Dayna Owen and Kelsey Golz sit down with FHS senior Jared Yawn - member of FFA and football, FHS hype man and the king of engaging with FISD's social media! Jared offers a unique perspective on making the most of the high school experience and shared what he has learned throughout the process.
Dayna Owen and Kelsey Golz sit down with FHS senior Jared Yawn - member of FFA and football, FHS hype man and the king of engaging with FISD's social media! Jared offers a unique perspective on making the most of the high school experience and shared what he has learned throughout the process.
Speaker 1 So this week we received a nice email from a 76 graduate graduate telling us that she loves our podcast and that she loves it so. Speaker 2 Much. Speaker 1 That she binged every single podcast in one weekend and then she took the time to reach out and tell us how much that she loved our podcast and enjoy listening to it. So I just want to give a big ol shout out to Kay Shaw for her kind words and letting us know that she enjoyed the podcast. Speaker 3 Yeah, that was the best thing to open up on a monday morning and actually learn that someone listens and cares and likes it and gave them took the time to send an email. Speaker 1 Considering oh, my Monday morning was bad. Speaker 2 She was not. She was not in a good spot, was. Speaker 1 Not a happy person. And then when Kay reached out and like flipped everything, it was very nice. Speaker 3 Well, I also did a goofy dance outside of your office, but I guess I didn't do anything. Speaker 1 Yes, that always helps me because I think. Oh. Speaker 2 Sorry, it's surgery. Sure. Speaker 1 Today we have asked our first student to be on the podcast, senior Jared Yon. You captured our attention early on. Jared, because you interacted with our social media posts. Speaker 2 We it we like a student. Speaker 1 Interacted with us in social media. Speaker 2 But the one and only. Speaker 1 Treated like pass by students like they think we're weird or. Speaker 3 I can't imagine why after. Speaker 2 The we're not relatable and welcome. Thank you. Thank you. Speaker 4 Very happy yeah. Speaker 2 We're so. Speaker 1 Here. Yeah. We're so glad you're here. This will be fun. So we're just going to kind of start off Jared with. Tell us a little bit about your journey at FSD. Are you a K-12? Correct. Speaker 4 Okay, so that's a little controversial. Speaker 1 Oh, I know. Speaker 2 The term. Speaker 4 Like 12 year senior. I use like been here for 12 years and I have I was here first grade, but I did not go to kindergarten in the past. Speaker 2 So that was a. Speaker 4 Very portrayed. Speaker 2 Because I think I've done a lot Yeah. For that one year but you have done a lot less. Okay, so technically not a K through 12. Speaker 1 So that's that's a big deal here. You're a K through 12. I don't you get to take your own picture by yourself at the. Speaker 4 Senior don't talk often but I did sneak into the 12 year. Speaker 2 Senior year because I. Speaker 4 Was like if you want to be K through 12 and say Kyoto and I'll say 12 years because I've been here for 12 years. Speaker 3 Well, we won't tell him anything. He doesn't listen to those. Speaker 2 So I think. Speaker 1 That I think we're saying I. Speaker 2 Don't think they're going to make this is important if I go to retake. Speaker 4 The whole picture just because one person was in. I think. Speaker 3 I think. Speaker 1 Your mom and Keisha might be the only ones listening to. Speaker 2 That. I'm just kidding. I do think we have a following. Yeah, we we were. Speaker 3 Kind of surprised by some of the numbers. Speaker 1 Yeah. Now, we're not coming out with merch yet. That maybe there's. Speaker 2 A next season. No. An idea for merch. Well. Speaker 1 Well, I mean, come on, we. Speaker 2 Make it big. Yeah. Let's do it. Yeah. Speaker 1 If you're listening out there and you would like us to get some merch going, reach out, let us know. Well, I'm sure they're sending me. Speaker 2 Oh, yes, sir. Taking order forms now. Speaker 1 Okay, so you're going to see you might be hard to talk through us at times, but tell us a little bit about yourself. Speaker 4 Wow. So that's like the easiest part. Speaker 1 Hardest question is the hardest question. Speaker 4 Interviews you'd like to say. But I've been here for 12 years and if I d I've been involved in a lot of things, mostly football and FFA. Uh, and basically I've just like done my best to help out others and be involved as much as I can because I'm leaving this year. Uh, face these disfigured like the past two years ago. Speaker 4 I just, like, really, really do a, do a strong suit. Speaker 1 And just where does it come from? Like, at what point in your high school experience or maybe Junior maybe goes back earlier that you said, I'm going to really get involved and I'm going to be all in. Speaker 4 You know, I think honestly, I'm also like, I love old movies and old song, especially old cars. Those Mustangs get me every time. But, you know, I look back to like old movies and things and talk to my mama line. There's just like the like you talk to an older graduate from from eighties and nineties, even early 2000. Speaker 4 It's just like their fun from high school is so much more like the activities that everybody was involved in. And everybody showed up to everything. And, you know, I think it's more of like the social media thing came along and everybody has their phones, but it's just like the idea that that the school can come together, like everyone goes to soccer games or baseball or football or even like band concerts. Speaker 4 And I was just like, that's what needs to happen here. And, you know, like a pep rallies and stuff. It's just a lot of school spirit. And so I found out that a lot of people our age, like our followers kind of and it's just like it takes that one person to get everyone there. And then it's a thing, especially like the baseball playoffs really started that great team. Speaker 4 But, you know, a couple of us was like, Hey, we're all going to go and we're going to have fun. And then everyone showed up and it was really cool. So I guess it was just like seeing the likeness of Spirit and willing to be the person to like, start the spirit better. Speaker 3 Which I think that's really how we started seeing your name show up primarily on Twitter and Twitter is tagging us in your posts and saying basically, Hey, everyone, come out to this, everyone come out. I remember distinctly seeing those consistently and it was really cool to see, like, who's this? Who's this kid? We're actually getting engagement from a student. Speaker 2 Like, it's awesome. Speaker 4 Just like, especially our day is like, if you want somebody see it, you tag them in their posts. And I was like, What's like, what's what account? There's like, almost a lot of people fall, whether it be like parents or students. And I was like, they're feisty account like we all go to the same school who doesn't follow that a council's like if I asked them and they retweet it and like it and that's like. Speaker 2 Boom everyone shows up please your response. Speaker 1 Because you had one whenever we actually retweeted your first thing. Speaker 2 Is what? What did you say? Oh, so cute. Speaker 4 I was so excited. I was like, no way. They just. Speaker 2 Like it was like a. Speaker 4 Celebrity moment. It was like, it's like it's like. Speaker 2 Pitbull or James, which I screamed. I screamed. So when that when the notification came up. Speaker 4 I screenshotted it and I sent off like all my friends is like, y'all would not believe to just read to them. Like, to me, this is serious. I'm so serious. And I was like, I thought I was like, like LeBron James or something. I was like, Oh my. Speaker 2 And it's. Speaker 3 Really like I was just laying in bed like double chin. Speaker 2 Blew it. Oh, no. We had sound. Speaker 1 Effects that we have found effects folks who are just now starting to learn those. Speaker 3 And to learn. Speaker 1 Those into use. Speaker 2 Really not to. Okay. Speaker 1 So we find that some students think that they're too cool almost to engage, right? That's kind of which we know in our age is a maturity. Yeah. Speaker 2 So, yeah, sure. Speaker 1 Refreshing. But what, what, what is that about? And I don't even think adults know the answer. Hello? If it's a confidence thing, what is it? I think what you said is you're an old soul. Yeah, a little bit. So I have a feeling this would be my guess of a description. Have you always gotten along well with adults? Speaker 4 I don't think so. Speaker 2 Yeah. Speaker 4 And even now I find myself like, a 30 is really hard for me because I like to take control of that. Makes sense of a situation that I think I can lead. But I think that's also the leadership in me that likes to take over. But being with adults is really hard sometimes because you have the ones that you see people getting along with. Speaker 4 In a teenage age is the ones that are willing to act like kids when it's the appropriate time. And I think somewhere along the way when you grow up, you find this spot where like, Hey, I'm an adult now, but those those childish games, those childish jokes, like, that's not fun, that's not what adult is. And I think of our kids criminal lot. Speaker 4 That man like he he's awesome. He's one of the best teachers because he's so he's serious when it's time to be serious but like to open up this class. We always did something fun. I was a game or he would joke with us and I think that's where you see a lot of kids interact with adults is when adults not necessarily go down to a kid level, but like are willing to have fun again. Speaker 1 Not always take themselves so seriously. Speaker 4 It's hard because especially ones that are really close to growing up, we're like, we want to we want those last few seconds of being a kid before you grow up. So I think it's just being too cool and stuff like that is just we really want the adults to be kids like us. Speaker 1 And there's that. There's that point where, by the way, I could talk about Kelsey knows this, I could talk about Cory. Speaker 2 True in Forever All day, all that. Speaker 1 She's like, whenever I'm like, Well, we need somebody to do this. We need somebody to do this. She's like, okay, listen, I think we need someone. Speaker 2 We need our parents to know that we have more than one teacher named for you. Speaker 1 Have you ever seen Cory get mad, like in class City? Ever get angry and you knew, Oh, we messed up in class. Speaker 4 But that's in the football