Why I’m Excited About Showcase 2017

May 2, 2017
By Rebecca Holmes  |  President and Chief Executive Officer, CEI

Friday marked the two-month countdown to CEI’s 2017 Showcase: Design the Future, taking place in Keystone, June 28-30. I couldn’t attend Showcase last year, but followed the event on Twitter and knew I was missing out on some of the most innovative, exciting, refreshing conversations in education. I want to share what I’m looking forward to in my first year as CEO at this event.

It will push us to dream big and act small.

Showcase will explore a continuum of sessions focused on building mindsets, developing skills, and cultivating a bias toward action – all required to achieve lasting, meaningful change in our classrooms and systems. Sessions will feature content including using data for innovation and improvement; exploring failure to ignite learning; rethinking instruction, assessment, and professional learning; building capacity in social-emotional and competency-based learning; bringing back the STEM Design Challenge piloted in 2016; and forecasting trends – all in partnership with local educators, and all rooted in coming together to support Colorado’s students in designing their futures. Stay tuned for additional detail on sessions in the next two weeks.

It will bring out your inner innovator, improver, and changemaker.

CEI believes that the people working in our school systems are the most powerful drivers of improvement and innovation.  We invest in improvers and innovators over improvements and innovations. This remains at the heart of Showcase. If you’re a teacher, school or district leader, or community partner, we’ve designed the program with you in mind. We encourage teams, but welcome individuals. We’re also happy to be able to offer limited scholarships to support your participation. New to this year’s Showcase, we’re also exploring a student strand. More than ever before, we’re reflecting on the power of learning and creating alongside students.

It feels a lot like summer camp!

Remember the feeling of getting out of your own setting, being inspired by what’s possible, building connections with other learners, and having permission to explore a passion area? We hope this year’s Showcase will prepare you to start the 2017-18 school year rejuvenated for the awesome responsibility of being an educator. Like past years, we’re engaging with local educators and community partners to design an experience that leverages some of the great things the Keystone community has to offer.

Looking for other reasons to register? Check out this participant reel from last year’s Showcase, be on the lookout for additional updates from our team in the coming weeks, or contact the Showcase planning committee for questions or other support.
I cannot wait to see you in June!