Malcolm Mitchell Will Keynote 2026 Georgia Tech Conference
The former NFL star and literacy advocate is set to headline the Georgia Educational Technology Conference in November.
Updated on Sept. 23, 2026 in Education — General
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Former NFL wide receiver Malcolm Mitchell will deliver the keynote address at the 2026 Georgia Educational Technology Conference, held from November 4 to 6. Mitchell founded the Share the Magic Foundation to address literacy and combat systemic poverty.
Why it matters
Mitchell emphasizes that early childhood literacy is essential to preventing cycles of poverty, school dropout, and incarceration. His work aims to provide students with the foundational reading skills necessary for long-term success.
The Share the Magic Foundation serves 3.5 million students across all 50 U.S. states and 19 countries. Only 5% of these students receive tangible books, with the remainder served through a digital platform.
The players
Malcolm Mitchell
He is a former NFL wide receiver and the founder of the Share the Magic Foundation.
Share the Magic Foundation
This organization operates a digital platform to improve student literacy rates.
Kennesaw State University
This institution is a collaborative partner with the Share the Magic Foundation.
Atlanta Speech School
The school serves as a partner organization working with the foundation to improve literacy outcomes.
Rollins Center
The center is a collaborative partner involved in the foundation's educational outreach.
The details
Mitchell, who attended the University of Georgia, launched a symposium called Read University in 2026 to further promote literacy. His foundation partners with organizations like the Atlanta Speech School, the Rollins Center, and Kennesaw State University to host game-like digital reading challenges and create micro-credentials.
Timeline
The 2026 Georgia Educational Technology Conference occurs from November 4 to 6, 2026.
Culture Shift
This keynote reflects a broader push to integrate digital gamification and academic micro-credentials into public education. It highlights a shift toward using technology to solve systemic literacy gaps as identified by the U.S. Department of Education.
Educators attending the November conference can learn how to implement the foundation's digital reading challenges in their classrooms. Parents and students may gain access to new literacy tools developed through these university partnerships.
The takeaway
Mitchell suggests that literacy is the primary weapon against poverty and incarceration for modern students. Educators can adopt these game-based reading methods to engage students who struggle with traditional reading curriculum.
Further reading
For more on local school initiatives, visit Education — General.
Source note: This article includes information reported by TechLearningMagazine.
Live Poll
Do you feel your local schools are successfully preparing students to reach grade-level literacy standards?