field. Speaker 2 Oh, really? Speaker 1 So he does get mad. Speaker 4 Get mad. And it's not like it's not like a mad at you. It's like I'm disappointed that you didn't listen to me all the time and honestly, it's like the worst feeling, but also the best. And the reason I say is like, because it's I'm not disappointed in him, but I like it that he's willing to show that it disappointed him. Speaker 4 And it really makes me like be better, especially on the football field, just like I've told you this 10,000 times or not working it out, remember it. But see if it's here. Especially if I'm here to help you. Yeah, and a so not really mad mad, but it was just definitely like some points. Speaker 1 Do you remember the situation? Speaker 4 I think it was. We had just switched me over from defense to offense and I was lead blocking for, for running back Caleb Corcoran and I think I messed up the gap or the play or the block like, like at least five times in a row. And it was like there was no one else to do the position or the job that I had to do. Speaker 4 So there no other like, hey, there's no like we can't find another person. Like you just have to learn to do it. I was like, okay, I'm sorry. Speaker 2 Yeah. Speaker 1 I would think that on the football field it would be hard to switch over and then learn a whole new. Speaker 2 Yeah, yeah, it was hard. Speaker 4 But it was, it was really fun. I think it helped me learn to. And Tim does this all the time to learn the opposite side of what you're doing. Like, especially like in, like, disagreements or, or debates. You got to know where you're opposers coming from. So as a defensive player, learning offense helped me be a better defensive player and playing offense already. Speaker 4 Being a defensive player helped me learn. Like as a defensive lineman, where's he going to go? I know that because that's who I was. So then I was able to go do it. Speaker 1 I loved what you said that one time when you were given your your project in the English class and you were talking about they asked you, now what do you. I think I was changed my mind. Like, what? What do you believe in? Maybe it was this up? No. Speaker 2 Changed my. Speaker 1 Mind. Now I think the change of mind, they said, Why do you want to fight for? Let's just go get me first. And then y'all found your topic. And then they said, Now you're going to argue the opposite. Speaker 2 Yeah. Speaker 1 Oh, I thought that was just brilliant. Speaker 2 It was. Speaker 4 It was hard. Oh, yeah, Hard. Because it was like, know, a lot of us took it seriously. They're like, Hey, what do you believe? And we're like, We're going to pick those hot topics that we're so strong about. And then we had to get it from the class and argue the opposite. And I think that's one of the parts like made us quote unquote, like grow up. Speaker 4 Like it was just like, this is what you believe, but now you're to go argue the opposite side. And I think it helped us so much because just just learning about with someone else's opinions or ideas helps us because people just were willing to to open up and to stop talking and to let somebody else give their opinion. Speaker 4 You can be like, Oh, that, that actually makes sense. Like now that you have said that, I understand why you believe that. And we did that a lot with our conversations in that class. And it just it helped a lot actually. Speaker 1 Didn't, did you? It in changed my mind this year. Speaker 4 I did. Speaker 1 I did. What was your was there a topic? We actually we thought it was going to four, but it was first two fourth. Speaker 3 Period so we missed It was sort of like 115 and everything was broken down. We're like. Speaker 2 Excuse me? Well, we love it so much. Speaker 3 Like every year. Speaker 1 I was so interested in actually kind of debating someone and just. Speaker 3 Straight up ready to go over. Speaker 2 What. Speaker 1 Was the topic that did you go in, debated topic. Speaker 4 I sat down with a couple of them and one of them that was controversial and looked really, really bad because I just started in my own personal relationship and faith and stuff. So one of them was Christians are wrong. And I was like, and I was like, There's no way that I like can't sit down with this dude. Speaker 4 Like like I would be disappointed myself. I didn't. So I sit down with them in a very interesting was with a lot of the the facts that he came up with and and all of them were off the King James version of the Bible. But it was really cool was like getting to sit down and like the first time I see that sound, like that makes me so mad because that just tells me everything that I believe in isn't true. Speaker 4 And that it makes me look stupid. But I sat down with the kid and I was like, You did an awesome job on this project. Like you. Like you didn't change my mind and I didn't change yours. But just being able to sit down with him and just discuss and see where he's coming from, I was like, It makes a lot of sense and your facts are almost there for me. Speaker 4 But it was just so cool. And I walked around a couple of them. Abortion's always, always a. Speaker 1 Hot topic. Speaker 4 Yeah, one of them was that that collegiate girls are not like WNBA players. Shouldn't be paid as much as NBA players and a sit down. I was like, You, are you arguing here? And you talked about that the NBA brings in more money so it makes sense for them to get paid more. And everyone, of course, everyone rhyno terms like girls can do the same thing. Speaker 4 Guys can wear that getting paid as like, yes, they can. But it's facts are saying that that those sports aren't bringing in the revenue. So how can you pay them the same thing? And I was like, that makes sense. And I talked to I mean, I was like, if the WNBA had as many teams and played and made all the money, I would love for them to get paid the same. Speaker 4 And I think one day they will. It's just not a not a place for This was really cool walking around, especially since I took taken the class. I was like, I know all the debate tickets. Speaker 2 That, you know. Speaker 4 Let's try and go at it. And it was super cool since students do that stuff again. Speaker 3 That first that first topic you mentioned, I saw I saw the group picture that was taken. And it's it's interesting that that one definitely was was on my heart and it has been for several days and I've been in quite a bit of pressure with it because I had a an interaction a few months back with the same young man. Speaker 3 And yeah, I just really felt like God placed him on my heart and I was questioning if that was his subject, why didn't we make it? Because I know I would have been able to go sit down and have a discussion. And then I just had to have faith that maybe it wasn't my God, it didn't need to use me, that day. Speaker 3 And I'm I'm glad to hear that you were able the fact that he chose that subject, though, is it okay? Yeah. Oh, yeah. To that conversation. And I just thought, well, look at look at my God, look at what he's doing in this. And I and to be able to hear Yeah. He he use people like you that day it's so that means everything and it brings so much more peace because I felt like I was just literally felt heartbroken over it, you know? Speaker 3 So I'm really happy to hear that. Speaker 4 I walked in and because I've been talking to him about my own journey recently and he looked at me and he was like, There's one in here. And I found it. And I was like, I know what you're talking about. That's so cool. Like, even even faith aside, just like being able to sit down with a lot of, like the students and just seeing what they believe in and debating it and the way that conversation should be, you know, I talked to many alone. Speaker 4 I was like, if you can get actual politicians to come in here and see how these dudes debate. Speaker 2 The way our government would be treated. Speaker 1 Attorneys, I mean, think about, you know, jobs where you debate a lot. And the only thing I think it would have been funny if you were to say to that kid is you liked his points and you thought they were right on and then you were walking off and you go, by the way, Jesus loves you. Speaker 2 Yeah. Yeah. Speaker 1 But yeah. So we were bummed that we we missed that whole exchange from. Speaker 2 Such. Speaker 1 A great, great day. Speaker 3 Like, is it's awesome. And it creates a lot of like, I think, really healthy communication skills in all of that. So it's, it's great. Speaker 1 And other than that, what's, when's the last time and maybe you do this in your group, but when's the last time that you've sat down with kids your age and had real conversations about real topics? Speaker 4 However, that's that's one of the things that I miss a lot to talk to my mom. And she's like, Yeah, we used to go to the lake or fires and we just sit and talk and just like what we are doing is like, got a sonnet, you know, like Nickelodeon's, I think like the person in communication is leaving. Speaker 4 So like that class is so awesome every day to sit down and just talk. And those are the good. Speaker 3 Yeah, I think you just have to like, you just have to carry that with you. Like you can be. I think you already are a difference maker and you just have to be really intentional if that's a priority of yours, which I think it should be, I think all of us that should be a priority to to build those interpersonal communication skills, like just keep keep it at the forefront, you know, like you can make the time if you want to go do the things they did in the old days, like have a bonfire. Speaker 3 Yeah, you be the one to invite people over to have a bonfire. Yeah. You know, I think you have that just that leadership skill to to do that. Speaker 1 Well, just the drive to, you know, I think a lot of times people freeze in this fear moment of what if I invite everyone over and no one comes, so I'm just not going to invite them over. But what you found with like baseball, you reached out. People are dying, I think, to get involved and do things to be. Speaker 3 Part of something. Speaker 1 They just aren't typically the ones that would go. Speaker 4 Out. Speaker 1 To do no to to start it just to like people to they want to be a part of something, but then they don't have that incentive to be the leader. Speaker 3 It's like a fearlessness, I think. Yeah, like I even thought that like it sounds cheesy, but really, I always thought that even with the way that you have promoted our stuff on social media that like there's no fear of judgment of