Visiting Innovator Michael Tennant

On March 25, Steward welcomed Visiting Innovator Michael Tennant, founder and CEO of Curiosity Lab. Creator of the card game “Actually Curious,” and author of “The Power of Empathy,” Mr. Tennant dedicates his work to fostering deeper human connections. This schoolwide event aligned with Steward’s strategic plan initiative to expand the Bryan Innovation Lab program and impact and reinvigorate the Visiting Innovators program.

The day began with keynote addresses for Upper Schoolers and Middle Schoolers in the Lora M. Robins Theatre, where Mr. Tennant shared the inspiration behind “Actually Curious” and the importance of compassion and empathy.  

“My goal today is to illustrate that empathy can lead to connection, understanding, and personal growth,” he said. ‘Actually Curious’ can help you channel your emotions into purpose. You can hone your connection to your emotions so that they become your superpower!”

Onstage, a giant screen suddenly illuminated with a question from “Actually Curious”: What do you want to be when you grow up? and Mr. Tennant asked for volunteers to join him near the stage. Morgan Shigley ’25 ran up to the edge of the stage, grabbed a microphone, and shared that she has “always been interested in psychology and pursuing a career in that field, but throughout high school, my interest in criminal justice and criminology grew. I was stuck deciding what to study in college, so I combined the two fields. I plan to become a forensic psychologist.” 

As her classmates cheered, Mr. Tennant exclaimed, “Start light and level up!” He explained that the “Actually Curious” questions would be progressively more detailed (Who is someone who shaped who you are today, and why? and What are you willing to fight for, and why?). “That’s how you build trust,” he said, adding that the “science of connection” (cultivating safety; curious listening; and recognizing bias) is integral to effective communication. 

After the keynotes, Middle School and Upper School students and faculty gathered in small groups throughout campus to chat with Mr. Tennant, play “Actually Curious,” and engage in design thinking sessions. 

Design thinking begins with empathy interviews: great practice for improving dialogue skills. These skills align with Steward’s core values of care & respect, individuality, and civil discourse. The ideation and prototyping phases of design thinking align with our core values of innovation, inspiration, and academic achievement. 

“This was a great way for students to dive into the concepts of understanding others, effective communication, and creative problem-solving,” said Brad Kovach, Bryan Innovation Lab dean. “‘Actually Curious’ is a great model of the empathy interview process that is used in design thinking. The game includes examples of well-crafted, open-ended questions and gives students opportunities to practice curious listening.” 

Middle and Upper Schoolers then dove into a design thinking sprint. They crafted open-ended questions, conducted empathy interviews with each other, and engaged in rapid brainstorming sessions to come up with ideas to address each other’s concerns on a variety of topics. 

Laurel Kauffman ’30 said, “Mr. Tennant’s keynote was interactive, allowing us to add our perspectives to the conversation. He also shared personal aspects of his life so that we could better understand his ideas. I found it enjoyable to learn more about empathy and how to shut down your inner monologue and ‘listen to receive’ rather than ‘listen to reply.’”

 

When she played “Actually Curious” with her classmates, Laurel “could feel my ability to receive instead of reply improve. One of the questions was simple: ‘If you had your own amusement park, what kinds of rides and activities would you have?’ When I heard someone’s answer, I first felt a need to reply because their ideas seemed unrealistic. Instead, I just listened rather than say something argumentative. Learning about empathy has led me to keep a more open mind.” 

In the afternoon, Lower Schoolers met with Mr. Tennant in the Bryan Innovation Lab. Fifth grade Bryan Lab Ambassadors taught by Suzanne Casey wrote and delivered Mr. Tennant’s introduction.

“What do you want to be when you grow up?” asked Mr. Tennant, and hands shot up into the air. Mr. Tennant also asked students for examples of empathy and shared tips on how to be an active listener. The students then got to practice these skills with several rounds of questions from the “Actually Curious” game.

Mr. Tennant also hosted a public after-school Make and Take event on March 25 in the Bryan Innovation Lab. Families played “Actually Curious” and created their very own “Actually Curious” cards. Participants also delighted in a build-your-own snack bar (think: popcorn, nuts, M&Ms, pretzels, and marshmallows!) … it was a sweet ending to a day filled with discovery and teamwork.