Living an Epic Life with AJ Donaldson - Episode 241
The system doesn’t work. And even worse, we are seeing the symptoms of an educational system that has failed us and fractured our children and society. It’s ugly out there. When the education system is treated as an industry, profit is put above the growth of every student. This is why mentorship and community involvement has become more valuable today than it has ever been. There are paths today that put dreams and wellbeing above all else.
AJ is a passionate educator. As a student, he did everything right, qualifying for a college football scholarship by way of a stellar academic record. Graduated with a Master’s degree and took every suggested path the system gave him. You couldn’t ask for a more shining prospect than AJ but in the end, he came out of university with a large debt. It was baffling. Almost immediately AJ began tutoring to eke by but just as fast as he started, he quickly realized the deeper value his passion can offer in mentorship. Enter the EPIC foundation, his concept that the current education system isn’t the only path. That today, there are dozens of options that allow individuals to follow their dreams without being burdened by debt. The best part of it all, it no longer has to be at the expense of mental health.
It’s a game-changing concept but one that isn’t new. In fact, it’s the very concept that challenges the system today. A call to step up and change the old ways. “It takes a village to raise a child” is perhaps society’s most important and most forgotten guiding principle. The system is set up so we can’t afford to mold and transform children into the best they can be but instead turn them into how they can make the best money for a society that has forgotten them. Today, AJ (along with other men of purpose) looks to change the flawed system and reach out and pull up the less privileged and pay it all forward. Because everyone deserves a quality education, better yet, everyone deserves great mentorship because we are all great.
The enthusiasm in this episode is contagious. We are losing passionate educators every day at a time when we need them most. Fortunately, we have communities like ours that have mentors who share a similar purpose of uplifting each other through episodes like 173 and 209
In this episode, you will learn about
00:02:00 You’re not alone
00:05:29 Growing up without a father
00:07:29 Breaking resentment
00:11:39 College football and the systematic agenda
00:18:08 The dangers of isolation
00:21:56 Seeking out mentors
00:26:35 We need to build our men
00:29:32 Mentors not tutors
00:34:02 Educators that make an impact
00:36:15 The start of AJ’s mentor/tutor company
00:42:47 Over romanticized educational system
00:45:05 The greatest teachers care
00:47:44 The EPIC Foundation
00:50:03 Stepping up and being part of the solution
00:51:48 Multiple options outside of school
00:54:49 The rejected products in the assembly line
00:59:41 Reach back, pull up, pay it forward
01:01:09 The unbiased truth
Connect with AJ Donaldson on:
Websites: https://www.epicsouthflorida.org/
Instagram: @epicsouthflorida
Facebook: EPIC SFL