A San Mateo school is helping students focus in the classroom by locking their cell phones away. In Palmdale, meet the educator who’s been named the 2025 California Teacher of the Year. Plus, discover the story behind some powerful monuments in Orange County and the civil rights case that inspired them. And explore a unique Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management Program in Sacramento.

A school lost in the Palisades Fire is prioritizing students’ well-being during challenging times. The Youth Led Leadership Alliance in Santa Cruz County trains students to become confident leaders. Go inside the Art Ark, a mobile art center that offers students hands-on activities in Sacramento. Plus, see a growing effort in San Diego to train the next generation of aviation professionals.

In a historic first in California, 16- and 17-year olds in Berkeley and Oakland can now vote in local school board elections. Plus, visit this Sacramento high school’s Manufacturing and Design career pathway. See how Torrance Unified is using a chat bot to train students how to properly use AI in the classroom. Meet the student journalists behind the Boyle Heights Beat in Los Angeles.

In this episode, we look at Project Impact, an effort to increase male teachers of color in California schools. Plus, discover how schools earn a Purple Star designation to serve the needs of military families, take a look inside a school district kitchen following the shift to free school meals for all, and see how one county is overhauling how it teaches math.

Community college students in Los Angeles go from homeless to housed, discover how an organization called Umoja is creating community on community college campuses, meet Bay Area students taking part in a unique NASA experience, and see how students throughout California can reduce their student loan debt through the volunteer College Corps program.