At the Learning Counsel’s Learning Futures & Tech Media Meeting in Indianapolis, held at MSD of Warren Township, Michele Guyer, Director of Warren Online Academy, delivered a powerful message that cut through the noise of rapid technological change. While AI dominated much of the national conversation, Guyer reminded attendees that the most crucial factor in any educational evolution remains the same: human connection.
She began her presentation with a personal reflection—one that many in the audience immediately related to.
“I had this experience just like a week ago where I was using an AI tool to try to create a professional-looking video,” she said. “I had spent all of three minutes, and I couldn’t get it to create this polished video the way I wanted. And I got really, really frustrated.”
It was only after stepping back that she realized how extraordinary that frustration was. A few months earlier, the idea of creating a complete video from a few words of text would have sounded like science fiction. Yet now, she was annoyed that it wasn’t perfect in minutes.
This moment, she explained, changed her perspective.
“I am cautiously optimistic about what this is gonna look like three months from now… who knows what my school’s going to look like five years from now,” she said. “But what I feel confident about is that the most important element in any conversation around technology is the human element.”
With that, Guyer shifted her presentation away from AI bells and whistles and toward something far more foundational: the transformative power of connection.
A Story of Transformation: Arturo’s Journey
To ground her message, Guyer shared the story of one of her “favorite humans,” a former Warren Online Academy student named Arturo. His journey, she said, represents exactly why human-centered innovation matters.
Arturo joined Warren Online Academy as a freshman after struggling in traditional school. His challenges were not academic—he was exceptionally bright—nor were they due to motivation. Rather, the sensory and social demands of in-person school had been overwhelming, leaving him disengaged and at risk of not completing high school.
“When I met Arturo’s dad, he said, ‘I’m very worried he’s not going to graduate high school,’” Guyer recalled.
Arturo initially leaned into the academy’s asynchronous online structure. He liked the independence and the ability to avoid overwhelming social environments. He did not want anything to do with Warren Online’s hybrid program.
But the staff took a human-first approach—starting small.
They asked: Can you join just one Zoom call?
Then: Can you meet just one teacher?
Then eventually: Could you try coming in one day a week?
He agreed, reluctantly. But it was enough. The relationships that formed through that slow, gentle process changed everything.
Fast-forward to senior year.
Arturo was not only engaging—he was thriving. He was choosing to come into the building multiple days a week. He enrolled at Walker Career Center. He earned technical honors. He received awards. And at graduation, he sat on stage as the Salutatorian of the Warren Online Academy Class of 2025.
“This kid is special,” Guyer said, “and I wanted to tell his story first because I want us to think about him when I talk about the innovations we’ve done.”
Innovation Begins with People
By opening with Arturo’s story, Guyer emphasized that innovation in education cannot start with tools, devices, or algorithms. It must start with people—specifically, with understanding their needs, challenges, strengths, and potential.
While Warren Online Academy embraces new technologies and explores AI’s evolving role, Guyer insisted that their purpose is not to replace human interaction but to enhance it.
“We have to amplify human connection,” she said. “No matter what types of technology are around us.”
Her presentation reframed the conversation:
AI isn’t the story. Human beings are.
And the goal of every new innovation—whether it’s a digital tool, a hybrid model, or a redesigned learning pathway—is to help students like Arturo find environments where they can thrive.
A Grounded Vision for the Future
In an era when technological change can feel like “wild horses stampeding,” as other presenters described earlier in the day, Guyer’s message served as a grounding reminder.
Innovation is not measured by how fast technology evolves—it’s measured by how deeply it supports the human beings at the center of learning.
With leaders like Michele Guyer steering the future of online and hybrid education, MSD of Warren Township continues to demonstrate what it truly looks like to build learning environments where every student can succeed—not by replacing human connection, but by elevating it.
Tune in for the full presentation below.
