In this inspiring episode of NTN Unpacked, our very own School Development Coach Val Grijalva sits down with Ashley Perales and Henley Price, two pre-K teachers from Gale Pond Alamo Elementary School in Odessa, Texas, who boldly embraced project-based learning (PBL) for the first time this year. As the first educators in their district to implement PBL at the pre-K level, Ashley and Henley share a candid and uplifting look into what it took connect learning to real-world relevance with their youngest learners.

You’ll hear reflections on:

• How PBL was adapted for 4- and 5-year-olds through whole-group instruction and intentional play
  
  
• Powerful student-led moments of empathy, generosity, and cultural understanding
  
  
• Navigating fears, false starts, and moments of “flailing” — and learning to trust the process
  
  
• The impact of strong campus leadership and the importance of utilizing paraprofessionals within PBL instruction
  
  
• Tangible shifts in student behavior, community connections, and classroom culture

Whether you're new to PBL, curious about what it looks like in early childhood settings, or seeking encouragement to try something new, Ashley and Henley offer warmth, honesty, and wisdom for educators at every level.

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💡Want to learn more about how to create authentic, developmentally appropriate project-based learning experiences for young learners? Check out this article from New Tech Network on Project-Based Learning Activities for Elementary Schools — filled with ideas and strategies to bring PBL to life in early education classrooms.

📌 Registration for NTAC 2025 is now open! Be sure to join us on July 15–18,2025 in Oakland, CA! Come learn from them at the conference by registering at the following link: https://newtechnetwork.cventevents.com/ntac2025

🔔 Subscribe to NTN Unpacked and follow us on Instagram at @NTNUnpacked to hear more authentic stories from New Tech Network schools across the country.

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Welcome to the debut episode of NTN Unpacked, the podcast where we bring you the authentic stories of transformation from across the New Tech Network. Hosted by Mark Stolan, this first episode features a special interview led by NTN School Development Coach Missy Saldana with educators from Nex+Gen Academy in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

You’ll hear from teachers Jeff Sisneros, Marila Mancha-Garcia, and Alison Floyd as they unpack Food for Thought — a powerful, school-wide project rooted in student voice, cross-grade collaboration, and real-world impact. What began as a conversation about food waste turned into a full-blown campus movement encompassing:

• Composting and food recovery systems
  
  
• Legislative advocacy and community partnerships
  
  
• Volunteering with local food banks
  
  
• Student-designed gardens and sustainability initiatives

This episode explores how a shared culture goal sparked authentic project-based learning experiences that empowered students to lead, ideate, and create lasting change in their community — and how staff embraced the messiness and magic of innovation along the way.

🎧 Whether you're curious about launching your own campus-wide initiative or just love hearing how PBL drives equity and engagement, this episode is for you.

💡Want to learn more about how to create authentic learning experiences in your school or classroom? Check out this article about Authentic PBL from New Tech Network. https://newtechnetwork.org/resources/authentic-pbl/

📍The NextGen Academy team will be presenting more about this project live at NTAC 2025, July 15–18,2025 in Oakland, CA! Come learn from them at the conference by registering at the following link: https://newtechnetwork.cventevents.com/ntac2025

🔔 Subscribe to NTN Unpacked and follow us on Instagram to stay updated on future stories from across our network. We’d love to hear what you want us to unpack next!

Let us know what you want to hear about next!