Woo Skin - Shop now
$9.99 with 37 percent savings
Print List Price: $15.95

Promotions apply when you purchase

These promotions will be applied to this item:

Some promotions may be combined; others are not eligible to be combined with other offers. For details, please see the Terms & Conditions associated with these promotions.

Sold by Amazon.com Services LLC.
You've subscribed to ! We will preorder your items within 24 hours of when they become available. When new books are released, we'll charge your default payment method for the lowest price available during the pre-order period.
Update your device or payment method, cancel individual pre-orders or your subscription at
Your Memberships & Subscriptions
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Follow the author

Aaron Smith
Follow
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

Blank Check: A Novel: What if You Were Asked to Help Reinvent Public Schools? Kindle Edition

by Aaron Smith (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.6 out of 5 stars 19 ratings
A fictional tale grounded in pure reality. Blank Check, an intriguing, inspirational Young Adult novel, that takes place on a fictional U.S. island.

After serving his country as an Army Ranger, high school principal Josiah Rollins quits in disgust over the broken educational system he can no longer serve. Little does he know this impulsive act would lead him to an unbelievable opportunity to change everything and serve his country and students in the way he had always dreamed.

Inspired and funded by a now billionaire war buddy, Josiah tests his educational theories in a place with low standards and poor student performance: the American Caribbean Islands.

The mission is simple: give teachers autonomy and freedom to teach and provide the community the power to make schools the center of their community. But many on the Island are not happy about the project, nor do they trust the white man selling them new ideas.

Within Blank Check, learn how Josiah wins over the people and the students, transforming the community and the economy into the American Dream.
Previous slide of product details
  1. Reading age
    Baby - 7 years
  2. Print length
    291 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Grade level
    8 - 12
  5. Publisher
    Morgan James Fiction
  6. Publication date
    May 5, 2020
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Not Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  10. ISBN-13
    978-1642798869
Next slide of product details

Editorial Reviews

Review

"What teacher, administrator, even parent,doesn't sometimes imagine how they would reshape the system if money were noobject and bureaucracy wasn't an issue? Blank Check, while fictitious, makes you wonder, 'what if?' andbegins the conversation that is long overdue."

--Leslie Polvado, Texas Representative, T.A.I. (TalentAssessment, Inc.)

"Education is a global topic. Dr. Smith uses a new way of expression to convey his understanding and suggestions for modern education to us. Although the story is fictional, I believe that on our planet, in the vast crowd, there must be many people like Colby in the book working for the change and development of education.

From ancient times until today, we have had different definitions and needs for talents indifferent eras. In response to these needs, we are also adjusting our educational methods and methods in a timely manner. Some of the key contents in this book provide solutions for current education issues. The ideas we draw on are worthy of our in-depth thinking and discussion.

Finally, I want to thank Dr. Smith for bringing new inspiration through this book, and I hope that the readers will gain different values upon reading it."

-- Steven Tong 佟执中, CEO, Shanghai Heng Zan Exhibition Services Co., LTD

"Blank Check--a must-read foranyone interested in teaming together to reinvent public education. Dr. Smith'sbook introduces a plan for addressing critical issues surrounding publiceducation. The time is here. The time is now."

--MauriceWoods,Chief Strategy & Operations Officer, Broward County Public Schools (Sixth largestschool district in the United States) and author of Audacious Social Impact: A Practical Guide to Building High-PerformingOrganizations That Deliver Great Social Value

"BlankCheckis a captivating, fast-paced, fictional presentation of a concept forremodeling an educational system where the author's holistic ideas show how to'replace and promote' an alternative educational system. Considerable thoughtand related research has been applied to the concept, which provides the readerwith a positive first-steps approach. A great read!"

--JohnCalver, MBE, Senior Imagineer at ImagineeringFutures

"We all have choices in life; but please remember there are ALWAYS consequences for those choices. To grow in life is to learn to make good choices."

--Dr. Don Bagwell,Youth Chairman, Tidewater Chapter of the Tuskegee Airmen and Chief Science Adviser at Intelligence In Motion Systems, Inc.
"The discussion of how education, especially math andscience should be taught, is important because of how it will impact our economyin coming decades. Dr. Smith's book gives us much to think about regardless ourposition."

--Lawrence P King,Publisher Stem News Chronicle

From the Author

St. Andrews Island
 
This story takes place on a fictional U.S. island, but the inspiration that evolves could help reshape public schools all over America. 

After serving his country as an Army Ranger, high school principal Josiah Rollins quits in disgust over the broken educational system he can no longer serve.Little does he know this impulsive act would lead him to an unbelievable opportunity to change everything and serve his country and students in the way he always dreamed he could. Inspired and funded by a now-billionaire war buddy,Josiah tests his educational theories in a place with low standards and poor student performance--the American Caribbean islands.

The mission is simple: Give teachers the autonomy and the freedom to teach and provide the community with the power to make schools the center of their community. But many people of color on the island are not happy about the project, nor do they trust off-islanders selling them new ideas. Learn how Rollins wins over the people and the students by transforming the community and the economy into the American Dream.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0881RXN5K
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Morgan James Fiction (May 5, 2020)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ May 5, 2020
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 13.0 MB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 291 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 out of 5 stars 19 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Aaron Smith

Aaron Smith

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Today, Dr. Aaron Smith enjoys active leadership of one of Virginia’s most visible and awarded STEM schools.

