165. Kaelynn Liu (14) and Landon Zhou (17) - International School Manila, Futures Committee

The International School Manila, or ISM, is a K–12, nonprofit international school located in Bonifacio Global City in Metro Manila, serving more than 2,000 students from over 90 countries. With a curriculum grounded in American and international frameworks and culminating in the International Baccalaureate Diploma, ISM is designed to prepare students for top universities around the world. But beyond its academic rigor, the school is increasingly asking a deeper question, which is: What does it mean to be truly future ready? Through initiatives like its Futures Committee, ISM is working to become a more responsive, relevant, and student-centered learning community. My guests today are Kaelynn Liu, age 14, and Landon Zhou, age 17, both students at ISM and members of the school’s Futures Committee, where student voice is not just included, but elevated. Kaelynn is a deeply reflective, globally minded learner who brings intellectual curiosity and moral clarity to questions about identity, purpose, and the design of school. Landon is an experienced student leader whose engagement comes alive in real-world contexts, from organizing large-scale events to service work, and who speaks with honesty about growth, pressure, and what it means to become someone others can rely on. Together, Kaelynn and Landon offer a compelling window into student agency and what young people think about this thing we call school. Robert Landau, a former guest on this show and ISM’s Futures Committee consultant wrote the following for this episode: “As a consultant working with the Futures Committee at the International School Manila, my role is to help the community explore what it truly means to be a future-ready school. The Futures Committee guides The International School Manila’s journey toward a more relevant, responsive, and empowering education, preparing students not just for the world as it is, but for the world they will shape and inherit. One of the most important decisions we made was to include student voices at the table, not as participants, but as partners. Kaelynn and Landon embody everything we hope for in a future-ready learner: they speak with authenticity, question with courage, and engage others with purpose. They don’t just represent students; they elevate the conversation. Working alongside them gives me real hope that the future is not something to fear, but something already being shaped by remarkable young people like them.” As always you can reach me at [email protected]. You can also reach me on LinkedIn. My talented audio engineer is SOZEN Sound's Evan Kurohara. Our theme music is provided by pianist, Michael Sloan.