by Annie Makela, Founding Director of the Scott Center for Social Entrepreneurship
#1: The best way to complain is to create.
We are all part of systems shaped by humans so we all have capacity to shape and evolve these systems to reflect our values, goals and the community we want to live in.
#2: Food Matters.
From civic dinners to food justice in the classroom to our Martha’s Kitchen food fight – and even to the snacks we shared in class – food tells a powerful story. It connects us to each other, becomes a medium for sharing our cultures, and is often the first stop and step in the fight for equality and equity in our local communities.
#3: Innovation is often individual, entrepreneurship is always collective.
The French definition of “entrepreneur” is to undertake complex problems. Combine that with the Scott Center 6 lenses (Civics, Systems, Finance, Design, Story, Agency) and you have the makings of truly impactful teamwork.
#4: Consider the question: who am I when I leave the comfort of my home and community?
Travel is about so much more than passport stamps or pictures – it’s a way to truly know yourself as a citizen of a community far wider than the one you see every day. With every Scott Center adventure – from Reach Beyond Week to Immersives to local site visits – our students get to understand themselves as a part of a greater whole. New perspectives are often just down the street!
#5: Center Joy and Belonging
It’s written into Hillbrook’s commitment to community and belonging: who I am matters; who you are matters; who we are together can make a difference in the world. With that sense of belonging, joy inevitably follows. With a sense of belonging, joy can exist. And by creating a world where belonging isn’t just possible, but required, joy can thrive.
#7: Have a vision and mission that adapts well with time and frees you from expecting too little.
By making space for change, by becoming resilient to challenge, and by centering the work itself instead of the result, mountains can move – sometimes it’s pebble-by-stone, but that’s often how the light gets in. This is where the Scott Center’s mission begins: See the world as it is. Imagine what it might be. Partner with the community to make a difference for people and the planet.
Everyone has something that matters to them. And doing your best to find out what that is in every interaction, collaboration and partnership is how we connect, collaborate, and build communities that last. Know who your people are, what matters to them and what you all can do about it. Together.
#8: See possibilities when others see problems.
Pave the path with pebbles of possibilities and the journey will never be boring or predictable. The discovery phase is where all the magic happens but getting to the end result also matters.