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WHAT'S THE BIG IDEA? is the podcast where today’s leaders and innovators share the big ideas that brought them to where they are today. Learn about the stories, skills, and inspirations behind some of today's most successful minds. Guests will reflect on the journeys they’ve taken, from kid to career, that helped them make an impact in our world. If you’re a parent or an educator, you dream of bright futures for the young people in your life. On WHAT'S THE BIG IDEA?, join us while today’s leaders - authors, entrepreneurs, even astronauts! - reflect on the big ideas that helped them achieve their goals. Brought to you by Destination Imagination, the leading project-based learning experience for students, WHAT'S THE BIG IDEA? shares today’s successes to build tomorrow’s futures.
Episodes
Thursday Sep 30, 2021
Thursday Sep 30, 2021
“I am fully owning what makes me different, what makes me unique - and once we are able to fully own what makes us unique, we regain control over our narrative. And we are no longer controlled by the fear of being judged for not being like everyone else.” - Joze Piranian
In today’s episode, guest host Paige Curtis chats with Joze Piranian, award-winning motivational speaker and stand-up comedian who’s known for his TEDx presentations and his workshops on inclusion and resilience. Joze opens up about his stutter, and how he transformed from a person who avoided speaking for 25 years to someone who’s spoken to audiences around the world (in multiple languages!). Joze also tells us about how Toastmasters and stand-up comedy helped him learn to face his fear, and offers his advice to young people who feel like they are different.
This week, we ask you to consider becoming a Team Manager for a DI team. Click here to learn more about how to join the ranks of our valued Destination Imagination volunteers.
Music Attributions:
Wallpaper by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4604-wallpaper
License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
Wholesome by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/5050-wholesome
License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
Danse Macabre - Big Change by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3588-danse-macabre---big-change
License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
Carefree by Kevin MacLeod
Thursday Sep 23, 2021
Thursday Sep 23, 2021
“You have to learn to be a beginner again. And there’s a lot of creativity in that beginner place, but it’s not very comfortable.” - Gail Bower
This week host Michele Tuck-Ponder sits down with Gail Bower, Revenue Strategist with Bower & Company Consulting LLC. Gail chats with us about how her love of creative writing and a set of career textbooks led to a career in public relations, what it means to be a consultant, and the decision making process behind making a career change.
In this episode, we ask you to consider starting a DI team. Click here to learn more about the process behind bringing the creative journey to young people in your area.
Music Attributions:
Wallpaper by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4604-wallpaper
License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
Happy Alley by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3851-happy-alley
License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
Danse Macabre - Big Change by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3588-danse-macabre---big-change
License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
Carefree by Kevin MacLeod
Thursday Sep 16, 2021
Thursday Sep 16, 2021
“I’m very excited because in my job, not only do I personally get to be creative and do fun things, but I also feel that the work we’re doing is making a difference in our community. Whether it’s teaching a young person and helping them with their self-confidence, or creating a platform for queer youth to talk to parents and talk to teachers and talk to administrators about what’s going on...that is so important.” - Brian Guehring
In this week’s episode, host Michele Tuck-Ponder sits down with Brian Guehring, Playwright-in-Residence/Literary Manager at the Omaha Theater Company and Co-Founder of the Pride Players. Brian tells us about how his family’s “culture points” led to his creative pursuits and shares his playwriting process. Brian and Michele also discuss Pride Players, the award-winning teen theatre troupe that uses improvisation and storytelling to explore LBGTQ+ issues that impact today’s youth.
This episode asks you to register for a Destination Imagination Information Session - our webinar for parents/guardians and educators who are interested in learning more about DI. Visit this page to sign up for our webinar - live or on demand! - today.
