Interviewee: Mistral Dodson (She/Her)
In your words… Tell us about your organization, business, initiative.
The Phoenix School is a magical place where kids get to be curious about anything. It’s the building blocks to their future and how they interact with their surroundings. The Phoenix Philosophy is to meet each student where they are at and work to bring out the best in every child. The results are incredible and the environment is engaging every day. This is one of Salem’s best-kept secrets.
Tell us a bit about you and why you do what you do? Share your passions for your business, initiative, organization.
As a leader in outdoor Education for 15 years, I have seen how a kid’s self-confidence and empowerment can change with the right amount of being challenged to go outside of their comfort zone. Phoenix does this for kids in every aspect of their life. Their academics, sports, social-emotional, and community interactions. I believe The Phoenix Philosophy is a wonderful way for kids to become our future confident and bold leaders because they learned to believe in themselves in Kindergarten.
What role do you think your business plays in supporting a more creative community? OR your community in general. (Bonus! Why do you think a more creative community is important?)
The Phoenix School takes pride in its excellence in the visual and performing arts. We have a strong commitment to the development of creativity and artistic impression because we recognize the importance of this component in educating the whole student. Here, creativity IS the language of learning. Artist impression can often tell us more than the written word. Phoenix kids are fluent artists, rendering compositions that show the knowledge they have gained from research, reading, science, and even math and technology. The creative and visual arts are incorporated into every aspect of the curriculum.
What was the last book you read OR What was the last video you watched that made an impact on you?
I read I Am Malala with the 6th-8th graders and that was really profound for me, to meet this young lady, in a country where women aren’t supposed to speak out and she stood up for her rights and the rights of her fellow sisters.
What’s the one thing people would be surprised to learn about you our your business?
I think families are surprised to find a private school that doesn’t come with expansive land and facilities. Instead, we head out of the school boundaries and learn anywhere. At the Salem Common, PEM, Mac Park, the Salem YMCA, Salem State University, Glouster, Boston and so many more.
What is Creative Collective?
Creative Collective is a group of economic development strategists, small business supporters, activation specialists, and believers in the importance of the creative workforce. We foster growth, sustainability, and scalability for small businesses, creative thinkers, organizations, entrepreneurs, and innovators. Learn more and join Creative Collective at www.creativecollectivema.com/join
The Phoenix School
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Since the beginning of The Phoenix School in 1981, we have been committed to being a school near the heart of the city, not only to make use of community resources, but also to be a vibrant part of our neighborhood. Even at our current location on the edge of the downtown, Phoenix kids are still a part of the
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