being like this suck up or whatever, you know, that people might think of are, Oh, not cool engaging with the district like there was just like a confidence to that that I just really appreciate, you know, and I wish that other students would like have the same because again we're just us like this is not an intimidating Yeah everyone behind these accounts or these organizations it's all just people and like we're still very Speaker 3 flawed individuals. You know, I just so I wish that people felt like more comfortable to engage and to have fun. And and I think we're trying to do that. Speaker 1 Well, that was kind of my question early on. Do you feel like one of the things I have boys in when their friends would come over there would be those friends that would walk in the front door and, hey, there's someone, How are you doing? Good to see you. Come over and hug me. Good to see you. And then there were those kids that would try to squeeze in the gate where they didn't even have to come in and game. Speaker 1 Hey, want to say hi? Which those? Those that always confuse me. I've always tried to treat adults like they're human beings. So I'm always interested in those kids who literally think that adults are some kind of different species than what they are like. Are you how are you? When you go over to friend's house, do you talk to the to the parents or not really? Speaker 1 Or you just think it would be strange to have to hold that conversation. Speaker 4 So I think I'm a little bit of both, to be honest. I think. And it just I think just comes with being comfortable. You know, I had this friends were like their parents, like my second moms and my second dads. And I walk in and I'll go in the fridge, grab a Coke and sit down and then say hi, you know, and then there's some of them were just like, it's kind of awkward and just like, I'll stick like right next to my friend and be like, are going to introduce me to them. Speaker 2 Or. Speaker 4 I think to do it myself. Speaker 2 Yeah. Speaker 4 But I think it's just like being comfortable and just like being over a lot. So you go to this friend's house, like almost every week, like eventually you'll get it and be good. So I think if you are looking for like those connections, I think like the one like a communications party or like it like a get together or maybe just showing up to events like y'all have been doing. Speaker 4 And it's more of like a, like networking I guess is I mean, I'm not trying to tell you all to do, but I think the best thing is to networking, to show up and to be there and to invite them in. And just like the more you're there, the more they'll open up. I guess that's what I'm looking to say. Speaker 1 Yeah, yeah. And we are at a lot of places and we talk to a lot of kids. We try to be a little relate. We try to be goofy, which for me may not. I may be setting myself as a parent more than like, you know how their dad jokes. They have reputations for dad. Yeah, but like our little microphone, I just we try to do things that kids we think would be interested in, but we. Speaker 4 I love the tiny microphone like. Speaker 1 Oh my gosh, we. Speaker 2 Just think it's we can't. Speaker 1 Tell you how many adults have reached out to us and told us we need a bigger microphone. Speaker 2 And so, yeah, they don't get it, don't get it. But I'm like, Hey, that's it. Yeah, yeah. Third time. I'm like, okay, they don't just respond. Speaker 4 With one on a budget. Speaker 2 Yeah, I mean, well, we are. Speaker 1 It is pretty yeah, it is not a great budget, but yeah, so we do try to interact with kids and kind of do our own thing. Speaker 4 Like finding those trending things. On Tik Tok with them tiny microphones or just anything trending is a cool, you know, because we try it like we say jokes and our parents like, what does that mean? And like for this to happen, I have to give you like a ten minute dialog and explain it and then you can tell me, Well, that's not what I meant when I grew up. Speaker 4 I'm like, okay, That's why it's like, cool for us. Speaker 2 Yeah, right. Speaker 4 Finding those trending things and then going to the kids that understand it. Like if you're having the time microphone, I would be like, Yes, let's do it. You bring it to like Mr. Griffin is like, what? Speaker 1 I can actually watch you actually, Mr. Griffin asked for his own microphone and I bought him one, took it to him. I don't think he's used it. Speaker 2 I don't think he has either. I thought you would love. Speaker 1 It because Griffin loves a microphone, but that's okay. Maybe next year he'll be more comfortable with his. And it's blue. It's even better. Speaker 3 I know, I know, I know. And we set him up. We set him up for pretty much. Speaker 2 As I can do all up now. Yeah. Speaker 1 So what is your favorite social media platform? Is it Twitter? So where you're on the most or. Speaker 4 I think for getting people's attention is definitely Twitter. Just because I just I don't know. I just think it's easier to stay between me and my friends. More of Snapchat. But this kind of like a kids thing, you know? Yeah, I think Instagram is cool, but I don't really rock with it. I am hopping on on Facebook a lot though. Speaker 4 I love Facebook. Yeah. I just think like the connections with the adults is what's cool. Speaker 2 Yeah, you. Speaker 4 Go on Snapchat. I'm like, I don't have too many. Like, I don't think I have any adults on my Snapchat. So it's all kids because on Facebook I have friends with all my friends moms and their grandma and it does. And just like I post something and I get like 45 comments. Yeah, it's all my friends. Speaker 2 Parents like, Yeah. Oh my God, Here you go. Thank you so much. Speaker 1 We need kind of that cheerleader. Yeah. So Facebook, I would think, is the way to go because but that's a great lesson for kids to learn is so many adults want to back you and encourage. Speaker 3 Yes. Speaker 1 And if you just put something out there, there's going to be people that would be like, we think you're great. Speaker 4 People know Snapchat story and you get like maybe two of you like your best friends. Just light up and say something. But I post on Facebook, I get to least like ten comments to people. I'm like, Oh, this is awesome. And all my friends like you on Facebook and like, Oh heck yeah, yeah, yeah. Like they support me more than you do. Speaker 2 Yeah. I mean. Speaker 3 Honestly, I didn't get a Facebook. Well, I didn't really grow up having social media. I had a Twitter account like starting when I was a sophomore because our volleyball coach required us to have a Twitter account so that we could retweet all of the age US volleyball stuff. But other than that, I didn't have anything until maybe into my junior year and I got Instagram. Speaker 3 And then whenever I went to Germany right after I graduated high school, I went for like three weeks and everyone there, that's all they were on was Facebook. And so that's when I created Facebook. And now it's like. Speaker 2 Oh, I like Facebook. Speaker 4 Twitter is like all the colleges use it, coaches use it. So I think for me, I joined Twitter for for football wise. Speaker 2 Yeah. Speaker 4 And to get all those and I was just like a lot of people on here like in a tweet people see what Facebook I think Facebook sports I have. Speaker 3 To ask okay because I've noticed this not just with like friends with guys, really, even when I graduated, is there like, are you all required to put like your way your. Speaker 2 Your student sprints, whatever, all of that in the bio? Because I always. Speaker 1 Say, Oh, it's in your. Speaker 2 Bio. Do you know what I'm talking about? You know what not talking about talking about? Yeah, I see that all the time. Speaker 4 I don't. I don't agree with that. I never did it. Yeah, okay. I did do it for Instagram, so I do have or like Instagram for myself for football. So then go find it. You can try, but it's like a lot of that is for coaching and yeah, for recruiting and all. But it's just I never did it. Speaker 4 I thought it was weird because it's like you're trying too hard. And I was like, Yeah, you know, if I have if I have the talent and I have the ability to play, they'll come find me. Speaker 2 Yeah. Like they'll, they'll. Speaker 1 They'll find you for sure. Speaker 4 But it's just like I think those ones that are doing it is really like a desperate reach out. Speaker 3 That's okay. My sister and you. Speaker 2 So we use a lot because we. Speaker 3 Play ball and we went through the whole recruitment process. And again, we didn't when we actually like signed our letters of intent. I think that was the first time we ever posted anything about it. But like I see all these people and I did this when I was in high school. Yeah, like I would see people post like bless, honored. Speaker 2 Privilege to receive. Speaker 3 Another offer from Seattle. Speaker 4 Or they do like, thanks for the invitation. And I'm like, okay, you got invited. Like cool. Speaker 2 Like, like what? I'm like, you know, But I. Speaker 4 Like the idea of trying to reach out. I just think it's way over done these days. Speaker 3 It's like just posting every single time you get an offer. Like every, like. Speaker 2 I just think it's. Yeah. And like, the caption. I think so, yeah. Speaker 4 Like, I think like at, like a certain number, it's just like, okay, we get it. You have offers. Speaker 3 Exactly. Exactly. Speaker 2 Like, like. Speaker 4 Your first one. I can see, like, that's cool. Always receiving your first offer for sure. But it's like, once you get past the numbers, just like, okay, it makes me feel bad. Speaker 2 Well, it's just. I just think it's fun. Speaker 3 Like, I just think it's. I don't know. I think you're supposed to be a little more humble. Speaker 2 Yeah, You know, Sure. Yeah, I. Speaker 4 Think that's where I'm at, too. Speaker 2 And I just think it's funny. Speaker 1 And I think it comes across as. Speaker 2 Humble. Yeah, No, no, I think think. Speaker 1 Is because they're saying I'm black. Speaker 4 It's like if every single, like high school student in the world says the exact same thing, it's just like, come on. Speaker 3 Yeah, yeah. If you're truly humbled, then we may just wait until we actually accept the offer. Speaker 2 To post about it. Speaker 1 But they do have the right to be excited, right? Speaker 2 Yeah. Speaker 3 For sure. I know. Speaker 1 Hater. What would y'all want them to worded as. Speaker 3 I would just would say don't post until you come in. Speaker 4 Yeah I think I think for those