Two FHS teachers discuss their vision behind History and English coming together to help students find their voice, discover family ancestry and embrace the beliefs that make them who they are as juniors in high school.
Two FHS teachers discuss their vision behind History and English coming together to help students find their voice, discover family ancestry and embrace the beliefs that make them who they are as juniors in high school.
Unknown Today, we're looking to. Speaker 2 Amazingly popular. Speaker 3 Teachers from Friendswood High School, Melissa Stephenson and Cory Truman. We want to talk teachers, students and the vision of your class and life all in one episode. Welcome, Melissa and Cory. Speaker 2 What took you. Speaker 3 So glad you're here? So this is history meets English. Speaker 4 Right? It's like art history and English to meet each other and then have a baby. Like, that's what this is. Speaker 2 Okay. Speaker 3 Okay. So are you considered coach teachers? What are they? Speaker 5 Yeah, I think that's the biggest question we get. People will say, Oh, do you teach? And then you teach. And like, no, we just kind of just tag team it. Like, I'll go. And then I look at him and I'm like, What do you need to say? And we just kind of let it flow. Speaker 2 Yeah, it's really. Speaker 5 The curriculum goes together. We kind of go in and out all through the class period. There's never a day where one of us doesn't do something. We're always kind of teaching at the same time. Speaker 3 That has to go back to personalities, though, because I can imagine that you would get some personal needs where someone wants to say, literally, I'm going to introduce this part, and then you're going, but you're just you're just How long have you been doing this? Speaker 4 This is our fifth year. Speaker 2 Yeah. Wow. Yeah. Speaker 5 And even from the beginning, though, like, even year one, that was the biggest thing that I was kind of nervous about. Like, how is this going to work? Sure. And it just kind of naturally did. I think both of us are super laid back in that, too, though. Like neither one of us are so type-A that it's like, here's your script for the day. Speaker 2 This is what you need to say. Yeah, yeah, right. Yeah. Speaker 5 He's the opposite type. I'm like a minus. So. Speaker 3 Which is a great blend or a great balance. Yes. Speaker 2 Yeah. I worked so. Speaker 3 Hard. The kids get picked for the class. How does that work? Speaker 4 So there's no, like, picking for the class. The class is truly. You just have to be regular history, regular English junior year. And it's just. It just works out. Speaker 3 Like you're automatically. That's the only in the school for it. Speaker 4 Yeah, it's only them. Yeah. If you're regular history, regular English, you're in the pool to be pulled from that. Okay. There's no guarantee. And like, certain classes interfere. So, like, I think culinary arts is the same time as our class for third and fourth. So, like, they can't do it. Speaker 2 But that's sometimes. Speaker 5 We'll have teachers, you know, that will say, Oh, my gosh, this kid would be great for this class. And so they'll like super highlight their name or let the counselor know like, Hey, this kid would be a great fit. But other than that, it's just luck of the draw. Speaker 4 Luck of the draw. Speaker 6 So how did the class come to be? Speaker 4 Karen Hillier. Speaker 2 Yeah, girl. Speaker 5 Karen Hillier. Speaker 4 Okay. Care bad. Speaker 3 She's been invited, so yes. Speaker 2 Yeah, she'd be great. Should be great. Speaker 4 Karen came to us separately, so like, we didn't know each other at all before this. And Karen came to me when I was meeting with Brian Del Mar and some of their history teacher and said, I have this idea and I want to see if any I would do it. And right away I thought, absolutely not. No shot, no way. Speaker 4 She said, I want to turn education on its ear. I don't want a textbook. I don't want paper tests. I don't like quizzes, I don't want homework, which all sounds good until she said there is no one in the state of Texas doing this that you can model and you have to come up with it all yourself. Speaker 3 Where did it come to her? Like, where have you ever had that conversation? Which I guess I could have that conversation with her. Speaker 2 Well, save. Speaker 4 It for that podcast. You know, we've never really had that conversation with. Can we just kind of take everything she says and. Yeah. Speaker 5 Yeah, pretty much, because I know that they've done what's the class called where it's like honors students who do this. Humanities, Humanities. Yeah, but it's just one teacher. Typically the humanities teachers, not two separate curriculums, kind of bleeding into one. And so kind of same thing for me, too. She just came to the English department and was like, This is kind of what we're thinking about doing. Speaker 5 Let me know if you're interested. And I did not let her know that I was interested because I was terrified. And then she came to me and was like, Hey, I think you'd be great. Would you do this? And same thing. I was like, What? What? What is the this we're speaking of? And she said, Same thing. Like there is no curriculum. Speaker 5 You get to start from scratch. I had never taught juniors before, so that made it way easier for me because I'm a creature of habit and I think it would have been easy to when it got hard and it did for us to fall back into, you know, old styles and old curriculum and then just kind of fall back into that. Speaker 5 So it was easier for me since I had never taught it before, I didn't have anything to fall back on. We literally were starting from scratch. Speaker 3 And what had you been teaching before this? Speaker 5 Freshmen and sophomores. Okay, so now I do freshmen and juniors. Speaker 3 So this is a freshmen and juniors class. Speaker 5 So I myself. Really? You? Yeah, I teach freshmen and I teach juniors before I'm teaching freshman and sophomore. So I don't teach sophomores anymore. Speaker 3 And so your juniors class is at one period a day. Speaker 2 Is two periods periods. Speaker 4 Because you get that right away. They come in and they go, Oh, I've got Stevenson and Truman Fourth, and I'm like, That's Stevenson and I'm Truman. So you're with us for 2 hours, and they just go, What? Speaker 2 Yeah. Speaker 5 What are you going to do for 2 hours? Speaker 2 Hours? Yeah. Speaker 5 Yes, we had that question too. Speaker 2 How are we going to fill 2 hours? Speaker 5 And we're. Speaker 2 Like, Oh my gosh, we're going to sit down. Speaker 4 And stuff. Speaker 2 So it was. Speaker 6 Our first year. Speaker 2 Like, Oh, go, Oh God. Speaker 4 We had planned. We hadn't met very our design team and we had talked about like what this would look like, and neither of us had any idea, like we talked about doing this thematically or chronologically. How do we blend the both together? Like we don't know what it's going to be? And we ended up putting on a whiteboard eventually, like, Hey, she said, what do you need the kids to know? Speaker 4 Like, what are the tics? What's the standards was the thing they need. And so we put all those on the board on timeline and thought, Where can we group these together to create themes and like activities that way? And so that's how the class kind of started. Now, we met all summer and we planned and we had a whole idea and on day one we went, Well, that's not how that's going to go. Speaker 4 Nothing that first year seems like it went according to plan. Mm hmm. And it ended up better. Speaker 2 Yeah, for that way. Speaker 3 Have you have you had any follow ups with those students? Speaker 2 Yes. You know who those students are? Speaker 4 Yeah. Yesterday we talked we were talking to our class about kids, and they're asked about some of our kids that have stood out to us and their stories and what they did. And I said, yeah, some of some kids we we've taught like Matt Rodriguez, we've mentioned. And he said, Oh my God, I'm friends of Matt. And so he opened up his phone and like videoed Matt and was we were talking to him like that. Speaker 4 Yeah, a lot of our kids we stay in touch with. Yeah. Speaker 3 So some of the themes might be using the wrong terminology but like Challenge Accepted were museum is it this I know. Speaker 4 So this so ours is it's this I believe this was Museum of the American dream is so second is we're museum and then third is immigration which is the American dream like their story their family's. Speaker 2 Story, the street. Speaker 4 Ancestry project. And then the fourth for us is change my mind. Speaker 3 Okay. Oh, so it's and those are the only large projects. Speaker 2 Yeah, that's. Speaker 3 That you work on those and the research behind and all of that. Speaker 2 Yes, that. Speaker 3 Okay. So what did you say was the first one. Speaker 5 This. I believe. Speaker 3 This. I believe. Yeah. Okay. So let's talk a little bit about this. I believe so. Just I guess tell the audience what it's about and what you what the students are working on. Speaker 5 This might actually be. And I say this every time, every every project, and we're in the middle of it. I'm like, This one's my favorite. I love this project so much. And we get to that and I'm like, No, really, this one's my favorite. But this one I love so much because it's based on a, I guess a podcast, kind of on NPR based on essays that people write. Speaker 5 And it's people who are, you know, from pizza delivery people all the way to like the press. Presidents have written them and they just write about what they believe. They pick a statement of belief and they tell their story about why they believe it. And so we read a couple. We share our own. We bring people in like y'all to share, and then the kids write their own. Speaker 5 And I one of the reasons why we think it's so powerful is we sit and talk with every single kid about their beliefs. They come up, they share their an image that they've chosen that represents their story. They share their a title that they've created, and then they share their story to us. And we talk about this a lot. Speaker 5 Like I would say, most of our kids, maybe half of our kids, I come and sit. The first thing they say is, who's going to read this? Who's going to see this? You know, they want to get personal. They want to share, but they're nervous about it. And so we get to walk them through that. We walk them through their story. Speaker 5 We walk them through the writing process to storytelling process, like how do we tell the story in the best way possible? So yeah, it's the best part about that is the relationship building part of that. When you sit with someone face to face and you share your personal story with them, you're building that trust. And so the beauty of it is we start the year off with that. Speaker 5 So when we're starting from there and we move to, you know, something as big as change my mind, that trust in that relationship is already there. So it's a really, really great place to start. Speaker 3 And so do your students just like what's the process to just does a kid share in the first week of school? Do they have do you all take time to actually teach the lesson and the topics and what they the skills that they need to know before they start sharing? Like who has to go first? Speaker 5 We it's kind of been different every year, but the process happens first. We talk about we do a lot of