Leading the Way - October 9, 2026 | | Leading Moments From Across the District | | |
SAVE THE DATE:
"Leadership Summit on the Hill Speaker Series"
is BACK.
Guest Speaker: Dr. Timothy Kremchek
Attention Braves Nation; our Leadership Summit on the Hill Series is back as we invite IHHS Brave Alum (Class of 77) and IH Distinguished Alumni Award Winner 2026, Dr. Timothy Kremchek to the Sue to share his story and talk about leadership in action! All are welcome! See the flyer below for all of the details.
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Beyond School Ready: Preparing our Students for Life
Last week, I had the opportunity to attend the 8th Annual Aim Hire Workforce and Education Conference, bringing together leaders from across Ohio’s education, business, workforce, and economic development ecosystems. Throughout conversations about our changing workforce, evolving educational pathways, and the rapidly growing impact of technology and AI, one message continued to resonate: being “school ready” is no longer enough; we must prepare our students to be LIFE READY.
That means developing not only knowledge and technical skills, but also communication, collaboration, adaptability, problem-solving, leadership, and the confidence to navigate a future that continues to change.
Perhaps the most powerful moment came when students asked a panel of leaders, “What is one thing that can and needs to be done for ALL students?” Their response was clear "work-based learning and career-connected, real-world experiences." Students need opportunities to explore early and often, to meet professionals, enter workplaces, test their interests, develop skills, build networks, and connect what they are learning today with who they might become tomorrow. That message was incredibly reaffirming considering the work we have been intentionally designing for several years through our Indian Hill Entrepreneurs’ Center and IHExperienceships program.
When we connect education with real people, real workplaces, and real problems, we move beyond preparing students for the next test, course, or diploma, we prepare them for life. At some point we need to challenge the status quo, traditional curricula and archaic practices and shift our practices, focusing towards what truly matters most for kids and their future.
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ENTREPRENEURSHIP
"Say Yes, Take Risks and Get Your Foot in the Door"
Last week, our 8th-grade LAUNCH students, in Mrs. Gordon's class, had an incredible opportunity to learn from Lindsay Amos, one of our incredible IH Entrepreneurs' Center partners. As students continue developing their own business ideas and preparing their pitches, Lindsay challenged them to start by discovering their strengths and passions, and then have the courage to take risks, say “yes” to opportunities, and do whatever they can to get their foot in the door in spaces they want to explore.
Drawing from experiences with organizations including OpenAI, Y Combinator, Twitter, Square, and Facebook, Lindsay shared stories that reinforced an important lesson for our future entrepreneurs: your path does not have to be perfectly planned to be purposeful. Curiosity, initiative, relationships, and a willingness to step outside your comfort zone can create opportunities you never anticipated.
This is exactly why bringing professionals into our classrooms matters. When our students can connect what they are learning with the authentic journeys, challenges, and lessons of people doing the work, career exploration becomes real.
A huge thank you to Lindsay for investing her time, experience, and wisdom in our Braves, and for helping our students see what might be possible for their own futures!
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Learning and Leveraging AI for Real Impact
A huge thank you to IH Parent and EPM & Finance Transformation Leader, Anne Marie Price for leading our first IHEXP workshop of the year! Through IH Experienceships, our students have the unique opportunity to meet and learn directly from industry professionals, and Anne Marie delivered incredible, actionable insights on how to build and maintain those vital connections.
She taught students practical ways to manage their professional networks and master follow-ups using AI prompting and agent creation, ensuring they have a structured system so no valuable connection falls through the cracks. We are so grateful for her time, expertise, and dedication to helping our students build real-world relationships for their futures!
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ENTREPRENEURSHIP
The BIG PITCH: "ASSISTLY"
As we continue our “Big Pitch: Where Are They Now?” series, this week we are highlighting Assistly, one of last year’s winning ventures created by co-founders Charlotte Picton and Lauren Zaring. What began as an idea on the Big Pitch stage is quickly becoming a real-world solution. Last week, Charlotte and Lauren unveiled the Assistly app to our Student Leadership Team and invited students to become part of the platform’s first cohort, an exciting milestone in taking their concept from pitch to launch.
Assistly is a community-based platform designed to connect local families who need help with everyday services, such as babysitting, lawn care, pet care, and other household needs, with students looking for meaningful work opportunities. Since winning the Big Pitch last spring, Charlotte and Lauren have worked tirelessly alongside professional developers to transform their vision into an engaging, user-friendly app. With support from the Indian Hill PTO, Assistly is preparing to begin connecting students and families in the coming months, creating opportunities for students to earn, gain experience, build responsibility, and strengthen connections within our community.
This is exactly what The Big Pitch was designed to inspire: students identifying authentic needs, developing innovative solutions, taking risks, and doing the hard work required to turn an idea into action. Assistly’s journey demonstrates that the pitch itself is only the beginning. Charlotte and Lauren continue to move their venture forward with the entrepreneurial mindset, leadership, persistence, and problem-solving skills that will serve them well far beyond Indian Hill, and we cannot wait to see where they take Assistly next.
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