Music Attributions:
Wallpaper by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4604-wallpaper
License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
Beauty Flow by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/5025-beauty-flow
License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
Danse Macabre - Big Change by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3588-danse-macabre---big-change
License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
Carefree by Kevin MacLeod
Thursday Sep 09, 2021
Thursday Sep 09, 2021
“I knew, even at a young age, that I wanted to spend the rest of my life giving back. I wanted to spend the rest of my existence pouring into others and making the world a better place. Because, quite frankly, when we leave, we don’t take anything with us - you know? We don’t take anything with us, but we do leave a legacy.” - Gabrielle Gay
This week, guest host Andrew Whitmire interviews Gabrielle Gay, an education activist and influencer from Barbados. Gabrielle discusses how her supportive family and love of reading led to her founding the Gabrielle Gay Award for Excellence in Reading and Literacy Mentorship when she was just 13 years old. Gabrielle tells us more about being a “tough cookie”, shares advice about making ambitious moves at a young age, and gives us an exclusive look at the new ways her program provides opportunities for young women in STEM and legal fields.
In this episode, we tell you more about our free guide on STEAM activities to use at home or in the classroom. To download this free resource, visit our website.
Music Attributions:
Wallpaper by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4604-wallpaper
License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
Blippy Trance by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/5759-blippy-trance
License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
Carefree by Kevin MacLeod
Thursday Sep 02, 2021
Thursday Sep 02, 2021
“You walk into a job, and you don’t necessarily...you don’t know these people, you don’t know their backgrounds, you’re going to have differences - as you should! We all should be different and come in with different ideas and different beliefs and different backgrounds or upbringing. ” - Marshall Rainey
If you’ve ever wondered exactly how tall Godzilla is, this week’s episode is for you.
This week, guest host Paige Curtis chats with Marshall Rainey, Visual Effects Manager for films such as Zach Snyder’s Justice League, Godzilla vs. Kong, and the upcoming adaptation of The Flash. Marshall, who is an alum of Destination Imagination, shares how his time as a student in team-driven activities prepared him for a career in the film industry. Marshall also shares some of his insights into how making movies has changed since the pandemic and offers advice to students who want to follow their dreams.
In this episode, we ask you to consider joining us for one of our webinars which serve as an introduction to DI. Register for a Destination Imagination Information Session - either live or on demand - by visiting this page.
Music Attributions:
Wallpaper by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4604-wallpaper
License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
Beauty Flow by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/5025-beauty-flow
License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
Danse Macabre - Big Change by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3588-danse-macabre---big-change
License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
Carefree by Kevin MacLeod
Thursday Aug 26, 2021
Thursday Aug 26, 2021
“New things only come from being creative. If we just accept tradition and only do traditional things going into the future, then we aren’t going to make any progress.” - Dr. Chawne Kimber
In the latest episode of What’s the Big Idea?, Michele interviews Dr. Chawne Kimber, Dean of the College and Washington and Lee University. Dr. Kimber describes how her Southern roots and her spirit of competition led to a career as a mathematics professor. Dr. Kimber also tells us more about the value of mentorship and the Summer Program to Advance Leadership in STEM.
In addition to her work in mathematics, Dr. Kimber is also an accomplished quilter. She shares with us a little bit about how social justice inspires her creations, and how she uses her creativity in both math and visual art.
In this week’s episode, we ask you to consider becoming a Team Manager for a DI team. Click here to learn more about how to join the ranks of our valued Destination Imagination volunteers.
Music Attributions:
Wallpaper by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4604-wallpaper
License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
Wholesome by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/5050-wholesome
License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
Danse Macabre - Big Change by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3588-danse-macabre---big-change
License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
Carefree by Kevin MacLeod
Thursday Aug 19, 2021
Thursday Aug 19, 2021
“Communication is a big piece of every job I’ve ever had. If you have the best idea in the world, but you can’t explain it to people, or explain it in a way that they can understand...your idea doesn’t matter.” - Chloe Kontos
Part 2 of 2! Guest host Paige Curtis continues her conversation with Chloe Kontos, the incoming Director of the Office of the CTO at MD Anderson Cancer Center. In Part 2, Chloe details how she used the four Cs (communication, collaboration, creativity, critical thinking) in her work in the Peace Corps, the White House, and JP Morgan Chase. Chloe also shares the value of being a generalist and finding a good mentor.