examples like bringing people in. We read some and we don't just talk about their story, about how they format their story, you know, am I telling it in chronological order or am I telling it like one story, two story, three story? Speaker 5 And so just kind of that process and once you kind of know that, then you have the freedom to just start writing. And so we talk a little bit about the process, but mostly we just say, just write, just get your story down on paper. We can always go back and edit it. In fact, we give them weeks and weeks to do that. Speaker 5 You know, we say, you know, today we talked about, okay, on Friday, I want you to turn in your first draft, but we're going to take weeks to go through those. They sit down and they read them to us and we talk about what they can change to make it better. And I can't tell you how many kids. Speaker 5 I mean, we had 34 kids in our classroom last year, and I would say probably ten of them have come back this year and said, I'm using this as my senior, you know, essay for column, my college essay, and I'm just going back and kind of making some tweaks to it. So it's something that they come back to. Speaker 5 And we already had a kids say, I want to rewrite mine from last year. He's a senior this year and he wants to go back and change his and edit it. We had a girl come up to us today and say, Can I change mine? I want to you know, the story that I'm trying to tell doesn't really make sense. Speaker 5 What I'm telling you. Can I change it? Like, yes, like this is your thing. Like you get to work on this all year long and as we have more people come in and share, you see those light bulbs happening and you see those connections happening. And, you know, Kelsey was a huge inspiration for our kids. And so, yeah, it's really, really cool to see the writing process go along with the storytelling. Speaker 5 Like the story is important. And so they care about how it sounds when they write it on paper. Speaker 3 Do you think this is the first time in their life that they've been asked to really not just put down what they believe? I mean, I think there could be a list of things that that kids believe, but it's about then it's personal. And then to have to share that in front of their peers, I would think this would be a first time for a lot of juniors. Speaker 4 I think it's I think it's the first time. But what makes it a little bit different is it's very real. So like in other classes, they've probably been told like, Hey, you're going to share your story with something you believe in as a person or something. But whenever we get up and share ours and people come in show, they're like, Ross, I just, you know, lets them say, maybe I can do the same here. Speaker 6 So do you feel like because of certain stories that have been told through this assignment that you've been able to understand a student much better than before? Speaker 5 Absolutely. Absolutely. Every day, every day we sit down and and talk about a student story. And if there's something that, you know, we can do to facilitate that, you know, if it's the healing process that needs to come next or just them telling their story, we have a girl who wrote 20 pages and she was like, I just wrote. Speaker 5 I just kept writing and writing. We're like, Perfect. Now how do we take that and make it into something, you know, presentable, quote unquote, for us as a story versus you just, you know, writing it all down. But yeah, I think this is a huge step for a lot of kids. And and the sharing part of it, too. Speaker 5 We don't make them read their essay in front of everybody. Speaker 3 Oh, okay. Speaker 5 I'm assuming we don't because so many of them are so personal. They always share their belief that like statement and they share however much of the story they want to share. But even just last year we had a student, one of our favorites. She's amazing who at the beginning of the year had just this May a powerful story. Speaker 5 And she her first question was, who's going to read this? I don't want everybody to know. And we were like, That's fine. It'll just be us. But then for her ancestry project, she went back and told the story to everybody. So means power. It was superpower. Everyone was like, Oh my gosh. So like, she got there, you know, at the beginning of the year. Speaker 5 They just want to share it with us. And then three weeks of building relationships and conversations they don't mind sharing with the people in their class anymore. We have kids come back all the time, say, I didn't even know this person. Now we eat lunch together every day, you know? So it's not just about like our relationship with the kids, but like their relationship with each other. Speaker 5 And it grows very quickly because they get personal really fast. So just giving them the space, I think to do that. Speaker 3 Absolutely. I mean, what what an experience for kids, I would think at that age and I know Kelsey and I talked about it after she shared and even as an adult, I mean, yeah. Speaker 6 I was so moved. Yeah, it was so powerful. I didn't stop thinking about it for days. I still hadn't had that in my mind and in my prayers quite a bit. Just some of the the conversations that came out of it, some of the questions that came out of it. So it was it was awesome. I felt like I got I got back to work that day. Speaker 6 I'd been there for almost 4 hours because I'd been in another classroom before and I was like, I don't even know where to go from here. I didn't know where to go. Yeah, I fell asleep at like 830 that night and didn't wake up until 11 the next day. I was so like, emotionally, yes, strange, but in the most beautiful, powerful way. Speaker 3 And I think that was a big part of it for you, too, was the you were I wouldn't say you were surprised by the questions, but how into they were and that there were so many questions that you could keep talking about and. Speaker 2 Oh, yeah, and. Speaker 6 I appreciated the honesty and how comfortable they were to be able to ask those questions because I was asked some really difficult questions and I loved that they felt that they could do that and that we were able to have an open conversation. And I had prayed before going in there that God would just use that for His glory and that He would give me the words. Speaker 6 And there were questions that were not easy to answer, that I was sitting there, you know, God, just help me. I don't know what the right thing to say is, but just work through me. However, give me I said, give me the words. I always pray that. Give me the words. Speaker 3 So is there any subject like how do you deal with that? Is there any subject that you not that's off limits? Obviously, you can imagine. You don't really want to say that to a kid like, Oh, that's too serious. Like, we can't have that conversation. But have you found that that's a challenge? Speaker 4 And I haven't we haven't come in contact with something where we said, like, hey, you can't don't say that. It's more so like them asking, can I say that? Speaker 2 Yeah. Speaker 4 And that's the platform we have. We haven't seen yet. The opposite. Speaker 6 I know. I even had that same thought, you know, I had emailed you Melissa beforehand, asks, Is this too serious? How deep can we get? You know, I just don't want to knowing they're in high school. So are there are there boundaries to the depth of the conversation? But I think that was what made it so cool was that it was so deep and and there were students who are able to relate to what was spoken on. Speaker 6 So I do think that was really awesome that you said, no, we encourage it. Speaker 5 Yes. And I think that's the beauty of that age, too. You know, they're 17 years old. They're getting ready to be seniors. And I think we think about life. And when we talk to these kids like they've been through a lot. So for them to hear other people who've had difficult things, I think in Friendswood especially, it can seem so, you know, pretty and perfect and no one else is dealing with anything. Speaker 5 And then when we talk about like half of our students are saying, can I can I share this? Can I is it okay for me to, you know, who's going to see this? It's it's just evident that they're ready to have these conversation is because most of them are either dealing with things themselves or know people personally who are so. Speaker 3 So many kids are dealing with. I mean, as human beings in general, right? I mean, you'll find that it's hard for you're just hearing you talk. I could see how just your emotions, like do you find that you're like, you have to get a grip on your emotions because, you know. Speaker 4 It's definitely hard because they run the gambit like all of them share something like one day it could be super like, I don't know what to do with that. I don't know how to how to take this. I don't know. What do I do my first step from here, and then the next day you're going to hit you with something else and it'll be completely different. Speaker 4 So like, you have to, like, really be on your game, like in dealing with these things. Speaker 2 Yeah. Speaker 3 Absolutely. Speaker 2 It's hard. Speaker 3 Absolutely. You don't deal with you. Really. That's a good point. And once you say that you're dealing with some really tough, obviously there are times that you get counselors involved or you reach out and you get help. You know, whenever it's obvious that that the kid needs a resource or help and things like that. Yeah. Which I don't think is new for any teacher, right? Speaker 3 I mean, just being a teacher of high school students are always times that you get kids help when they need help, for sure. Speaker 2 But yeah, this is. Speaker 6 A very intentional platform to kind of recognize those needs, I think, which is so cool. Speaker 5 For sure. And the counselors are a great resource for us when we don't know, like what do where do we take this? Most of the time, it's not, you know, necessary to bring in other people, but we always have those resources, which is great too. Speaker 3 Yeah. So the second is what? War Museum. Speaker 4 Or museums. Speaker 2 Okay. Okay. Well, for boys next. Speaker 4 Well, so yeah. So the voices wrapped up in this in this part. So we have the nine weeks project where we do many, many projects. And so those and so the whole idea of change is where we came up with our first like nine weeks thing. So in this it was discovering that you have a voice but not knowing how to use it. Speaker 4 And so we do activities, discussions, debates, all these things to kind of show you like you have an opinion about something and your passion about something. How do we use that now? And like, how do we get that across to you to say, like, what can we do with it? And how far can you go? Because a lot of the times they'll just say, like, Whatever, I'll do whatever. Speaker 4 Like I'm a 17 year old kid sitting in class. My voice doesn't really matter, but we kind of pull it out of them. Speaker 3 So do you do you give them topics? Do they pick. Speaker 2 Topics? Speaker 4 They pick. We just kind of guide. Okay, yeah. Our job is really like tour guides in this whole thing. Like we just kind of, okay, where would all like to go with this? Where do you see a problem right now with this problem? How would you change that? You know, what are some things you could do or would do? Speaker 4 We don't give them anything. There's no, you