I didn’t fully understand the power of thinking across borders until I moved to Vietnam.
It wasn’t just the language or the food or the hustle of scooters dodging through Hanoi streets.
It was the realization that while the West was chasing prestige, buzzwords, and “disruptions” — people in emerging markets were building fast, adapting faster, and solving problems that actually mattered.
I met local leaders who bootstrapped businesses with no safety net.
Youth more globally aware than many adults back home.
Communities that had skipped over outdated systems and were leapfrogging into the future.
That experience rewired how I saw opportunity — and how I saw youth.
Because here’s the thing: Climate. AI. Migration. Misinformation.
Every challenge that defines our generation is global, messy, and deeply interconnected.
But the way we educate young people?
Still siloed. Still local. Still preparing them for a world that no longer exists.
But FIRST
If you are new, welcome to OCE’s weekly newsletter curated for the ambitious youth…here are some articles you missed from previous weeks:
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That’s why I started OCE.
To introduce teens to the world early — and help them build the muscle of thinking across borders, cultures, and perspectives.
Not through simulations or hypothetical case studies.
But by co-creating with real founders in Southeast Asia solving real-world issues — right now.
Because here’s my long game bet:
The future will be built in emerging markets.
These aren’t “third world” countries.
They are fast-growing economies with young, mobile-first populations, hungry for innovation and ready to leapfrog the slow-moving systems of the West.
These are the places where:
- The next billion consumers are coming online.
- The median age is under 30 — fertile ground for digital-first innovation.
- Competition is lower, offering first-mover advantage to bold startups.
- And the cost of experimentation — talent, infrastructure, regulation — is dramatically more forgiving.
But what excites me most?
The resilience and creativity these environments demand.
Startups in Jakarta, Manila, Ho Chi Minh City — they don’t have the luxury of burning VC money to figure things out.
They build lean.
They build scrappy.
They build for real needs, not hypothetical ones.
That kind of necessity-driven innovation?
It’s not just relevant locally — it’s globally transferable.
And it’s the most important mindset a young person can build today.
At OCE, we’ve seen teens return from the program completely transformed.
Not just with a resume booster — but with a new compass.
One that orients them toward where the world is going, not where it’s already been.
Because the edge won’t go to those who memorize frameworks.
It’ll go to those who can move fluidly between worlds.
Who see connections others don’t.
Who are just as comfortable pitching a social enterprise in Singapore as they are leading a youth workshop in their local high school.
We’re not trying to create teen experts.
We’re building borderless thinkers.
The kind who will lead not just in North America — but across a world that’s radically interconnected.
This work is slow. It’s not flashy.
But it’s urgent.
And it’s my long game bet.
I’ll keep building — intentionally — with the teens who are bold enough to bet on it too.
Like what you read? Share with friends!
PS. This summer, we are going to tackle pressing global issues and drive innovation in regions (such as your own community) where it is needed the most. Want in?
We run a summer cohort for ambitious youth (high school and undergrads) to work directly with world-class founders while learning from Silicon Valley leaders.
You can also explore purposeful opportunities through our Impact Internship Opportunities Database.
Get Curious.
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Lena
https://www.openclassroomexperience.com/