He leads Newport News, Virginia’s Denbigh High School Aviation Academy, with classrooms and laboratories at the Newport News Williamsburg International Airport, a school with affiliations to major business and industry throughout the region.

The magnet STEM school has received national recognition from hosting a live downlink with the astronauts on board the International Space Station to becoming a PRIME (Partnership Response In Manufacturing Education) School by the Society of Manufactured Engineers Education Foundation. Students can learn to fly, learn aircraft maintenance, airport management, air traffic control, and other aviation electives. Students are building an airplane in the terminal.

Dr. Aaron Smith’s books reveal his passion for STEM education and workforce development.

His first book, Awakening Your STEM School enables educators and business leaders to take their current school and modernize it into an elite STEM site.

Blank Check: What Would You Do If You Could Reinvent Education, is his Young Adult novel about a quest to build the perfect public school. Coming in Spring 2020!

A 2008 graduate of Old Dominion University with a Doctorate in Educational Leadership, Dr. Aaron L. Smith has over two decades of experience in the classroom as a mathematics teacher and administrator. His dissertation focused on comparing alternative teaching certification routes to that of traditional teaching certification in conjunction to SOL results.

Aaron has developed a passion for workplace readiness and STEM where he has shared his knowledge as an adjunct professor at Old Dominion University and Christopher Newport University.

He received the WHRO Public Television’s Technology Administrator Award and the Crystal Star Award from the National Dropout Prevention Center.

View his blogs at http://aaronsmithphd.com/feed

Follow him on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram - aaronsmithphd

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
19 global ratings

Review this product

Share your thoughts with other customers
Write a customer review

Customers say

Customers find the book interesting and thought-provoking, with one mentioning it serves as an eye-opener for parents. The story receives positive feedback, with customers describing it as exciting.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Select to learn more

5 customers mention "Book idea"5 positive0 negative

Customers find the book interesting and thought-provoking, with one customer noting it serves as an eye-opener for parents.

"...As a retired high school math teacher, I enjoyed how he put his ideas of improving education in a fictional setting with a good story...." Read more

"This book has some really good ideas and makes me wonder why we aren't doing more of this in our schools...." Read more

"Great book...an eye-opening book that dives into the problems with the American education system and how we can begin to change this system to be..." Read more

"A very good book to inspire students and those in educational careers...." Read more

4 customers mention "Story quality"4 positive0 negative

Customers find the book exciting, with one describing it as an eye-opening experience.

"...put his ideas of improving education in a fictional setting with a good story...." Read more

"...It was exciting, not knowing what would happen next and inspiring to "see" a young person transform an antiquated system into a new cutting edge..." Read more

"...Dr. Smith has written an entertaining novel that gives many excellent ideas of how to transform education for today’s youth." Read more

"Eye-opening Experience..." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Mrs. Bonnie Ould Lowe
    5.0 out of 5 stars Book for Educators
    Reviewed in the United States on May 14, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    I just finished Dr. Aaron Smith’s book, Blank Check. As a retired high school math teacher, I enjoyed how he put his ideas of improving education in a fictional setting with a good story. I understood how Josiah felt about fighting the system in order to help our children. If you are in a book club and are looking for an interesting and thought provoking book, I highly recommend Blank Check.
    Helpful
     Report
  • Tina Hawley
    5.0 out of 5 stars Imagine the Possibilities
    Reviewed in the United States on May 15, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    This is an exciting book, although it may be categorized as young adult literature as a 30 something I genuinely enjoyed it. It was exciting, not knowing what would happen next and inspiring to "see" a young person transform an antiquated system into a new cutting edge take on education. Give it a go, you will not be disappointed.
    Helpful
     Report
  • Julie C. Flaugher
    2.0 out of 5 stars Great idea, poor execution
    Reviewed in the United States on August 24, 2023
    This is the first book in thousands that I almost didn't finish. From the first chapter on (never gets better) it's full of poor writing and typos, which makes it difficult to invest in the characters or the story (both of which are supposed to be experts in such things). On the other hand, there are gems of ideas throughout. I'm just sorry they were buried in all the rest.
    Helpful
     Report
  • Debra Locke
    5.0 out of 5 stars Transforming Education
    Reviewed in the United States on May 12, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    I think every educator dreams of having a blank check and being able to start a school of there dreams. Dr. Smith has written an entertaining novel that gives many excellent ideas of how to transform education for today’s youth.
    One person found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Interesting Read
    Reviewed in the United States on June 4, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    This book has some really good ideas and makes me wonder why we aren't doing more of this in our schools. It's a real eye-opener to parents who are unaware of all the problems with our educational system.
    Helpful
     Report
  • APhi1872
    5.0 out of 5 stars Eye-opening Experience
    Reviewed in the United States on May 12, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    Great book...an eye-opening book that dives into the problems with the American education system and how we can begin to change this system to be more competitive in a global society.
    One person found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • anson l blevins
    5.0 out of 5 stars Educating our children leads to their future
    Reviewed in the United States on June 4, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    A very good book to inspire students and those in educational careers.
    We realize how students learn stays with them throughout their life to continue learning .
    Helpful
     Report
  • Leslielu
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great Idea
    Reviewed in the United States on May 24, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    Aaron Smith is a great writer and is a great book I would recommend this book
    Helpful
     Report

Report an issue


Does this item contain inappropriate content?
Report
Do you believe that this item violates a copyright?
Report
Does this item contain quality or formatting issues?
Report