ATLANTA — Zyan Wynn is always thinking of his next move, building connections with every step he takes. But his strategy may have never started if it wasn't for Connect 4.
"It was one of the first times in my life that a teacher, educator, had really took interest in what I cared about. And it was that Connect 4 moment, that moment of truly seeing a student," said Wynn.
He sat down for a game with the Ron Clark Academy founder when he was just 9 years old. That game convinced him to go to Ron Clark Academy, then on to Princeton and Harvard.
Those connections finally brought him back home.
"He said, 'I want to have a Connect 4 moment, like you had with me, with another student.' So we hired him," said Ron Clark Academy Co-Founder Ron Clark.
While Wynn excels in the classroom, Clark said hiring a candidate like him has become rare.
"Nobody wants to teach right now! We cannot get college students to say they will teach," he said.
Georgia is in a critical teaching shortage. The state reported more than 3,000 open positions for the 2019-2020 school year. Retention rates have gone down over the last two school years, according to the latest educator report by the National Education Association.
A big part of the problem? Pay.
The average starting salary for a teacher in Georgia is $41,148. The annual livable wage in Georgia is estimated at $58,205.
Wynn said it's not all about the numbers.
"Teachers are not being prepared well and they're not being supported enough," said Wynn.
He is trying to change how that plays out in the classroom by encouraging joy and connection in education. Ultimately, he's preparing teachers and students for the game of life.
"What it always goes back to is what's going to fill your heart the most? And for me, it's working with kids," said Wynn.
Bringing those connections back to class.