Lydia and Kristin reflect on Learning Lab Wichita's biggest wins of 2025 – and get honest about what it really took to create a first-of-its-kind education innovation center. They reflect on what worked in their push for personalized learning and tease what's ahead in 2026.

Wichita Public Schools Director of Partnerships and Belonging Corinthian Kelly started his new role in October 2025, and he has big goals. Kelly shares how he plans to help every student succeed by building community partnerships and communicating. Learn about Kelly's history bringing stakeholders together and working to better communities in this week's podcast.

Dalena Wallace is a woman on a mission. Over the last five years, she founded Wichita Innovative Schools & Educators, a network of microschools and education businesses; started a consulting business, Autonomous, Innovative and Missional Educational Collaborative; and leads Heartland Education Reformation Organization, a group the connects Kansas churches with those who are interested in starting schools. Dalena's action-oriented approach to encouraging and supporting school founders has assisted dozens of school founders creating new pathways in education.

Ellamonique Baccus, executive director of non-profit Arts Partners, has spent her life exposing young people to the arts. The organization she runs today in Wichita, Kansas, brings professional artists to teach groups of children. Baccus shares her personal journey as an artist and why she believes in the work she is doing. Hint: Creative minds build stronger communities.

True Compass is a business that helps young people discover their strengths to determine the best path forward after high school. Kristi Windish, founder and owner, shares about the True Compass process and how the assessment and consultation work together to help kids. Kristi's warmth and care for families is what makes the True Compass experience helpful. She shares why area high school juniors and seniors who are determining their career paths should consider going through this process.

When she could not find the type of facility for homeschool families she wanted to utilize, mom and local business owner Cassie Tinsmon and her husband Stewart Berger created Lily Lake Homeschool Collective. Located in a renovated old schoolhouse outside of Augusta, Kansas, Lily Lake features a homeschool play cafe and a learning center where families can explore learning together.

Noel Torres, founder of Wichita Training Center Academy, won a DII National Wrestling Championship while attending Newman University (Wichita, KS) as a student. He later established Wichita Training Center, a local wrestling club that has grown to serve more than 200 kids. This year, he added the academy at Learning Lab Wichita, so his wrestlers who homeschool can practice wrestling and learn together.

Because Noel has experienced a great deal of success himself, he has some golden nuggets of wisdom to share – both with his student wrestlers and on this podcast.

Kim Hett started in fall 2025 as Khan Lab School Wichita's second director. This small school located inside Learning Lab Wichita focused on mastery-based, online and experiential learning. Prior to becoming director, Kim held a variety of roles within Andover Public Schools, including help to start the district's online school, Andover eCademy. Learn what Kim has learned through three decades in diverse K-12 education settings.