Welcome to the Creativity Crossroads, where imagination, wonder, learning, and creativity intersect! Part project showcase, part art and making lab, experience how educators from across the country are bringing the joy of learning to life through creativity. Join us for daily programming in the Creativity Crossroad, where you’ll find…

The Creators Collective
Wander through The Creators Collective, a showcase of original student works from the ISTE+ASCD community. See how educators have brought creativity, curiosity, and critical thinking to learning through an exploration of the students' projects. Engage with the projects through activities, learning prompts, or hands-on participation.

The Sunshine Studio
Imagine, experiment, and create in the Sunshine Studio with daily drop-in art making led by local artists and artist educators. Each day will bring a new hands-on activity to inspire your creative spirit. Drop in for 10 minutes or stay for an hour to participate in individual and community projects. Check the daily Creativity Crossroads Studio schedule for details.

Visit the Creativity Crossroads daily to connect with fellow creators in the ISTE+ASCD community. Your space to fuel creativity, celebrate joy in learning, and nurture your creative spirit through hands-on making!


The Creativity Crossroads is made possible by all of these amazing, creative, and innovative educators – thanks for sharing your and your students' creative works!

Alejandra Garza - Latin American School of Monterrey, Mexico
Amber Hinkel - Collier County Public Schools, FL
Carly Jezik, Virginia McNamara, Adrianne Grant - St. Joseph's School for the Deaf, NY
Carolina Seiden, Lark Keeler - Saint Andrew's School, FL
Christi Llanes - Oasis Elementary North, FL
Deann Poleon - Lake Shore CSD, NY
Emily Thomas - Northeast Metro Intermediate School District, MN
Heather Brown - East Coloma-Nelson Elementary School, IL
Jen Stauffer - Hopkins School, CT
Kathryn Hofmann - Timbers Elementary, TX
Katie Chirhart - South Highlands Elementary Magnet, LA
Kim Zajac, Manuel Herrera, Dan Ryder, Matthew Winters - Play, Create, Connect: A Universal Learning Space ISTE+ASCD Playground
Larissa Giacomán - St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School, VA
Marcela Silva - Irish International School, Mexico
Marina Pisto-Lombardo, Alana Winnick - Pocantico Hills Central School District, NY
SeungHee Joo - The School at Columbia University, NY
Tim Needles, Matt Dombrowski - Smithtown School District, NY & UCF School of Visual Arts & Design, FL

Move from AI theory to practice in this hands-on lab led by lower-school coaches. Build a personalized, AI-enhanced coaching artifact. You won’t just see examples—you will leave with a ready-to-use, differentiated resource, rubric, or parent communication plan that you create during the session.

Reflect and celebrate at the Closing Mainstage for ISTELive and ASCD Annual Conference 26! Focusing on the theme of "Elevate Reflection," this session examines how reflection on creative work, both the extraordinary and the everyday, helps students set goals and unlock their authentic expression.

Pixar Art Director, Character Designer, and Animator Deanna Marsigliese shares how educators can unlock creative potential and fuel innovation in their students. Through reflections on her career at Pixar, including work on "Inside Out," "Soul," "Luca," and "Inside Out 2," Marsigliese reveals the creative habits and practices that fuel her work, demonstrating how educators can create environments where students embrace intuition, seek unexpected connections, and find inspiration in familiar surroundings. She shares stories from key moments in her journey to illustrate how they shaped her creative process, inspiring educators to provide students with opportunities to learn from feedback, reflect on their growth, and develop authentic creative expression.

2024 California Teacher of the Year Casey Cuny invites educators to reflect on the extraordinary impact of their everyday work. A high school English teacher, instructional coach, and educator advocate working with National University and ASU, Cuny uses personal storytelling to guide educators from the limiting belief of "I'm just a teacher" to a deeper truth: each educator is an irreplaceable presence in countless students' lives.

This session will also feature Krynica Drake and Carolina Seiden, Ph.D. sharing 5-minute personal stories of transformation from their classrooms and schools. Their talks explore the quiet power of feedback, reflection, and growth, and the profound difference it makes when students are truly seen and supported in their learning journey. This session will also feature an appearance from ISTE+ASCD Board President-Elect Patricia Brown, Ed.D.