know, list. And we're like, oh, what would you change here? What would you pick out of these things? Because it changes every year. Yeah. Speaker 6 So like this to me sounds more like a typical, like English kind of study with like voice. So how are you incorporating like the history side? Yeah. Speaker 4 So the history stuff for us, we broke down into like four sections. And so like where throughout history from post-Civil War to present day, have we seen voice made a huge impact. We saw like Industrial Revolution with like factories and business owners and unions. We saw in civil rights movement massive use of voice we saw in Vietnam and then present day. Speaker 4 So we take those and then we have our like lessons and not not just learning the era, but learning specifically. How did they use their voice to impact society here? And then we go from there. Speaker 2 That's awesome. Yeah. Speaker 3 So the last one I know there's another one in there. I guess in my mind I just keep getting to change my mind just. Speaker 2 Because it. Speaker 4 Was ancestry. Speaker 3 The next one day. Speaker 5 Ancestry museum and then it's. Speaker 2 History. Yeah. Yeah. Speaker 3 So the War Museum? Yes. Speaker 4 So the same that we we do like the entire nine weeks we spend on focusing on all us conflicts. And so from there we break them into mini groups and we talk about all the areas of war, like from everything from propaganda to art to strategy, you know, equipment, technology, everything about it. And then they they become the experts in their field, and then they create something that is going to show that somehow they showcase their own learnings in their own exhibit. Speaker 4 And we don't give them anything we like just we get them to that point. We frontload the information a little bit, but they dig way deeper and they find out I mean, I don't want look silly in front of my classmates here, so I better know my stuff and I better know how to make this trench warfare and explain it like, you know, at the school when they come and do it. Speaker 3 Yeah. Do you start to see the issues all along as teachers that we have fed them? Speaker 4 Oh, my gosh. Speaker 2 Yes. And they're like, well, but. Speaker 3 What's an example? Can you show me this? Speaker 2 Yes, Yes. Speaker 3 That's going to be that has to be very scary for those. Speaker 2 We had a. Speaker 5 Student a couple of years ago. We were just laughing like this that literally cried real tears like not is not a little bit of crying. Like you're actually crying because she wanted a rubric and we were like, we're real. What's that? She was like, you know, like we're giving you like, this is right and this is wrong. I'm like, what's how do I get an A? Speaker 5 Well, like. Speaker 2 Oh, I don't know what you're talking about. She's like, I was like, sobbing. Speaker 5 Like she was so stressed out because she was the product of the system and the system had worked for her and she's good at it and she was really good at it and really stressed out. Speaker 2 Yeah. Speaker 5 Easily. And so this class was amazing for her. I mean, like really amazing for her. She the growth that we saw in her from the beginning of like, I need this rubric, I can't function. I'm crying. Speaker 3 Not going to make it. Speaker 2 Right. Her mom she was calling her mom. Yeah. Speaker 5 To the end of the year was huge. And I think that's why our first year we talked about being one of our most favorite years. One because of the newness for us was exciting, but also because that was a class of struggling kids. And the system, the education system hadn't worked for them. So this was exciting. They were like. Speaker 3 Bond. Speaker 5 And they were on fire. They were so excited. Speaker 4 We don't want AP kids. That's not our door critic. It's not the point. We want kids that that that dislike the system and like we love when kids come in our classroom and they say, I hate school, right? Like those are the kids we want, right? Because they want to create the change. Speaker 2 Because that was great. Speaker 4 Yeah, I was she was sitting here sleeping or hating every minute of being here. Yeah. And that's the kids that thrive the most by the end of it. Speaker 2 Yeah. Speaker 5 And the reason why the war museum works, I think, is because we're just coming off of this, I believe, and using your voice for change. And then when we get to the war museum, it's not just information anymore. It's we're doing this for a bigger purpose. And they see that already. So it helps. Speaker 6 So we've been to the War Museum and it's really cool. Do y'all want to talk about maybe some of the the neatest, most creative projects you've seen come out of that? Speaker 2 Yeah, Yeah, sure. Speaker 4 What was your favorite one or some of them? Speaker 5 I loved the escape room. They did an escape room where you had to, like, figure out the clues in each spot to be able to get out. And I really loved there was a kid who built a that he was talking about in Vietnam, the tunnels. And so you had to, like, climb through this huge boxy bed. And he covered it with leaves and everything. Speaker 5 And you had to, like, climb through and then you could, like, stick your head. Speaker 2 Out of it. It was so cool. Yes. Speaker 5 Oh, gosh. The coolest part is that the creativity, because they start off and we talked about this other day the idea that like create it like we kind of killed creativity kids, no doubt. And so when they do say like, well, what's an example. Speaker 2 More like I don't I don't know. Speaker 5 I'm not good at that. I don't know. And they come up with these things. You're like. Speaker 2 Oh my gosh, we can revitalize this. It's so good. Speaker 5 So those are a couple of my favorites. Speaker 2 I don't know. Speaker 4 I like the ones that stand out. One of them was they were in line to learn or go to trench warfare and like it was a whole exhibit. Like they're going to have to go through and like split into teams. And every like thing they threw at each other was a representation of like a gas grenade or something like that. Speaker 4 And then as they were going, another group that was in there would hand them an identity when they first started. So not only were they learning about trench warfare, but by the end they were doing like Cold War, like, you're a spy here. Or later on another group did the same thing with like the Holocaust part of it. Speaker 4 Like you, this was your identity. This is what took place in happened to you? Yes. And powerful stuff. Speaker 2 Oh, yeah. Speaker 3 It's awesome. Sounds like it. That's amazing. Speaker 6 So cool. Speaker 3 It really is. That's so it sounds like as they ask you all questions, it's so easy as teachers to answer it. It's So where did you how did you all get trained on how to coach and facilitate kids and not give in to their questions? Because let's face it, it's easy to go, okay, listen here, Here's an example. Speaker 3 Just do. Speaker 5 This. Oh, for sure. That's like me taking my kids shoes in the morning because it's faster for me to do. Let me just ask you. I can do that, you know, but letting them kind of flounder. Speaker 2 Yes. Speaker 5 I think the reason that letting them flounder is so good is because when they figure it out on their own, like that's the whole reason we teach, you know, So like, when you see that light bulb go off. Yeah, it's like, exciting. It's really exciting. Speaker 3 And what that gives the kid the confidence that those kids because those kids haven't been told that or they haven't felt that to school, they feel like idiots going to school. A lot of them, I think. Yes. And so to go, that's what that feels like has to just be a great thing to watch. Speaker 5 We had a kid last year. This is another one of my favorites, the game boards that they made. Yeah. And they and you had to go through and they were huge, you know, four foot long game boards and each game board was a war and they so you draw a card and whatever happened on that card would have happened during that war. Speaker 5 And the kid that took control of that group was not a kid who's typically a leader who is the kid that sits in the back of the room watching a movie. Maybe I'll show up, maybe I won't. And he took control of that group and was so proud of himself, like he was all over his group. Like we didn't have to do anything. Speaker 5 He was like, You are falling through the cracks. Like, you're ruining this for us. Get it together. You know, we didn't have to do that. Speaker 3 So because he was taking responsibility, he was so. Speaker 2 Excited seeing it connected to the thing and. Speaker 4 To feel connected to the thing you care and then you try. Speaker 2 Yes. Speaker 3 Yeah. So change my mind. That's the final thing. Speaker 5 That you do, Ancestry. And that changes. Speaker 4 That. Yeah, we do ancestry research. Speaker 2 Keep your we can just right. This is like the father I'm sorry. Speaker 4 This I believe is like the starting point, the platform that we use throughout the entire year. That's why it seems like that's a nine weeks thing. But we use that all year long. So our nominees project is the voice. And then the second is the war, and then our third is ancestry or the American Dream, where they they are going to look up and we'll find out like their story, like what makes them who they are. Speaker 4 And so we'll talk about immigration and we'll talk about like perks of Being American and what does the American dream mean and what does it mean to you? What does it mean to your grandmother? You know, what does that mean? And then they're going to create something that will show that. And again, that one's my favorite, right? Speaker 2 I think that was my favorite. Speaker 5 I love it. Speaker 3 Now the families come. Speaker 5 Oh, that's our Madeira night. Yeah. Speaker 3 Okay. You have a parent? Speaker 5 Yes. And that this whole project for the third weeks, 39 weeks, was an accident. Like we started. And we were going to do this American dream. You know, it was originally just like immigration. Speaker 4 Immigration, we're going to teach you. Speaker 5 We literally taught immigration for, like, four days. And we were like, What now the now what? Like we literally look to each other like, what are we doing tomorrow? And so we had to totally scrap whatever we thought we were. I have no idea what we thought we were going to do for nine weeks, but literally it took four days. Speaker 5 And so then we just were like, okay, what? How do we now? Like what is the bigger thing that we want them to get out of this? Speaker 2 Right? Speaker 5 And so we came up with the Ancestry Project in May and the kids, because again, like the we do like the individual with the this, I believe, and then they can do small groups with the voice and then one group is big and then we go now to like the creativity on your own, like your individual story and man, they come up with some. Speaker 2 Super while to come out. Speaker 4 Of this. One kid found out they were a twin, separated at birth and gotten creative. Speaker 2 Yeah. Speaker 5 We have a student of mine. This is one of my like sob stories. I was like out of town, I do remember. And he messaged me through Facebook and was like, Ms.. Stephenson, I met my birth family. Speaker 2 Oh, my gosh. Speaker 5 And like, we talked to his mom when we started this whole project cause she was like, I'm concerned about