Inspire Shasta, Episode 14: More Than After School: How Project SHARE Builds Connection, Confidence, and Community

Episode Summary:
In this episode of Inspire Shasta, hosts Maggie Joyce and Jenn Cobb sit down with Nick Lott, incoming Director of Project SHARE, and Joshua Cohen, Project SHARE Area Coordinator, to talk about how afterschool programs are transforming lives in Shasta County. From STEM activities and outdoor adventures to family partnerships and safe spaces, Project SHARE (which stands for Shasta Health, Academics, Recreation, and Enrichment) is creating learning experiences that last far beyond the school day.

Later in the episode, we welcome Tiffany Dorroh and Tom Vanderpool, Co-Directors of Redding STEM Academy, who share how Project SHARE enhances their school’s culture, academic goals, and family engagement. Together, they paint a vivid picture of what “expanded learning” really means—and why it’s so much more than childcare.

🌟 Topics Covered:

• How Nick and Joshua found their way into education through connection and community
• The meaning and purpose behind Lights On Afterschool, a nationwide celebration of expanded learning programs
• STEM and enrichment activities that make learning fun and disguised—like robotics, Z-Tag games, Piper computer kits, and outdoor adventure programs
• How Project SHARE supports learning recovery through hands-on exploration and play
• The role of liaisons and facilitators as the heart of afterschool connection
• Partnering with schools to integrate academics, social-emotional learning, and family engagement
• Summer programs that bring outdoor learning and field trips to life
• How safe, consistent afterschool spaces support students’ mental health and sense of belonging
• Redding STEM Academy’s creative ELOP clubs—from Lego Masters and Moon Tree Club to Dungeons & Dragons and Kindness Club—and how SHARE bridges the gap between academics and enrichment

💬 Memorable Quotes:

“It’s disguised learning—we make it fun so kids don’t even realize they’re learning.” – Nick Lott
“For a lot of our students, after school is where they feel like they belong.” – Joshua Cohen
“Project SHARE is a true partnership that connects with our mission of personalized learning.” – Tiffany Dorroh
“Sometimes a student’s safe person on campus isn’t a teacher—it’s a SHARE staff member.” – Tom Vanderpool

🔦 Program Spotlight: Lights On Afterschool

Each October, Project SHARE joins the national celebration of Lights On Afterschool—a time to showcase the enrichment, creativity, and connection that happen in expanded learning programs. From STEM showcases and family barbecues to community partnerships at the Sundial Bridge, the events shine a light on why afterschool matters.

🧭 Learn More & Get Involved:

• Project SHARE – Expanded learning programs offered through the Shasta County Office of Education at 22 sites across the county.
• Celebrate Lights On Afterschool this October 22–24 and see how afterschool programs are lighting up our communities!
• Visit ShastaCOE.org for more information.

❤️ Final Thoughts:

Expanded learning isn’t just an extension of the school day—it’s where students build relationships, explore interests, and discover what they’re capable of. Whether it’s robotics, reading, outdoor adventure, or just finding a trusted adult, Project SHARE proves that learning happens best when kids feel safe, seen, and connected.

🎙️ Listen & Subscribe:
Find Inspire Shasta on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or your favorite podcast platform.

Transcript

Inspire Shasta Episode 14: Project SHARE

Maggie Joyce: [00:00:00] Welcome back to Inspire Shasta podcast. Today we have Nick Lot, the incoming director of Project SHARE for Shasta County Office of Education and Joshua Cohen, Project SHARE Area Coordinator.

Thanks guys for being here. 

Jenn Cobb: Thank you for having us. Yeah, thank you. Yeah, we're excited. So here at Inspire Shasta, we have a signature opening question that we ask all of our guests. Whichever you wants to take it first. If you could go back to a grade in school for a day, which would it be and why?

Joshua Cohen: I loved high school. Um, probably senior year, uh, not just 'cause it was senior year. Um, I think the biggest thing that was like stood out was, um, one of my teachers was just really. A great role model. He was my soccer coach too. Um, and he was just, uh, I feel like he cared about preparing us for college and like getting us ready for life and that just felt [00:01:00] really helpful in that season.