like your first one is awesome like I no matter what offer you get it can be it can be Alabama or it can be some like JUCO college in New York that no one's ever heard of. It's always so exciting to get those. I know for me, I got invited to like some Zoom calls from a college up in Michigan, so really small. Speaker 4 I never even heard of it. I thought was fake. Actually, I thought the text is fake at first, but it's so exciting. But like, I didn't go post it, you know? But I think that that first one is so exciting to post, but it's just like after a while especially, it just, I think it loses its spark. You know, like you, there's always things in the world where like you do it the first time, it's like, awesome, you, the second one is like, okay, but after a few times it's just like it loses a spark, it loses the touch. Speaker 4 And I think that's why it's not fair to like I it's, it's just not that unimportant, but it's just like, All right, as another author. Speaker 3 You're just going to take care of business and then you're going to you're going to. Yeah, just go with the the team that you feel like is the best fit in the end and you're going to wait. Speaker 1 Let me ask you this. So I'm I'm trying to come to their defense a little bit. Speaker 2 Oh, yeah, go ahead. Speaker 1 Could it be that if I start to say that I'm getting offered. Speaker 3 More interest. Speaker 1 Other. Speaker 2 Than just the that quo? Speaker 4 I think that's exactly what it is. Who could I talk to? This is a conversation that happens all the time, especially in football and and because it's a football thing, more like if they was like, Hey, why? I'll post this. Like, that's in softball amongst our friends. Like, why is he posting that? Like, like I have all these offers and like, don't sounds like it's a football thing. Speaker 4 And I think it does come from like Texas just gave me an offer. So now A&M has to step it up and give me an offer. And I think a lot of time that's that's where it comes from. It's just like, hey, Miami's Miami like is an interesting to me. Florida, Where you at? I guess now it's your turn because your next door neighbors are giving me. Speaker 3 An offer when I see like with football because there isn't like an outside of high school way to really play. So like high school is your only recruitment time. Like, whereas volleyball didn't care about high school, like all clubs and the recruiters came to the tournaments. And then, I mean, really whenever whenever we would have conversations with coaches from other schools, usually they were asking like, have you had any other offers, whatever? Speaker 3 So like we had those conversations privately. But I also understand it does work. Yeah, it's just a different way of going about it. Yeah, it's totally different than football. Like you don't play football year round. So volleyball was like, nonstop. Yeah, it was. Yeah. Yeah. Speaker 1 Okay, so moving on from this subject. Speaker 2 Yeah. Speaker 1 Dude, what would you say? What advice would you give your 13 year old self? Speaker 2 Join everything and do everything. Speaker 4 Because now I'm. I'm involved in so many things, and I think that's what makes me real rounded. But it's also like, so many friendships that I have. Speaker 1 The networking that is going on. Yes. Yeah. So important. Speaker 4 And I think not like the relationships you make with yourself, but it's just like now I have a great relationship with Superintendent Rau and that's just from being involved in so many things and him, he's being awesome and showing up with all of it, but it's just like, I don't know, I think it's just networking and making relationships. Speaker 4 I tell everybody, even the freshman friends that have made this show, like how come you either only playing baseball and you going to tell me you have four years and the only thing you're going to do is play baseball? But there's so many clubs on campus and there's so many extracurricular activities to do. And I even like at school, like even like in the city or or statewide or everything, and just so many things to do. Speaker 4 And you're going to keep yourself on one thing. So I think advice for my 13 year old self, which is do everything you can and my speech last night for my return address and FFA was was chance I talked about taking the chances because if you don't you never know what could have been. And I was just like, I'm a two year FFA officer getting my Lonestar Star, trying to get my degree this summer. Speaker 4 But it all started with taking the chance to take floral design sort of art. Like if I picked art instead of floral, none of this would have been happening. But just I took a chance and it led to so many more things. And I think that's what's important. Speaker 1 You took a chance that not everyone was doing right. Which is a chance. That's that's the risk. Yeah. That was involved. I mean, you could have done what everyone else. There's a there's a risk definition. This is a partial definition from George Cross, who's coming to lead our convocation next year. And it's in pursuit of a better unknown. Speaker 1 Mm hmm. I just love that kind of definition, which is what risk is. It's in the pursuit of a better unknown, because that's what you're wanting for yourself. Speaker 4 In a long time. A lot of times it's just like people don't want to do the. Speaker 2 Unknown, right? Speaker 4 And it's just like, Hey, if I do this, it has a chance to be really, really great. And if I do it and it turns out to be not so great, I learned a lesson. Like I can say I've tried and you go back and you just listen to any inspirational speech ever. And they almost always talk about not taking that chance or not doing their thing that they wish they could have done. Speaker 2 By. Speaker 4 Not asking that girl out that winked at him that one time or or not going right when he should have left. And it's just like, man. And it's just like time to sit down and think like, okay, here's the chance I can grab it right now or it's going to walk away. And so it's like, for me, I've just always tried to take it and people think that I look swamped or tired or, How can you do all this? Speaker 4 I'm like, Because it makes me happy, because I took the chance and just like leads for so much more. And I have had those things where just it just wasn't worth it and I've had to stop doing that. Speaker 2 Yeah. Speaker 4 But it's just like I'm happy they did that because I think that, you know, whether it's religious or not, but I think God puts everybody in my life for some reason, whether they'd be like, Hey, you're my best friend for, for two years, and then we have a terrible breakup. But those two years were awesome and that's okay. Speaker 1 And you learn lessons from it for sure. Speaker 2 Yeah, yeah, yeah. Speaker 4 They're just like, do what you can because, you know, you never know if you couldn't do it. Speaker 1 So go ahead. Speaker 3 I was just going to say like, I think that's an important thing for high school students to hear in general, because I hear a lot of kids just getting so caught up. It's like last year we were at the junior high. I was there. There was like a student grant committee and they were trying to figure out what they wanted to find. Speaker 3 And all these kids were talking about what classes they wish were offered in junior high to prepare them for the classes they're going to take in high school, which are going to prepare them for the classes they're going to take in college, which of course will prepare them for the jobs they'll have one day. And I just thought, oh, my gosh, like you're so stressed out, like thinking about all these things instead of how about you take those extra curricular classes now while the risk is low and you might find that you really enjoy something you never would have thought you would like, you know, and especially like, like to your point, talking about athletes, Speaker 3 you know, you most people are not going to go on to make a college career. Yeah. Or even. Speaker 2 Yeah. I mean. Speaker 3 Obviously. Speaker 2 Like, I don't know. Speaker 4 I think like I've read it like 1% of all high school athletes even make it to the next. Speaker 3 Level. And so you want to like I think sports are great like I'm obviously I love sports, but you also want to invest in other things so that whenever that part of your life is done, you can maybe have a better direction of where you want to go. Speaker 2 And. Speaker 4 Your interest in football for 12 years. And yes, my junior high self, I'm like, I'm going to be an NFL player like. Speaker 2 You. Speaker 4 As me. Like, there's no way I'm not going to make a play at U.T.. I'm will go do this. And I was like, What if I don't? I that's so scary. But I just joined other things. I did FFA and you know, now I want to be coach the teacher and I want to run my own business with with an agricultural business. Speaker 4 And it's just like, you know, I see myself back then, it would never happen but took those chances. I went down this path and I found love exactly. So many more things. Speaker 3 Exactly. Speaker 1 So what is your plan? Where are you headed next year? Speaker 4 I'm going to Alvin this year, so I'm playing. Stay home, love the house, save money, get the basics out the way. But I haven't. I'm going to take that year to really decide where I want to go. Uh, I think we should try and coach football at the junior high next year, and that's going to be my my test to see if I really love coaching because I love the sport of football. Speaker 4 But I want to try to try to see if I can negotiate this, to see if it's going to be fun. So I take that, you know, if I don't like it, then at least I'll know I don't like it. Yeah, if I love it, I will try to stick with it. But I also want to be a teacher while coaching and I love agricultural so much, especially being a FFA son, being ag teacher and I also want to run my own business. Speaker 4 I have ones called Lovington Farms and it's a twist off of my project that did an FFA egg production business with laying hens. So I'm just going to try and run all that at the same time and just see which one takes off in a dream. If I could tell you right now it all lay out a coach and teacher for a little bit, all doing my business until my business blows up to be I can depend on it. Speaker 2 Yeah. Speaker 4 And then I retired from coaching and teaching and just from that straight out, all the way to the. Speaker 3 End or something. That's kind of fun so far. So I'm from