296. Building Citywide Learning Ecosystems with Belén Quellet
From Learning Unboxed by Annalies Corbin & NOVA Media
February 16, 2026 · 32 min
About this episode
Belén Quellet discusses transforming Falls Church, Virginia into a citywide learning ecosystem that emphasizes community involvement and real-world problem solving.
In this episode of Learning Unboxed, we’re joined by Belén Quellet, Executive Director of The Learning Quest, to explore what it really looks like to turn an entire city into a learning environment. Belén shares how Falls Church, Virginia is becoming an open-walled learning ecosystem where curiosity, repair, and real-world problem solving guide learning far beyond the classroom. Together, we dig into learner voice, community partnerships, and why experiences like repair clinics, education passports, and local internships matter just as much as traditional academic pathways. Belén also reflects on shifting definitions of success, the future of work, and the importance of helping parents reimagine what learning can look like for their children. This conversation is a thoughtful look at how communities can stitch together existing resources to support agency, exploration, and lifelong learning. Join us to explore what’s possible when learning truly belongs to everyone. To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.org We unbox: What a citywide learning ecosystem looks like in practice How repair and sustainability spark curiosity and problem solving Elevating learner voice through real…
People in this episode
Guest: Belén Quellet
Topics covered
- citywide learning ecosystems
- community partnerships
- learner voice
- repair clinics
- education passports
- local internships
- shifting definitions of success
- future of work
- lifelong learning
Keywords
- learning environment
- curiosity
- sustainability
- agency
- exploration
Mentioned in this episode
Places: Falls Church, Virginia
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