Alcuin Montessori School and The Chicago Academy for the Arts present:

Three Stories and Seven Lessons About Imagination, Community, and Joy with Jason Patera

Jason Patera is the Head of School at The Chicago Academy for the Arts: an iconic independent arts high school that has been “home” to elite and emerging young artists from Chicagoland and beyond for more than four decades.

In this humorous and moving talk, Patera describes what a teen’s film can teach us about “achievement,” how magic is better than compliance, and what “Jake from State Farm” was like when he was 16. Inspired by students who became Grammy winners, bestselling authors, and Broadway stars (and physicists, entrepreneurs, and attorneys), Three Stories and Seven Lessons will resonate with parents, teachers, and anyone else who wants to help young people lead meaningful lives.

A fierce advocate for the arts and arts education, Patera has been recognized by the U.S. Department of Education for excellence in teaching and was named a 2018 Golden Apple Leader of Distinction. His 2018 TED Talk, Life at the Intersection of Excellence, Purpose, and Passion, has inspired educators and ambitious dreamers around the world.