K-12 Education

APB speaker Steve Pemberton’s triumphant life story is about defying seemingly insurmountable odds as a child orphaned into foster care. His best-selling memoir, A Chance in the World, documents his childhood filled with adversity and the priceless acts of kindness he received along the way. This month, Learning Company Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (HMH) introduced A Chance in the World Integrated SEL Curriculum for students in grades 8-12. This SEL curriculum is designed to bring students and educators together around Steve’s inspiring story of resilience, which portrays his experiences in the foster care system and his quest to uncover the truth about his origins. “This integrated SEL curriculum from HMH provides a dynamic framework for understanding the themes of empathy and resilience, and inspiring readers to overcome challenges to create a better future.” 

Gifted interviewer and sought-after speaker Kelly Corrigan is hosting a new heartfelt interview series called Tell Me More (inspired by her book of the same name) on PBS NewsHour. In the series, Corrigan will conduct candid conversations with influential leaders in their fields, and her first guest is late-night host, actor and writer James Corden!  

APB speaker David Epstein has made it his mission to uncover the keys to achieving high performance in any domain, and to debunk popular myths along the way. In his recent speech at TEDxManchester, he discussed why specializing early doesn't always mean career success. Be sure to check out the video on TED.com!

A bestselling author and gifted interviewer, APB’s Kelly Corrigan is hosting a new heartfelt interview series called Tell Me More (inspired by her book of the same name) on PBS NewsHour. In this series, Kelly will conduct candid conversations with influential leaders in their fields. “What I most look forward to exploring in Tell Me More is the deep, undeniable connection we share with one another, which is not always as apparent and palpable as it could be,” said Kelly Corrigan. “With more empathy and less judgment, we’re bound to be better versions of ourselves, individually and collectively.”

New York Times bestselling author and APB speaker Wes Moore is about to release his new book, Five Days: The Fiery Reckoning of an American City, which was originally based on his personal journey to explore what happened in his hometown, but soon turned into a larger exploration of poverty and inequity; purpose and disillusionment; focus and frustration.

Known best for her role as "Maria" on Sesame Street, APB speaker Sonia Manzano is teaming up with National Geographic on a powerful new children’s book called A World Together. During a time when the world must come together as one, Sonia’s Sesame Street character “Maria” offers readers warmth and wit in a picture book that looks across cultures and generations to celebrate what unites us. National Geographic and Manzano are excited to unveil A World Together, which will be released on September 15th 2020. 

Over 55 years ago, APB was founded on the mission to provide an open forum for individuals to voice their opinions and points of view. Now is the time to speak out. Now is the time to stand together. Now is the time for change. We have a long history of working toward racial justice and providing a platform to those giving a voice to the voiceless, from such leaders as Martin Luther King, Jr., Dick Gregory, and Adam Clayton Powell to the Civil Rights Movement and Black Lives Matter. As we reflect on everything that is happening, let’s be confident that change will come – and smart enough to know that it must involve all of us.

Called "America’s Historian" and recognized as one of "Hollywood’s 25 Most Powerful Authors," Brad Meltzer recently gave his son a graduation like no other—a personalized one from the comfort of their own living room. In his speech, he said: “This cap is from my high school graduation. When I wore it, I was 18 and I thought I was invincible. When I wore it, I was dating the most beautiful girl in school, my high school sweetheart, now she’s your mom.” Watch the full speech here.

Former NFL player, Rhodes Scholar and sought-after speaker Myron Rolle is now on the front lines against COVID-19. He describes the similarities in battling his opponents on the football field to the spread of coronavirus. Rolle, a neurosurgery resident at Massachusetts General Hospital, is working hard with others in the healthcare industry to end this pandemic. He said to CNN, “In football we had to prepare (…) and now we have to prepare for what COVID-19 has prepared for us. Are there antibodies coming, is there a vaccine coming, who does it affect the most?”

Author, educator, leadership consultant and APB speaker Rachel Simmons appeared on Good Morning America to advise parents who may feel overwhelmed by the prospect of their children being home from school for weeks due to coronavirus closings. Simmons advised parents to maintain structure, such as enforcing consistent wake-up times and meals in order to help kids feel safe and stable amidst these uncertain times. She also recommends crafting plans for the day together, such as deciding what to cook or how to get active, so that everyone is equally invested in the plan. For teenagers, Simmons points out that “this is an opportunity for your kids to develop some independence and contribute around the house.”