Jimmy Juliano

Educator/Teacher, Explorer, Writer/Editor

Greetings - I'm a TED-Ed Innovative Educator and an educational technologist at Lake Forest High School in Illinois. I collaborate with teachers to help them infuse digital tools and new ideas into the curriculum. I'm an ISBE state-certified technology specialist and hold a Master’s degree of Educational Psychology in Curriculum, Technology, & Education Reform (CTER) from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. I've helped to successfully integrate 1:1 Chromebooks and Google Apps into the classroom, and I'm focused on giving students a voice and choice in education.

hiking, kayaking, writing, books, movies, film scores, Cubs/Bulls and generally things that are nerdy.

I'm a proponent of visible education. Learners should share their knowledge and pay it forward through social media, blogs and websites. Digital CVs and online badges help learners move ahead professionally and in education, and I feel schools should push their students to construct and maintain rich and in-depth digital footprints.

TED Talks have always motivated me - as a writer, I constantly come back to J.J. Abrams's "Mystery Box" Talk. J.J's ideas about mystery being the catalyst to imagination has helped me immensely as a storyteller and as an educator. Catering to student curiosity and utilizing technology to engage and challenge are at the forefront of my educational principles. My appreciation for TED's mission led me to becoming a TED-Ed Club facilitator in 2014 and the primary organizer of TEDxLakeForestHighSchool in 2015. Our TEDxYouth event was my proudest moment in ten years of education. The students worked exceptionally hard on their Talks, and watching it all come together on our beautiful stage with an audience of young adults, parents, teachers and community members was truly inspiring. Now, as a TED-Ed Innovative Teacher, I look forward to continuing my journey with TED and giving students a voice and choice in education.

writing short stories. I dabble frequently in the horror/mystery genre, and I'm greatly inspired by folklore and urban legends. I've had many stories featured on the NoSleep horror podcast, and it's always a thrill to hear my stories come to life.