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Red Oak FORGE Work-Based Learning, 2011 N 8th Street, Red Oak, IA (2026)

06/30/2026

What Is FORGE Really About?

Part 6: Teamwork, Scrum, and Learning How to Accomplish Meaningful Work Together

Teamwork sounds simple.

Until you are responsible for accomplishing something with people who think differently than you do.

One of the most valuable lessons students learn in FORGE is how to work effectively with others, not just by being placed in a group, but by learning how to operate as a team.

After years of incorporating project-based learning into various educational settings, I noticed something interesting. Whether students were working in a language arts classroom, an AP History classroom, a computer science classroom, participating in project-based learning experiences, or collaborating on authentic community projects, some of the most meaningful growth occurred when students worked together toward a shared goal. Students learned how to communicate, solve problems, navigate disagreements, leverage individual strengths, support teammates, and contribute to something larger than themselves.

The challenge, however, is that simply putting students into groups does not automatically create effective teamwork.

That is one of the reasons FORGE utilizes Agile Scrum as a collaborative workflow.

Over the years, I have experimented with countless approaches to team-based learning, and Scrum has consistently proven to be one of the most effective frameworks for helping students work together productively. Scrum provides the structure needed for establishing goals, identifying priorities, dividing responsibilities, communicating progress, overcoming obstacles, adapting when plans change, and continuously improving work.

Rather than hoping collaboration happens, Scrum teaches you how to collaborate.

Students learn how to break large projects into manageable tasks, distribute work according to team strengths, communicate expectations, hold one another accountable, provide constructive feedback, and adjust when challenges arise. Along the way, they develop many of the same skills that successful organizations rely upon every day: communication, adaptability, critical thinking, problem-solving, prioritization, accountability, and leadership.

These are not simply school skills. They are life skills.

Whether students become entrepreneurs, healthcare professionals, educators, engineers, military leaders, skilled tradespeople, or business owners, their success will depend in large part on their ability to work effectively with others while contributing to a shared mission.

That is why Scrum makes sense in FORGE.

The goal is not simply to complete projects.

The goal is to help students learn how teams establish goals, leverage strengths, adapt to change, solve problems, and accomplish meaningful work together.

Because in the real world, success is rarely achieved alone.

06/28/2026

What Is FORGE Really About.
Part 5:AI, Innovation, and the Future of Human Potential

One of the questions I get asked often about FORGE is: “How are students using AI?”

The answer may surprise people.

Students are not learning how to use AI as a shortcut. Students are learning how to use AI as a tool.

Just as previous generations learned how to leverage calculators, spreadsheets, search engines, and the internet, today’s students must learn how to responsibly leverage artificial intelligence.

The reality is simple: AI is not going away.

The students entering today’s workforce will be expected to understand how to use AI, evaluate AI-generated information, collaborate with AI tools, and determine when AI is and is not appropriate to use.

Ignoring AI does not prepare students for the future.

Teaching students how to use it responsibly does.

Throughout FORGE, students are learning how to use AI to brainstorm ideas, conduct research, organize information, analyze data, improve communication, create visuals, manage projects, develop presentations, develop applications, and solve complex problems.

More importantly, they are learning when AI should not do the work.

Students are still expected to think critically, exercise judgment, verify information, ask questions, communicate clearly, make decisions, and take ownership of their work.

In many ways, the most important lesson students are learning is that AI should ENHANCE human thinking, not replace it.

Throughout this past school year, students used AI tools to build a workout application, nonprofit organization website and portal, business applications, business concepts, presentations, social media campaigns, project management systems, research projects, schedules, calendars, study guides, and professional communication materials.

They have learned how to record meetings, organize information, improve workflows, create visual content, edit photos, and manage increasingly complex projects.

But the technology itself is not the story.

The story is what students are creating with it.

The innovators, entrepreneurs, engineers, business leaders, and problem solvers of tomorrow will not be successful simply because they know how to use AI.

They will be successful because they know how to combine human creativity, leadership, communication, critical thinking, and ethical decision making with powerful new tools.

That is what we are building in FORGE.

Our goal is not to prepare students for the world as it exists today.