Alvin, so going to see. I think that is such a smart. Yeah, smart move. I wish I could encourage more people to do that. Speaker 4 I hear my friends and at first it made me really nervous because they're like, Oh, I got to play this college or or I could get my dorm and find my person and blah, blah, blah. And it made me nervous. I was like, Am I the wrong decision? Like everyone I talked to is either going to A&M or some other college that everyone talks about. Speaker 4 And at first I was like, Man, I made the wrong decision. Wigwam I go into community college and then I was like, They're stressing like every day that they wake up, they're waiting for that email back from that college, or they're waiting to see the person like we always stressing, Well, I'm here living life like I'm enjoying my senior year. Speaker 4 I'm going to save so much money. Yes. And just like people, I think these days and name brands, just get and I think they apply to college. Either their mom went to their dad, went to her, or the Aggie rings going to get them that job because everyone loved that ring. But I was just like, I'm going to go where I decide to love. Speaker 4 I think a lot of people go to a big university these days and then they find what they want. It's like, I'm going to be an Aggie and then I'm going to find what they have. I'm like, No, I'm going to go what I like and I want to go somewhere that can do the best for me. Yeah, And I think that's Alvin, especially since I'm going to be I want to be involved so many things here in Friendswood, like coaching, and I'm going to be on the FFA board this year and I'm so wrapped up here, just like this is where I'm at. Speaker 4 So why not? Why not save money? Why not live at home? Why not do everything that I've been doing? And there's just like I think high school students, especially seniors, need to spend more time really like soul searching and finding what they love instead of going with the mainstream big university with. Speaker 2 That big name. Speaker 3 Well, and just kind of It's so funny how your story is mirroring my husband's, actually. So he graduated from Friendswood in 2010 and he was it was all on him paying for college. So he wanted to save money. So he stayed home. The first year he commuted, went to U of age, and he actually coached at the junior high with Coach Truman. Speaker 3 Yeah. And this was before I think Coach Truman was married or had kids, too. And so it's really he calls him Booboo. So I'll whenever I see his instrument. I, I tell Shawn like, I saw your favorite person today and he goes, Boo boo. Speaker 2 Yeah, that's nice. Speaker 3 I won't go in the booboo. But and he, he ended up going into so his last year, his, his ideal school was U.T. Yeah. So he, he went junior senior year to Austin, ended up majoring in economics more so for the pursuit of having a better life for himself and really wanting to try to climb the ladder a little bit more. Speaker 3 But he said if money was not a factor and he could do anything he wanted, he goes back to saying he would coach and coach football and teach history. Speaker 4 And I'm not saying there's just big universities are not the same because for some people that's definitely where they deserve and where they need to be was just like one of the past. I'm really considering about Taken is A&M has the pottery science department. It's so huge. I mean, I went and met with them earlier this year and loved it, but it's just like, I don't think I need to be there for four years. Speaker 4 Like if I can stay here and do everything I'm doing now for two years for cheaper and still end up that same Marine and that the same paper, but a different path. Yeah, that's what I want. I think it's important for everyone to see that different paths can still lead to the same goal. Speaker 3 And have you looked into Tarleton at all? No, I haven't. So I went to a small school, big small school advocate over here. I'm all for it. So I went to Midwestern State University. It's up in Wichita Falls, and Tarleton was in our conference, and they're known for being like an AG. Actually, yes, AG school. So anyway, I'm a small school advocate over here, just going and preaching the praises of all of the little small schools out there. Speaker 3 I had a great experience. So I wanted to be more big fish, small pine to me too. But I know, like my sister is opposite, she's really shy and she wanted to be small fish, big cotton. Speaker 4 And that's why, like friends or because it's such a perfect mix of being big enough, but also very small. Speaker 2 Yeah. Speaker 4 There's, there's people in the high school that I don't know, but I like to say that I'm, I know most of the people that I interact with every day. And I think going to a college or I'm just another person that paid the same price that you did makes me feel very small personally and kind of like breaks me down. Speaker 4 Like if I can somewhere I'm like, Hey, I can see you every day and I can know your name and we can meet up to go get coffee or something. And just like a small town feeling, I've always loved, I've just always loved it. Speaker 3 You should look into it. I'm like, That might be a good fit if you're looking to do something ag related. I knew a few people who went there and really liked it. Speaker 2 And so a lot of you, yeah. Speaker 1 There are so many places to, you know, to go. We do have it. Speaker 3 In our heading. Speaker 1 There are basically three schools in Texas. Speaker 2 Yep, you know. Speaker 1 In Texas and say, I'm throwing in three really In Friendswood, they talk about UT and A&M. Yeah, you know, but there of course is U of H and Baylor. Yeah. Speaker 3 Yeah. I mean Texas so. Speaker 1 Texas Tech that's the. Speaker 3 State Texas state's a big teacher school right. Speaker 2 Oh yes yeah my. Speaker 4 Freshman year I want to be teacher That's all about. Speaker 2 Texas too. Speaker 1 Yeah, I do. I do want to encourage youth. There's something to be said for it whenever it is time to go off. Yeah, there's something to be said for going off and living on your own and having to figure out all your own, making your own decisions, and that there's a there's a big growth moment there too. You know that when the time is right. Speaker 1 I do think. Speaker 3 Everyone's circumstances, you know, there's a different fit for everybody. Sort of like again, like going back to Sean, like he would not have been able like financially would not have been able to do that. But emotionally, I know he probably would have wanted to earlier, but it was all in all in God's timing. Yeah. Believer of that. So yeah, yeah. Speaker 1 But like you said though, he did go off, you know. Speaker 3 But yes. Speaker 1 Eventually eventually he. Speaker 3 Last years. Yeah. And it, which is a. Speaker 1 Little bad I think it's the best exactly. What you're talking about being here for two years and then going off for 2a2 years and graduating where you weren't to graduate from. It's it's really. Speaker 3 Smart. Speaker 1 Oh, yeah. Kind of get caught up in doing everything that everyone else is doing, you know? So we had a we actually had the pleasure of working with you earlier in the year on this, I believe, project. Tell everybody about that project and what that is. Speaker 4 And this project comes from a class that that is offered at the high school called the historical literacy type of students. And it goes Truman and it's for juniors. There's no the only criteria for the class is you have to take regular U.S. history and regular English three and then everything else is just if it can fit you into the class, it's a block class and it's amazing. Speaker 4 There's no like paper tests. There's no like traditional learning, if you will. It's all project based. And and one of the projects that we do at the beginning of the year is called this, I believe, and how it works is they explain to us that we'll be picking a topic. A topic is something that we personally believe in and it can be as deep as you want it to, and it can be as they touch the surface that you want it to. Speaker 4 Um, but how it works is there's a book I'm blanking on. It was called this, I believe. I mean, inside that book it has hundreds of stories or papers essays that if you could say, um, and we go over them and we read them, and a lot of them are just like personal stories and things, and then we invite people from the community to come into our class and speak through this. Speaker 4 I believe I'm on my year. We had, I think, Miss E, um, Coach Jackson and then both of our students in a costume and both share their this, I believe statement in their paper. And how it works is we pick our topic. Mine was, I believe, and I was coming back and I wrote an essay and I talked about how my dad's in the military. Speaker 4 Um, and when I was little, he got deployed to Iraq and how every time, whenever he would leave, you'd say he was coming, he's going to come back. Uh, and so I wrote the story about it and everything and the gist of it for me personally was just like, No matter where you go, no matter who you are, no matter who you turn into, you can always come back, whether it be like a physical home, an old, old version of yourself or an old friend. Speaker 4 It's never too late to turn around and go back to where you came from, and it's just such an awesome project. Listening to other people's stories and who they are, why they are that way. And it really sets us up for the rest of the year for other projects. And you know, a lot of times we get lost, especially as young adults and teenagers, but it's important to go back. Speaker 4 So towards the end of the year when we did change my mind, they were like, Hey, if you don't have a topic and nothing's reaching out to you, go back to this. I released statement. I go back and think about what you believe in and who you are and what you wrote about. Um, so just very special and really cool project to do. Speaker 4 Definitely different than anything I've ever written in school. And it was just like such a safe space. That classroom is such a safe space for us to open up. And, you know, the first couple of weeks were like, All right, this is weird. We're in here for 2 hours. I don't know any of you but towards the end of the year, especially like we're a family, like, I can come in here and talk to you about home like problems I'm having at my house or relationship issues. Speaker 4 And we'll all sit down and talk about it. Um, initially cause the same class. It does change my mind that we