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Formative education is about more than academic achievement – it’s about shaping the whole person. Every lesson, activity, and relationship plays a role in helping students develop across multiple dimensions. As educators, you have unique opportunities to engage students not only in academic learning, but also in becoming thoughtful, compassionate, and purpose-driven individuals.

We understand formative education as a complex, multidimensional process, grounded in the following key principles:

Wholeness – supporting students’ intellectual, emotional, ethical, and even spiritual growth.

• How do you create learning experiences that engage both students’ minds and emotions?Ìý
• In what ways do you nurture curiosity, character, and self-awareness?Ìý

Purpose – helping students discover who they are and how they want to contribute to the world.

• How do you connect classroom learning to students’ personal interests, values, or life goals?Ìý
• How do you help students recognize their capacity to make a meaningful difference beyond school?

Community – creating a sense of belonging and shared responsibility.

• How do you encourage collaboration, empathy, and a sense of responsibility for others?Ìý
• How do your students learn to foster belonging and make a positive difference in their classroom, school, or broader community?Ìý

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We welcome proposals that highlight how you nurture one or more of these dimensions and how they intersect in your practice.

We are seeking innovative projects that reflect your commitment to formative education in diverse K-12 settings. Whether at the classroom, school, or district level, your ideas can help shape a holistic approach to education and inspire others. This competition is your opportunity to showcase and expand the ways you support students’ growth as whole persons — and to join a community of educators committed to formative education.

Projects may take one of two forms:Ìý

• New Initiatives - ideas you will design and implement with grant support
• Existing Practices - strategies you are already doing that you wish to share, with the option to refine or expand

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Successful projects will:

• Align with one or more dimensions of formative education, and show how these dimensions intersect in practice
• Demonstrate innovation and creativity in advancing whole-person education
• Set clear, student-centered goals that can be measured and reflected upon
• Use creative, engaging approaches that spark curiosity and growth
• Be feasible to implement and adaptable by others
• Aim for lasting impact, not just a one-time event

Projects may include but are not limited to: (a) classroom innovations, (b) after-school or enrichment programs, (c) school-wide or district initiatives, (d) community-based partnerships, (e) family engagement projects, (f) student-led initiatives.Ìý

• Open to all K–12 educators, counselors, and school professionals (individuals or teams).
• Projects must be designed for your own classroom, school, district, or community program.
• Applicants should secure support from their principal or administrator.
• A signed media release form is required for participation.

Proposals (1000-1500 words) should include the following, tailored to the track that best fits your project:

• 10 projects will each receive $3,000.
• 2 outstanding projects will each receive $5,000.
• Awardees will be paired with a faculty mentor in the Boston College Lynch School of Education and Human Development for guidance tailored to their project – whether designing a new initiative or expanding an existing practice.
• All projects will be presented at the Final Showcase in June 2026 and may also be highlighted at other TLab events as part of a growing professional learning community.

• Oct 1, 2025: Call for proposals open
• Dec 1, 2025: Submission deadline

• December 2025: Review by TLab committee
• January 2026: Notification of awardees

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Spring 2026

AwardeesÌýwill work with mentors to develop, implement, or document their projects, depending on the track:

• New Initiatives - Awardees will design and carry out projects with grant support for the duration of the semester.
• Existing Practices - Awardees will document, refine, or expand on current practices and prepare to share them more broadly.

Summer 2026

• Awardees submit a short final report on outcomes, lessons learned, and future plans
• Projects may be presented or highlighted during TLab and Boston College events, such as conferences and colloquia
• Awardees are invited to attend a Summer Institute at Boston CollegeÌý

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Our review committee will evaluate proposals based on the following:

• Alignment with formative education principles (wholeness, purpose, community)
• Innovation and creativity in advancing whole-person education
• Clarity of goals and outcomes, with student-centered focus
• Feasibility of implementation and adaptability for other educators
• Potential for sustainability and long-term impact

Selected projects will represent diverse approaches to formative education and will highlight practices that can contribute to and inspire others in the field.Ìý