What does it look like to go all in on learning?
It looks like students walking into spaces designed for curiosity, creativity, collaboration, and belonging. It looks like educators equipped with the tools and environments they need to inspire the next generation. And it looks like communities coming together to invest in what young people deserve.
Because really, this isn’t something we can do alone. It takes all of us coming together to help the next generation succeed! We see confidence grow when students feel seen, supported, and inspired by the space around them.
That belief is at the center of our transformative partnership with Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS), one of the nation’s largest and most diverse school districts, serving more than 130,000 students in Maryland.
Together with the Pull Up Fund, Heart of America launched a multi-million-dollar initiative to transform 47 school libraries across the district, along with a 47th professional learning library dedicated to supporting educators and librarians.
This is bigger than new chairs, books, and color on the walls. For generations, libraries have been centers of discovery. Each of the spaces we reimagined was co-designed with educators, students, and the community at the center of the process. By doing this, we ensure every transformation rises to meet the unique identity and aspirations of the community itself.
Take Bonnie F. Johns Educational Media Center, for example. This district-wide, continuing education space for librarians is overseen by the incredible Catherine Francoeur, a place she truly loves. In addition to providing resources for librarians, the space is available to all teachers to help with day-to-day needs and to support their studies for the future, such as obtaining their master’s or doctoral degrees.
In this space, something special really stood out, and her name is Cleopatra.
Yes, new flooring and bright colors helped bring new life into this once-drab space. But Cleopatra, the library’s beloved turtle, also got an updated space with a new aquarium: Everyone’s got a home at PGCPS! These little things matter so much, making sure that the voices and needs are heard, and we are creating something that answers to both their needs and aspirations.
Making considerations for every detail — like the school’s favorite reptile — is a great example of how we’re all in on learning.
We can’t design spaces like the ones in Prince George’s County without honing in on the details. This is how, together, we can go beyond incremental change and not simply improve a space: We’re expanding what students believe is possible.