Our goal is to prepare students for the world they will inherit tomorrow.

Because whether we like it or not, AI will be part of their future.

The question is not whether students should learn about AI.

The question is whether we are PREPARING them to use it wisely.

06/27/2026

What FORGE is Really About Part 4

Adaptability is one of the most important skills students can develop.

The challenge is that adaptability cannot be taught through a worksheet.

It must be experienced.

Throughout FORGE, students work with real community partners, business leaders, school administrators, and entrepreneurs and work on authentic projects.

They quickly discover that real-world projects rarely go exactly as planned.

Priorities change.

Feedback changes.

Problems arise.

Plans must be adjusted.

The goal: Instead of becoming frustrated by change, students learn how to respond to it.

They learn how to communicate, collaborate, and pivot when necessary.

Most importantly, they learn how to move forward even when they don’t have all the answers.

That is adaptability.

And it is one of the most valuable skills they can take into the future.

06/27/2026

Yesterday I had the honor of visiting Fort Leavenworth alongside Chris Hughes, Ed.D., Major General, U.S. Army (Ret.).

One of the most fascinating aspects of the visit was learning how intentionally the Command and General Staff College (CGSC) curriculum is designed. The goal is not simply to teach Army doctrine, planning, and operations. The goal is to develop leaders who can think critically, solve complex problems, collaborate with others, and operate effectively in uncertain environments.

What makes the learning environment unique is the diversity of experiences represented within every classroom. Officers come from different branches of the Army, other services, and partner nations around the world. They bring a wide range of operational, technical, and leadership experiences.

Rather than viewing these differences as obstacles, the curriculum is intentionally designed to leverage them. The Army recognizes that the person sitting next to you may be one of your greatest teachers. Students learn not only from instructors, but from one another.

The classroom becomes a learning laboratory where perspectives are challenged, ideas are debated, and solutions are refined. The emphasis is less on memorizing information and more on learning how to think, communicate, collaborate, and make decisions in complex situations.

One of the core principles frequently discussed at Leavenworth is: Teach people how to think, not what to think.

Seeing the spaces where curriculum development took place brought this concept to life. Standing in the offices and meeting rooms where Chris Hughes and his colleagues spent countless hours designing, refining, debating, and improving the Army’s leader development curriculum was one of the most memorable parts of the visit. Looking at the whiteboards where so much of that thinking occurred, I found myself imagining the conversations and collaboration that shaped a program used to prepare future Army leaders.

Many of the same principles that make CGSC successful are principles I want to continue strengthening within FORGE: diverse perspectives, authentic challenges, collaboration, critical thinking, and leadership development.

As meaningful as the curriculum and history were, another part of the experience really stood out to me. Walking through CGSC at Fort Leavenworth with Chris allowed me to see him in an environment where he spent so many years serving, leading, teaching, and developing others. It gave me an even deeper appreciation for the leader he is and the impact he has had throughout his career.

While visiting the gift shop, I happened to come across a magazine featuring Chris on the cover. Seeing that photo stopped me for a moment. It served as a reminder of the remarkable accomplishments, leadership, and service that have defined his career. But more importantly, it made me reflect on the qualities that make him such an exceptional leader.

Over the years, I have had the privilege of learning from Chris through our work together with FORGE. He is the kind of leader who invests in people, builds meaningful relationships, listens carefully, challenges others to grow, and genuinely cares about helping people reach their potential. He has a unique ability to encourage others while also pushing them to think bigger, work harder, and become better versions of themselves.

As I reflected on everything I saw throughout the day, I couldn’t help but think about how fortunate we are to have Chris involved in the learning experiences we are creating through FORGE. His leadership, mentorship, and commitment to developing others continue to influence not only me, but also the students we serve.

Ultimately, that is what leadership is all about.

The accomplishments, awards, and recognition are impressive, but what matters most is the impact we have on other people.

When I think about the kind of leaders I hope our FORGE students become, I think about the qualities Chris demonstrates every day: humility, service, character, curiosity, courage, collaboration, and a commitment to helping others succeed.

This is what I want every student who comes through my classroom to aspire to be, not simply successful, but the very best leader they can possibly become.

