Guest: Steven Palmer, Leader, Valor Collegiate Academies (Nashville, TN) Hosts: Vashaunta Harris & Jim Goenner Powered by: National Charter Schools Institute

What happens when a school refuses to choose between academic rigor and student well-being?

In this episode of Bold by Choice, we travel to Nashville, Tennessee, to spotlight Valor Collegiate Academies—a nationally recognized, high-performing charter network designed around one bold belief: students thrive when their minds, bodies, and spirits are developed together.

Steven Palmer, a Teach For America alum and longtime Valor leader, shares how Valor was intentionally designed to address three urgent challenges facing students today:

• the academic opportunity gap,

• the student mental-health crisis, and

• growing polarization in our communities.

Rather than treating these as competing priorities, Valor built a student-centered, whole-child model that integrates rigorous academics with deep social-emotional learning, strong relationships, and student voice .

• How Valor empowers students through student-led “Changemakers” coalitions that elevate student voice and agency

• Why, daily feedback loops, coaching for every adult, and real-time support outperform waiting for year-end test scores

• How the Compass Model (mind, body, spirit) shows up in classrooms, circles, and culture every single day

• A powerful student story that illustrates what happens when educators refuse to blame children and instead ask, “What do they need right now?”

• Why families rate Valor so highly—and what a 9.08/10 family recommendation score says about trust, belonging, and joy

Steven also reflects on one of the simplest—and hardest—truths in education, passed down from a veteran teacher early in his career:

“Love the kids. You’ll figure the rest out.”

This conversation reminds us that great schools are not built on compliance or shortcuts. They’re built through intentional design, relentless care, and teams that refuse to give up on students—even when the work is hard.

As Steven puts it, when schools are at their best, they become places where students can say:

“I think I’m starting to love this school again.”

That’s not accidental. That’s leadership. That’s design. That’s Bold by Choice.

If this episode inspired you, share it with an educator or family member who believes schools can be places of joy, rigor, and belonging. And tell us your own #SchoolBrag—we want to hear about schools doing right by kids.