Get to Know the Xperiential Educator Advisors: Brigitta Wright

I grew up in the Northwestern Suburbs of Chicago and graduated from Wheaton College with degrees in English and Secondary Education. While in college, I suffered a traumatic brain injury, which fueled a deep passion for helping students who, like myself, sometimes struggle to thrive in a traditional classroom environment.

After graduation, I taught high school English at a college preparatory school, Wheaton Academy, for six years, during which I became deeply committed to cross-curricular education. Hearing students constantly question the purpose of their assignments—complaining that they would never use what they were learning outside of the classroom—a physics colleague, Katelyn Johnson (also part of the Educator Advisory Board), and I set out to show them a very real and exciting purpose behind their learning.

We collaborated on a freshman-wide unit that combined English and Physics and ultimately led us to connect with Khan Academy's program, "Pixar in a Box." This unit not only ignited a spark of passion for many of our students in both subjects but also made me passionate about teaching animation and game design, which eventually led to collaborating with Xperiential.

Teaching animation as an English teacher is particularly rewarding because it offers a whole new approach to story analysis. While many students struggle to find joy in reading traditional texts, nearly all students enjoy animated films. This opens up entirely new and engaging possibilities in class for studying story structure, discussing complex themes, and learning about the art of storytelling.

How I first learned about Story Xperiential

While planning our cross-curricular unit, we discovered Khan Academy's "Pixar in a Box" resources and the accompanying "The Science Behind Pixar" museum exhibit. After utilizing these resources and taking our students to the exhibit, we had the opportunity to hear Elyse Klaidman speak at a conference and connect with her directly. "Pixar in a Box" evolved into "X in a Box," and then into what we now know as Xperiential. It has been a true privilege to witness its growth and evolution into the exceptional program it is today.

Students working on a stop-motion project.

Students drawing trees

Students working on projects stemming from Xperiential

What convinced me to use Story Xperiential in My Classes/Schools 

Xperiential is a project-based masterpiece that is fully standards-aligned and expertly covers the core concepts we are already teaching in English class. It is not an additional burden placed upon teachers; rather, it is an incredible support system designed to reinforce classroom instruction in an extremely engaging and purposeful way. We live in a revolutionary time period for education and simply cannot continue to do things the way they have always been done. Programs like Xperiential represent the future of education—it is a phenomenal resource that consistently engages students and excites educators to teach.

Why I decided to become an Educator Advisor

I so strongly believe in and align with Xperiential’s mission that becoming an Educator Advisor was a natural choice. I love the vital work this company does and appreciate the opportunity to collaborate with and support their leaders. I value the chance to hear their ideas and help them understand how to apply those concepts to the classroom from the perspective of someone in the field every day. Additionally, I believe this type of experiential learning is not just fun, but essential in our modern world. 

Students presenting their work to their classmates

What I enjoy most about being an Educator Advisor

I deeply enjoy collaborating with brilliant minds. There are so many incredibly talented and thoughtful people running Xperiential, and it is rewarding to work alongside and learn from them. I also appreciate the opportunity to connect with other educators who share similar goals as learning from their insights and experiences helps me continually improve as a teacher.

Student projects!

A standout moment as an Educator Using Story Xperiential

Our school has a dedicated Maker’s Lab, which is home to our engineering and design classes. Prior to incorporating Xperiential into my curriculum, female representation in those classes and that space was noticeably low. After integrating Xperiential into the curriculum, the lab was nearly overflowing with young women who realized they could be incredible scientists and engineers.

Xperiential is not only fun and engaging, but it is actively opening up doors for students to discover talents and passions they may not have otherwise realized. It powerfully demonstrates that learning is fun, purposeful, and allows you to make a meaningful impact.