Deborah Kenny: Student Agency, Intrinsic Motivation & Ethical Purpose

In Season 11 Episode 14, Hayley Spira-Bauer sits down with Deborah Kenny, CEO and Founder of Harlem Village Academies, to explore what it truly means to educate a child beyond test scores. Drawing from decades of leadership and her new book The Well-Educated Child, Deborah shares a refined philosophy centered on quality thinking, student agency, and ethical purpose. She reflects on her journey building HVA, the importance of cultivating intrinsic motivation and a love of reading, and the need to move beyond compliance-driven schooling toward deeper, intellectually rich learning experiences. The conversation emphasizes developing students who are curious, independent thinkers with a strong sense of purpose in a rapidly evolving and complex world.