it. We're like, Absolutely, like, we will let him take this as far or as not far. Like we're in this with y'all. Like, this is a family thing. We will help as much or as little as you want. And and he ended up after he graduated, kind of dug a little bit deeper and he's like with his birth family, like he has sisters that he's been hanging out with. Speaker 5 And like, it brought me to tears. It was incredible. And like his family has met his birth family. It's just the coolest, coolest things have come out of this. And and it's so great because we had a dad, what, two years ago after Parent Night Cry because his daughter learned more about his dad than he knew. Speaker 2 He said, This is so beautiful. Speaker 5 Like she's carrying on his legacy. It's incredible. Speaker 4 And apparently there was another student who could care less about what we're talking about in class who is giving a, you know, accurate representation of Pearl Harbor. And the events like timeline, like that, That doesn't happen. Speaker 2 MM. Speaker 4 Yeah, Yeah. And that's so much stronger than me sitting in front of a class with a PowerPoint talking about Pearl Harbor. Speaker 3 Yeah. So let's talk about that for a second. Like, why are you are the only class like this still after five years? Speaker 4 So they've expanded a little bit. They've tried other things like they're doing the academy as freshmen and we don't exactly know. We kind of stay in our bubble. But what we do, I guess we know they tried it with another math and science, but we think that history English is the easiest and best way to connect things. I'm sure there's ways to do it, other ones, but for us it's a natural connection. Speaker 3 It would totally change your class if this happened freshman, sophomore year, and they were walking into a third year of the same right. So I guess that is part of the the beauty of what you are doing. This is a whole new experience for them. Speaker 4 Right? Right. Speaker 5 And as juniors, they're ready for it. Freshman Drew. It's a lot. I mean, some of the stuff we would not be able to do with right now, you're right. You're just not ready. They need a little bit more structure. They need a little bit more surety. Yeah, maturity, organization, you know, time to kind of make some mistakes and learn from them. Speaker 5 Sophomores and juniors, I think are a great fit for this. I'd love to see it at the sophomore level. I think it'd be super fun. Speaker 3 It sounds so powerful. Does that upset you to think he's. Speaker 5 Ready to teach freshmen he loves? Speaker 2 No, not at all. Speaker 5 He's a clear sign me up freshman. Speaker 3 So do you consider yourself to be good teachers? It's a hard question. I know that's kind of weighted, but. Speaker 4 I mean, I like to think I'm a good teacher. Speaker 3 What? What makes you say yes? Don't be afraid to say yes. Well, what makes you a good teacher? Speaker 4 I think I think anything when you're talking about a good teacher, you go to who are my good teachers and who were the ones that impacted me the most because I've had good teachers like we grew up in, friends who were products of friends where we talked about, I've had good teachers for years, I've had great teachers. One and that like mirroring those actions and things in my life are what makes me what I believe to be a good teacher because that's what she was. Speaker 2 Who was that? Speaker 4 Mrs. Bruce sixth grade teacher. Her husband was Ms.. Brian Bruce at the high school. He taught me as well. He was a good teacher. That to me was his first magic. Speaker 2 I do hear great. Speaker 3 Things about Mr. Bruce. Speaker 2 Is amazing, right? Yeah. Sorry. Speaker 3 Melissa. What about you? You're a good teacher. Speaker 5 Thank you. I What makes a good I. Speaker 2 I think this is offers for you. Of course. Of course. But I can tell you. Speaker 3 I can tell you you're a great teacher. How do you connect with your kids? What do you think makes you? Speaker 5 I genuinely care that when they walk out of my room, they're a better human being. I genuinely care. And that does not matter. Like the grade doesn't matter. I have students who fail, you know, assignment or a class or whatever. And I that is not a reflection of them as a human being or even what they can do. Speaker 5 A lot of times it is a reflection of what is going on in their life at the time. And if I have that kid in my class five years from now, they will be a completely different student. So I really try to take the curriculum part of it as much as I can with a grain of salt, like students who are good students are going to show up every day. Speaker 5 They're going to work hard, they're going to get their. So I think for me, it's just making sure that no kids slip through the cracks and not because of their, like not talking about grades them as a human, that they are seen every day that I see their name every day. I don't. Speaker 2 Yeah. Speaker 6 I think it's so evident. I think it's so evident that both of you are just incredibly loved by your students and Barack's. We had our state of the district yesterday with that, and there was a young man who I thought possibly looked like one of the students in your class that I had spoken to, and I went up to him. Speaker 6 I was like, I don't want to be rude. Were you in that class? And he said, I was last year. He wasn't. It didn't turn out to be the one that I thought he was, but he said that was the greatest class. I wish I could take that class every year. Speaker 2 And that's just awesome. Speaker 5 Both of those kids. I don't know which one you talked to, but there were two boys there who I both had as freshman two, and both of them are like this. The school was not working for me, kid. And awesome kids. I mean, just yeah, they're they are a great reflection of students who are coming out of Friendswood. Speaker 6 Well, it's so powerful, too, because really everything you've described your lessons are going far beyond the classroom like you're you're teaching them, like you said, to be good people, to embrace their own stories, to understand themselves better, to be more open. Those are all really beautiful things that will carry them much farther than knowing of a fact. Or, you. Speaker 4 Know, we don't like stopping at the Texan standards is is like, that's not teaching. Anyone can stand up and read a PowerPoint and cover the text connecting with kids and like taking them further and building great human beings. That's what that's what our job is like. How many historians am I going to have come out of my classroom that's not there? Speaker 4 We're creating people to be good husbands, wives, sisters, brothers, all that. That's what matters. Speaker 3 Absolutely. That's why I love that's why, you know, when we're talking through the guests that we're going to have on this podcast, you guys were literally like the first okay, we've got to have y'all on. Because, you know, as a teacher, I don't want to get emotional, sort of like music. Speaker 2 We can play for you. Speaker 3 But that's what we're teachers. Speaker 4 Exactly. That's the reason. Speaker 2 Those kids that would fall through. Speaker 3 The cracks, it would just like you would keep you up at night and, you know, make you drink too much wine or something or. Speaker 2 You know, is like. Speaker 4 How do I get them? I don't really have an issue. So come in the next day you honestly feel. Speaker 2 Yeah, I just feel like. Speaker 5 Three days. Speaker 4 Ago, so and so this thing, I can't sleep. Speaker 3 You do you find that they still slip through the cracks even with y'all's class? Speaker 2 Like, Well. Speaker 4 It's like anything. We can control them for 2 hours a day. Yeah, you for 2 hours day. I can put my hands on you, and you are like, we can embrace you and love on you and do all these things. But when you leave this room, it's everything else, you know, all the outside noise, all the. The fights, the parents, you know, doing their thing. Speaker 4 And your girlfriend, your boyfriend sports all that. Speaker 3 And they've had 17 years until you get to. Speaker 5 Yeah, yeah. And to I think that we are, you know, our idea of slipping through the cracks for a long time has meant that they have failed the class, you know, so that they earned us, you know, 69 instead of a 70, you know, instead of the slipping through the cracks being those kids who can't find their home, they can't find a place. Speaker 5 They can't they go to school every day and don't feel seen like those are the the kids that we want to reach. And so even if they're slipping through the cracks academically, if we can reach them in other ways, that's huge for us. So we have and that's I think the hardest part of teaching too, is like we have those kids who are going to go to Harvard. Speaker 5 You know, we have those kids like and your son's a great example of that, like he is Mr. Personality. Like he I could put him in a group with any single person and he would be friends with that person. But like then when you have those kids who are sitting in the back of the room and like all they want to do is listen to music and create music because that's what they do. Speaker 5 And so you're like, How do I take him with the headphones off, take the headphones off and like, engage in this group? How do I get him out of himself? Because we know it's going to be good for you. We know what you don't know, you know? So I think the academic part is part of it because we have those Harvard kids and then we have those kids who, if they even graduate, it's going to be a huge party Like we get to celebrate that because that's also a success, you know? Speaker 3 Yes. Yeah. And it's getting kids to see that and feel that and know that. Yes. You know, So, yeah, you're just you're touching life. So I just applaud y'all for that and all that you do. So what do you do when you see I would think in your class more than most. So by the way, I'm really struggling with this, I believe, because I am coming Friday to talk to your class. Speaker 4 So is no wrong. So let me put you these first. This, I believe, is there's no wrong title. There's no wrong time. There's no wrong thing. Speaker 2 Yeah. Speaker 4 David O'Connor is a great example of this. We had weren't doing this before. It was three or four years ago. Speaker 5 Three years ago? Speaker 4 Yes. Three years ago. We were looking at making a list of this of teachers to come do this. We thought how great it would be if these kids heard, you know, Elizabeth Woodley, someone who they don't even know till their senior year come do this thing. And then in the hallway they can say, Hey, I know her, right? Speaker 4 We had Ricardo come do it because he interacts with hundreds of kids a day. Speaker 3 Writing the strength and conditioning. Speaker 4 And and so he came in, he asked me, what am I supposed to do? What's the requirements? And let's just do what feels right and just I gave him minimal things because that's just how we work. So he came in with his idea, broken down into three parts of what what he believes to be a good person, a good man. Speaker 4 And it was all about service and giving your talents to others. And when he heard and saw some of the other ones, he got so mad and he's like, Are you serious, man? That's not at all what I did. Like, you made me do that. There's no wrong. There's no wrong. So you could sit there and say, I believe in French fries