talked about earlier, but it's just such a special thing to do. You just. Speaker 1 Learn your classmates on such a. Speaker 2 Social level. Yeah. Speaker 1 And then I could see where other classes would never really quite measure up or be the same because just don't take that time to think. Speaker 4 We've done that class. We've actually presented it. We did it in Galveston for test me to the Association of School Boards. We've been a couple of times here with the school board and we're really trying to get the class like two other schools into other states, even nationally, if we could, because we just believe it's it's so special because like most classes, you walk in on Monday and the teacher was like, Hey, you have a test on Friday, here's a textbook, here's a piece of paper, get it done, you know? Speaker 4 And she's like, There's no personal connection at all. And that's what education is building a connection to teach somebody something else in that class to such a great job of it. Speaker 1 It is one of those classes that could be a workshop for every single school district, you know, And that is our hope for Cory and Melissa, that they're able to go around to other school districts and market themselves in a way that districts know they need something. They just don't quite know what they need. But when they experience this class, it would click like, This is what education is missing. Speaker 1 Yeah, it really is. I mean, I know when they were in front of the school board there were several questions like, Wait, why is this? And it doesn't it doesn't have to happen. Just like they're doing it. Like, yeah, some of these things that are going on could happen in every teacher's classroom. Speaker 3 Yeah. Speaker 1 It's just as a teacher myself, I know it's what is that and how to discover it and how to make that real for yourself and you know, your students. Speaker 4 I think the great thing is, is they talk about the first year they did it, They had no idea what they were doing. Yeah, but the freedom that the administration gave them, they were like, Hey, it's okay if you feel like it's okay if you start tests like grades go down this year because like, we'll find a way to get them back up if that's even what we're interested in. Speaker 4 But they were just given so much freedom and so many things to, to test out. And I think that's where they stand with the teachers, because I think sometimes it's just as a teacher and even in life, it's scared to take that step that you don't know where it'll go, especially if you're comfortable with something that has worked. Speaker 4 They they did they did awesome job. Speaker 1 And I think that class has proven that their their test scores are actually higher yet higher. Speaker 4 Our test scores are higher than the state of Texas is. The higher than friends at high schools which are exemplary school. And then we also have more commended students than friends at high school days, which is amazing. Speaker 1 It's amazing to me because you're not talking you cannot be an AP student across the board and be in this class. So you're talking those kids that are not not kids that struggle. They're just not those advanced students in their scoring on testing higher. Speaker 4 And those kids are. Speaker 1 Yeah, yeah. Speaker 2 It's pretty amazing. Speaker 4 Yes, it is. I'll tell you, we didn't it wasn't like we were giving tests every week, like when we did the War Museum, it wasn't like, Hey, who's this? Was this like what you did? This happened? How did you get shot? It was just like, How are you going to teach yourself like that? That's what happened. Like, we chose who we wanted to learn about, and then we listened to our other students present those people and those facts. Speaker 4 And it's just like I can talk about words all day long. We talked to other students. I mean, it happened and there was another class. We talked in the students like, I don't remember learning that. And I was like, You did. I know you learned it because I did. I just remember it because of the way it was taught. Speaker 3 Yeah, well, it's like you are given greater independence and responsibility for your own learning and work, so there's definitely something to that. Yeah. Speaker 1 Well, hey, do you ever want to learn? The Bible teaches Sunday school class and that's the same concept. Yeah. If you're teaching the subject matter, which you are, is you'll get up in working groups and speak. Speaker 2 Sure. Speaker 1 Yes, sure. In your projects you're teaching a subject and that's the best way you can ever learn a subject. Speaker 3 So. Speaker 2 Mm. Speaker 1 One thing that I connected to was actually the night that you were given a presentation before the school board. I think I remember correctly your mother had mentioned that she was so and her heart was so full with this class because your dyslexia and that school that had been something that you had struggled with and so you had been a part of this class. Speaker 1 So I'm dyslexic and it's something that I had always struggled with. How did that show up for you? So when did you know that there was a struggle there and then what did it look like. Speaker 4 Prior to moving here? I believe this, if I remember this correctly. Um, in kindergarten we had seen some things and we found out that, that friends had had an awesome like dyslexic program and they're awesome with disabilities and things. I think that's one of the reasons we moved here and to be close with all of our friends that we had made because we were just in CCI City, but then we got here first grade and they detected it. Speaker 4 However, that worked. And so I was put in SRP classes and stuff. For me it was more of the timing, like not being like taking longer to develop things. And even today I can read a book perfectly word for word, but comprehending what I just read is really hard. Speaker 1 For me in your mind. Wonder is that. Speaker 4 My mind wanders and it also fixates on every single word that my eye crosses. So I'll read five words and then I'll just forget the last sentence that I read. So for me, listening to things, it's so much better. Um, but yeah. Speaker 1 Do you do that books on tape, Is that help you a. Speaker 4 Lot in junior high? I think they're called Lonestar Books, I think is what junior High did. But there was a there's some things that some classes that I've been attending and just online listening to it while looking at it helps me so much better than just reading it. So it's good. That does a lot. Speaker 2 For the. Speaker 1 Colleges have gotten great about accommodations for, you know, just asking a lot of books now come on tape whether you want them or not, whether you have a disability or whether you don't. So that that's just something that's important to remember, you know, and talk to your professors. Speaker 4 Yeah, I just, uh, last week I met with my counselor and this guy who was one of the specialists at the high school, and they were like, You get everything in college that you get. Now it's just important to advocate for you. Speaker 1 So, yeah, no one will unless you do. Speaker 4 And I think a lot of kids these days are like, are scared to own up to what they struggling. And I get it. It can be scary to tell people things like that. But for me, I was always just like, Hey, I got to leave class for 30 minutes to be really cool. But I thought that was my thing. Speaker 4 And they were like, Where are you going every day? And I was like, I get to go out with some kids that are just like me, and I get to read a book with an awesome teacher. You know, I miss birthdays and at Oaklawn. And then Mike Ashley is also principal and now Nephi Estes. She was awesome. Was just like, like truly being who you are and don't be afraid to do it. Speaker 4 So now I met with Ms. nine of them and they're like, advocate for us. I was like, I am. I'm going to go there and tell them that this is what I need and and this on up to us. Speaker 3 We actually just to be on the subject of dyslexia, we have a reading programs web page on our website. So it's under parents and students. I think we may have a direct link to the dyslexia part of that page too, but there are a ton of resources that all the reading specialists have compiled, and I believe part of that is resources you can you can ask for in college. Speaker 3 So just if anyone out there is listening, I know that we provide some some resources on our website. Speaker 1 So we know that you've been involved with football and FFA. What other what other programs are you involved. Speaker 4 With at this campus? Um, technically a paid membership of Ashley Cecilia and Student Council. Um, this year I kind of served away from those just because I got busy with other things. But as and so I was part of the educational route that you can take and I did a lot of things with them and they did the pink out, they sponsored pink out games for footballs was cool doing all those. Speaker 4 And of course, student council, just all the amazing things that they do for us. And you know spirit we can and campus pick out that they do a lot with FFA. I joined powers this year halfway through um one of the only people that have ever done that and it was truly amazing. Speaker 2 You'd be a perfect person. Yeah. Speaker 3 Right. Speaker 4 There's also the story behind it is, is I tried, I needed to speech my senior year so I had no room for it. Um, but after that, but it's, it's a half credit, so I only needed it the first semester. And so the very last day of first semester, I got a text from a Civic, uh, because I'd had a number to send her some things for FFA, and she texted me. Speaker 4 She's like, Come to my room. And I was in I was in the locker room for football for like, done. I was like, okay. So I went to her room and there was like five passes just playing, you know? And I was like, You invited me to play? No, I that's why I'm here. So like, now you're interviewing and it's like. Speaker 2 Okay, so, so I sat down. Speaker 4 They all asked me questions and afterwards I went, I had no idea what's happening. They're like, Yeah, he's good. So she sent me downstairs and and I changed my classes that day. Speaker 2 And when I came. Speaker 4 Back two weeks later, I was in the palace class, you know, So amazing. Speaker 1 That's one of my favorite people. She's one of our interviews. She did a great podcast. Her heart. Speaker 3 Is gold. Oh, yeah. Speaker 1 Heart is gold. So you have prom this weekend? Yes. Tell me what that's going to be like. What do