThrive team is at the The Learning Agency’s Tools Competition Expo Hall on Tuesday, March 4 from 2 to 4pm CT showcasing their award-winning iThrive Sim and how we harness the power of play to support teen thriving in learning and in life: https://lnkd.in/eqzgZXk4 • 📰 History Co:Lab’s Co-Lead Susan Rivers will join others to elevate the potential of play in transforming media literacy education and reimagining civic learning: https://lnkd.in/eNMa6PZU • Finally, our friends from the World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh—key contributors to the Civic Learning Ecosystem we co-lead with Remake Learning in SWPA—will lead a powerful discussion on the importance of youth-adult partnerships in creating more inclusive, effective decision-making structures: https://lnkd.in/eQxVipxy We can’t wait for the connection-building, knowledge-sharing, vision-setting and future-shaping to come! Are we on your schedule? #SXSWEDU2025 #SXSWEDU

#Learning is the foundation of possibility. On this #InternationalDayofEducation, we honor the transformative power of education in engaging, inspiring and preparing young people to shape our shared history and contribute meaningfully to a thriving #democracy. As echoed by Sydne Clarke, a producer of our award-winning UnTextbooked podcast, in this powerful poem, learning shapes our future, and when informed by history, connected to community, and centered on youth voice, we shift our educational systems into ecosystems of support capable of nurturing and unlocking the full potential of young people. Listen to the poem, delivered at the National Summer Learning Association's last Summer Learning Summit, here: https://lnkd.in/eDkGve8m #education

On today’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day, we celebrate—and vow to carry forward—MLK’s belief in community and his legacy of care. In weaving collaborative networks and nurturing relationships, we hold his vision for #justice and interconnected #humanity. See our weaving manifesto for a window into our practice: https://lnkd.in/emtUWVXi As it was in the late 1950s, today is a time full of fear and concern for the future. We strive to nurture the relationships and the systems of learning that we as humans need to thrive in times of complexity. Together, we can create the conditions for hope, solidarity, belonging and creativity in the interest of humanity. #MLKDay #historyforhope #learningecosystems #weaving

When #youngpeople are listened to and engaged as co-creators of their world, they gain the agency, skills, and confidence to shape systems—including #education—that truly reflect their needs, values, and potential. Core to our work at the History Co:Lab is the centering, nurturing and celebration of youth voice, engaging teens and young people as thought partners, co-designers, and architects of possibility. Dive into our work and youth-centered, research-driven, and forward-thinking approach: https://lnkd.in/eHUTciRM #learningscience #innovation

The science shows that #youngpeople learn best when actively engaged in meaningful experiences that spark curiosity, offer real-time feedback, and connect to their lives, making learning both relevant and joyful. Disaster Mind, a simulation game created by our iThrive Games team in partnership with FEMA and over 20 youth co-designers, embodies this by harnessing the power of play to build disaster readiness and resilience in teens. This KX News piece, featuring History Co:Lab’s Jane Lee, PMP, explores how: https://lnkd.in/e5fAFfUA #emergencypreparedness #gamebasedlearning

We’re thrilled to welcome Byron K. Sanders to History Co:Lab’s Board of Directors! A visionary leader, #socialimpact entrepreneur, and Presidential Leadership Scholar, Byron has dedicated his career to addressing opportunity gaps in communities like his own. His relentless advocacy for education equity, economic development, and creating accessible communities throughout Dallas, TX, has been a hallmark of his #publicservice. As the former President & CEO of Big Thought, Byron’s bold leadership guided a transformative theory of change that integrated arts education, OST programming, SEL, youth justice, and systems thinking in #education. A driving force in education reform, his civic and educational innovations continue to inspire and expand possibilities for youth-centered learning. Please join us in welcoming Byron Sanders to the History Co:Lab family! We’re excited to have him on our team as we work together to amplify #youngpeople’s voices, foster belonging, and drive innovation in learning.

David Brooks, contributing writer at The Atlantic, highlights the limitations of transcripts. While grades offer a snapshot of a student’s academic journey, they often miss the experiences, challenges, and growth that reveal true potential. By embracing the full spectrum of a person’s abilities, we can build an education system that values the complete individual and creates opportunities aligned with their unique strengths. #RethinkHighSchool

"When civics is sidelined, the collective vision for an informed, participatory, and resilient society fades, weakening the very foundations that uphold democratic freedoms and the strength of the social fabric." Civic learning that centers action and collaboration strengthens communities. In this powerful piece, Getting Smart's Mason Pashia explores how education can reignite civic purpose, highlighting the innovative ways leaders, students, educators, and designers are rethinking and transforming it to be engaging and impactful: https://lnkd.in/gCppamB4 #education #history #innovation

Social and emotional learning empowers young people to connect deeply with themselves and their communities, fostering growth as reflective learners and impactful contributors to society. Today, we celebrate the release of the Handbook of Social and Emotional Learning (Second Edition)—a trusted guide filled with insights and inspiration from the world’s leading SEL scholars. Among its many contributions is “SEL and Technology,” a compelling chapter co-authored by Susan Rivers and Michelle Bertoli of History Co:Lab and iThrive Games, alongside David Adams (The Urban Assembly, Inc.) and Letha Mellman (University of Northern Colorado). This chapter explores the transformative potential of #SEL tech to foster emotional readiness, strengthen relationships, and support personalized skill-building. It presents a bold vision for equitable, learner-centered solutions that help young people thrive as makers of our shared history. We’re proud to have SEL tech experts on our team here at History Co:Lab and look forward to advancing these innovative solutions with and for young people in the year ahead! Discover the groundbreaking insights in the Handbook—get it here: https://lnkd.in/eWFs6RVE #education #edtech #civics