and just talk for 10 minutes is. Speaker 2 Valid point because he does. She loves French fries. That joke is that we're just. Why don't you let me say I love you? I'm just saying I just had French fries. No, no, I just get it. Speaker 3 When you get to be my age. Now, here's the problem that you don't realize. This is what I was going to say when you get to be made. And Kelsey knows this because she loves it. I believe so many things. I can only explain one. Speaker 4 But you're you're no different than our kids. When our kids sit down at first they say, I don't I don't know what I believe in. And so she has them write down these defining moments in your life. Write them down like any time you you thought this is a point in the row where I'm choosing something and this is I can look back and say, that was the moment for me. Speaker 4 Write that down. And the next to it, write down what you learned. And then from there you'll have a shorter list and you can say out of these, What's this? What's my mantra? What's this thing that if someone was listening to me or I was a book title, would show that. And then you have your story. Speaker 3 I got it. Speaker 2 It's it's not as simple and simple. Speaker 6 I'm pumped for these kids to meet Dana Oh, yeah, I've already said that to Mom. Like you're about to meet an awesome lady. Speaker 2 Yes. Speaker 3 You know what's so weird, though, to me, Kelsey? Now, of course, know each other very well, just like you two know each other very well. After working every day together, you just want to. It's not about me telling my story, because that's not going to connect with anyone. That's. That's the hard part for me. It's not that it's not going to connect with anyone, but I don't have that relationship that maybe y'all do. Speaker 3 That I think might be a little more difficult. But that wasn't your experience. Speaker 4 Right? It just happens like we gave yours. And how many kids in that room did you know? Speaker 2 None. Speaker 4 And afterwards, how connected do you feel? Speaker 6 Super connected, right? Speaker 5 Because the storytelling is what connects. So once you tell your story. Speaker 3 Right, And we all are. So I believe this. I mean, we all struggle. We all have things. Speaker 2 Absolutely. Speaker 3 You know. So, yeah, I don't want this to be a counseling session. Speaker 2 This is clearly broken down already. Speaker 6 I'm go back to the French fries. Speaker 2 I'm good with that very surface level, so. Speaker 3 Oh, what? The whole question was so sorry. My lips get really dry. Actually, whenever I talk. I think so many kids today become high anxiety, fearful. It's very easy for them to go. I'm going to talk about things that aren't that difficult to talk about. You know what? What is your strategy? And maybe you just let it happen organically. Speaker 3 But when kids. Speaker 2 Want to walk. Speaker 3 Away from an assignment emotionally, how do you pull them in? Speaker 5 Write them down slowly. Speaker 2 One day you really. Speaker 4 Won't accept it. Yeah. Like a kid will come up and say, I believe in hard work. Do you? Do you? And then tell the story and then we'll say that that's just surface. Like, tell me why. What's the story that ties you to this thing and you won't accept it Because you know, when they're giving you surface, right? Speaker 4 Like it's easy to say, I believe in hard work is through hard work. I have success and tell me a story and then you hear story go, That's not No, that's not it. Tell me something else. And just talking to them. That's how it's a daily thing. We sat down, we've done this for a week, having this revisit with kids after doing it two or three times. Speaker 4 Okay, now we're now where are you with that? Let's dig deeper now. Why did you think that? Why did you pick that title? It's just staying on them and giving them feedback constantly that like, it's okay. You can say that you don't have to just say, I believe in hard work. Speaker 3 Which by the way, is part of the problem with school English, you know, was not my I mean, you guys, I could tell you a story with. It's hilarious. That guy that has me in the. Speaker 2 Role of. Speaker 3 Communications director, because I could not say my R's growing up speech therapy forever. My boss is Mr.. Speaker 2 Raw, which I love saying his name every time. I mean, so it's I was dyslexic. Speaker 3 Cannot read, cannot write. When I tell you that I'm not kidding you. You had Caden. So you you know, the struggle is real and there but so it's really actually funny that I'm in the role that I am. But what what skills are you seeing today that kids are in general lacking in or have you seen it change over time? Speaker 3 Our kids are just still kids and it's the same struggle. Like what are what are some skills that kids are missing? Speaker 5 Well, I think there's a couple, but I want to pause, too, at what you just said. Like, I really would love for you to share that where you are now is not where you thought you would end up because kids think they know, like, I don't need math. I'm never going to use this. And like, I don't, but like, you don't know where you're going to end up. Speaker 5 You don't know your path yet. And so I think that's like super cool to not know, like you're something you can literally end up anywhere. You could go to the moon like you don't know. Yeah. So like, soak it all up, you know? So I think that's really cool. But also I think some of the things that they're missing and I think it's a teenager issue, not necessarily teenagers today, but just in general is this idea of empathy we talk a lot about when we're doing the change. Speaker 5 You know, at the very beginning of the year, we do it at the beginning of the year to kind of get them outside of themselves because the first thing they want to change is like the parking lot. Yeah, we need more parking. I'm like, Yes, because that affects you. Speaker 2 You know, I. Speaker 5 Love that's valid. Let's fight for that. You know, I would go on campus lunch. I'm like, Who thought that was a good idea? People used to do that. Speaker 3 Who in the world. Speaker 2 Was like your friends in high school? And they got to go. Speaker 5 Home for lunch like no one. That's not a good idea. Okay. Speaker 3 But in all fairness, they didn't have a cafeteria, right? That's no, they didn't need a building to have kitchens, too. Okay. Yes. So I think that's where that came from. Yeah. Speaker 2 Just said thank. Speaker 5 Goodness we have one now because. Wow. What? Speaker 2 Yeah, but now. Speaker 5 There's like. Speaker 2 Ten up there. Yes. Go off campus. I'm like, You. Speaker 5 Can't even make it in 7 minutes from here next door. So you're not getting off campus. Speaker 2 No drink, dream big, but not that big. Speaker 5 So but yeah, I think empathy is a big one. And we see that at the beginning, like almost forcing them to to think beyond themselves. And that's just because they don't know what they don't know. Right? It's not for lack of caring. They care. It's just they see, you know, someone who is, you know, homeless or someone who is is, you know, going through mental health issues. Speaker 5 And if they don't struggle with that themselves, they have a really hard time putting themselves in their shoes, which is the beauty of what we get to do as far as helping them see that and like experience and research, like what are the issues that get people there? How how can we help? And just knowing that at 17 you do have a voice, you know, So I think empathy is a big one. Speaker 5 I think that we see. Speaker 4 I think I think confidence and soft skills are the two things missing right now, kids. And you can see it when you just talk to kids. You know, I was raised that when you talk to someone, you look them in the eye, right? I was taught to shake hands. I was taught all the things, you know, my dad taught me. Speaker 4 And now this. I don't know if it's not being taught or they just don't know it. When you talk to a kid and I look at my feet, you know, I like confidence the other day with an activity where we just share with each other our struggles. And I can't tell you how many of them were very, very similar like that. Speaker 4 And setting up an environment of failure and giving them the ability and the platform to be confident is part of it. Right? But the soft skills are some things that they'll get by May, right? Well, we'll teach them how to shake hands. We'll teach them how to tie tie and how to do all the little things about interaction with each other and interact with every type of person in the classroom, including us, that it just kind of happens organically. Speaker 4 But those are the two things we see. Yeah, the biggest improvement from. Speaker 3 So you do. So that is something that you know, that this age or kids today, they struggle with that. And so you intentionally make sure that before they leave your class at the end of the year that you've worked on. Speaker 2 Absolutely. Yes. Sure. Speaker 5 A big one for us, a huge focus for us, which goes lovely with change My mind is the idea of like being able to disagree with someone without unfriending them. Speaker 2 Or hating them. Speaker 3 Right? Yes. Or thinking that they hate you. Speaker 2 Because you don't agree that they're. Speaker 5 Wrong because yes, you must be right. Speaker 2 So nobody knows. I just literally hit a. Speaker 3 Microphone because. Speaker 2 I'm so animated. And so we got there. We kind of change your mind. So you're. Yeah, but we. Speaker 5 Literally and the kids don't know. Now our students are going to know we can't film now, but that we literally start from the very beginning of the year. We'll do simple things like this or that and do like salsa or queso, and we make them talk about it and defend it and fight about, you know, because that's not scary. Speaker 2 I it pick sprinkle. Speaker 4 In those little ones that are very, very. Speaker 2 Serious. Speaker 5 And then we start to sprinkle in the little ones and then we get to the end of the year and it's like, here we go. Speaker 6 Well, it's even like with you're this, I believe, like knowing what you stand for, you know, and being able to like, hold firm in that even when you're the only one on the side of the room. Yes. You know, that's something that's really powerful as well. Speaker 2 Yes. Yeah. Speaker 6 So change my mind. Dana, I know you've been really eager. Speaker 2 To get to it. I know I say. Speaker 3 Questions and so many things, but I know one of the things that Kelsey was there last year taking pictures and she literally watched a group build and where you all had to move them to the center of the gym because so many kids were interested. And even if those. Speaker 5 Weren't our students. Speaker 4 Discussing, those are these are extra. Speaker 2 Skills. Yeah, I. Speaker 3 Don't think. Speaker 2 So. Speaker 4 Yeah. So they were so passionate about what our kids were discussing with other kids in the points both of them were making, they started to discuss with each other in the crowd. Those weren't even our students. And so we kind of had a wrangle in middle and discuss and monitor kids that weren't even our kids talking about points that our kids are talking about. Speaker 3 It's okay. But so just listen. Speaker 2 Just the fact. Speaker 3 That you as a teacher, you could have easily said, Hey, guys. Speaker 2 Your kids, you belong here. Yeah. Yeah, exactly. Speaker 