06/25/2026

What FORGE is Really About PART 3:

When most people hear “entrepreneurship,” they think that students are learning about how to start a business.

That is only part of the story.

What students in FORGE are really learning is how to solve problems.

Throughout our entrepreneurship projects, students were asked to identify needs, develop ideas, test assumptions, receive feedback, adjust their plans, and present solutions to real entrepreneurs.

They quickly discovered that there is rarely one “right answer.”

Instead, they learned how to make decisions, think critically, adapt to challenges, and defend their reasoning under pressure.

At the end of the project, students pitched their ideas to a panel of local entrepreneurs who weren’t there simply to applaud.

They asked hard questions.

They challenged assumptions.

They pushed students to think deeper.

And our students rose to the challenge.

The greatest lesson wasn’t about business.

It was learning how to navigate uncertainty and confidently communicate ideas in the real world.

That is a skill that will serve them for life.

Throughout the year, students were also exposed to entrepreneurship and innovation through a variety of authentic experiences. Students visited Iowa State University’s Innovation Center, toured startup spaces, met with entrepreneurs, explored emerging technologies, and learned directly from innovators and business leaders. They engaged with the founders and engineering team from Flux Core, participated in learning opportunities led by Chris Hughes, attended innovation-focused sessions at Montgomery County Memorial Hospital, and worked with innovator Larry Brandstetter. These experiences helped students see firsthand how innovation, adaptability, problem-solving, and entrepreneurial thinking drive progress in every industry.

Take a few moments and look at the images attached to this post. These are pictures of the Pitch contest that took place in May, along with a few pieces of each pitch deck. The images included will help you start to grasp the amount and depth of innovation that took place in FORGE PBL this past school year. Our very much appreciated sponsors for the pitch event were:

FMTC
The Way Forward
Dream Forge

***Did you miss the previous posts in this series? Click on the links below to access the rest of the posts in this series and learn all about Red Oak FORGE.***

Meet the WBL Coordinator and Program Designer: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1EavTwKUa8/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Introduction to the series of posts about the design behind FORGE: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1QQGmdQ1j4/?mibextid=wwXIfr

What FORGE is really about Part 1: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/18nHKn55EK/?mibextid=wwXIfr

What FORGE is really about Part 2:
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1GJKN1SVCr/?mibextid=wwXIfr

06/22/2026

What FORGE is Really About PART 2: From Nervous Students to Confident Leaders

At the beginning of the year, many students will say that they are uncomfortable speaking in front of adults or groups of people. This was definitely the case this past school year.

Today, many of those same students have presented to administrators, large groups of teachers, community leaders, and business professionals.

Confidence doesn’t come from being told you are a leader. Confidence comes from having opportunities to lead.

Throughout FORGE, students are placed in situations where they must communicate, collaborate, make decisions, and represent their teams.

Every presentation, meeting, project, and challenge builds confidence.

Watching students discover capabilities they didn’t know they possessed is one of the most rewarding parts of the program.

Leadership isn’t something students wait to develop after graduation.

Leadership is something they practice right now.

Did you miss the previous posts in this series? Click on the links below to access the rest of the posts in this series and learn all about Red Oak FORGE.

Meet the WBL Coordinator and Program Designer: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1EavTwKUa8/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Introduction to the series of posts about the design behind FORGE: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1QQGmdQ1j4/?mibextid=wwXIfr

What FORGE is really about Part 1: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/18nHKn55EK/?mibextid=wwXIfr

06/21/2026

What FORGE is Really About Part 1: Learning to Figure Things Out

One of the biggest differences in FORGE is that students aren’t always given step-by-step instructions.

That is intentional.

The world our students are entering will not come with answer keys. Future careers, technologies, and industries will continue to evolve, and students need more than information.

They need the ability to figure things out.

That is why FORGE isn’t built around memorizing information.

It is built around solving problems, making decisions, working with teams, adapting to change, and learning how to navigate situations where the answer isn’t always obvious.

Throughout the year, students regularly face challenges they have never encountered before.

They work through problems as teams. They identify obstacles. They develop solutions. They ask questions. They revise plans.

They learn that progress often comes from persistence rather than perfection.

