Meet the Visionaries: EdChoice Entrepreneurs Leading Educational Transformation 

Last week, EdChoice hosted several panels at the Rally Innovation Conference in Indianapolis, Indiana. One of the panels, entitled “Who’s Got Next”, highlighted six past and present entrepreneurs from the EdChoice Education Entrepreneurs program that was launched in 2022 in partnership with NEXT Studios. The program seeks to give entrepreneurs the skills and knowledge they need to be successful long term.

This panel allowed the entrepreneurs to talk about what they are working on, pitch their new ideas, and share how learning entrepreneurship skills has helped them make their idea a reality.

“We heard from many organizations and donors supporting education entrepreneurs that one of the things they wanted was basic training on how to take their idea and turn it into reality,” said Brian McGrath, EdChoice’s Vice President of External Relations. “They had the passion but not the tools to make their idea sustainable.”

The inaugural Education Entrepreneurs class launched in November 2022 and out of a pool of 50 applicants, 20 were selected, to form the first group. The second class of 15 completed their work in February 2024 and the third class of 18 participants wrapped up at the RALLY Conference. We’ve previously featured success stories from Amanda Sinnott who launched an online personalized tutoring company for students with ADHD and virtual learners, and Michael Hirsch, Harold Lee, and Brent Wheelbarger who founded Kidvation, a curriculum provider that teaches students how to apply innovative thinking to real-world challenges.

However, these aren’t the only entrepreneurs who have founded companies and organizations that are making positive contributions to education across the country. Below we’d like to briefly highlight the entrepreneurs who spoke at the Rally Innovation Conference about their new education companies and organizations.

Clement Townsend – Video Pro Learning

Video Pro Learning is a platform designed to revolutionize traditional education by making learning more engaging and effective through video creation. Townsend, recognizing the decline in math scores among America’s youth, founded Video Pro Learning to address the struggle many students face with conventional methods.

For example, a math teacher can use the platform to guide students in solving problems with visual tools, allowing them to customize their work by adding colors, music, and personal touches. This approach not only makes learning more relevant and fun but also enhances comprehension through visualization, leading to greater student engagement and motivation.

For more information, visit videoprolearning.com.

Jennifer Wolverton – Microcollective of AI, Robotics, and the Sciences (MARS)

The Microcollective for AI Robotics and Sciences (MARS) aims to address two issues in education: the separation of subjects into silos and the high cost per student. MARS plans to establish multiple micro school campuses within local recreation centers across Alabama with these campuses providing cutting-edge STEM education to middle and high school students.

For example, in English classes students participate in the AI Writers Guild by writing novels with the assistance of AI tools like ChatGPT and then publishing their work through Amazon. Math classes integrate humanities, allowing students to explore historical concepts through the lens of great mathematicians. In science classes, students use virtual reality to interact with figures like Einstein and Newton. And in history classes, high school students create websites to tell stories from U.S. history, while middle school students produce podcasts.

For more information, visit micromars.org.

Note: This organization is still in development and is part of Log Cabin Schoolhouse.

Jill Haskins – Indiana Microschool Network 

With four years of experience as a microschool leader, Jill recognized the need for a supportive ecosystem for microschool founders and parents. While she could handle curriculum, processes, and frameworks, she found it challenging to connect with others in the microschool space and understand the broader landscape.

The Indiana Microschool Network was created to address this gap by connecting microschool founders across the state, enabling them to share resources, build a community, and offer parents more options. The network also assists parents in discovering microschools, which are often not easily accessible or widely known.

For more information, visit microschoolingcenter.org.

Arianne Craig Jolla – Ca$h Academy

Ca$h Academy is a financial literacy platform specifically designed to empower Black and Brown youth in the United States. Jolla, recognizing that these communities often rank lowest in basic financial literacy skills, founded Ca$h Academy to provide a tailored learning solution to bridge this gap.

Ca$h Academy offers comprehensive, culturally relevant content that engages users through a unique incentive system. As users progress through the curriculum and engage with the material, they earn points. These points can then be converted into cash through partnerships with philanthropic banking, retail, and investment organizations. Ca$h Academy operates on the principle of “the more you learn, the more you earn,” making financial education both accessible and rewarding for its users.

For more information, contact Arianne on her LinkedIn.

Candace Lehenbauer – Microschool Florida

Microschool Florida is a platform designed to help parents and educators navigate the challenges of public education. Lehenbauer, recognizing that many parents feel like their children are struggling in the traditional school system, seeks to provide an alternative solution through microschools.

Microschool Florida serves as a vital resource, offering an online directory that connects parents with available microschools and educators. The platform, which is soon to be fully searchable with a newly designed website, aims to make it easier for families to find and choose the best educational environment for their children. Additionally, the platform supports educators interested in starting their own microschools by providing a network of resources and connections.

For more information, visit microschoolflorida.com.

Martha Dorsey – Steadfast Connections 

Steadfast Connections is an innovative platform designed to connect individuals seeking better educational opportunities with the schools that can provide them. Recognizing the challenges parents and students face when trying to navigate educational options, Steadfast Connections aims to simplify this process through a comprehensive app.

The app will allow parents and students to input their educational needs and preferences, and in turn, it will provide a customized list of school options ranging from pre-K through lifelong learning opportunities. Schools will also be able to showcase their offerings, helping to create a seamless connection between educational institutions and those seeking to improve their education.

For more information, email Martha.

As these entrepreneurs continue to develop and refine their ideas, they embody the spirit of innovation that is essential for addressing the complex needs of today’s learners.

“I entered the EdChoice Education Entrepreneurs program with one business model in mind, but I left with a much stronger and entirely different model,” said Jill Haskins, founder of the Indiana Microschool Network. “The program allowed me to see my business as more than just a service, helping me recognize the value of what I provide. With a strong business model, I’m now better equipped to serve students, families, and fellow education entrepreneurs with greater generosity.”

Their work serves as a reminder that, with the right support and resources, entrepreneurs can make a lasting impact on education. We look forward to seeing how these initiatives evolve and continue to contribute to the future of learning.

For more information on these entrepreneurs and their projects, be sure to visit their respective websites.

If you or someone you know is considering or currently working on an idea or project to improve the delivery of educational options for K-12 students and would like to learn more, email bmcgrath@edchoice.org.