3 I can only focus on my kids and trying. Yeah, but you just saw the power of it. Speaker 4 It's bigger than our class. Speaker 2 Yeah. Speaker 5 And we we, you know, heard about it a little bit afterward that it was, you know, a little bit chaotic. And it was. But for us, I was like, This is awesome. And I knew the kids. You were having a conversation together and they are both very like super anti school, very in the office often, you know, all those things. Speaker 5 And the fact that they were having a conversation, an even though it was a little bit loud, they never got ugly with each other. They were you know, there's kids huddle around them. I was proud of that like I was. So that's like my mentality going into it. I never thought to be like, get out of here, you know? Speaker 5 And they were fact There were other teachers who walked in who walked over to them just to stand there and make sure that it didn't get the speech. Teacher did that. And he commented afterwards that me and the fact that these kids are so passionate and they're not your kids is is saying that there's room for this. Like kids want to have a voice. Speaker 5 They want. Speaker 2 To it's a big talk about it is these. Speaker 5 Issues. Speaker 3 Yeah how do you make it bigger. Speaker 2 You have you have you have you say well I'm really tired. Speaker 4 A lot more. Speaker 2 Help. Yeah. Speaker 4 We've looked at every year we look at like our project and say how much how much bigger can we get. Yeah. What, what's feasible here. And we looked at, you know, before the Green Event Center went out, we looked at what if we ran out of space? You know, what if we gave them a bigger platform? What if we made it a night? Speaker 4 What if we brought in, you know, city council and community members to discuss with these kids this thing? And then it's How do we do that? Speaker 2 Yeah. Speaker 4 We kind of get a little stuck with that. Yeah. So, yeah, right now it is what it is. It's in the gym and with our tables, but we think it can go even further. Speaker 3 And it's, I mean it's great. I mean it's, it's a great thing. It's not by no means am I saying better. It's just how do you, you know, that's the question. Speaker 5 We walk every and I think that's again, what makes a good teacher. Yes. Every day we walk out and go, well, that didn't work or that was awesome. But next year, let's do this like the mentor thing, like bringing in mentors. That's how that all happened. Like this voice project that we're about to get into. Like it has potential to be something really great, but we need other, like, I don't know, all the things Sally Branson came and talked to across her day and she's a part of like every community group in the history of community groups and that's really cool. Speaker 5 Tell me about the trees, like what's going on there? It's like, I don't know. I don't know. I don't know anything. So to have community members who are willing to help and we do have such a great community, I think that's going to be a huge part of how we can make everything we do bigger. Like how can we basically asking for help and getting people to come in who have more, you know, knowledge about things. Speaker 3 So I'm just going to jump on this really quickly. We had one of our best meetings a couple of weeks ago last week, two weeks ago, our Mustang senior citizen. Speaker 2 Oh, my gosh. It was I. Speaker 3 Mean, we had 40 Mustang senior citizens come in where we wanted them to come in, really get their gold card. That's very important to them. By the way. It gets free events, Fiesta events. Worth it? Yeah. Yeah. I'm a T-shirt, Mustang, senior citizens. Just kind of cute. Donuts, coffee. Awesome. Speaker 2 It was great. Speaker 3 Awesome. Jess, They were so excited to be there, y'all. They're a resource we have not tapped into. Yeah. Staton I had a conversation after that about seniors for seniors, and he. Speaker 2 Just literally said that in. Speaker 5 Class like three days ago. Speaker 4 Two days ago? Yeah, about like our senior kids. Speaker 2 Yes. Speaker 4 Pairing up with senior citizens. Yes. As a pals program for seniors. Yes. Like verbatim. Yeah. Speaker 2 Well, after. Speaker 3 This meet, they want they love. Speaker 2 Care. Speaker 5 That's amazing. Speaker 3 And they they want to be they have so much knowledge. Speaker 2 I mean. Oh, my gosh. Speaker 3 Yes. So that's my next thing that I really want to encourage are two. Sounds like you already thinking about it. Speaker 4 Well, it's not what we were discussing, the change projects and things that we could make better and that just that one came up. Speaker 2 Mm hmm. Yeah. Speaker 5 Very cool to. Speaker 3 Have senior citizens there that, you know, we had a guy that was head of EMS in New York City. He was at 911 and he was head of the whole program in New York. He now lives in Friendswood and he was one of our senior citizens. But yes, incredible resource to. Speaker 5 Come get this. This, I believe. Speaker 3 Yes. I mean, just to tap into our senior citizens. I think we're, you know, really missing out on. Speaker 2 Yeah, I agree. Speaker 3 So do you you know, we talked about what are some skills that kids need to improve on? What are skills that kids are just they have down They're just great at that. You are just like so impressed with every time you deal with kids and just I can see where you all walk away with just a full heart. Speaker 3 You know what? What are some skills that you're just so impressed with today? Speaker 4 I guess I'm impressed with the fact that they they have knowledge of outside things, outside of Friendswood. Like if you'd asked me at 17 about, you know, LGBTQ or something like that, I wouldn't have had any idea really. They know things and they're passionate about their thing. But we're the the flip side where we struggle with is what do you really know? Speaker 4 Because you'll have an opinion you'll be super passionate about this thing, but do you know about this thing? Do you truly believe this? And do you know all the facts? It's okay if you do, let's just get there. So like, that's just the buy in on that. Their passion, I guess. Speaker 3 Yeah. Oh, for sure. And I guess they have exposure to things that interest the internet. How is school not different when kids you know there's so much information I guess fingertips today, right? Yeah. How do you use that in the right way And you know, help them to grow and become, you know, contributing. Yeah. Speaker 5 Citizens are harvesting the right information, I think is a skill for them to learn. And I think, you know, I can hand a computer to a kid and be like, this isn't working. And they're like, oh, do, do, do. And they hand it back and they're like, Oh, oh, okay. And just like those kind of skills are way easier for them. Speaker 5 But again, it's the amount of information, the amount of technology, the amount of stuff that's around them every day. I can see why it would be so anxiety ridden. You know, it just seems overwhelming. Speaker 3 Is that is that something I think as adults, that's something we may think about, that we may go, yeah, I have so much coming at you that you shouldn't even be dealing with. Or like I always used to tell my boys that there are things you can't unsee. Speaker 2 Like we protect your heart. Speaker 3 But how do you tell a boy that thinks they can handle anything and everything, right? Most kids. But it's like you can't unsee it. You can't undo that. So is that a conversation that you'll have in your class. Speaker 2 About. Speaker 3 Really be careful with what you expose yourself to? I mean, through all of these things that you talk about, is that something that you hear a lot about? Speaker 4 No, we haven't. We haven't had to really talk about much of that. Ours is more so the warning of like the outside noise and all the stuff like you filter it, however, I mean you see fit, but like, like last year we watched the documentary and have you seen it? But it was the social media one on that social. Speaker 2 The social. Yeah. Yeah. Speaker 4 How good is super powerful? Yes. Watch it. And I guarantee you your phone time will go down. The second our kids saw this thing, half of them started deleting apps on their phone and we had great discussion about are you addicted to your phone? And the second we did they they can tell you one of the kids said yeah we're we're addicted. Speaker 4 I'm addicted to my phone. I'm addicted to these apps. I'm addicted to my screen. Right. But I'm not going to change it. Yeah. Speaker 5 It was the most powerful part, I think, to. Speaker 4 Warning them because, yeah, education's an open door. You you can walk through it. It's up to you to walk through it. Like, same thing with your phone and all the stuff around you. Like, we're going to warn you here, but you're going to make a choice. That's kind of where we are. Yeah. Speaker 3 Yeah. My oldest son, for whatever reason, I don't really know what was going on there, but he deleted all of his social media accounts, and he just realized he was wasting way too much time on those. But then when he came around and realized was he filled it with other things on his phone. So he was on SportsCenter more. Speaker 3 He was video games, more on the phone. And he really just realized and you had said something, Kelsey, about you'd shown me a video. Speaker 2 About a girl. Speaker 3 Walking into a room and she was really nervous about walking, having to walk into a room and really afraid. And what she did. You have an option. You can walk in with your head up looking at people's eyes. Afraid. Speaker 4 But but doing it. Speaker 3 You're doing it. Or you can look at your phone and there's that comfort of your walking in with your friend. Speaker 2 Right? Wasn't that it? Speaker 6 Yeah. It was all about just like the confidence in the way you approach situations, especially ones that you're uncomfortable with. And like this phone is a lot of times a security blanket for us. You know, it's like, this is something I feel safer. That's why people feel like they can make comments behind a keyboard that they would never make face to face, you know? Speaker 6 So it's almost like this is what I know. I take comfort in this, but I can be seen how I want to be seen through this phone. Whereas if you're walking to a room of people, you are seen exactly as you are. So it's more about the presentation of if you want to be seen with confidence than you have to exhibit that confidence. Speaker 4 That the phone is what kills the soft skills for us because it watch kids, watch them talk to each other in the second, even a group of them the second. There's an awkward pause. I mean, we start talking for 2 seconds. You pull out your phone because it's easier to look at your phone, right, than it is to say, hey, what's going on? Speaker 4 Right. And they don't they don't do that enough and they don't talk enough. So for us, it's okay, phones down. Let's talk to your partners. Let's let's discuss this thing that makes you feel uncomfortable. Let's get comfortable being uncomfortable. Speaker 2 Yes, right. And there's something to that. Speaker 3 Yeah. Or even silence. Speaker 2 Yeah. Speaker 3 Yes. Like you don't. Speaker 2 Just spill silence, which is you. Speaker 4 Still doing? I'll go to dinner with my wife. And so I go the bathroom should go to the bathroom and I just pull. Speaker 2 Out my phone. Oh yeah. Speaker 4 