Creating Campus Experiences Students Actually Care About With Tommy Floyd

🎯 The Ruckus Report Quick take: You can't force engagement — but you can design for success. Tommy Floyd breaks down how one meaningful win can transform disconnected students into confident, motivated learners. 🎓 Meet Your Fellow Ruckus Maker Tommy Floyd originally became involved in NASP® in 2003, while serving as a high school principal and NASP® coach. Several of the first NASP® state champions were on the Somerset High School team that Tommy coached. He has seen, first-hand, how the program positively impacts students, parents, and teachers. He has seen NASP® promote constructive teacher/student relationships, academic motivation and the promotion of students becoming involved with their school – many for the first time. 🔨 Breaking Down the Old Rules In this episode, Tommy Floyd challenges traditional education paradigms: 😎 Key Insight #1: You Can't Force Engagement What's broken: Schools rely on surveys, incentives, and interventions to "drive" engagement. The shift: Create authentic success experiences first. Impact: Students become intrinsically motivated and eager to participate. 📌 Key Insight #2: The "Invisible Middle" Doesn't Need More Programs What's broken: Schools focus only on high achievers or behaviour problems. The shift: Design opportunities for the disengaged majority to feel capable and connected. Impact: 68% of students report feeling more connected to school. 🧰 Key Insight #3: Motivation Comes After Success (Not Before) What's broken: Expecting students to care before they've experienced competence. The shift: Give students a win → build confidence → unlock effort. Impact: 34% of students say they work harder in class after experiencing success. 🎙️ Quotable Ruckus "Every child needs success. What are you doing?" – Tommy Floyd 🧗‍♂️ Your Do School Different Challenge Ready to implement these ideas? Start here: Tomorrow: Identify 5 "invisible middle" students and ask: where can they experience a quick win? This Month: Launch or pilot one new opportunity (club, program, experience) designed for belonging — not performance This Semester: Build a system where every student experiences success in at least one meaningful domain on campus 🔗 Connect & Continue 🎯 Get the full episode transcript here 👩🏻‍💻 Follow Tommy Floyd: Website: https://www.naspschools.org/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/naspschools/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/ArcheryintheSchools/videos 📌 Ruckus Makers Don't Just Listen — They Act If education ain't a bit disruptive, then what are your students really learning? This show isn't about doing school better. It's about Doing School Different — and joining a growing movement of bold, creative school leaders who reject legacy models and reimagine what's possible. 🧠 Here are four ways we can help you on your Do School Different journey 📬 Subscribe to the Free Newsletter — An opportunity to Do School Different 3x a week. Tools, mindset shifts, and strategies that actually work: ruckusmakers.news 🗞 Read Ruckus Maker Media — Exclusive content on Substack. Premium leadership insights, AI prompts and custom gpts, new books before the bookshelf. ruckusmakers.media 💥 Join The Ruckus Maker Club — Our private network + workshops, The Automatic School tools, AI Prompt Library, and more: ruckusmakers.club 🧨 Apply to the Mastermind — Weekly coaching, peer mentorship, and our proven leadership system (The Ruckus Maker Flywheel) to help you transform your campus: Apply Now 🎙 Today's RUCKUS cast in Partnership With: ODP Business Solutions® For over 30 years, ODP Business Solutions® has helped schools transform from whiteboards to smartboards. Why? Because when you get the r