This week, we ask you to consider making a charitable donation to Destination Imagination, so you can fuel more creative educational experiences for young people around the world. Click here to make your contribution today.
Music Attributions:
Wallpaper by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4604-wallpaper
License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
Pleasant Porridge by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/7614-pleasant-porridge
License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
Danse Macabre - Big Change by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3588-danse-macabre---big-change
License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
Carefree by Kevin MacLeod
Thursday Aug 12, 2021
Thursday Aug 12, 2021
“I’m not a scientist, but that doesn’t mean that I can’t work on these issues or work in this domain. So I think that it’s really important to have the courage to try out different domains and areas and not think that you need to be an expert. There are generalist roles in these STEM fields...and that means that you are part of the STEM workforce.” - Chloe Kontos
Part 1 of 2! This week guest host Paige Curtis speaks with Chloe Kontos, the incoming Director of the Office of the CTO at MD Anderson Cancer Center. Chloe shares her experiences in the Peace Corps - “the reason I have everything I have today in my life” - and a career working within three White House administrations. In Part 1, Chloe takes us through her time in the federal government, what it means to be an “honest broker”, and how the average citizen unexpectedly interacts with government agencies throughout their lifetime.
This week, we ask you to consider making a charitable donation to Destination Imagination, so you can fuel more creative educational experiences for young people around the world. Click here to make your contribution today.
Music Attributions:
Wallpaper by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4604-wallpaper
License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
Pleasant Porridge by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/7614-pleasant-porridge
License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
Carefree by Kevin MacLeod
Thursday Aug 05, 2021
Thursday Aug 05, 2021
“I think one of the biggest things that I feel like kids could learn is how to work well with others, how to collaborate, how to be able to listen to their teammates, and also how to accept constructive feedback because that will go very, very, very, very far no matter what field that you are in and what industry because it’s so important.” - Grace Hsiu
In this episode, we talk with Grace Hsiu, Senior Manager of Artist Strategy at Platoon, an artist-centric record label owned by Apple. Learn how Grace applied her fine arts degree, as well as her creative and collaborative skills learned in high school, to land one of the coolest jobs at one of the world’s largest tech companies.
In this week’s episode, we ask you to start your DI team for the 21-22 season. Click here to learn about ways to get started.
Music Attributions:
Wallpaper by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4604-wallpaper
License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
Happy Alley by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3851-happy-alley
License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
Danse Macabre - Big Change by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3588-danse-macabre---big-change
License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
Carefree by Kevin MacLeod
Thursday Jul 29, 2021
Thursday Jul 29, 2021
“Realize that there’s no expectation that you must get it all right. That’s where that grace comes in. But really being genuine and recognizing that I don’t know everything, whomever’s having that conversation may not know everything, but they’re open and willing to learn...grace is huge. I cannot stress that enough.” - India Sylvester
In our latest episode, we are joined by India Sylvester, Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer at Lumen Technologies. India tells us about how her love of reading and a surprising college elective course drew her to a career in Human Resources. India also shares more about Lumen Technologies’ efforts in Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging and offers her advice for navigating conversations on inclusion.
Lumen Technologies partnered with Destination Imagination on the ImagineXperience, a unique new classroom experience for underserved youth. Learn more about the ImagineXperience here.
In this week’s episode, we ask you to start your DI team for the 21-22 season. Click here to learn about ways to get started.
Music Attributions:
Wallpaper by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4604-wallpaper
License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
Happy Alley by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3851-happy-alley
License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
Loopster by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4991-loopster
License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
Danse Macabre - Big Change by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3588-danse-macabre---big-change
License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
Carefree by Kevin MacLeod