Co-creating a joyful, learner-centered path forward
- Angie Lopez
- 15 minutes ago
- 5 min read
By Angie Lopez
Key Insights
Young people must be affirmed, empowered, and centered as co-creators in designing the future of learning.
Transforming education begins with deep listening, joyful collaboration, and a commitment to nurturing learner voice and agency.

At the Center for the Future of Learning, we believe that systems change should never happen without the people who will live with its consequences or carry forward its possibilities. The future of learning must be co-created with young people, not for them.
This means more than inviting young people to the table. It means trusting their insights, honoring their lived experiences, and building structures that grow from their bold questions and visions for something better. Our work is rooted in intergenerational co-creation, walking side by side with young people who are not only navigating the systems we aim to transform, but also imagining what comes next.
One of those young people is Angeline Lopez, a brilliant and thoughtful member of our teams a Youth Futurescaper. Angie has been part of our extended community over the past few years, and her words remind us why we do this work. She doesn’t just describe what’s broken, she paints a vibrant vision of what’s possible when young people are affirmed, empowered, and centered.
We are honored to share her piece, “Empower Us to Bloom.”

Empower Us to Bloom
By Angeline Lopez
“I’m nobody! Who are you? Are you nobody too?”- Emily Dickerson
What happens when people push us around, not letting us express ourselves, forcing us to be blue?
Instead of growing into beautiful fruitful flowers, we are left feeling blue.
This is how I see our education system. We are not affirmed. We are told to never cross the line. There are many limitations placed on us as young people. I wonder what the future would look like if we had multiple pathways to success and we were empowered to define that success, with teachers encouraging us to be who we truly are, affirming us, and co-facilitating those pathways with us. How might this vision for future generations to thrive be realized?
Affirm Us
Affirmation includes encouragement or support, but how are youth affirmed and supported? “I want to start a business,” shared an ambitious youth who is also shy, introverted, and reserved. The educator responds “I think that may not be a good fit for you, you should try something different”. This often happens to youth. There is value in affirming and supporting our dreams. There is power in letting us know we are capable. We crave affirmations from our educators, friends, and family, often having our hopes and dreams denied or rejected. This can cause young people to feel unmotivated, inattentive, or directionless. At Veterans Tribute High School, I studied Criminal Justice, a class which required public speaking. I was a very shy person. The thought of talking to someone new overwhelmed me. There were times when I wanted to drop out of the program.
My teacher poured into me, encouraging and affirming me, and ultimately I remained in the program. I was still a nervous wreck when it was time to publicly speak and present, but my teacher told me he believed in me. He said that it would be okay. He said that I would become better at public speaking. He was right. I am grateful for my teacher. His encouragement gave me confidence and I am no longer scared or nervous to speak to a crowd of people. Affirm us. Doing so benefits us in the moment and long-term. Not only should young people be affirmed, our creativity should be empowered.
Empower Us
Our education system stifles creativity. Often we aren’t allowed to express ourselves or demonstrate our individuality through our learning. We are compared to one another and told to color inside the lines and stay inside of the box. Yet, college applications and job interviews want us to demonstrate how we are different from other individuals. How are we to achieve this challenge, when at a young age we are told to follow the crowd? There’s only so much creativity that can be expressed when we are constricted by limitations. In English class, we created a podcast on our thoughts and opinions about a novel we’d read. We reviewed, edited, and published the podcast. Some people might think that we shouldn’t do an assignment like this because it’s an English class. Yet, shouldn’t young people learn while having fun and expressing themselves? We must remove limits and barriers on creativity. Empower us.
Center Us
I remember having a first grade teacher be so rigid that she wouldn’t let me choose the crayon colors I wanted for an assignment. This expectation hasn't changed much since first grade and many young people including myself feel compelled to meet a certain expectation in order to please others. Young people are called lazy, voiceless, and more. Have you ever wondered why they seem so unmotivated? Maybe these young people don’t feel motivated because no one asks them for their opinions or perspectives. Center us. Be open to changing teaching approaches and centering student perspective. Empower young individuals to express themselves in how they learn. Connect with our perspectives.
As a society, we should strive for change. Challenge uniformity. Plant the garden for fruit flowers to bloom in our education system, by nourishing youth with affirmations, empowering creative expression, and changing our approaches in small but impactful ways. Create a better future for generations to come. Be a part of a change where the garden of individuals feels like they are enough. Demonstrate that it’s okay to be different, creative, loving.
“I’m nobody! Who are you? Are you nobody too?”- Emily Dickerson

Angie’s voice is one of many calling for a more human, creative, and affirming future. At the Center for the Future of Learning, we see that the future is already taking root in classrooms, community spaces, and conversations led by young people across Nevada.
We believe that when we truly listen to the dreams and lived experiences of learners, when we design with them and not just for them, and when we make space to test bold ideas and lift up real stories of change, we begin to transform not just systems but relationships. We see learning come alive. We see joy take hold.
That is what the Portrait of a Nevada Learner invites us to imagine: a future where every young person is seen, affirmed, and supported to be a creator, a collaborator, a critical thinker, and a contributor to their community.
Angie’s reflections remind us what is possible when we center youth as partners in shaping that future. When we nurture their ideas, trust their leadership, and celebrate their growth, we plant the kind of learning environments where everyone can bloom.
Let’s keep growing toward that future together, with joy.
Angeline Lopez, who goes by Angie, recently graduated from Veterans Tribute Career & Technical Academy and will be attending UNLV this fall. Angie hopes to be a voice for other young people in order to change the education system for future generations.