Behind the Lens

Issue 12.16

May 1, 2026

BEHIND THE LENS

SHARON K. BAKER HONORED WITH THE JOHN H. TAYLOR, JR. EDUCATION LEADERSHIP AWARD

Sharon K. Baker, an avid reader with a fondness for biographies, turned her curiosity about “what makes people tick” into a career as an award-winning writer, director, and producer. Her work has aired on American Public Television, PBS, The History Channel, Nickelodeon, BRAVO, and National Geographic.

She has received nine regional Emmy awards and the 2014 Governor’s Award for the Arts. This year, she received the Delaware State Chamber of Commerce’s John H. Taylor, Jr. Education Leadership Award, an honor made more meaningful by her collaboration with Taylor on issue-oriented projects. Read more >

Photo by Hannah Paliath

LEARN MORE ABOUT SHARON K. BAKER:

THE CHANGING WORLD OF WORK

DR. VICKI PHILLIPS KEYNOTE SPOTLIGHT

At this week’s Navigating Delaware Pathways Summit, keynote speaker Dr. Vicki Phillips focused on a simple reality: the future of work is changing fast.

According to the World Economic Forum Future of Jobs Report, 22% of jobs are expected to be disrupted in the next five years.

In a labor market defined by constant change, the most valuable skills are the ones that translate across roles and industries:

ANALYTICAL AND CREATIVE THINKING

RESILIENCE, FLEXIBILITY, AND CURIOSITY

LEADERSHIP, EMPATHY, AND ACTIVE LISTENING

Preparing students for that future requires more than a single course or credential. It requires alignment across education, employers, and communities — and a long-term approach to skill-building. View Dr. Phillips' presentation >

SOFT SKILLS: A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE

By Dr. Rob Rescigno

Every day I see some type of discussion about the lack of soft skills among high school students and recent graduates. Over time, I have learned to pause, step back, and reflect on why this challenge persists — especially given the current commitment to workforce readiness.

So, what’s the cause? The easy answer is to point to schools: “They don’t teach soft skills.” The quick solution? “Let’s require a semester-long course in soft skills before graduation.” If only it were that simple. Read more >

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

If the entirety of Delaware was a stock, would you buy shares? If Delaware was a mutual fund, and each of the three counties and the 54 municipalities were stocks within that mutual fund, would you invest? My answer would be yes, but in large part, that is because I think we have room for improvement. So, as the saying goes, buy when prices are low, hold, and realize greater value over the long term. To get there, we need to step back and look at layers of policy, including existing laws and regulations, and consider where we can simplify, condense, and make simpler that which presently creates layers of complexity. Read more >

PHOTOS OF THE WEEK

More than 400 leaders from education, business, and government came together at the Navigating Delaware Pathways summit. The day featured two insightful keynotes, fast-paced lightning rounds, breakout discussions, and an interactive working session focused on what’s working and what’s next. The takeaway: alignment matters — and together we can turn ideas into action.

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