- S2E320: School Choice in Action: How Educational Savings Accounts Grant Free Access to Alpha
In 2026, the power of education is shifting back to the family. With the expansion of School Choice and Educational Savings Accounts (ESAs), parents are no longer locked into a system that isn't working- they are finally getting the funds to anchor their children in a model that actually fits.Today, MacKenzie sits down with an incredible nurse and mom of 5 who was frustrated with the traditional public school experience. She’s sharing her journey of ditching the "factory model" to build a custom, mastery-based education through one of our schools, GT Anywhere.We break down the "cheat code" for families: How to use Educational Savings Account funds to access a $10,000 elite academic platform for free. Whether you’re looking for the Texas Sports Academy to fund an athlete’s training or GT School for a gifted learner, this episode is a primer for navigating the new landscape of School Choice.
- S2E319: Non-Traditional Arts Explained: How Alpha Encourages Arts Without the Classics
Our approach to music, art, and theater is a little different than traditional schools. It's a common question: How do kids get enriched in the arts without the "bread and butter" classics we all grew up with- like band, choir, orchestra, and theater club?Joining MacKenzie on the podcast today is Hannah, an Alpha guide with a background in acting who is spearheading some incredible music workshops this session. She’s here to walk us through how our non-traditional approach to the arts works on a day-to-day basis at our elementary campuses and how we help kids find their creative voices.
- S2E318: The 5 Strategies Your Child’s School Can’t Survive Without
Most educational innovations "flash up" and then disappear after only a few years. Why do some fail while others lead to a decade of success? After 300 interviews with educators, education founder Dr. Annalies Corbin found the answer: five core strategies that anchor a school’s longevity.Dr. Corbin is an anthropologist, archaeologist, and the author of Hacking School: Five Strategies to Link Learning to Life. In this episode, she and MacKenzie break down core components every long-lasting education model needs to survive the test of time.This episode provides a litmus test you can use today to see if the schools in your community are truly designed for lasting impact.
- S2E317: An Anthropologist's Lens on Education Reform
The K-12 system isn't failing; it’s functioning exactly as it was designed to. In this episode, Dr. Annalies Corbin- anthropologist, archaeologist, education founder and author of Hacking School- joins the podcast to discuss why we must move beyond the 19th-century classroom model to solve the "wicked problems" of today's education system.Dr. Corbin and MacKenzie explore what it really means to prepare students for the future of work, how hands-on learning changes everything, and what it takes to spark real change in our broken system.
- S2E316: How to Build a Child Who Doesn't Quit: Growth Mindset Strategies That Anchor Motivation
If you want your kid to have an "I Can Do Hard Things" attitude, this episode is for you. In Part 2 of this series on motivation, co-hosted by Alpha Guide Jacob, we pull back the curtain on Motivation Architecture. We explore how our Guides design bespoke reward systems that meet every child exactly where they are.Our goal is to show how extrinsic rewards serve as the essential training wheels that anchor a lifelong, self-sustaining intrinsic drive to succeed. Whether you're looking to build lasting motivation in your own kids, or the students in your classroom, this episode delivers the tangible strategies you need.