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Across North Carolina, wonderful things are happening every day in our public schools: students overcoming challenges, educators innovating in their classrooms, and communities rallying around learning. Too often, though, these stories go unheard.

At the Friday Institute for Educational Innovation, we believe that changing the conversation about public education begins with listening to the people at its heart. Inspired by William Friday’s lifelong commitment to education and public service, we recently launched a new initiative: a statewide podcast designed to elevate authentic, first-hand stories from North Carolina’s public schools.

Through this podcast, The Friday Dive, we are “flipping the script” on commonly misunderstood or negatively framed issues in education. Each season focuses on a timely theme such as computer science and AI in schools, teacher motivation and retention, recovery from natural disasters, or the impact of targeted funding. Episodes feature educators, students and school communities sharing what is working and why it matters. These are not abstract success stories and are grounded in personal narratives that build understanding, trust and public pride in our schools.

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In this episode of The Friday Dive, Dr. Ellie Ebrahimi, an Associate Professor from University of North Carolina Wilmington, and Kristin Calhoun-Minnis, a STEM teacher at Clinton City Schools, share insights on how early exposure to computer science builds problem-solving skills, creativity, and confidence in young learners—and why it’s never too early to start.

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