The 16:1 year in review episode for 2025-26 is a creative audio essay co-authored by hosts Katie Day and Chelsea Adams. Set during graduation season, this fictional narrative dedicated to teaching and learning explores quiet moments of a school year’s end: bittersweet transitions, the unseen labor of educators, and anticipation for what comes next. Join us for this creative departure as we take a summer break. We look forward to returning in Fall 2026 with new episodes. Thanks for listening!

In this episode, we examine an ambitious social experiment: the Harlem Children’s Zone (HCZ), a 100+ block area in New York City where an educational philosophy of place-based intervention is being played out. Founded by a charismatic social entrepreneur named Geoffrey Canada, HCZ is a non-profit pursuing an elusive goal: break cycles of intergenerational poverty in Central Harlem with an all-encompassing “cradle to career” support pipeline for students and their families. As Harlem undergoes major economic transformation marked by an influx of global retailers and luxury developments, families within the Zone are wondering: Can neighborhood revitalization coexist with social equity, or does the very success of these interventions accelerate the displacement of the families they were meant to serve?

For a full list of episode sources and resources, visit our website.

Harlem Children's Zone

Waiting for "Superman" - Wikipedia

William Julius Wilson - Wikipedia

Harlem Children's Zone - Wikipedia

Resources PNI

20 more communities chosen in 2011 for the Promise Neighborhoods Program, inspired by the Harlem Children’s Zone®

HCZ Promise Academy Charter Schools

Geoffrey Canada - Wikipedia

Michelle Rhee - Wikipedia

Supporting kids from cradle to career in Central Harlem | Stanford Graduate School of Education

Long-Time Residents Regret Changes in Harlem.

Gentrification – Harlem 350.

Manhattanville Campus Plan

Columbia University proposes the Manhattanville in West Harlem Rezoning and Academic Mixed

The Harlem Children’s Zone: Revitalizing Our Nation Through Education

84M341/HS - 2019-20 School Quality Snapshot - Online Edition - New York City Department of Education

Geoffrey Canada's Biography

A focused exploration of learning leadership in education, schools, organizations, and civic spaces.

Effective leadership emerges from more than simply holding a position of authority; it is a continuous process of learning, adaptation, and cultivating the self and others within an organization. In this episode, we examine educational frameworks that aim to cultivate successful leadership in various contexts, from rigorous principles of military leadership to the sometimes unstructured approaches of social enterprise. We’ll talk about the tension between remaining deeply attached to a mission or to being a certain type of educator and the necessity of preparing others to carry our missions forward.

For a full list of episode sources and resources, visit our website.