The Guy Who Wrote a Story Where Kids Save the World

Dr. Jeffrey Zwiebel: Preparing Students for Life Beyond the Test

In this episode of the Legend Makers Podcast, Scott Buell sits down with Dr. Jeffrey Zwiebel, a longtime K-12 education leader, former superintendent, and current EdTech strategist, to talk about leadership, technology, student wellness, and the future of education. Dr. Zwiebel brings more than three decades of experience in public education, including nine years as a superintendent in Pennsylvania. His perspective is grounded in real district leadership, including budget pressure, board dynamics, student safety, staff support, and the difficult decisions that come with leading schools through crisis. The conversation begins with Dr. Zwiebel’s unexpected path into education. Before becoming a superintendent, he started as a musician and band director. A summer teaching high school drumline helped him see the impact educators can have on students, and that experience shaped the rest of his career. Scott and Dr. Zwiebel also discuss the pressure school leaders face, especially during moments of financial strain and public scrutiny. Dr. Zwiebel shares openly about the personal toll of leadership, the impact on family, and how that experience eventually led him into the EdTech space. A major focus of the episode is the role of AI in schools. Dr. Zwiebel argues that blocking AI is the wrong response. Instead, educators must help students learn how to use AI responsibly, safely, and productively. He compares the current moment to the early days of the internet in schools, but makes clear that AI is moving much faster and requires a more intentional approach. Scott and Dr. Zwiebel also explore how teachers can use AI as a creative and practical tool, not just as a shortcut for writing assignments. They discuss student data privacy, responsible prompting, teacher training, district policy, and the need for schools to prepare students for a world where technology is already embedded in nearly every career path. The episode closes with a broader reflection on the future of education. Dr. Zwiebel challenges schools to think beyond test scores and focus on preparing students with the skills they need for college, military service, careers, and life. Key Topics * Dr. Zwiebel’s path from musician to educator to superintendent * The real pressure of district leadership * Why student safety and wellness are operational issues, not buzzwords * How the pandemic exposed opportunities for change in education * Why schools should teach responsible AI use instead of blocking it * The importance of student data privacy * How teachers can help students use AI constructively * Why training must support both teachers and administrators * The future of education beyond test scores * Preparing students for real-world success About Dr. Jeffrey Zwiebel Dr. Jeffrey Zwiebel is a K-12 education leader, former superintendent, and EdTech strategist. After more than 30 years in public education, he now works in the student digital wellness space, helping schools think through technology, safety, AI, and student support from both an educator and district leadership perspective. Connect Follow Dr. Jeffrey Zwiebel on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-jeffrey-zwiebel-aa31881b3/]. Learn more about the Legend Makers Podcast and Drone Legends at DroneLegends.com [http://DroneLegends.com].

Second Graders Caught AI Making a Mistake, and Knew How to Fix It

What if the future of AI literacy begins in second grade? In this episode Drone Legends [https://www.instagram.com/wearedronelegends/] founder, Scott Buell [https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottbuell/] is joined by Carrie Robledo [https://x.com/carrierobledo] and Kim Collazo [https://x.com/kcollazo], two longtime Legend Makers who were integrating drones, robotics, coding, and STEM challenges into classrooms before these tools became mainstream. Carrie and Kim look back at their early drone work, including classroom drone grants, robotics clubs, and GLIDE: Girls Leading Innovation with Drones and Engineering. But the conversation quickly moves from drones to the bigger question facing educators today: how do we prepare students for a world where AI is everywhere? Carrie shares the story of her second grade Insect Detectives project, where students used Google’s Teachable Machine [https://teachablemachine.withgoogle.com/] to train an AI model to identify insects and non-insects. After the model incorrectly classified a cardinal as an insect, her students did something remarkable: they questioned the machine. They wondered whether the model had seen so many red ladybugs that it learned the wrong association. Then they suggested adding images of red non-insects to improve the training data. That moment captures the heart of this episode. The goal is not just to teach kids how to use technology. The goal is to help them become curious, skeptical, collaborative problem solvers who can ask, “Why did the machine get that wrong?” Scott, Carrie, and Kim also discuss attention spans, purposeful technology use, graphic novels, picture books, hands-on science, owl pellet dissections, read-alouds, and why curiosity remains one of the most important forces in learning. Guests Carrie Robledo is a second grade teacher and former instructional technology facilitator working on K–5 AI literacy through the Elementary AI project. Kim Collazo is a retired educator, former instructional technology facilitator, picture book author, and longtime collaborator in STEM, drones, and classroom innovation. Resources Mentioned * Google Teachable Machine * Elementary AI * NC State * Presidential AI Challenge * GLIDE: Girls Leading Innovation with Drones and Engineering * Webtoon-style reading * Epic * The Thinking Game * Little Legends [https://www.dronelegends.com/grades-k-3] * Drone Legends [https://www.dronelegends.com/] * Collazo Cove [https://www.collazocove.com/#/]

