User:Jacob.Walker/Blog/2026-03-02 My Adjacent Possibles

ⸯⸯWhen nothing is known, anything is possibleⸯⸯ—Margaret Drabble

Despite my ability, at times, to be a great public speaker, I am an introvert by nature. This does not mean that I don't like socializing, it means that it requires extra energy to communicate, because I care deeply about doing so.

Further, I have an agile life, where possibilities are all around, and I swing from one to another like vines in a jungle. So what was my immediate direction yesterday, is often no longer my tactic today. Yet my aim remains the same: to have a better humanity through us all learning better; AKA education.

And so it is now again. I have been planning for "van life" to lower my expenses and time/focus requirements so that I would dedicate this time/focus to EducateONE. And that is still a strong pull, for part of my kid dreams, especially because right now there is an opportunity to purchase an EV cargo van (Mullen ONE) at an extremely affordable price.

Yet two other opportunities have become "adjacent possibles" and if I am to stay true to my compass of truly having the rest of my life being to fulfill the work of profoundly transforming education, these both are ones I should take, and so I am.

Mississippi

Many folks may wonder why I might wander to Mississippi??? — Jacob Walker

Despite national politics, Mississippi has the possibility of providing a fertile environment to build EducateONE greater. First, it is more open than California to true education reform based on evidence, as can be seen with the "Mississippi Miracle" with the science of reading. And it is far more fair in terms of policy about starting charter schools, than California.

And it is the possibility of starting a charter school there that is the primary reason it would be a good strategic next step in the fulfillment of EducateONE. Especially, because my good friend Doreen Myrie wants to start a charter school there.

It also could provide other resources I need personally, such as being able to buy an affordable house in Yazoo, and the potential of a day job at Jackson State University.

Indeed, I applied for the Software Application Systems Administrator position there, although as of writing this, I have not heard anything back from them, except for the automated message saying my application was submitted.

Although honestly, it is the day-job possibility that is the primary reason I'm not as enthusiastic about this possibility. My meh is not about the specific job. I'm highly qualified for the role. It is that any day job that does not have a great amount of true synergy with the work for EducateONE is something that is distracting me from fulfilling my obligation to take the trust and resources people have invested in me and use them for the highest good, that I know is a real possibility.

You very well may be saying "WHAT⁉️ The job is exactly what you need Jacob". And yes, I do need financial resources to fulfill this work. But money is highly variable within one's life; time 'til death is much more consistent. And, think of those who have had their teachings last the longest, such as Siddhartha Gautama or Jesus of Nazareth did not have money as the primary resource that brought their message to so many. And while I am not trying to compare myself to them, their examples are worth considering.

I also don't place high probability on being chosen for the job. I am more than qualified, but there are many ways I could be discriminated out: from my broad background diluting their understanding of my capabilities, to age discrimination of being "over qualified", to even the potential of "reverse discrimination" as JSU is a HBCU.

But, the possibility of a charter school that can be a platform to build EducateONE's fuller vision makes this worthwhile more than Van Life.

But, Finland might be even better...

Finland

Finland is to education like Silicon Valley is to technology — Jacob Walker

Olga Evans, our Chief Academic Officer, is currently in Norway (ok, at the time I'm writing this, she is actually in a different European country, but that is likely temporary). And being able to work together in-person towards EducateONE fulfillment, would be great.

But Europe is not cheap like Mississippi. And the synergy of just being in-person is not that much greater than that of being remote. So it was not something I was considering as much, until a serendipitous opportunity has come forth: an education symposium in Finland.

For those not deep into the global education landscape, Finland has one of the best education systems in the world. Not only judged by test scores (which isn't always the best way to judge education), but by happiness of its citizens, employability, and many other metrics.

And so when Olga said she was invited to a symposium there to potentially present, and asked me to join, this swung the balance of my decision making. Especially as she told me about "phenomenon-based learning"; something I am surprised I had not heard of before, because it is exactly what EducateONE's Circles of Context is.

And so right now I am working deeply on writing a conference paper to present there, and getting my logistics together to go in May. My hope is that the presentation will lead to connections with people on a similar wavelength that can lead to a fellowship to finish my doctorate in Finland. This would be the greatest synergy, if it came true, because the doctorate would be on EducateONE's work, and I would have living expenses with it. Although, to be clear, no one has offered this to me, not even suggested it: so it is purely something with some plausibility, but I don't know how much possibility until I go.

But What of Global SchoolONE?

While going between the possibilities of where my life goes next, Global SchoolONE is moving forward. An AI Developer Diploma is in development by us. We have the ability to start at nearly any time, but we need 10 US highschool students to be part of the program. It would great to partner with an existing school, such as Salam Center, to have their students co-enrolled in our program, but we could also simply have 10 students from across the US (or world if they are US citizens).

Although to be clear, this program isn't only for US residents and/or citizens, but for us to gain the recognition we need to serve our international students, we need at least 10 from the United States.

So, when I write next, it is likely that one of the life paths will have come to fruition as my path, and the AI Developer Diploma program has actually started.