Today we’d like to introduce you to Randy Barth.
Randy, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
Before embarking on a career as an education entrepreneur, I had a successful business career for more than twenty years, first as an investment advisor with various major Wall Street firms and later as a corporate CEO. However, I knew there was a greater calling on my life. After hearing the pleas of mothers desiring safe afterschool programs for their children, I founded Think Together in 1997 to change the odds for kids. 20 years later, we are in over 50 school districts throughout California serving over 150,000 students. Think Together is working to provide a community where all kids get a great education that prepares them for college and career.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
No, it has not been a smooth road! In the early days, we had problems related to gangs and crime, zoning issues and efficient program development. As we got bigger, we’ve become more involved in systems change within public school districts which engages us with state and local politics, employee unions, and leadership across sectors. These disparate groups all have different ideas about how to benefit kids and, sometimes, themselves. And resources are a never-ending challenge.
California is home to one-third of all children living in poverty in the US – we have a tremendous sense of urgency to support these students. Given the large numbers, our resources are always stretched.
Think Together – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Think Together partners with schools to equip students with the tools they need to succeed through early learning, afterschool, summer and in-school expanded learning programs. Think Together has a unique approach to educational improvement with consulting services – provided through our affiliate partner, Principles Exchange – to support school districts in removing barriers to student achievement and accelerating learning for all students. Think Together provides programs throughout California: Los Angeles County, the Inland Empire, Orange County, San Diego County and the Bay Area. We have the privilege of witnessing thousands of kids beat the odds and succeed in school every year!
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
In his book 7 Habits, Stephen Covey talked about success in terms of “What do you want people to be saying about you at your funeral?”. A companion definition of success that resonates with me is “the progressive realization of worthy goals.” I founded an organization with the vision to help create excellence and equity in education for all kids. For me professionally, success is building an organization that makes regular progress, at both the individual student level and the systems level, toward this vision. On a personal level, success for me is about being the best husband, father, broader-family member, friend, neighbor, co-worker, and citizen that I can be. Those are the worthy goals that I am making progress toward and that’s what I’d like people to share about at my funeral.
Contact Info:
- Address: Think Together
2101 East Fourth Street Ste 200B
Santa Ana, CA 92705 - Website: www.thinktogether.org
- Phone: 714-543-3807
- Email: info@thinktogether.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thinktogether/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ThinkTogether/
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