As opposed to sit at a table for 2 minutes and just go, I'm going to look around. Yeah. Because it's just it's, it's safety blanket, right? Speaker 2 Yeah. Speaker 5 Oh yeah. My oldest, we were just talking about that, getting a phone and she. You have to sit with your impact class at lunch in junior high in sixth grade. And she didn't know anybody in her impact class. And somebody told me when I said I was like, yeah, she texts, she's she's texting me during lunch because she's, you know, just ready to talk to you. Speaker 5 And so I said, why don't you, like, download a book on her phone or Why don't you download some games for her? I'm like, No, I want her to sit there and look awkward. Speaker 2 So someone will talk to her like. Speaker 5 Or that she will get brave enough to talk to somebody else, like suffer through the silence. It's going to be fine. But it is. It's so easy to figure out how do we fill this uncomfortable, you know, moment And then once you do with technology, it becomes crippling. Speaker 3 I am such a believer in you're building muscles either way. You're either you're building the muscles of really working against yourself. And my opinion of going to what's comfortable or you're building the muscles of I've got to work through this in an uncomfortable way and it will serve me later on in life. Yes, everything we do, we all have that fear, anxiety. Speaker 3 You know, I don't know if you heard in one of the podcasts I struggle with at times walking into a big room with a lot of people and a lot of people wouldn't know that because I pretend that's how I get through it. I what would someone like, I would assume Cory Truman, who might enjoy walking into a big room? Speaker 3 I mean, it's a total assumption. You may not people would assume that about me. What would he do and how would he make that look? He'd go in with his head held high. He might wave to somebody that he doesn't know. Speaker 2 Hey, it's great to see. How you doing it? Doing it. Speaker 3 And that's what gets me through. Like, I don't know, everybody may be feeling that in the room, but I'm one of those people that if you're standing next to me and I don't know what to say, all I can think is I don't know. I'd say I don't know. Say I don't. And I have to say you have to have like this go to strategy. Speaker 3 You're going to be in that situation a lot. So have two questions that you can use about them. Speaker 2 Yeah. So that, you know, I'm like, I don't know what. Speaker 4 I don't I just go with that. You do that in room. Speaker 2 Yes. Yeah, I love that. That's funny. Speaker 3 We were just talking about something and I wanted to ask another question, but I got off on to remember. Speaker 2 What we. Speaker 3 Were talking. Speaker 5 About. Speaker 2 Dance moves. Speaker 6 Well, I talk about. I have that question. So you all talked a lot about what you've been able to teach your kids. What's something your kids have been able to teach you? Speaker 5 Like my students, Your students? Oh, gosh. I think for sure, being able to make conversation, identify with, have empathy for every single type of human being, because we see them. Speaker 2 All, all the things. Speaker 5 We have seen. And I think it's so easy when you're outside of a classroom to say like, well, if this came to my classroom, I would do this. And we hear that all the time. I mean, like people who aren't teachers say that all the time to me. Like, what if this were me? I would do film. But I'm like. Speaker 2 But you wouldn't. You wouldn't wouldn't do that. Speaker 5 You wouldn't say that to a kid. You wouldn't respond in that way. You would just go, Oh, okay, tell me more about that. You know? So I feel like that's huge for me, just being able to put a face to every single issue I hear about. You know, like if I hear someone struggling with this, I can go, Man, that was like so-and-so. Speaker 5 And I loved that kid. They were great kid. And so just kind of putting faces with different issues I think is huge. Speaker 2 Yeah, Yeah. Speaker 4 I'd say same. I'd say show more empathy because like, you know, in the first 20 seconds of meeting someone, if you're to like them or not, you know that as a teacher, that's hard. Your kid walks in and you could easily say like, I'm not going to like this kid. My head's down your butts in, like, you don't care what I'm about to tell you at all. Speaker 4 But then doing this class and seeing all these stories and knowing like he's got his headphones in because he's scared to death of you, That's why. Right. He does want to talk to you because. Speaker 3 You just can't wait to see it. Yeah. Speaker 4 Yeah. And so that over the past few years has definitely been impactful for me. Speaker 3 And he's the one that needs that connection. Yeah. That most that's what's, that's what's hard to remember. Yeah. When you feel embarrassed because you're a human being. Speaker 2 Absolutely. Speaker 3 And when you feel like they're challenging you or in trying to embarrass you, it's you have to remember, they're the one that needs the right, you know, love. So what would be one thing that you want parents to know as a heart? Speaker 2 Sorry, guys. I know it's hard. It's hard. What's one thing you learn from our students? Speaker 4 Parents and. Speaker 3 Yeah, parents. Your students. Speaker 4 Oh, and that's tough. Every year we we start class, and it's two months before open house and parents come in and we only have 7 minutes. Well, 40 minutes is two periods. You can't start our class in 40 minutes. You just can't. We've tried. It's impossible. And so we want them to know exactly what we want. These parents open House to know is trust the process like we have your kids best interest at heart. Speaker 4 Like there is there's something the struggle here is what we want. And we're going to talk about things that make you your kids uncomfortable. We're going to talk about things that challenge them. And they're going to, in turn, hopefully come home and talk to you about these things. And they're going to be better humans when they leave this class. Speaker 5 Yeah, I agree with that. And then parents in general, I think to just like I'm excited to have kids going through feisty, like I talk all the time about, you know, we go to these trainings and we, you know, talk to teachers in all different levels and they're doing some really cool things. And the administration is just like, go for it, try new things, figure it out. Speaker 5 Like it's exciting. It's a super exciting time to be part of friends. What is it? Because people are taking risks and trying new things and figuring out what really works for kids and doing it and I think for us, our specific class is definitely just to trust that we we truly do want what's best for them. Speaker 3 Yeah, and you know, we better as educators figure it out. You know, we better start figuring out that the same way of educating kids is not going to continue to work, and nor should it. I mean, you know, we all know the story of why education started and but we kids just have so much information at their fingertips, they can learn how to do so many things just by watching YouTube videos. Speaker 3 Right. So, I mean, school needs to change. And that's why it's so exciting to be able to to talk to your about and all the things that that you're doing. So how has your you're both parents yourself how has being a teacher impacted your parenting? Speaker 5 I personally I trust my kids teachers immensely. I, I know that they're doing the, the best for my kids. I truly believe that. And so that's helpful because I'm in the school system. So I've gotten to see that in action. And then to I can easily know that a grade doesn't reflect ability. Speaker 2 Or. Speaker 5 I guess not that grades don't matter. I think they do in some way, but that if they're, you know, if there's one bad test grade, it doesn't reflect that they don't know anything at all and and so I think seeing kind of the perspective that because because for most parents that's the only information you get is the great like that's all you see is you made a you know, a72 y And so from being from the teacher's perspective, just getting to see that part. Speaker 5 So like through education being an educator, getting to see that through, you know, their eyes too, and the changes that are happening I think is really cool. Speaker 2 So, yeah, it's exciting. Speaker 3 It is exciting. Speaker 4 We're in a different phase. My my daughter's four and my son's going to be two in November. So my, my, for me, it's seeing how how in fact impactful your parents are to you, seeing how like you showing your kids love and giving them freedom but you know some boundaries and like certain things to do and not just teaching your kids and loving your kids, letting them know their loved is is something that I have taken from this class to my home life. Speaker 4 Not that that wasn't thing before. Now it's even more because like just not being present for their lives is is not a thing. Like you have to be there. Yes. Yeah. Parent kids. Speaker 6 Mm hmm. Well, even like having like when I was in high school, my my volleyball coach, he only had a son initially whenever I first started playing for him. And then he had a daughter, and then he had a second daughter. And with each daughter, he became nicer. A lot nicer, too. So it's interesting to how the parenting side can also create more compassion in the classroom or on the court, you know. Speaker 5 For sure. Well, one of the coolest things every year we have, you know, maybe one or two parents that will reach out and say, oh, my gosh, I spent hours at the dinner table with my kids talking about this thing they all talked about in class. And that is powerful. Like we had a you know, a student parent emailed that my kid has never, ever come home and talked about school. Speaker 5 And every day he comes home, we talk about which I'll do in your class. And I was like, Oh my gosh. Like, you don't think about it leaving the classroom. I mean, in theory. I know it does, but like, I don't think about my kids leaving and, you know, going home and talking about how excited they are about school. Speaker 5 So when the parents reach out, you know, and like, Hey, this is really cool, what's happening at home. So it's nice I get to be a part of that too. Like from my own kids. I get to, you know, read books with them and talk about them and work on homework with them. Like it's nice to be a part of that process. Speaker 3 Yeah. Which I know for me, having boys that are already, you know, graduating from high school, to have had a junior come home and start all of a sudden wanting to talk to me about. Speaker 2 Class would just be like. Speaker 3 This is all I mean, yeah, it's. Speaker 2 Going to be awesome, you know. Speaker 3 Especially boys. I want to give boys a hard time, but boys just don't tell you a thing. Speaker 2 Yeah. Yes. Speaker 3 The nightmare. Speaker 2 The grunts in school today. Yes. Speaker 6 I don't mean to learning that through married life. Speaker 2 Yes, Yes. You showing. Speaker 3 Okay, So. So you guys, it's 248, which is kind of interesting. I know you all didn't know how long this would go on. I'm going to get to the random questions and then we're going to wrap it up. Speaker 2 Whatever you want. Okay. Speaker 3 So we can just popcorn them, answer how you want. Describe yourself as a high school student. Speaker 4 