They say it takes a few years for startups to really find their footing, and for us, that year was 2024. I don’t know if we’ll ever have another year with this much progress and evolution, but I couldn’t be more proud or grateful for what we’ve accomplished together.
Reflecting on this incredible year, I am filled with gratitude and excitement. This year, Applied Coaching for Projects not only grew and innovated but also began to truly define and better articulate who we are and what we stand for.
From launching new tools to transforming our brand, 2024 has been a year of growth, clarity, and a renewed sense of purpose—all thanks to your unwavering support.
Here’s a look back at this transformative year that truly marks a turning point for ACP:
2024 Year in Review:
January: The Project Builder Launch
We began the year with the debut of The Project Builder, a platform designed to simplify and enhance project-based learning. It was over 8 months in the making. It's one of my best-held secrets, and my most significant accomplishments. Inspired by the potential of pairing PBL with AI, we created a tool emphasizing augmented intelligence—using AI to amplify, not replace, human creativity.
Since its launch, The Project Builder has empowered educators to design projects faster and more effectively while keeping their students' unique needs and goals at the center.
While many new options are emerging and are excellent, we can proudly say we were the first. Because of this, we continuously improve based on feedback, and it's better than ever!
February: PBL Reimagined Workshop Debut
Our first-ever PBL Reimagined workshop allowed educators to learn about project-based learning and design impactful projects using The Project Builder. The workshop provided invaluable insights into user experiences with the platform, helping us identify areas for improvement and set the stage for future enhancements.
June: Rebranding for a Clearer Purpose
Mid-year, we were excited to announce a major change for our organization. After a year of strategic planning and collaboration with marketing and branding experts, we were ready to unveil the refreshed “us” and better articulate who we are. Honestly, it was hard to keep another secret from all of you for so long!
With a new logo, tagline, mission, and website, our rebrand marked a pivotal moment in refining how we communicate our identity and aligning it with our evolving mission.
The Logo: Featuring a graduation cap, the logo symbolizes preparing students for their future, while the clean, contemporary design reflects our innovative and forward-thinking approach.
The Tagline: "Pedagogy with Purpose: Community, Compassion, Change" captures our values and commitment to fostering meaningful educational experiences.
Defined Focus Areas: We streamlined our areas of expertise to include Project-Based Learning, Social and Emotional Learning, Empowered Learning Environments, Actionable Assessment, and Transformational Leadership & Coaching.
New Website: As part of this rebrand, we also launched an updated website that reflects these changes and makes it easier for educators to navigate resources, explore workshops, and access blogs.
This refresh sparked a surge in creativity, enabling us to expand our resources, blogs, and workshops to better serve educators like you.
July: Welcoming Christine and Jacqueline
In July, we officially added Christine Trahms (Blogger) and Jacqueline Arce, Ed.D (Blogger & Curriculum Designer) to the ACP team. Their efforts have helped double our blog output and expand the resources we offer to educators.
August: Project Builder 2.0 Update
The release of Project Builder 2.0 in August introduced several improvements inspired by user feedback and insights from our February workshop and subsequent in-person workshops. Updates included a more intuitive interface, new features for project customization, and tools to enhance the user experience, making the platform even more accessible and effective for educators. We loved the improvements so much that we let anyone get a free week's trial to test it out.
October: Single-Point Rubrics Added
Our largest request with our platform was the desire to have a rubric created based on the project plans. Hacking this prompt was a labor of love, but we stuck with it, and our coders made it happen. By October, we introduced single-point rubrics to The Project Builder. This new feature allows teachers to streamline assessment, focusing on meaningful learning goals while maintaining flexibility in how students demonstrate their understanding. As with the intent of The Project Builder, it's meant to give a starting point and be personalized by the user.
November: Welcoming Tara and Cheryl
We welcomed Tara Harvey and Cheryl Dobbertin to the ACP team in November. Their expertise will enhance our blog offerings in 2025, bringing fresh perspectives and ideas to our growing platform.
Additionally, Kristy Lathrop transitioned to Director of Facilitation and Engagement, and Gina Olabuenaga, Ed.D., assumed the role of Director of Professional Learning, further strengthening our leadership team as we grow. Their work with other organizations allows them to bring fresh insights and cutting-edge practices to ACP, helping us stay innovative and responsive.
The three of us have worked together in some capacity for over 10 years, and it’s been such a joy to continue collaborating and growing alongside them. The trust, shared experience, and unique perspectives we bring make us a stronger team, helping us drive growth and better support educators. I am always amazed at the innovation, and I shouldn't be. When you surround yourself with the right people, ideas flow, benefiting the collective whole. While our professional lives pull us in different directions, I am lucky that ACP will always keep us together at the same time.
Looking Ahead to 2025
The journey for us doesn't stop here in 2024! We have so much planned for 2025, and we're excited to continue building on this momentum:
✨ Consistent Blogs: We’ve grown from monthly blogs in 2023 to biweekly in 2024, and we’re working toward delivering fresh insights and resources more frequently during the school months in 2025.
✨ First Thursday Webinars: Starting next school year, we’ll periodically host free webinars on the first Thursday of the month during the school year, focusing on key topics educators care about.
✨ Self-Paced PBL Reimagined: We're developing a self-paced version of our popular workshop, making it easier for educators to engage with The Project Builder and learn about PBL at their convenience.
✨ PD Resource Library: A new library of professional development tools is on the way to help teachers strengthen projects using The Project Builder.
✨ Leadership Tools for Sustainability: A leadership-focused version of The Project Builder will help school and district leaders map out sustainable professional development plans.
✨ Leadership Development PD: Schools will soon have access to turnkey PD packages, complete with slides, notes, and outcomes, empowering them to grow their in-house leadership capacity.
Thank You for Being Part of This Journey
Your support, feedback, and engagement inspire us every day. What started as a way for Gina, Kristy, and me to support educators during the pandemic has grown into something far greater—and it’s YOU who inspires us to continually improve.
The growth we’ve achieved this year—launching new features, refining our tools, and expanding our offerings—has all been guided by you, our incredible community. As we reflect on this year in review, your feedback has shaped ACP into what it is today, and we’re excited to continue evolving to help you be responsive to the unique needs of your schools and classrooms in the year ahead.
Here’s to another year of innovation and collaboration! Together, we will keep transforming education and empowering learners and leaders.
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