This just in from Brian (Ponch) Rivera:
I’m happy to pass along some excellent news from Erie, PA: The Erie School District has decided to officially observe January 23 as John Boyd Day across all its schools, beginning this year (2026) and continuing annually.
Mark Squeglia, a lifelong Erie resident and strong advocate for Boyd’s legacy there, has been keeping Mark McGrath* and me updated on the progress. He and Brian Lasher (retired Navy veteran and Erie Public Schools teacher) first approached the Erie School Board about 15-18 months ago with a proposal to rename Harding Elementary after Boyd. Community feedback at public sessions was heavily in favor of keeping the Harding name (due to longstanding tradition and attachment, not opposition to Boyd), so after discussions with Board President Dr. Jay Breneman (also a veteran), they pivoted to building awareness and education first.
As a result, Brian Lasher worked with another district teacher to put together age-appropriate biographies and introductory materials tailored for elementary, middle, and high school levels. These will be shared internally with staff and students, and posted on the district website, to introduce Boyd’s life, his revolutionary ideas (like the OODA loop and its applications in strategy, decision-making under uncertainty, and beyond military contexts), and his Erie roots.
This inaugural John Boyd Day will be modest—focused on these educational resources as a starting point—but the intent (from Jay, Brian, and the board) is to use it as the foundation for ongoing recognition and exposure. Longer-term ideas include expanding efforts at Strong Vincent High School, potentially naming an auditorium, or revisiting other honors once the community is more familiar with Boyd’s story.
There’s a recent Erie Times-News article covering the announcement (from around January 20, 2026)—link below (paywalled).
This seems like a meaningful, collaborative win after all the effort, and I wanted to make sure everyone is looped in promptly.
Brian “Ponch” Rivera
No Way Out Podcast
AGLX, LLC
The Flow Consortium
www.aglx.com
*Mark McGrath is Chief Learning Officer of AGLX and Ponch’s co-host on the No Way Out podcasts.
Slightly East of New 