You want to take that one first? Speaker 5 A kind? No. Speaker 2 Makes it. Were you a good student? I was a okay student. Speaker 5 I was a good student. I didn't ever study a lot. I just was like, whatever I could do naturally, that's I was okay with that. Like, I wasn't going to go above and beyond. Speaker 3 School Come easy to. Speaker 2 You, do you think? Yes. Yeah. Speaker 4 I was a bad student. Speaker 2 You were bad? I was, wasn't. Speaker 4 I didn't get school Like I was there to play football and have fun, and I just needed to make a 70 to go. But that's that's all I needed. I didn't know if I was ever going to use this material. I didn't care. I would sleep through class like it didn't matter to me at all. Speaker 3 Were you happy? I still see you as a happy human being. Yes. Speaker 4 I was having a great time. Speaker 2 Just not at school. Just like doing. Speaker 4 The school part of it. I was there for the social interaction. Speaker 2 I guess that's why I was. Speaker 3 There now, you might find this hard to believe, but I was the. Speaker 2 Same way. A great way. Please, Kelsey, were you. Speaker 6 I was an it. I was an absolute nerd. Speaker 2 Still Am still a proud, proud dad. Speaker 3 What would you say makes you unique? Speaker 4 Probably my George W Bush impression. Speaker 2 My college student is here. Speaker 4 It is. Just kidding. Speaker 2 Now you brought it up. You have to do it now. You have to do it. Speaker 4 I can't do it. I'm under pressure. Speaker 6 You just talked about making your students, like, dive into what's uncomfortable. Speaker 4 That's true. I like making people feel uncomfortable in my class all the time. Speaker 3 How would George W Bush say that. Speaker 4 George Bush doesn't get uncomfortable? And I'm saying he'd defend our shoes and socks about Iraq. It's all good. Speaker 2 If you are going to see a stage in the show. It's a lot of the movement and they're like, you, can you laugh like him? Because I love his last practice. I love it. Laughs. Speaker 3 I know you unique. Speaker 5 I don't have a good answer for that. Speaker 2 I like books. Speaker 5 I like books. Speaker 3 You've been remodeling your home on social media? Speaker 5 Yeah, I'm pretty good at Interior designing stuff. Speaker 2 Yeah, that's awesome. Yeah. Speaker 5 I'm really good at parallel parking. Speaker 2 Really? Speaker 3 How does someone tell you you're really good at it? Speaker 5 People make me get out of my and into the driver's seat so that I can do it. Oh, yeah? Speaker 3 What's the key? There you. Speaker 5 You have to. When you pull forward, you're going to get right next to the car in front of you that you're going to park behind and you line yourself up. You're two mirrors. Speaker 4 There's a lot of hand gestures. Speaker 2 There's a lot. Speaker 5 Of hand gestures. But and then you when you back up, you just got to cut your wheel. Speaker 2 I don't know. Speaker 3 How you get your back tire, even with their front tire. Speaker 2 No, don't question. Speaker 5 The pro back tire with their front tire. Speaker 2 Opposite your front. Speaker 5 Tire with their back. Speaker 3 Tire, and then that'll put you right at the. Speaker 5 Right and then you. Speaker 2 Turn. I consider myself to be a good. Are you two? Speaker 5 We should have a parallel park. All this is. Speaker 2 Happening. Shall we just just accept. Yes. Yes. Okay. Sorry. Speaker 3 If you could go back and change one thing in your life, what would it be? Speaker 4 I wouldn't change anything. Speaker 3 Oh really. One of those. Speaker 4 You're. I'm that guy. Speaker 3 Nothing. Speaker 4 Nothing. Speaker 2 Wow. Speaker 3 Not even her as a student. Speaker 4 Can I change that? Oh, no. Sure, sure. Yeah, I'll be six. Speaker 3 But is that. Would you acknowledge it? You would go with six foot if you could change. Speaker 4 Change anything? Yes. Anything? No, I'll be like six, six, four, like buildings. Speaker 2 So right now. Yeah. Speaker 4 My six 1423. Speaker 2 I could do anything. Speaker 4 Every kid's got to have a dream, right? Speaker 2 Oh, well, what's the question? Speaker 3 I need? Could go back and change one thing in your life. Speaker 5 We we've talked about the other day with our students, I would probably I wish that I would have taken the opportunity to like study abroad and like, get out of. I went to Friendswood, which is very Friendswood, and then I went to Texas State University, which was very Friendswood, and then I ended up in Pasadena, my first year teaching and it rocked my world like I didn't know that places like I mean, I knew that they existed. Speaker 5 That sounds naive, but like I was 21 in a classroom of kids that were not like me did not grow up like me. And it just shook me to my core in the best possible way. Yeah, but I wish that I would have had those experiences in college before I was in a classroom. I would have better served my students faster, I think. Speaker 3 Okay. Would you rather year round schooling was several weeks off in blocks or a traditional schedule with summers off. Speaker 5 You're very about this. Speaker 4 I would say that for a normal teacher, but I coach so like doing that. I'd be at school all year long, all day long and that. Yeah, no, because you get. Speaker 3 You get all summer off. Speaker 4 You can't Yeah. We have like weeks in summer where like go out to work mat camp or something in the right. Like that's it. Yeah. If we're doing football and that. Yeah. Oh no life Right. Yeah. It's hard enough. Speaker 3 Yeah it is. Speaker 4 Yeah. So I'd do it Summer. Speaker 2 Okay. Summer. Speaker 3 If you could change one thing about your job teaching, it would be. Speaker 4 Oh. Speaker 2 Um, well, I'd say to. Speaker 3 Teaching harder or what? What could we remove that would make life easier? Speaker 4 People would stop emailing me so much. I maybe that would be. Speaker 3 Like, experience. You know, you. Speaker 5 Find your secretary, that's what you. Speaker 2 Need. True? Yeah. Can you make that happen for me? Speaker 3 Hold on. Who's emailing you? Speaker 2 So she. She emails me. I do. That is lies to you. Speaker 4 So like, any time I need something, she'll be like, Hey, do we have a faculty meeting? You know, something? Something like that. Just anything. Speaker 3 Just let. Speaker 2 You teach. Like, just. Speaker 3 Let you. Speaker 4 Teach that, Okay? I don't need it. Let's go old school. Put it paper, my box or something. Speaker 2 Then I'll have to read it. You know, like I said, I just, you know, I get it. She's. Speaker 5 Yeah, I think too. The taking away all the extra. It's a lot. I mean, like, I feel like I am expected to parent the students. You know, we have to teach them about, you know, how to react when you know, you're pulled over. Like, how do we respond to that or how do you, you know, when you have, you know, mental health issues, they come to us, which is great. Speaker 5 And I don't mind, but it's it's it can be very heavy. It can be a lot as far as the amount of parenting we do on top, just the teaching, the curriculum that we're asked to teach. Speaker 3 It seems to be getting worse. Know now we're almost health care providers. Speaker 5 You're. Speaker 3 With on top of all the things that yeah I can't imagine what makes you happy or a. Speaker 4 Oh my kids family makes me happy. Nothing's better than coming home and just hearing my daughter say, I missed you, Daddy. You know I love you. And every negative in the world just gets washed off. You know, it doesn't matter how mad I am or frustrated or upset. I like seeing my son and I run at me. That's all that. Speaker 3 Matters. Have you seen this guy on social media that he sits with his daughter and he gets her to poor things and she's very, very young. No. And she just pause and then she has to pour orange juice and then drink it now. Okay. I know I've already told you this thousand times, but seriously, you need a social media page. Speaker 3 Like enough is enough. Speaker 2 I know, I know. Speaker 3 You have a family life and I know your wife want you crazy, but you need to get on social media with your kids. Speaker 4 I need just a reality TV show. Just. Just follow me around. Speaker 3 I'm not kidding. You cross. Speaker 2 Kels, He's like enough about 40 trillion. Maybe all this on to something, and maybe I'll do that just enough. Oh, does George love you all day long? You'll talk to me. Speaker 4 Anybody under seven? Oh, my God. Speaker 5 I'm going to record him. Next time he does it, I'm going to send it to George Bush. Speaker 2 I. Speaker 5 I really think that we could get you in the room together and it would be life changing. Speaker 4 I would just die if w just said. Speaker 2 Hey, can we just have a moment? Speaker 3 Friends? What I. Speaker 2 Feel like. Speaker 3 Will promote it. We'll see if we can get him to respond. Speaker 5 Can we please? I literally. Speaker 2 Have been. Speaker 5 Talking about this for years. Speaker 2 Oh, you've got to. Speaker 3 Get your students involved to try to promote. Speaker 5 It. Yes. Speaker 4 I yeah, I'm on board 100%. Yes. I love. Speaker 2 W. Speaker 3 Work on working on. Speaker 2 More, doing talk more, taxes laughs. He doesn't listen to the lecture. He is not going to be on social media doing that. Some people can see it. Speaker 4 Okay, fine. Speaker 2 I'll do it. Speaker 3 So what makes you happy? Speaker 5 Ditto. Same answer. My family is amazing. Supportive, amazing. Kids like it's so cliche to say, but like, if I could build my perfect family at this is what I would build. They make me happy every day. Speaker 3 So I don't have this question in here, but I want to get it in here because I believe it's important. What's one piece of advice y'all want to give to kids about looking for a partner? Speaker 4 It seems super cliché and it's just one of those things, but, you know, be with your best friend like because at the end of the day, you know, looks all the other stuff in the world is great and it truly is. But like you need a partner in life, like you need someone that's got your back and it's building you and making you a better person. Speaker 4 And that's that's 100% my advice to anyone. Speaker 5 Yeah. And someone that you can laugh with, someone that's going to be silly and because things are going to get hard and no relationship is perfect. So being able to, you know, laugh through it all and even the hard stuff is important. Speaker 3 Okay, last question. Finish this sentence. Melissa will go with you first. One thing I know for sure is we. Speaker 5 Are creating a better world than the one that we are leaving. Like our students are going to create a better world than we're leaving behind. Speaker 4 Oh, same question. Speaker 3 Cory, finish this sentence. One thing I know for sure is. Speaker 4 The sky is blue. Speaker 3 Oh, that's not good. Now, what's. What's the one thing you for sure. Speaker 4 I know you're making a change. I know that. I know that what we're doing is. Is working. And it's. It's a hard sell for some people. And believing that. But I know it. I've seen it and I believe it to my core. Speaker 3 I do well as an educator, as a parent, as an administrator, friends, I Estee thank you all for everything that you do and just thank you for just being awesome. Seriously, I love you. I think you're great. Speaker 2 For the store. I know you like that so far. Okay, that's a wrap. Thank you. Thank you. Thanks for coming in.