Preston Smith on Having a Spouse Who Supports Your Career

In Chapter 11 of 22 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, elementary charter school network CEO Preston Smith answers "Where Has Your Family Been Most Supportive in Your Career Development?" Smith shares how having a supportive spouse has given him security in trying times as he has grown from teaching into an education entrepreneur. The support grows in significance as Preston and his wife start a family.

Preston Smith is co-founder and CEO of Rocketship Education, the highest performing low-income school system in California. After graduating the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Smith joined Teach for America. After three years teaching 1st Grade, he founded a district school in San Jose and became its principal. Smith was selected as a member of the 2010 class of Aspen Institute New Schools Fellows. 

Preston Smith on Marriage Encounter Influences on Married Life

In Chapter 12 of 22 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, elementary charter school network CEO Preston Smith answers "What Has Marriage Taught You About Teamwork?" Growing up, Smith watches his parents attend marriage encounter relationship building groups and sees the positive impact it has on their marriage and the family. He learns that marriage is a daily commitment that needs daily attention. By making that daily commitment to marriage and his spouse, Smith finds he learns a lot about life and the importance of staying positive.

Preston Smith is co-founder and CEO of Rocketship Education, the highest performing low-income school system in California. After graduating the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Smith joined Teach for America. After three years teaching 1st Grade, he founded a district school in San Jose and became its principal. Smith was selected as a member of the 2010 class of Aspen Institute New Schools Fellows. 

Preston Smith on What It Means to Be a Leader

In Chapter 13 of 22 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, elementary charter school network CEO Preston Smith answers "What Does It Mean to Be a Leader in What You Do?" As CEO, Smith finds leading means putting people in places where they an do their best work. Leading means staying above the politics and not being divisive in his thinking. Leading means framing things in a positive way and avoiding an us versus them mentality. Finally, leading means embracing the responsibility that as a leader he will often be the one needing to make the tough decisions that often will be unpopular.

Preston Smith is co-founder and CEO of Rocketship Education, the highest performing low-income school system in California. After graduating the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Smith joined Teach for America. After three years teaching 1st Grade, he founded a district school in San Jose and became its principal. Smith was selected as a member of the 2010 class of Aspen Institute New Schools Fellows. 

Aspen Fellow Preston Smith on Developing Leadership Capacity

In Chapter 14 of 22 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, elementary charter school network CEO Preston Smith answers "How Did Your Aspen Institute Fellowship Contribute to Your Professional Development?" Selected into the Pahara Fellowship leader development program at the Aspen Institute, Smith joins a cohort of entrepreneurial education leaders. There, he learns via peer self-refections that help him identify ways to improve how he leads his life and his organization.

Preston Smith is co-founder and CEO of Rocketship Education, the highest performing low-income school system in California. After graduating the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Smith joined Teach for America. After three years teaching 1st Grade, he founded a district school in San Jose and became its principal. Smith was selected as a member of the 2010 class of Aspen Institute New Schools Fellows. 

Preston Smith on When to Be a Hands-Off Team Leader

In Chapter 15 of 22 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, elementary charter school network CEO Preston Smith answers "When Are You At Your Best?" As a CEO, Smith learns when not to be a hands-on leader and focus his energy on empowering employee teams in a hands-off way. He finds he can be at his best by putting people in a position to succeed and learning when to insert himself and provide support.

Preston Smith is co-founder and CEO of Rocketship Education, the highest performing low-income school system in California. After graduating the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Smith joined Teach for America. After three years teaching 1st Grade, he founded a district school in San Jose and became its principal. Smith was selected as a member of the 2010 class of Aspen Institute New Schools Fellows. 

Preston Smith on Measuring Success Managing Charter Schools

In Chapter 16 of 22 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, elementary charter school network CEO Preston Smith answers "How Do You Define and Measure Success in What You Do?" As CEO running a network of K-5 charter schools, Smith defines and measures success using a number of qualitative and quantitative inputs, from student learning outcomes to teacher satisfaction surveys to parent participation analysis. These help Smith work toward a goal of waking up every day knowing he is doing everything he can to build great schools full of happy employees and achieving students.

Preston Smith is co-founder and CEO of Rocketship Education, the highest performing low-income school system in California. After graduating the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Smith joined Teach for America. After three years teaching 1st Grade, he founded a district school in San Jose and became its principal. Smith was selected as a member of the 2010 class of Aspen Institute New Schools Fellows.