And he was my coach all four years. Um, and he really, at the end of every season, he would give us a goal to work on for soccer. But also just in general. He was always trying to help us be better, and I could tell he was for us. And I feel like for a lot of people, that's probably what sticks out out of their favorite year is probably a teacher that did something or impact them, or maybe a student or friend.

Yeah. So yeah, senior year is my answer. 

Maggie Joyce: Nice. I love that. That relationship, huh? Yeah. That he created Mr. 

Joshua Cohen: Dunham was his name. Shout out to him.

Nick Lott: Mine was also, um, senior year of high school for probably much different reasons. I just, um. School. Uh, it's funny, I got into education 'cause that was never my, my big thing when I was in school, I did fine. Um, I could have applied myself a little bit more, but I was always very social. Um, I love people, I love relationships.

And uh, senior year of high school was just that [00:02:00] time where everything seemed fun to me. There weren't a ton of responsibilities yet in life. I obviously lived at home, no bills. Mm-hmm. And so just that opportunity to. Connect with my friends, connect with teachers that you have built relationships with over four years.

Uh, the administration, I just, I enjoy connection with people and that was my favorite part always about school. Yeah. And so, yeah, going back to senior year and going to football games and basketball games, and then playing baseball, I think that I. I always hated baseball practice until I realized how much I love baseball practice.

And senior year was really that time that I realized that where, you know, the games were awesome because you, you got to compete and stuff, but just that fun time of being at practice and messing around with your friends. Mm-hmm. And so then in the spring of 97, and it's crazy, like right when that ended, how much I missed just going to practice and hanging out with people.

I hung out with a lot of different [00:03:00] people in high school. Yeah. Um, from whether it was athletes or people who were maybe into band or drama that I did take drama when I was in high school, so That's awesome. Yeah. I just, uh, I love connecting with people, so that was a really cool time to do that.

And then that's also when I started working at a school, I didn't even know I wanted to work in education, but it was more of the connection to people, families, and students that that kept me doing it. That keeps me doing it today. 

Maggie Joyce: Yeah. Yeah. Fun fact, Nick and I went to school together. We did go to school together.

Jenn Cobb: Hmm. Um, I will say, my teammates and I still talk about how much we miss practicing together.

Like, Hmm. Practice is so fun when you're like with your friends and you're like, so true. Working really hard. It's just I, but you're also able to goof off without having to ruin anything and not high stakes. Yeah. The coach is more chill. Yeah. I just, I really miss practice. It's good. [00:04:00] Bondi.

Nick Lott: Yeah. I feel like for me, practice is a little bit like work too.

Mm-hmm. You know, I mean, you're still doing really hard things, but if you're around people that you really like, and I am in the position, I am that, um. It, it doesn't feel like work when you're doing it, even though it is very hard work. Yeah. And sometimes you go home and you're very, very tired from it.

Mm-hmm. Um, but yeah, I think they're very similar to each other. 

Maggie Joyce: Yeah. Yeah. It's interesting that you guys both had senior year. That's, 

Nick Lott: yeah. That's why when he said that, I was a little bummed out. I was hoping they'd go like kindergarten or something, but yeah, I got it first. You know what I'm saying?

Maggie Joyce: That's why he's like, I'm gonna go first. We are both 

Jenn Cobb: the third grade club, so Oh yeah. We did have the same one for very different reasons. 

Maggie Joyce: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, it's all right. You guys can be alike. Yeah. Um, speaking, um, we're gonna talk a little bit about, or ask you guys to share us, share with us a little bit about yourselves and what inspired you to be in afterschool programs.

And so, um, I know you said that you got into afterschool nick in high school, you [00:05:00] started working outta school. No, it 

Nick Lott: was kind of by accident. Okay. Um, several years after high school. I was 21, 22. Right around there. And, um, you know, just kind of didn't really know what I wanted to do. I, part of me wanted to be a PE teacher.

