A letter from our co-founder Saeed Arida

‍I know we’re not supposed to talk about COVID anymore, but for me, this was the year we truly emerged from its shadow—not just in public health terms, but in spirit. Families and students seemed ready again for a more creative and expansive form of education. That energy was palpable at NuVu. We welcomed nearly triple the number of new students compared to last year, launched more studios with local partners, and watched our global footprint expand through NuVuX with collaborations across China, India, Qatar, Saudi, the UAE, Puerto Rico, Colombia, and many others. It feels like the world is rediscovering its appetite for imagination.

Of course, with growth comes pressure: pressure to “normalize,” to look more like the traditional systems we were built to challenge. College admissions with all their complexities, the persistent image of what a “real school” should look like, the expectation that learning must map neatly onto four years of math or English. These forces tug at us constantly, and yet our studio model remains at the heart of everything we do. Topics evolve, but the pedagogy—the creative process, critique culture, the exploration of ideas through making—stays the same and continues to be the backbone that allows students to thrive.

This week also marks a major turning point beyond NuVu: the fall of the dictatorship in Syria and the beginning of a new chapter for a country that shaped my childhood. I grew up in Syria, and returning now carries a weight and meaning that is hard to put into words. I’ve made several trips back to the region this year, and each time I am struck by the resilience and energy of young people who continue to imagine possibilities despite uncertainty. Alongside others from my hometown, we began restoring schools, and some of the most meaningful moments came from watching my NuVu students join this mission. They designed solar solutions for schools, prototyped them in our studios, raised funds, and helped bring renewable power to places that had been operating in darkness. They didn’t just learn about global challenges; they shaped the future of a community on the other side of the world.

As I look back on 2025, what stands out is not only the expansion, partnerships, or milestones, but the return of belief: belief from families that creativity matters, from students that they can build solutions to real problems, and from communities near and far that school can be a place of imagination rather than memorization. This was a year of renewal for NuVu, for our students, and for me personally, and if this year taught me anything, it’s that the work ahead is bigger than any one campus, city, or country. The world is ready for a new kind of learning, and our job is to keep opening the doors to it as we move into 2026.

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