Why Millions of Students Are Creating Together: Inside Crayola Creativity Week

What does it look like when creativity becomes a global learning movement—not an add-on, but a connector across every subject? In this episode of Shifting Schools, Tricia Friedman is joined by Cheri Sterman to explore Crayola Creativity Week, a free, cross-curricular program designed to help educators spark collaboration, confidence, and creative thinking in classrooms around the world. Together, they unpack how Creativity Week connects creativity to every subject and career, why celebrity partners—from the Property Brothers to NASA astronauts—volunteer their time to inspire students, and how this year's themes emphasize social-emotional skills like collaboration and confidence in one's own ideas. You'll also hear how: over 13 million students across 122 countries participated last year—and why participation is projected to exceed 20 million educators can access low-prep, high-impact resources available in multiple languages families are invited into the learning through at-home creative challenges and shared student galleries teachers can enter global sweepstakes, school grants, and creativity retreats designed to restore educator energy Whether you're a classroom teacher, librarian, school leader, or parent, this conversation offers a practical and hopeful look at how creativity can unite learning communities—and why it matters now more than ever. Explore printable thinking sheets, educator guides, and activity downloads designed to support creativity, collaboration, and confidence across grade levels and subject areas. https://www.crayola.com/learning/creativity-week