Over time, students stop asking: “What is the right answer?” Or “Am I doing this the correct way?”

And start asking: “How do we solve this?”

That’s where real learning begins. Because success after high school isn’t about knowing all the answers, but rather knowing how to figure them out.

06/21/2026

What Is FORGE Really About?

Over the next week, Janelle Erickson, Red Oak’s Work-Based Learning Coordinator, will be sharing the philosophy behind FORGE and the experiences that help prepare students for life after high school.

Many people see the projects, presentations, internships, and community partnerships our students participate in.

What they don’t always see are the skills being developed behind the scenes.

In FORGE, students are learning far more than content.

They are learning how to think critically, solve problems, work with teams, communicate professionally, adapt to change, leverage emerging technologies, and confidently navigate situations where there is no answer key.

Through both our FORGE PBL and FORGE Internship courses, students are exposed to authentic experiences that challenge them to grow as learners, leaders, innovators, and future professionals.

The goal is simple:

We want students to leave Red Oak High School with the confidence, experience, adaptability, and mindset needed to thrive in whatever comes next.

Follow along this week and you will learn what FORGE is really about and what our students are taking with them when they leave and set out for their next adventure after high school.

06/20/2026

Meet Janelle Erickson

Janelle Erickson serves as Red Oak School District’s Work-Based Learning Coordinator and is the designer and instructor of the FORGE PBL and FORGE Internship programs.

With more than 20 years of experience in education, Janelle has served in a variety of roles including classroom teacher, teacher librarian, technology coach, instructional coach, language arts & reading teacher, and work-based learning coordinator.

She has spent nearly two decades studying innovative teaching practices, emerging technologies, authentic learning experiences, future-ready education, and how schools can better prepare students for a rapidly changing world.

In addition to her work in education, Janelle has spent more than 20 years as an entrepreneur, owning and operating multiple businesses. Her experiences as both an educator and business owner have shaped her belief that learners learn best when they engage in authentic work, solve real problems, collaborate with others, and develop skills and competencies that transfer beyond the classroom.

Janelle is a strong advocate for project-based learning, work-based learning, entrepreneurship, and authentic community partnerships. She has designed learning experiences that integrate current research, emerging technologies, design thinking principles, Agile Scrum methodologies, and innovation processes to help students develop both technical and human-centered skills.

She is also the author of Adaptive Collaboration, a guidebook that provides a clear, repeatable system for teams who want collaboration to lead to meaningful improvement and not just conversation. Designed for educators, school leaders, and agile-minded professionals across fields, this system blends instructional collaboration, Agile and Scrum-inspired practices, and reflective cycles into a structure teams can begin using immediately.

For nearly two decades, Janelle has focused on a simple but important question:

How do we prepare students for careers, industries, and opportunities that may not even exist yet?

That question ultimately led to the development of FORGE.

Her educational philosophy is simple:

The mission of education is not to prepare learners for a specific job. It is to prepare learners for a future that is constantly changing and equip them with the skills needed to thrive in whatever comes next.

By helping students develop confidence, adaptability, problem-solving abilities, communication skills, leadership capacity, and a mindset of continuous learning, Janelle believes schools can provide students with the greatest opportunity for success regardless of how careers, industries, and technology evolve in the future.

Follow along over the next week as we share the philosophy behind FORGE and explore what Red Oak students are really learning through their experiences in FORGE PBL and FORGE Internship.

Because FORGE is about much more than projects.

It’s about preparing students for whatever comes next.

02/07/2026

FORGE Interns Are Building Future-Ready Skills 💪🎓

This year, FORGE interns are growing in powerful ways — not just learning about careers, but developing the skills they’ll carry into college, the workforce, and beyond.

Through internships in healthcare, education, nonprofit organizations, marketing, and more, students are gaining:
✔️ Professional confidence
✔️ Strong communication and teamwork skills
✔️ Real problem-solving experience
✔️ Career clarity and goal setting

These experiences are shaping who our students are becoming — responsible, capable, and ready for what’s next.

We’re proud of our interns and grateful for the community partners who make this growth possible!

Red Oak FORGE Work-Based Learning

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