Pine Crest commenced a three-day Innovation Festival in collaboration with LSE Generate and The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) on January 8, 2025. This event was available to all Pine Crest Upper School students, faculty, and staff. Various London School of Economics alumni, faculty, and representatives from around the world joined Pine Crest Upper School students, faculty, and staff to host discussions and presentations on myriad topics of interest. This was a wonderful initiative for Pine Crest students to learn from leaders in various industries, propose entrepreneurial ideas, and join in a series of informative meetings.  Pine Crest students appreciated this unique opportunity.  

Additionally, the Innovation Festival highlighted how Pine Crest fosters an entrepreneurial mindset throughout the student experience.  Mrs. Keri Kolettis, Vice President of Global Innovation and Entrepreneurship, explained, “Our goal is that we see entrepreneurship in every class.”  In this regard, Mrs. Kolettis works closely with faculty and school leadership to identify and implement opportunities to include entrepreneurial education or opportunities throughout the school. For example, these concepts are pursued in the lower, middle, and upper school and applicable experiences at the school.  Additionally, the goals of the Global Innovation and Entrepreneurship initiatives are fostered by events such as those included in the Innovation Festival.  As explained by Mrs. Kolettis, “This is just the beginning of our partnership with LSE.  We have many initiatives that place entrepreneurship and innovation in front of our Upper School students.”

In this regard, Pine Crest seeks to provide every opportunity to its students to enhance skills that can be responsive to and address actual challenges, whether they are on a global or local scale, and whether they are currently known or arise in the future.  This approach is designed to build both adaptability and resiliency in students so that Pine Crest students possess the advanced skills and insight to be effective leaders and innovators in an ever-evolving future and global landscape.