104: Excluded to Empowered: Should Students Design Their Own Learning? - Zoya Kalinsky

At age eight, Zoya Kalinsky was instructed to leave the classroom by her math’s teacher who told her she can only come back when she "stops twitching." - a condition outside of her control. Today, that same girl stands confidently in the United Nations Economic and Social Council chamber, addressing global leaders about her experience, the need to solve the bullying issue once and for all, and how we can transform our education systems to achieve that. In this episode, we meet Zoya at thirteen, fresh from speaking at the UN's Summit of the Future and launching ambitious initiatives as Skyway's youth ambassador. The Learning Economy established the Skyway initiative to address the growing need for a modernized approach to learning, as many existing systems struggle to keep up with the demands of an evolving, interconnected global society. Zoya is one of many students pioneering this novel learning model of change. But Zoya isn't just talking about change – she's living it. Between addressing world leaders and developing youth councils, she composes piano pieces about resilience, creates artwork that challenges bullying, and advocates for young voices in rooms where decisions about their future are made - often without their consent. In this episode WISE Director Elyas Felfoul sits down with Zoya to explore how she’s experiencing a whole new way of learning with new technologies that could help create a system where no child feels left behind. Together, they unpack what it really means to transform education in an AI-powered world, and why having young people at the decision-making table isn't just important – it's essential. Subscribe to WISE On Air: https://pod.link/wiseonair Learn more about Zoya: 1. Instagram @zoyakalinsky 2. Website www.zoyakalinsky.com 3. UN anti-bullying speech Nov 2023 https://youtu.be/y_zbZH4fZaU?si=dcGWNS5P-ESh980S 4. Closing remarks and speech for AGIP Youth Power Summit Sept 2024 https://youtu.be/LZOp2X5_1O8?si=UkgnVmLv83LMOysQ 5. Blue Gallery NYC piano performance 2024 https://youtu.be/JoKVmlEWyGw?si=Iv9giXtNx5rn7Z1q 6. Skyway fundraising dinner NYC 2024 https://youtu.be/WPeX83dCdMA?si=zFkFLWND3YL-l_3m 7. iLead Hybrid School press release https://ileadschools.org/ilead-hybrid-7th-grader-zoya-kalinsky-addresses-united-nations/ 00:00 Introduction to Skyway and Its Mission 00:45 Meet Zoya Kalinsky: A Journey from Bullying to Advocacy 03:30 Zoya's Homeschooling Experience and Advocacy 09:44 The Role of AI and Technology in Education 16:14 Zoya's Involvement with International Organizations 17:40 The Importance of Youth in Decision-Making 21:13 Traveling and Learning: A Homeschooling Perspective 24:38 Art and Music: Tools for Advocacy 29:05 Future Plans and Upcoming Events