In this op-ed, EDC’s Andres Henriquez calls for policymakers to prioritize three educational principles to prepare young people to thrive in a green and blue economy: Emphasize experiential learning connected to the real world; teach competencies for the new economy such as STEM, systems thinking, and problem-solving; and build literacy for the new economy — including data and media literacy and the soft skills of communication, leadership and speaking that will withstand the test of time.