you. Speaker 2 What are you wearing? Speaker 4 So I'm going to wear the same thing that I wore for homecoming as a driver for homecoming. So I'm going have an all black suit, black tie, black shirt, black pants, black shoes. I think of like it's such a clean look. I love matching. You can never go wrong with black. Like, it really matches anything. Speaker 1 Not to mention it's slimming. Speaker 2 Yes. So, okay, I'm going to ask. Speaker 3 Are you wearing because I this bothers my mom that this has been a trend. Are you wearing socks or no. Speaker 2 Socks. Speaker 4 Among socks? Speaker 3 You're wearing socks. Okay. Speaker 4 Traditional guy. Speaker 3 Okay, good. Yeah. Okay, good. She would be very proud that my mom would approve of. Speaker 4 Much my belt, my shoes and my socks. That's match. Speaker 3 Perfect. Okay, so people only don't wear the socks at all. Speaker 1 I'm a fan. I'm a fan of the shorter pants, so no socks. Love it. Speaker 2 Are you really? I love. Speaker 1 It. Now, I have two boys. Speaker 4 So don't have the ankles for. Speaker 2 Those. That's okay. I can't do that. I would not recommend that. Speaker 1 Look, Shannon, But I would for Kate in Kate in rule and then he could pull that off. Kiernan would agree also, Kaitlyn would not be able to pull that off. But Kate could pull that off. Speaker 2 Yeah. Yeah. Oh, my goodness. But it's I. Speaker 1 Love love something different. Yeah. I love the not being afraid as a guy to dress edgy. Speaker 2 You're a. Speaker 3 Little you're a little edgy, a. Speaker 1 Little different. Yeah. You know. Speaker 2 I think it's different. Speaker 4 Match for some people, but total like me, just you stick. Speaker 2 With what we do that and. Speaker 4 Wear what we know works. Speaker 1 I I'm with that I mean yeah you're exactly right. It works for some people. It does it. Yeah. Just like with girls. Some looks work with some girls and some looks. Not every girl can pull off. No, every. Speaker 2 Look. Speaker 4 To find what works for them. Speaker 2 Yes, yes, yes. Speaker 4 But it's exciting. It's the Lonestar Flight Museum. This year. Yeah. Speaker 1 I was so surprised by that. I mean, it's a beautiful thing. Speaker 4 Yes. And we did go back to activities that we did with pals. I was invited to help superintendent reward with welcoming others superintendent from Texas. So we get to check it out. They give us a little tour of in it. Speaker 2 So amazing. It's beautiful. Speaker 4 I've done a banquet sophomore year I think for for varsity football was in there and it's like so cool. It was like I was like eating fluids, talking about football. And I just look behind me and there's like a big old plane just, like. Speaker 2 Staring at me. But. But it seems more manly. Speaker 3 Yeah. Speaker 1 So what song are you like? You're waiting for them to play, So you're going to go out on the dance floor and everybody goes, Yeah. And then everybody's hands goes up and everybody. It's been awesome in a prom. Yeah, Everybody jump up and down. Everybody is sweating. Yeah. Is there one song? You're like, we're looking forward to? Speaker 2 I don't think. Speaker 1 We could pull it up. I think we might get ready to play it. Speaker 4 My mind is way different. I'm a country guy. I'm a classic country guy. Speaker 1 Oh, okay. Well, I don't know. They play some country. Speaker 4 Not to play like. Like Brooklyn down, like mood scooting, boogie. I get out on the dance floor. Speaker 1 Do a line dance. They'll definitely. Speaker 3 Do. Speaker 1 I need to do one whistle. Speaker 3 One neon moon Boys is playing. Speaker 4 Slow dance and you gotta watch them. They have a dance to it. I don't know. There's a bunch of land on the line. Dancers come out. That's. That's. That's on my hands. Speaker 2 Going on that someone has to go now. Copperhead Road, don't you? Sometimes I'll play that one clean and I start dancing around. But that's. Speaker 4 That's on my. Speaker 2 Hands. So. Speaker 1 Yeah. Will you be out on the dance floor the majority of the time? Speaker 4 I think so, yeah. I'm a dancer. Yeah, I like grooving. Speaker 2 And that's going around. Can I just. Speaker 4 Find the dinner table, though? I will find the food. Speaker 1 Oh, yes. You're going to have. There's plenty of food here. There's plenty of food. Let me. Let me give you one tip. Speaker 4 All right, let's hear it. Speaker 1 You walk in and at some point you're going to want to take your jacket off. Just prepare to take your jacket off. Right. You're wearing all black. That's great. No one's really going be able to tell your sweat and your sleep. Speaker 4 I mean, like my issue. What do you. Speaker 1 Know? Speaker 2 Just your jacket. Okay. Speaker 1 It's on you. And wouldn't you set your jacket down? Yeah. There will be another thousand Jack black jacket. Speaker 4 Just like it. Speaker 1 They look just like it. Just make sure you know, that's a mom. Just make sure you remember where you put your jacket. That's it. Speaker 2 Got it. Okay, Got it. Okay. Speaker 4 So, like a little no inside of it. Like, if you if you find this jacket and it's not yours, please return. Speaker 2 Yes. Yeah. Yes. Speaker 4 All right, I'll do it. Speaker 1 That is important. Speaker 2 Remember what the jacket said. So doing. Speaker 1 Are you going with anyone? You're going by yourself as your group. Speaker 4 So I'm going with the group. Speaker 1 Okay, good. Speaker 2 Going as a. Speaker 4 Group of friends. The best also have, for picture sakes, we're going to take pictures with with certain dates, if you will. But it's just exciting to go as a friend group. And so. Speaker 1 Yeah, that's great. I'll do anything afterwards. Just hanging. Speaker 4 Out. Yeah. What about one of our friends at the beach? So we're going to go hang out with the mainstream beach. We have a couple of fun nights. What? It's like a disco nights where the desert, disco and stuff like that. Speaker 1 That's so cool. Yeah, I love those things. Speaker 4 The fans are like, They're really hot right now. We're coming in like each night, different theme and pictures and and all that just makes it so much more fun. Speaker 2 So cute. Yeah, I. Speaker 1 Bet you have a great group. So looking back over your years in high school, is there anything that you would change about school? Speaker 4 Like school itself or like my, my, my like choice. Speaker 2 Is school. Speaker 1 Itself. So, like, you're talking to an administrator, you're talking to Mr. Griffin, and he says, Jared. Yes. Speaker 2 Yes, yes. Speaker 4 Mr. Griffin. Speaker 2 What's. Speaker 1 One thing that you would change about friends in high school now obviously, that he can control? He can't control kids being immature. Speaker 4 Yeah, I would say spirited, but that's more of a skate style, you know, that's more of the kids getting involved. Speaker 1 Oh, yeah, Because, man, you don't have a principal. I mean, Mr. Griffin is all. Speaker 4 Energetic and he's so everywhere. Speaker 1 He is. Speaker 4 You know, it sounds cliche, but I think friends at high school does a pretty good job of of doing high school. I think they open it up so much and they give us like the like they give us so many options. And it's just it's the willingness of the kids to find where they grew and where their strengths are. Speaker 4 But I honestly think friends of high school is an amazing job. Speaker 1 Yeah, I think you're right. I think so. What you're saying is you would just say that if kids could get more and more all in, yeah, it would be a better experience for everyone. Speaker 4 And I hate it where it's like some kids are just like, I hate high school or I hate this court, blah blah. And I'm like, Look at what other people who go to high school like, look at what some kids do. Some kids will even get an education, like at a like some third world countries. And I'm like, like, be blessed like you, like all these teachers love you for who you are and all administration wants to see you succeed. Speaker 4 And they're like, So then why are they filled me in like the aren't filling you? They don't give you grades. You earn the grades. Like if you're failing a class, it's because you earn that class. And they're like, Why do I have so many make up? I was like, Because you chose not to come to school. Speaker 2 Like, what do you. Speaker 1 It's called a consequence. Speaker 4 Yeah. Like, like what are you doing that you're not in school? Speaker 1 That blows. But. But I grew up that way. I always wanted to be at school because that's where. Speaker 2 Those. Speaker 1 Friends were. That's where sports were. Yeah, I do understand the staying at home thing. Speaker 4 You know, my day would look like if I stayed at home or if I didn't go to school, I'd sit in my room and watch TV. Like I get to go to school, I could see hundreds of kids. You know me. I got to go see teachers that want to see who I am. I could do seven different things a day. Speaker 4 It was so much more active and so much more better. Speaker 2 To do things. Speaker 1 Yeah, I agree. I never understood that I'm going to stay at home and. Speaker 3 I would have never been allowed in my house. Like, you know, you're getting up and. Speaker 4 I think lonely Days of Miss this year are for other activities like for FFA trips or for football games, really. But she does like. Speaker 2 Which is hard for us to go. Speaker 1 That's exactly. Speaker 2 Right. Speaker 4 I think I think I might have missed like one or two days early semester to take a break, but I was never one of those kids that skipped. Speaker 2 Yeah, I. Speaker 4 Even told my teachers like senior Skip days on Monday, I was like, I'll be here Monday. So can you please plan something? Speaker 2 Yeah. Speaker 1 I'll tell you something you'll be surprised by because seniors are always surprised by it. You know, not everybody is looking forward to senior filled day on Friday. Yeah. You will walk away loving senior filled day and saying, why don't we do these more often as a as a campus as a sport? You will love it. It's a blast. Speaker 4 I'm planning on going like I want to. You should be so fine at first. Speaker 1 Cake seniors go. Oh, don't want to go. They all love it at the end of the day, like they there's nothing not to love. Speaker 4 The for the ones that don't want to participate in senior activities or prom or field day and all these things. I like asking was like, have you ever talked to your parents about their senior? And they're like, high school is like, yeah, they talk about it all the time. They seem so fine. Like so now that