Head of School Becomes HundrED Ambassador

In the two years that Ryan Bender has been Head of School at The Learning Center Charter School, he has been committed to innovative education and weaving it into all that he does at the school. 

Under Bender’s leadership, the school became a certified Open Way Learning (OWL) Academy in September 2020. OWL is a nonprofit organization with the singular mission to help schools develop, sustain, and grow cultures of innovation that better prepares students for our modern world and workforce. According to , OWL is a framework that encourages educators to create, modify, and share best practices to help education keep pace with a rapidly changing economy, society, and environment.

Bender was introduced to the HundrED movement through the OWL Academy connection. HundrED is a global education nonprofit organization which seeks and shares inspiring innovation in primary and secondary education.

“I was accepted as a HundrED ambassador and this distinction connects our school to resources and innovative education happening across the globe,” said Bender. “This benefits our school by linking resources for Professional Development for teachers as well as more educational resources for our students.”

“The voluntary HundrED community comprises over 600+ teachers, school principals, education consultants, professors, parents, and students from over 90 countries,” said Bender. “This network of educators helps identify what works in schools and collaborate to drive change on the local level.”

Bender added that the HundrED program is in line with the school’s OWL philosophy of free and open-source access. “Engaging in shared vision, collaboration, and the free exchange of ideas ensures that our school will continue to create customized solutions for our students and community,” said Bender.