Registration opens under Farmington Recreation on Monday, October 20th.
Enrichment courses offered for Farmington Public School employees ONLY!
Course Title: Geopolitics, Economics, Technology, and Investments (GETI)
The world is shifting at unprecedented speed—driven by great-power competition, supply chain disruptions, AI breakthroughs, demographic change, and major energy transitions. Yet most adults encounter these forces only through scattered headlines or politicized debates. This course offers a clear, nonpartisan look at how global geopolitics, economics, technology, and financial markets intersect—and why these trends matter in everyday life.
We will explore questions such as: How are U.S.–China–Europe tensions reshaping trade, manufacturing, and jobs? Why do events in places like the Red Sea, Taiwan Strait, or Eastern Europe influence prices here at home? How are technologies like AI, semiconductors, clean energy, quantum computing, digital currencies, and robotics shifting global power? What deeper forces are driving inflation, interest rates, and market volatility?
Participants will learn to interpret the news with more clarity and less anxiety; understand key regions, chokepoints, and alliances; and see how technological and macroeconomic trends connect to real-world issues such as housing, work, and retirement. Sessions are accessible, interactive, and case-based—using real events to reveal underlying patterns. This course is ideal for adults who follow the news, feel overwhelmed by rapid change, or want a balanced, big-picture understanding of the world their families and industries are navigating.
The course is: * Non-partisan and educational. We study geopolitics, not party politics. * Respectful and discussion-driven. Participants are encouraged to share perspectives, ask questions, and connect material to their own experiences. * Future-focused. Our goal is not to predict the future precisely, but to help you think more clearly about possible futures.
Sam Ahn is an educator, entrepreneur, and author dedicated to preparing students for a rapidly changing world shaped by artificial intelligence, global economics, and technological innovation. He is the founder of TIE Academy, a future-focused education platform that empowers young learners to explore global trends, economic systems, and investment strategies through interactive, real-world learning. Currently, he is also employed as the Director of Passion Academies at the Stony Brook School (based in NY, but fully 100% online version of the school), where he teaches future-focused and innovative courses and workshops such as: Entrepreneurship and Digital Marketing; Game Design; Global Trends, Geopolitics, Economics, and Investment; GenAI and Vibe Coding; and AI and Ethics. Previously, he founded the Institute for Technology, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship at Miss Porter's School (all-girls boarding school in Farmington).
Sam holds advanced degrees in Economics and Instructional Technology from UCLA and Columbia University's Teachers College and has over 20 years of experience designing and teaching interdisciplinary courses at top U.S. schools. One of his signature course, Global Trends, Economics, Geopolitics, and Investment, helps upper elementary to high school students understand the forces shaping our world and equips them with critical thinking and financial literacy skills.He has taught students from over a dozen countries and is passionate about helping all learners become ethical, informed global citizens. His work bridges entrepreneurship, GenAI, and hands-on learning to inspire the next generation of changemakers.
Sam Ahn
