December 15, 2021
It’s been a wild year for education, from unprecedented federal investments in our nation’s kids via the American Rescue Plan to endless conversations on critical race theory. Throughout it all there have been education leaders who have stepped to the forefront to meet the challenges head on. Here’s a shoutout to the work being done on behalf of children.
BRIGHTBEAM’S TOP 2021 INFLUENCERS
1-Dirk Tillotson
When President Joe Biden signed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act into law last month, one key contributor to that transformative legislation for students was unable to celebrate. Digital inclusion activist Dirk Tillotson spent the pandemic shaping minds, hearts, and the policies of the FCC and internet service providers through his Citizen Ed shows, Access Denied in 2020 and Desegregate the Internet in 2021. Millions of children who had been locked out of digital learning got help because of Dirk. Most of what Dirk advocated made it into the law’s broadband expansion plans. Tragically, we lost Dirk in the fall to senseless violence during a home burglary gone wrong. We strongly urge you to read this wonderful ode to his work.
24-Haley Taylor Schlitz
The youngest host of a Citizen Ed broadcast, Zoomin’ In w/ Gen Z host Haley Taylor Schlitz kept on learning in 2021. That’s right, this burgeoning media star is herself a 19-year-old student at SMU Dedman School of Law. She also became a columnist for Citizen Ed. Don’t miss her pieces here.
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