Preston Smith on Leading and Motivating Executive Teams

In Chapter 17 of 22 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, elementary charter school network CEO Preston Smith answers "How Are You Learning to Better Manage and Motivate Teams?" Smith shares how he now is learning to lead an executive team after leading more junior staff as a grade school principal. Smith finds leading executive team members means making sure to honor their respective strengths and experience, asking the right questions on the right topics, and knowing when to be  hands-off as a CEO.

Preston Smith is co-founder and CEO of Rocketship Education, the highest performing low-income school system in California. After graduating the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Smith joined Teach for America. After three years teaching 1st Grade, he founded a district school in San Jose and became its principal. Smith was selected as a member of the 2010 class of Aspen Institute New Schools Fellows. 

Preston Smith on Staying Humble When You Think You Are Successful

In Chapter 18 of 22 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, elementary charter school network CEO Preston Smith answers "At This Moment in Your Life, Where Are You Seeking Advice and Coaching?" Smith shares a big life lesson he learned from crashing a car while in high school. The lesson reminds him to stay humble even when you think you have everything figured out. As a professional, this helps Smith embrace support from an executive coach, his Aspen Institute Pahara Fellowship cohort and a group of advisors he terms his "kitchen cabinet."

Preston Smith is co-founder and CEO of Rocketship Education, the highest performing low-income school system in California. After graduating the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Smith joined Teach for America. After three years teaching 1st Grade, he founded a district school in San Jose and became its principal. Smith was selected as a member of the 2010 class of Aspen Institute New Schools Fellows. 

A Question to Ask Your Child Each Day After School

In Chapter 19 of 22 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, elementary charter school network CEO Preston Smith answers "How is Your Parenting Approach Evolving as Your Children Grow From Infants into Toddlers?" With a 3-year old and a 5-year old both now in school, Smith learns ways to engage his kids after the school day. Getting advice from a cohort member from his Aspen Institute Pahara fellowship, Smith asks not "What did you learn today?" but rather "What questions did you ask in school?"

Preston Smith is co-founder and CEO of Rocketship Education, the highest performing low-income school system in California. After graduating the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Smith joined Teach for America. After three years teaching 1st Grade, he founded a district school in San Jose and became its principal. Smith was selected as a member of the 2010 class of Aspen Institute New Schools Fellows. 

Preston Smith on Being Present for Your Kids When Traveling for Work

In Chapter 20 of 22 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, elementary charter school network CEO Preston Smith answers "What Does It Mean for You to Be Engaged in Your Children's Education?" As CEO of a growing company, Smith is challenged by time-consuming work commitments, from traveling to meetings to doing an executive MBA, as he works to be a present parent at home to his two young kids. He learns to make sure he has touch points with his kids when traveling and have some kind of presence at school events such as games or dances even if he is not there physically. To ensure he has time at home, he blocks out Friday nights and Monday nights for family time.

Preston Smith is co-founder and CEO of Rocketship Education, the highest performing low-income school system in California. After graduating the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Smith joined Teach for America. After three years teaching 1st Grade, he founded a district school in San Jose and became its principal. Smith was selected as a member of the 2010 class of Aspen Institute New Schools Fellows. 

Preston Smith on Retaining Teachers in Low Income School Districts

In Chapter 21 of 22 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, elementary charter school network CEO Preston Smith answers "What Has Your Experience Taught You About Developing and Retaining Your Best Teachers?" Smith finds teacher retention a huge challenge in his work. He notes teachers want to be surrounded by great peers, engaged in relationships with students and their families, and be rewarded for achieving student success. Smith notes keeping these elements consistent in a low income school setting, especially with elementary schools, is difficult but is one he feels can be achieved.

Preston Smith is co-founder and CEO of Rocketship Education, the highest performing low-income school system in California. After graduating the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Smith joined Teach for America. After three years teaching 1st Grade, he founded a district school in San Jose and became its principal. Smith was selected as a member of the 2010 class of Aspen Institute New Schools Fellows. 

Preston Smith on Taking Better Care of Yourself After Starting a Family

In Chapter 22 of 22 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, elementary charter school network CEO Preston Smith answers "How Are Your Personal Priorities Changing As You Get Older?" Smith shares how he is learning to take better care of himself to make sure he is capable of serving his family and business. Raising two kids and going through a burst appendix health scare, Smith makes a point to set personal wellbeing priorities and routines to keep balanced in how he lives his life.

