With a connection to his previous Texas home, Ashby has helped set up collaborative student projects between North Carolina and Texas schools, among others.
"We're just trying to basically let our students get connections, and then we want our students to take it from there," Ashby said.
These connections — both in the U.S. and globally — help students understand that their work is not just for their teacher, but for a broader audience. He hopes that will give them intrinsic motivation to perform better.