Some schools just have a feel to them. You notice it right away. When I visited the American Overseas School of Rome (AOSR), it didn’t feel like a place where students were just getting through the day. It felt alive. Kids were engaged, teachers were connected, and the whole campus gave off a sense of purpose.

A first grader proudly walked me through his art project made of recycled materials. A high school student was rehearsing a presentation on global economics. Everywhere I turned, learning wasn’t just happening. It was being owned.