you're choosing not to go to these things, you'll never be able to tell your kids how it was they're going to come to you. Speaker 4 And they were like, Hey dad, can we go to this for a primer? Hey, mom can go to this for seniors, fill them like, and then you have to sit there and tell them that you didn't go do it. Speaker 2 Like. Speaker 4 I just think that's such a waste. And it's just like the memories will, like, last forever. It's just like if you go and you don't like, cool, like maybe it's not your vibe, but at least you tried. Speaker 3 Oh, yeah. Speaker 1 Absolutely. Speaker 3 Now, did you all have a field day when you were in high school? Speaker 1 We did not. We do not. Speaker 3 I remember, I don't know what you all do. We went. I think they took us all to Slaughter Barn. Speaker 1 Yeah. You know what we do? We go to Stephenson Park. We've gone there and taken pictures a bunch. Oh, that's their senior day. Remember that? We're all the seniors are at Stephenson Park and. Speaker 2 They're in the pool. Speaker 1 Or they're doing those, just so you know, it's awesome. Speaker 3 That's one of my favorite traditions. This was like, I think the whatever the day thing we had Friday off. So Thursday before Easter Alvin High School, this is like a longstanding tradition because parents did it when they went to Alvin High School. They do Kid Day and you come to school in your senior dresses. You were dressed as a little kid. Speaker 3 Yes. Speaker 2 Oh, yes. Speaker 3 It seems like that all day You bring your little Easter basket. Yeah. And we walk down to a park and they'd had a big egg hunt for us. And we did, like, all kinds of little games out there. And then the whole day, so, like in my English class, I remember our teacher taking us out under a pavilion and we played Duck, Duck, Goose in the class like you do, like all your teachers do, a little little kid activities with you. Speaker 2 I think it's so it's the things. Speaker 4 Out there that that I've seen other schools do, like some of them I know, like, I think it was like anything but a backpack day. You see some people like like, like, like do it like seven other like the school books and their papers in a wheelbarrow. Speaker 2 The horse shopping car. Speaker 1 I've even seen a will like, they'll. Speaker 2 Put it in your will in the world or like a tire. Speaker 1 Yeah, tire. I mean, the tire. Speaker 4 Is just like those. Like those smaller to yourself. Speaker 1 You're so fun and they're so funny for kids. Yeah. And there will be kids who don't participate for sure, but there will also be. That's why I love that our high school does Halloween. Oh, yeah. Some of the kids are so creative with their outfits. I just love it. I love. Speaker 3 It. It's great. And just all the homecoming stuff too. I mean, all those things. Speaker 2 The spirit theme. Yeah. Like, it's. It's just. Speaker 3 Gives you something to look forward. Speaker 2 To that. Speaker 4 Don't get to spend, like, the other way. Like, that's stupid. And I'm just like, okay, but I have pretty cool pictures. Speaker 2 Like, these are. Speaker 4 Cool pictures. I think one of the days of the holidays and I went as a turkey, I have a turkey costume. Speaker 2 And I was like, you know, we're all day long. Speaker 4 Of course I swing the holidays, of course, political season. And I was like, I was a turkey in class. Speaker 2 That's all that I did. Speaker 1 That's fine. Yeah. You can look back and just know that you had fine tools which you have to break it up with. Speaker 2 You. Speaker 1 Know, be so serious and stressful and all that. Speaker 3 You're kid. Exactly. Speaker 1 Okay, so we always end our podcast with just random questions. Okay. So here's the first one. So as a young man, what a deal breaker would be for you on a first date. Speaker 4 And a first date. Man, that's hard. Not being interested. Speaker 1 But not like we're not listening to you or What do you mean? Speaker 4 Just like, just like, not. Speaker 2 Say, did you get, like, they on their phone, like you were talking. Speaker 4 About? Like. Like being on a phone or like, if I say, like, Hey, how you doing? They're like, good. Like short answers. Speaker 2 I just. Speaker 3 Like, can't carry a conversation. I can't. Speaker 4 Even conversation. Speaker 2 Yeah. Speaker 4 It's like, but not matching my vibe. Speaker 2 Yeah. Speaker 4 Like if, like we go somewhere, like a dance hall and we're dancing and it's like. It's like a. Speaker 2 Dealbreaker. Speaker 1 Yes. It's like they say that sometimes. Your energy level. Speaker 2 Yeah. Speaker 1 Like the saying the energy level should be about the same, right? If you're super happy and want to have fun and this person over here is like. Speaker 4 This brings the whole room down. Yeah. Speaker 2 No, no. I know. Speaker 4 Some people can get pretty up there and it's just like. Speaker 2 I can try my best. I just can't. That's you. And I am that person sometimes. Like, let's go. Why not jumping in like I've been traveling 30 minutes? I'm feels about me, but I swear, I think you get overwhelmed. Speaker 3 I mean, sometimes, like, I'll be in the. Speaker 2 Kitchen and I'm. Speaker 3 Like, cooking literally, like high kicking over our eyelids. Like. Like popping open, you know? And he just looks at me like. Speaker 1 There is a balance. Like balance. Super happy people. Yeah, Not not happy. That's a bad way to say it. High energy with very laid back. Speaker 3 Which that's how we are. But he's like his goofy matches. My goofy. Yeah. And he like that was one thing on our first date that I was like oh my gosh. Speaker 2 You just made me. Speaker 3 Laugh. Like he didn't himself too seriously. But he could be serious too. Yeah, but no, there was this guy, like, to that point, I mean, for a year, just I'm from a distance was like, just so I just thought he was so cute. Whatever. I had just built up, like, this little crush built up years down the road. Speaker 3 I went on a date with him. Speaker 2 Finally went on a date with this guy. I mean, maybe. Speaker 3 Within 10 minutes I was like, Oh, not. Speaker 2 Interested. Speaker 3 He was so serious Terry. So I know, like, that's kind of structured, whatever. But I was like, I'm super goofy. Speaker 2 Like, this is never going to never work, you know? Speaker 3 And so there's definitely, like, you have to find, even though, again, Sean and I are very different, we have the same kind of humor and can be really I sort of like we have our own language. Speaker 2 Like really silly. Yeah, yeah. You got to find something. Speaker 4 Some common ground. You definitely are different. Speaker 3 Makes it fun. Speaker 1 It does. So what do you think we owe each other as human beings, It's. Oh, wow. You know, to be honest, yeah. Speaker 4 To be treated the same, I think. And that goes along with, like, equality or just like, I just be like, give people the chance to be them. I think. I think we owe that to everybody, especially in today's cultures, like, oh, cancer this personally, and I don't believe in that and it's wrong or blah blah blah. I'm just like that. Speaker 4 That like let their truth be their truth. But you can live your life and have your own truth. Let somebody else live their life. They just as important as is for me to be who I am. It's as the same importance for them to be then I think that's what I think we owe everybody. Speaker 1 Listen, you're a con man who can infiltrate. I'm a. Speaker 2 Con man any hypothetically, or I am trying to figure it out. Speaker 1 Hypothetically. Any profession so you can interchange. Okay. Here I go. You can infiltrate any profession. Speaker 2 Yeah. Speaker 1 Which job? You pretend to be an expert at. Speaker 4 Wow. Stunned me. And then normally I'm hot on this. Uh, contracting, like, construction. Construction. Okay, Like, why not? Speaker 1 Yeah. Speaker 4 I think it did a lot to. I'm like, knocking builders, and it's like, So. Speaker 1 How would you prepare for that? Like, do you see physically, like, would you put on boots and jeans and would you talk in a different voice? Like, what would it be look. Speaker 2 Like for you? Yeah. Speaker 4 I got a beard a little bit. Okay, I'd get some boots and put on a yellow vest, I guess. Speaker 2 Definitely have to do it. Speaker 4 You have to have a. Speaker 1 Clipboard and hard. Speaker 4 Hat. Oh, yeah. Hard hat. Speaker 1 Would you yell or cuss or like, I'm projecting what a. Speaker 2 Just structured. Speaker 1 Person you're going to. Speaker 4 Look like. Speaker 2 You're important. Yeah, that's. Speaker 4 The main thing for anything. You have to look like you're there and it's going to. Speaker 2 Be you're like. Speaker 3 To in this infiltration. And that's what I'm gathering. Speaker 4 Yeah, yeah. Just walk around and like, talk to people going, Hey, you get this done, okay? Just write it down. Speaker 1 Little Hey, you see that pipe over there? Speaker 4 Why is it there? Speaker 1 What's there? Speaker 2 A That mound of dirt is that moving? Come on, man. Let's just build something. Yeah. Speaker 4 We're two days behind schedule. Just pick it. Speaker 2 Up. Speaker 1 Okay, So last question. Finish this sentence. One thing I know for sure is. Speaker 2 I am who I am. Speaker 1 All right? Speaker 2 Um. Speaker 1 And you know what, Jared? We are so glad you know who you are. We absolutely adore you. And thank you for being our first student on the podcast. Speaker 3 And this is our last episode of season one. Our last. Speaker 1 Episode. Speaker 2 So you got it right. I love was on the season. Speaker 3 You are the season finale is so awesome. Speaker 2 Yeah. Speaker 1 We just want to tell our audience to thank you for listening. Those of you who listen, we just are we're proud of ourselves, taking a risk and trying this. And we appreciate your ears and your kind words and we look forward to what next year will bring. We're not quite sure who we're going to be interviewing and what that will look like, but we'll have fun this summer trying to figure that out. Speaker 3 And we would love for you to let us know who you'd like to see on the podcast. Speaker 1 We would love to hear what you think and who you want to hear. Speaker 3 So and we need now that he's graduating, we need another student to step up as our next charity on. That's right. All right. Man on Twitter. Speaker 1 There's never going to be another there's. Speaker 3 Never gonna be another young. Speaker 2 Even a second. Try to get to the top. Speaker 1 Okay. Thanks for being here. You all have a good day. Speaker 2 You.