Life is an Adventure. Let’s Explore the Journey Together!
In education and expanded learning, we often take the path less traveled – the unpaved trail that leads to exploration and adventure! The BOOST Breakfast Club Blog is excited to spotlight the journeys of the BOOST Leadership and BOOST Ambassador teams in the Fall 2025 Collaborative Blog Series – Share Your Career Journey: Explore the Path We’ve Traveled. Thank you to these important BOOST partners for adventuring into the unknown for the betterment of our youth and communities.
It’s time to travel the trail with Tyler Hodgson. Thank you, Tyler, for inviting us to join your journey! We appreciate you!
Explore the Path We’ve Traveled with BOOST Leadership Team Member, Tyler Hodgson
Tyler is the Director of Learning & Engagement for Outside The Lens in San Diego, CA, and a proud member of the BOOST Leadership Team.
What is your career path journey? How did you get involved in the out-of-school time, expanded learning, and/or educational field?
I taught elementary school, then high school where I worked with Seniors with a lot of transition planning. Then I had my own kiddos and moved to an educational non-profit serving students both in and out-of-school time.
What part of your career path has surprised you most?
What surprised me most was leaving the classroom. I did not expect to be in direct service with students after 7 years.
Who has supported you on your journey as a mentor, colleague, or friend?
I have been supported by my mentors, and family who have always encouraged me to follow my own path and honor whatever that might look like.
What keeps you in the field?
I am inspired each day by the resilience of our students. Each day presents a new challenge.
As you continue on the journey, what areas of leadership are you developing in yourself?
I am developing myself by supporting strategical decisions and whole organizational decisions, not just coaching.
What skills are the most crucial to succeeding in this field?
Resiliency, Flexibility, Commitment, and Curiosity
What would you recommend others pack in their “career backpack”? Why are those items important?
Curiosity and words of affirmation.
Tell us about your BOOST adventure? When did you get started?
Last year, 2025, was my first time attending BOOST! Now, I am on the BOOST Leadership Team.
What is the best mistake you have made in your career? What did you learn from it?
Having to pivot from a lesson that was not going well with students, and learning that flexibility and meeting students where they are is key.
Today, for breakfast, I had…
Eggs and Pancakes.
Tyler, from all of us here at TEAMBOOST, thank you for inviting us to explore the path you’ve traveled and journey alongside you. We are excited to see where the adventure will lead as you INSPIRE YOUTH, INSPIRE LEARNING, and INSPIRE CHANGE.
Meredith White
Tyler, we are so glad you are a part of the BOOST Leadership Team this year! Thank you for sharing your career journey and the wisdom it takes to be successful in the field. Reading your story from in-school to out-of-school is a reminder to me that our educational hearts never fade – that teaching, guiding, and mentoring are part of who we are! Indeed, you can take the teacher out of the classroom, but the classroom will always be a part of the teacher. Meredith