Punahou welcomed three special guests last week – Pixar Animation Studios veterans Tony DeRose and Elyse Klaidman, along with Khan Academy veteran Brit Cruise – for a three-day residency hosted by Case Accelerator for Student Entrepreneurship.
The talented trio met with nearly 2,000 students in grades K – 12 to share knowledge and expertise in digital storytelling, as well as to introduce the educational tech startup they co-founded, called X in a Box, along with their digital storytelling course, Story Xperiential. They also engaged with faculty, staff and small groups of students.
Their time at Punahou culminated in three simultaneous public evening events for the community on Friday. During the events, Klaidman discussed the art and story behind Pixar’s films, while DeRose delved into the science behind the animation magic. Cruise shared about new educational experiences in the age of AI, and gave an inside look at how the free digital education platform, Khan Academy, partnered with Pixar to create the online course, “Pixar in a Box.”
The residency was a valuable opportunity for the Punahou community to hear directly from experts in a creative field, who undoubtedly sparked imaginations and inspired new passions.