The Guy Who Wrote a Story Where Kids Save the World

This episode is different. Scott sits down with longtime friend Jake Zortman—someone he’s known since childhood—to unpack the origin and deeper meaning behind The Rise of the Legends. What starts as a conversation about a book quickly becomes something bigger: a discussion about how kids learn, what’s missing in education today, and why story might be the most powerful teaching tool we’ve overlooked. Jake isn’t just an author. He’s a cinematographer, storyteller, and builder of worlds. And Rise of the Legends isn’t just a novel—it’s a framework for how kids can see themselves as capable, creative, and essential. At its core, this episode asks a simple but important question: What happens when kids stop consuming… and start building? What You’ll Learn in This Episode * Why story is one of the most effective ways to teach STEM concepts * The real inspiration behind The Rise of the Legends * How hands-on learning shapes confidence, curiosity, and long-term success * What today’s education system gets wrong about how kids learn * The moment Jake realized this book needed to exist * How a mysterious message from the past became the foundation of the story * Why kids need identity, purpose, and adventure—not just instruction About the Book: The Rise of the Legends When Mikaela Kadono moves into a strange new house, everything in her life changes. She meets new friends. Joins a club called Drone Legends. And on their very first mission, something unexpected happens—a mysterious AI drone enters their world. But this is just the beginning. What follows is a high-stakes adventure involving hidden messages from the past, secret tunnels, advanced technology, and a growing realization: This story might have been written for them. As Mikaela and her team race to solve the mystery, they begin to uncover something bigger than they ever imagined—one that ties directly to their future… and the fate of the world. Key Themes from the Conversation 1. Kids Learn by Doing, Not Just Listening Jake breaks down why traditional learning often misses the mark—and why hands-on exploration creates deeper understanding. 2. Story as a Learning Engine From ancient storytelling to modern education, narrative has always been the bridge between knowledge and meaning. 3. Identity Drives Behavior When kids begin to see themselves as builders, creators, and problem-solvers, everything changes. 4. The Power of Curiosity The best learning doesn’t come from instruction—it comes from questions. Resources & Links * 📘 The Rise of the Legends by Jake Zortman * 🌐 Website: RiseOfTheLegends.com [http://RiseOfTheLegends.com] * 🧪 Free educational resources, lesson plans, and activities available on the site * 🚀 “Legends Unleashed” STEM camp program (via Stemfinity): https://stemfinity.com/products/legends-unleashed-literacy-infused-stem-camp?keyword=Legends%20Un [https://stemfinity.com/products/legends-unleashed-literacy-infused-stem-camp?keyword=Legends%20Un] Subscribe & Follow If you’re an educator, parent, or someone who believes in building the next generation of thinkers, creators, and problem-solvers—this podcast is for you. Follow Legend Makers for more conversations with the people shaping the future of learning.

Nobody Wants to do This. Yenesis Alvarez on Getting Uncommon Results.

What happens when students learn entrepreneurship by actually building a business? In this episode of the Legend Makers Podcast, Scott Buell speaks with Yenesis Alvarez [https://www.linkedin.com/in/yenesis-alvarez-892876172/], founder of the Business Food Lab [https://www.linkedin.com/company/business-food-lab/], an innovative program where students gain real-world experience by developing and operating food-based businesses. Rather than focusing on theory alone, Yenesis challenges students to take ownership, solve real problems, and push beyond their comfort zones. The result is a learning environment where students discover what they are capable of when expectations are high and the work is real. Yenesis shares the philosophy that guides her work: if you want results that nobody else is getting, you must be willing to do what others will not. This episode explores experiential education, the power of responsibility, and how educators can help students develop resilience, creativity, and entrepreneurial thinking. Topics Covered * Experiential learning and student ownership * Entrepreneurship education in schools * Why real responsibility changes how students learn * Teaching resilience through real-world challenges * Preparing students for life beyond the classroom About the Guest Yenesis Alvarez is an entrepreneur and educator who founded the Business Food Lab, a program designed to teach students entrepreneurship through hands-on business creation. Her work focuses on experiential learning, empowering students to develop real skills by building, testing, and operating their own ventures. About the Legend Makers Podcast The Legend Makers Podcast [https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLD2V8H4ty51IJmeX3DEEmN1ZPkbQje31&si=TtHHZEU2SIwEHUlU] features conversations with educators, innovators, and leaders who are transforming how young people learn, grow, and discover their potential. Inside every child lives a legend [https://www.dronelegends.com/].

Why Smart Kids Struggle, with Jason Kantor, Executive Function Coach

Jason Kantor is the Director of Executive Functions at InPractice Psychology in New York, a state-certified high school teacher, and a reading specialist with nearly a decade of experience supporting students with learning differences. In this episode, Jason shares his personal journey from struggling student to executive function expert, and explains why many students labeled as underperforming are not lacking intelligence but foundational skills. We discuss: * What executive function skills are and why they matter * The connection between procrastination and emotional dysregulation * How perfectionism can derail academic performance * Practical organization systems that actually work * The role of routine in building time management and task completion * The boundaries between executive function coaching and therapy * Why increased education choice and accessible ed-tech tools are reshaping learning This conversation is especially relevant for educators, parents, and school leaders looking to better understand the invisible skills that drive academic and life success. Jason also reflects on the deeper motivation behind teaching — helping students overcome the struggles he once faced himself. For more insights from Jason, follow him on X: @thejasonkantor [https://x.com/thejasonkantor] Subscribe to the Legend Makers Podcast [https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLD2V8H4ty51IJmeX3DEEmN1ZPkbQje31&si=tqI20BqPdFYyK30a] for more conversations on education, leadership, and building future-ready learners. Visit Drone Legends online at www.dronelegends.com [https://www.dronelegends.com/]