Preston Smith is co-founder and CEO of Rocketship Education, the highest performing low-income school system in California. After graduating the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Smith joined Teach for America. After three years teaching 1st Grade, he founded a district school in San Jose and became its principal. Smith was selected as a member of the 2010 class of Aspen Institute New Schools Fellows. 

Louise Langheier on Doing What You Love With Those You Love

In Chapter 1 of 21 in her 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, social entrepreneur Louise Langheier answers "When Are You At Your Best?" Langheier finds she achieves her best when she is doing something she loves around those she loves or admires. Finding this place allows Langheier to give more and also get the most out of the experience. She notes family influences and experiences that informed her perspective.

Louise Davis Langheier is founder and CEO of Peer Health Exchange, a non-profit that trains college students to teach health education in public high schools. Louise was selected as a member of the 2011 class of Aspen Entrepreneurial Education Fellows, and was named an Ashoka Fellow in 2012. She graduated from Yale University.

Louise Langheier on How to Learn and Develop a Hard Work Ethic

In Chapter 2 of 21 in her 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, social entrepreneur Louise Langheier answers "Where Did You Learn Your Work Ethic?" Langheier shares how she learned her work ethic at an early age from people she admired, including her role model parents. Over time, she learns from people give their all to something and rise to the occasion in moments of crisis.

Louise Davis Langheier is founder and CEO of Peer Health Exchange, a non-profit that trains college students to teach health education in public high schools. Louise was selected as a member of the 2011 class of Aspen Entrepreneurial Education Fellows, and was named an Ashoka Fellow in 2012. She graduated from Yale University.

Louise Langheier on What Gets Easier and What Gets Harder

In Chapter 3 of 21 in her 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, social entrepreneur Louise Langheier answers "What is Getting Easier and What is Getting Harder in Your Life?" Langheier shares how it is getting easier to have a well-defined sense of where to spend her time and focus on what matters most in her life. She finds it harder to avoid being overwhelmed by the number of options she has on where to spend her time. As an expecting mother, she notes this will only increase by having a baby.

Louise Davis Langheier is founder and CEO of Peer Health Exchange, a non-profit that trains college students to teach health education in public high schools. Louise was selected as a member of the 2011 class of Aspen Entrepreneurial Education Fellows, and was named an Ashoka Fellow in 2012. She graduated from Yale University.

Louise Langheier on Finding Meaning Living in the Moment

In Chapter 4 of 21 in her 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, social entrepreneur Louise Langheier answers "How Are Your Aspirations Changing As Your Experiences Grow?" Langheier shares how her personal aspirations are becoming less specific and more focused on being present in the moment. Nine months pregnant, Langheier shares how starting a family is fundamental to this, as is being present as a friend and as a citizen.

Louise Davis Langheier is founder and CEO of Peer Health Exchange, a non-profit that trains college students to teach health education in public high schools. Louise was selected as a member of the 2011 class of Aspen Entrepreneurial Education Fellows, and was named an Ashoka Fellow in 2012. She graduated from Yale University. 

Louise Langheier on Reflection Practices for Healthier Living

In Chapter 5 of 21 in her 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, social entrepreneur Louise Langheier answers "What Role Has Reflection Played in Shaping Your Personal Growth?" Langheier sees reflection as two-sided. The first is her own personal reflection and the second is receiving feedback and constructive criticism from other people's reflection on her. She finds reflective practices and routines such as taking morning runs and making time in the evening to relax and think. She translates the reflective practices she uses in her personal life into the culture of her organization, Peer Health Exchange.

Louise Davis Langheier is founder and CEO of Peer Health Exchange, a non-profit that trains college students to teach health education in public high schools. Louise was selected as a member of the 2011 class of Aspen Entrepreneurial Education Fellows, and was named an Ashoka Fellow in 2012. She graduated from Yale University. 

Louise Langheier on Being a More Creative and Open Leader

In Chapter 6 of 21 in her 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, social entrepreneur Louise Langheier answers "How Are Your Personal Experiences Shaping Your Professional Aspirations?" Langheier shares how those around her have taught her to be more open-minded and creative. Over time, she also learns to embrace uncertainty and be more comfortable knowing discipline and focus still do not mean you can control your future.

Louise Davis Langheier is founder and CEO of Peer Health Exchange, a non-profit that trains college students to teach health education in public high schools. Louise was selected as a member of the 2011 class of Aspen Entrepreneurial Education Fellows, and was named an Ashoka Fellow in 2012. She graduated from Yale University.