Eric Scroggins on Heart Move Magic podcast

Eric Scroggins on Taking on the St. Louis City Public School System

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Eric Scroggins is the Founder and CEO of The Opportunity Trust, an organization working to ensure everyone who calls St. Louis home is prepared to thrive. Eric and his team have big plans to address the issues holding us back and to amplify the bright spots.

About Eric Scroggins

Eric is the founder and CEO of The Opportunity Trust. He's on a mission to ensure that all young people have access to the same opportunities he did through his nonprofit.

Visit The Opportunity Trust website

"The change strategy is rooted in the principles around how you can lead change and then we help amplify that. It's about clarifying what's possible."

Eric Scroggins

Show Notes

Today I’ll be talking with Eric Scroggins, Founder and CEO of The Opportunity Trust, an organization working to ensure everyone who calls St. Louis home is prepared to thrive. As we all know, the world’s economy and job markets are changing, and like many cities who were at the top of their game during the height of the industrial era, St. Louis struggles to keep up. Eric and his team have big plans to address the issues holding us back and to amplify the bright spots. (And there are some bright spots!) So where are they starting? One of the thorniest and most important issues of all: St. Louis’ public education system.

As you’ll hear, Eric is uniquely qualified to lead this charge. He’s the first in his family to go to college; attending Washington University in St. Louis opened his eyes to the opportunities that come along with a world class education. After graduation, he joined Teach for America and went to work in the New York Public School System. His time in New York schools was transformative and heartbreaking and also eerily similar to the things he sees in St. Louis education today. Eric’s got a long career in education and has come back home at an exciting time in St. Louis.

My conversations with Eric are always deep and interesting and I’m struck by how strategic every single one of his decisions is. You can learn more on the Opportunity Trust website: https://theopportunitytrust.org/ I hope you enjoy!