At Edmentum, we’ve been spending a lot of time lately on the question of “why?” We carried this into our booth at ISTE 2015 by asking educators to answer the question of why they are passionate about education via social media and have received some great responses. Now, I want to dig deeper into some of the amazing things we saw at this year’s conference and what the answer to the question of “why” looks like for those of us whose role is to support educators.
For me, the ISTE conference is a chance to get real about what I do. As an implementation coach, my job is to assist educators in developing a deep understanding of the resources within Edmentum products so that they can use those resources effectively. However, my perception of an educator’s reality can be blurred because I’m not in the classroom anymore.
For those of us involved in education, the day-to-day realities can dull the commitment to a strong education for all when challenges seem overwhelming. So, we need doses of success, sometimes just tiny ones, to keep us motivated. At ISTE, I certainly got my much-needed doses. One was hearing a principal from Oklahoma explaining how she facilitated the use of Study Island in her school, saw a 25% increase in students’ reading scores, and wanted more tools. Another was finally getting to meet in person a district special education coordinator from Pennsylvania whom I have been talking to on the phone for years. Then, there was a technology coordinator who had some perplexing questions about one of our products, which implied that she hadn’t been pleased. After ten minutes of deep discussion, she had a new understanding of the product and left excited to renew their subscription and use it in the upcoming school year. That’s the magic of the face-to-face interactions that a conference like ISTE can provide.
Another element of the ISTE experience is visiting booths where innovative approaches have made an incredible impact on educating the neediest of students. Did you see the Super Bowl commercial about Estella's Brilliant Bus? I vividly recall sitting in my living room alone while my children were getting more snacks. Suddenly, I noticed this commercial and saw one of our Edmentum products, Reading Eggs. As I shouted, my children came running, asking which team scored. I was so proud to say that my company had gotten the touchdown by being one of Estella’s partners.
Now, months later, my Edmentum coworkers and I were strolling the ISTE expo hall when we saw Estella’s bus. Of course, we wanted to go inside! As I started up the steps, there was Estella, in person! Her warm, proud smile welcomed us on board. We then spent a delightful 20 minutes talking with her. This was my biggest ISTE moment, my inspiration and motivation to keep doing what I do despite the challenges my customers and company face.
I learned that Estella is simply amazing. While many retirees spend their days gardening or playing golf, her retirement lasted only two years. After a short re-entry as a teacher and guidance counselor, she resigned to pursue her vision of empowering underprivileged families searching for a pathway to success. As the daughter of a migrant worker who became a professional with advanced degrees herself, she personally knows the power of education for lifting whole families out of poverty and wants to provide that opportunity to as many learners as possible. With the help of technology, Estella’s Brilliant Bus supplies educational support not only for K–12 students but also for college students working on assignments and adults looking for jobs and housing.
This year, time at ISTE once again proved to be invaluable. I met and helped dedicated educators who believe Dr. Seuss’ wise words: “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not.” Personally, I got a healthy dose of inspiration from Estella, who serves as a reminder of the uplifting power of one person’s vision to make things better.
We would love to have you join the conversation about what inspires passion for education! Check out this page to see responses we have received so far to our question of “why,” with instructions for posting your own motivational answer.

One of the most exciting things I found at #ISTE2015 was a school bus transformed into a technology learning studio.

The bus is operated by Estella who at age 79 is a self-identified “Gadget Gal.” She loves technology and gadgets so much, she wanted to bring them to others in her community who might not have access to computers and the internet.
So, she drew up her dream on a piece of paper and put the word out that she was looking for folks to help her bring this to life. She found volunteers, donors, and invested much of her own retirement funds on the project.

Estella travels around Palm Beach County talking with schools, communities, and local agencies to see how various technology services she provides can help them. This might include digital citizenship, literacy, GED or test prep, tutoring, homework assistance, resume writing, and more. Estella understands that not everyone has access to technology and the internet, so she brings it to their door...literally. She says, "When kids get on this bus, they're able to learn about the world and connect with the world using Microsoft technology and I can empower them to make their lives better." Estella says she is grateful for the contributions she has received from Microsoft YouthSpark to help bring her dream to life. She said she feels blessed because she has been fortunate enough to have people step up to the plate and say, "Let me help you do what you're doing because I believe in your cause."
Estella explained that because of her dad she grew up around trucks and buses. Little did she know back then, this would help prepare her for most recent passion.

In addition to supporting the local community, Estella has also taken her show on the road. Last summer Estella’s Brilliant Bus took a “Tech Innovation Bus Ride.” They journeyed on the “Road to Yes We Code!” A multi-city bus caravan roadtrip traveling from West Palm Beach, Fla; Atlanta, Ga; Birmingham, Al; Selma, Al; Memphis, Tenn., Jackson, Miss, New Orleans, La. The Tech Innovation Bus Ride featured turnkey hands-on custom coding classes, robotics and tech entrepreneurship workshops.Most recently, Estella was featured in a Superbowl commercial which you can see here.
To innovative educators, the idea of a mobile technology learning studio is fascinating. What if we wired up more school buses like Estella’s? Rather than sitting in a bus depot, how could they be utilized during school hours? What about in rural areas or others where students spend a significant amount of time on buses? This commuting time could be utilized for homework time, tutoring, reading, and more. What can you imagine doing if your community had a mobile technology learning studio? What kind of programs and services do you envision taking place?Want to follow what's new with Estella's Brilliant Bus? Like the Facebook page here.