The Connect Magazine_Spring 2017

HOT TOPIC
NASHVILLE SCHOOL MAKES HISTORY
WITH INNOVATIVE APPROACH TO
STUDENT DEVELOPMENT
WRITTEN BY: TONI LEPESKA
PHOTOGRAPHY BY: BARBARA POTTER
SCHOOL IS IN session at a former Best Buy in a nondescript strip
mall in Antioch, Tenn., and not only is the whole community
invited, but a history-making publication is in the works.
Knowledge Academies relies on the premise that children
learn better when family members, business leaders and
community partners involve themselves hands-on in student education.
KA is using all sorts of methods to encourage participation, such as
health and career fairs and even enlisting a Jazz band to play at one of its
monthly family meetings.
“That opens the door to show them how we can best support their
student in other areas,” said President Art Fuller, who founded KA
after teaching mathematics in New England schools and working as a
policy analyst and fiscal budget officer with the Tennessee State Board of
Education. “You have to be real intentional with it. It doesn’t just happen.”
While engaging parents and other family members, KA also enlists
businesses and colleges to demonstrate students are preparing for the
real world in a classroom. One way the real world will be brought
into the classroom involves a partnership between KA and
The Connect Magazine. With 48 text pages, the student-driven
magazine, Stay CONNECTed! Knowledge Academies, will be
distributed throughout the Nashville community.
During the six-week program of interactive lectures and hands-on
training, students will brainstorm story ideas and magazine content,
including photos and graphics, to create the professional-quality
magazine. Students will be given credit for their work, information that
may be used on college applications and resumes. Officials also expect
the program to build critical-thinking skills and improve student bonds
with their communities.
Another business that’s involved in KAs efforts is Cavalry Logistics,
which helps companies like Wal-Mart transport goods. Cavalry provides
up to a dozen mentors at a time for KA students and requires vendors in
its building to set aside some of its sales in the building for KA. Cavalry
moved to Antioch not too long ago, and the company founder, Bob
King, picked out the location with an eye to community involvement.
“We want to change people’s lives,” said Mitchell Blom, a business
development analyst with Cavalry. “What we hope is more organizations
will get involved. Education is a responsibility for everybody.”
18 THE CONNECT MAGAZINE | SPRING 2017 THECONNECTMAGAZINE.COM