About Alchemy Learning
Who We Are
I'm Zach Kennelly, and I believe education works best when knowledge leads to action.
As Senior Manager of STEM, AI, and Partnerships at DSST Public Schools and founder of Alchemy Learning, I help educators use AI to create meaningful learning experiences. With 15 years teaching Math, Science, and Social Studies across middle school and high school, I've learned that students engage deeply when their work matters beyond the classroom.
My approach is simple: center humans, leverage AI strategically, and focus on real outcomes. When my civics students built VoteWise Colorado, they helped 1,000+ people vote. When they write to elected officials, they get responses. When they tackle community problems, they create working solutions. This isn't revolutionary, it's what happens when we give students the right tools and real purposes.
Our Human-Centered, AI-Leveraged Approach
The alchemy happens at the intersection of human wisdom and artificial intelligence. It's not about the technology—it's about what the technology unlocks.
Traditional Education: Knowledge → Test → Forget
Our Approach: Knowledge → Action → Impact
When we center humans and leverage AI strategically:
- Teachers become architects of experience, not deliverers of content
- Students become creators and problem-solvers, not passive recipients
- Communities become classrooms where learning creates real change
- Knowledge transforms from abstract concepts to concrete solutions
Why "Alchemy Learning"?
Medieval alchemists sought to transform base metals into gold through careful process and deep understanding. Alchemy led to chemistry. Many Alchemist tools and tactics are used in modern science.
Modern educators face a similar challenge. During a time of seemingly ever-increasing demands, educators are tasked with navigating the next great general-purpose technology. This challenge is also an opportunity, an opportunity to create the educational experiences our students and communities deserve.
The name reflects what we do:
- Take overwhelming teaching tasks and make them manageable
- Turn passive learning into active creation
- Convert classroom time from content delivery to project facilitation
- Transform student potential into community impact
This isn't magic, it's methodology. We can leverage AI centered on our earned expertise, we can create powerful learning experiences that were often not feasible before AI. On average, teachers gain 5-10 hours per week to focus on what matters most: guiding students to apply their learning in real ways.
What I Do
In the Classroom: Having taught AP Psychology and Civics at DSST College View, where students:
- Run voter registration drives reaching 500+ community members
- Build AI-powered apps addressing real problems
- Write policy letters that get responses from elected officials
- Moderate candidate debates for school board elections
- Create personalized projects based on their interests and community needs
Across the Network: As Senior Manager, I work to scale what works:
- Training teachers in AI tools that actually save time
- Building partnerships between schools and communities
- Creating sustainable systems for project and problem-based learning
- Ensuring AI adoption happens thoughtfully and ethically
Through Alchemy Learning:
- Consulting with organizations ready to implement human-centered AI
- Leading workshops on The RCP Method and practical AI integration
- Speaking at conferences about leveraging AI to empower people
- Sharing resources that help educators reclaim their time and purpose
The RCP Method
My framework (created and copyrighted in 2023, originally as The RCCP Method) for effective AI interaction centers on clarity and purpose:
- Role: Define what perspective the AI should take.
- Context & Content: Provide the background and parameters, and detail the desired output.
- Prompt or Plan: Make a specific, actionable request or next stpes.
This simple structure enables educators and students to direct the AI, focused on their thinking and intention first, maintaining critical thinking about the outputs. It's not about perfecting prompts; it's about clear communication that serves human goals and is transferable far beyond the classroom.
Real Impact, Practical Methods
Student Outcomes:
- 1,000+ voters served by student-built VoteWise Colorado app
- 150+ personalized letters sent to elected officials this year
- 12+ community-serving applications created by students
- 500+ voters registered through student-led drives
Teacher Benefits:
- 60-80% reduction in routine task time
- Ability to provide feedback in minutes instead of days
- Curriculum customized for individual student interests
- More time for meaningful student interactions
Community Results:
- 9+ Net Promoter Score
- Multilingual voter resources reaching underserved populations
- Student solutions addressing mental health, financial literacy, and immigration
- Greater fulfillment and engagement
- Deeper sense of self and increased self-efficacy
- Increased youth civic participation
- Stronger school-community partnerships
The Path Forward
Education should prepare students to shape their world, not just understand it. Our human-centered, AI-leveraged approach makes this practical and sustainable.
I'm not interested in replacing teachers or automating learning. I'm interested in helping educators do what they've always wanted: guide students to use their knowledge for real impact. Collaborating with people and AIs makes this feasible at scale.
If you're an educator who wants learning to matter, a school leader looking to empower teachers, or an organization ready to rethink education, let's connect.
Join the Work
Email: zach@alchemy-learning.com
LinkedIn: [Connect with me]
Newsletter: [Weekly insights] on practical AI in education
Workshops: [Learn the RCP Method]
"Students don't need more content. They need opportunities to use what they know to make a difference. That's the alchemy we practice."
[Schedule a Consultation →] [Download RCP Method Guide →]