How a Huntington Bank program is inspiring educators to reimagine their classrooms

Last spring, Huntington Bank invited educators from across the Twin Cities to the Mall of America to hear pioneering educator Ron Clark speak.

For Hopkins Middle School social studies teacher Mike Zrust, it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to hear from someone so well-respected in the education field for his pioneering methods.

But what Zrust and the other educators at the event didn’t know was that they’d all been selected for a scholarship to see Ron Clark’s work in action.

This past summer, Zrust and the other educators at the event traveled to Atlanta, Georgia to the Ron Clark Academy, where they’d have a chance to visit classrooms, learn about Ron Clark’s teaching philosophies and strategize ways to implement what they’d learned at their own schools.

The scholarships are part of Huntington’s Ignite the Classroom initiative, which was created in 2024.

The initiative came to Minnesota earlier this year, starting with the kick-off at Mall of America. Along with a cohort from across the country, almost 100 educators from Minnesota traveled to the Ron Clark Academy as part of the initiative.

Learning from a world-renowned program

Immediately, Zrust said he was struck by the enthusiasm the Ron Clark students exhibited.

“Just walking through the halls, the energy was palpable. The school was just humming with excitement,” Zrust said.

In the classrooms, Zrust saw students who were engaged in the lessons and who weren’t afraid to challenge themselves. Best of all, Zrust said teachers at the Ron Clark Academy had fostered an environment where students supported each other.

During the three-day visit, Zrust had already started to think about things he saw that might work for his own students back in Hopkins.

One thing that stood out to him was how invested Ron Clark students seemed in what they were learning. The key? The students saw themselves in what they were being taught.

“It’s just a different way for them to be able to see themselves in what they’re learning. They look at how what they’ve experienced impacted them, much like how, for example, World War II impacted the United States,” Zrust said.

Ignite the Classroom participants are also encouraged to collaborate with each other throughout the year with follow-up meetings and events.

Bringing the lessons home

In order to have the broadest impact on the schools that participate, Huntington has included both teachers and administrators from participating schools in the initiative.

“It was important that the people we sent down were not just a group of educators, but administrators, too. It helps ensure that they can implement things that they see as a group, and that they can do it their way,” said Mike Maeser, Huntington Bank’s Minnesota regional president.

The trip inspired her and other educators at the school to update the “house” system, where students are sorted into different houses to compete with the others for points and rewards.

Now, instead of dividing houses by grade level, Eagle Ridge Academy houses include students of all grades. This has helped build a stronger sense of teamwork and camaraderie among all students, Madigan said.

“Now, we have these kids who are in the hallway, and they’re like, ‘Hey, you’re in my house. We’re going to make sure that we do this together,’” Madigan said.

Ultimately, it’s up to each educator and school to decide what works best for them. But no matter what they take away from the initiative, Maeser said it’s about giving educators the support and recognition they deserve.