What happens when you stop treating the community as a “field trip” destination and start treating it as a classroom? In this special episode, we are joined by Dr. Lisa Bonelli, the assistant principal at Hume-Fogg Academic High School in Nashville, and three of her students: Melanie, Allison and Neve.

Hume-Fogg is a high-achieving academic magnet, but their secret sauce isn’t just test scores—it’s purpose. We explore how they bridge the gap between rigorous academics and real-world relevance by getting students out of their seats and into the world.

Key Discussion Points

• The “Beyond the Walls” Philosophy: How Hume-Fogg uses its downtown Nashville location to turn the city into a living laboratory.
• Student Voice & Agency: Hearing directly from Melanie, Allison and Neve on what it feels like when your personal passions are reflected in the curriculum.
• The “Professional Hug” of Support: How leadership can empower teachers to take instructional risks without fear of logistical failure.
• Interdisciplinary Learning: Breaking down the silos between subjects to show students how the world actually works.

Featured Guest

Dr. Lisa Bonelli is a veteran educator and leader at Hume-Fogg Academic High School. She will be a featured presenter at the 2026 Making Schools Work Conference in Nashville, where she will dive deeper into strategies for student ownership. 

Melanie, Neve and Allison are students at Hume-Fogg Academic High School and are all members of the media club, to which Bonelli is the advisor.

You can find this episode on Apple, Spotify, YouTube Podcasts, Amazon Music or wherever you listen to your podcasts.