I was thinking about going back to school to do that. All my friends were starting to move away from the area, so I didn't really feel like I had much of a direction, but I wasn't that pressed with trying to find a direction. And so I was going out to Shasta College and a friend of mine, she worked in an expanded learning program at Smore Elementary School, and they were doing.

Uh, Valentine's Day project, February 14th, 2001. And the night before she told the, we had a study group and she said, you guys should come volunteer in the class. And so went and volunteered in the class and, um, did that for the rest of that school year. I didn't, again, I had, I didn't think working with kids was something I, I thought older kids, right?

High school, I can do that, but I, I didn't have younger brothers or [00:06:00] sisters. I was the youngest and, um. So just that first day I went there and I absolutely loved it and, you know, saw how, how much the kids enjoyed having someone there to just talk to in those relationships that you could build. And so I didn't, I didn't leave, um, the rest of that school year and, um, just opportunities presented himself.

After that, the, the site facilitator who ran the afterschool program asked me to come back the next year working for the Child Abuse Prevention Council. And so did that for a couple years, earned a scholarship doing that and led into being a instructional assistant, which instructional assistant was someone who just, who ran a group in the expanded learning program.

And so that's kind of how I got involved in education in an expanded learning.

So I continued, uh, to work at the school for 12 years before going over the business office for a while. In that 12 year stretch, uh, met my wife Michelle, and my daughter Emma and Sarah.[00:07:00] 

Um, got married and yeah, so I have two grown children, 25 and 31, and they live up in Medford. So yeah, I moved over to Shasta County Office of Education in 2022, and that's where I am today. 

Maggie Joyce: Yeah, it's quite the journey. It's great that it all started with getting a connection from a classmate at the college to, to come volunteer.

Right. And then here we are, how many years later? 

Nick Lott: 24 years later. Yeah. 

Maggie Joyce: Yeah, yeah. That's awesome. And 

Nick Lott: it's, it goes back to me for that connection with people. I, I love getting to know the families and her. For me, when you look around at education, and I know everyone has their own bias about what department they work in, but I don't think you have a chance to make any bigger connection than you do in expanded learning and knowing the kids, knowing their families, and getting 'em to know 'em for so long.

You know, teachers oftentimes have students for one year, [00:08:00] and we get a chance to have them for five or six years as they come through elementary school and then their siblings. So that connection with them is definitely what drew me to after school once I started and then continued. 

Maggie Joyce: Yeah. I imagine you're starting to see old students even have their kiddos now.

Nick Lott: Yeah, uh, not only old students who have their own kids, but yeah, they've, they've either worked for me, they're people who used to be. Students of mine worked, have kids, and now are getting to the junior high level. Yeah. I, I tell a funny story that when I first started working at the school kids used to say, oh, you, you remind me of my brother.

And then it became you remind me of my uncle. And last year when I was at a school site, one of the kids, uh, very damaging to my heart said, you remind me of my grandpa. Oh. Oh. It was like, Ooh. Yeah. So, um, it, it's been a while, but, uh, yeah, it actually feels really good too. 'cause I'm ready to have [00:09:00] grandkids myself.

That would be amazing. 

Maggie Joyce: Yeah. Maybe it's that path there. How about you, Josh? 

Joshua Cohen: Um. You know, it's crazy when Nick said 24 years, and that's almost as long as I've been alive. So it's cool that I get to learn from all his speech, grandpa, that, that didn't help did it. But I meant that in a positive way. You, I have a lot to learn from you, Nick, and, um, I'm happy to just be, uh, near and watching you do expanded learning.

But how did I get in it? Um, I knew I wanted to do something in education in college and in high school even I knew that. So I got my degree in education and um, I kind of pivoted halfway through that though, and was like, I don't think being a teacher is for me. Um, and I found summer camp. Um, and so I started doing summer camp in college.

And really the passions are the same. The passions are, you know, impacting children for growth and for becoming the adults that [00:10:00] they will be, you know, and, summer camp does that just in a different way. Then after college I started, uh, working in retreats with summer camp and then eventually got into outdoor education, which was probably my favorite part of, camp.

And that wasn't just summer, that was like all year. We would just host schools from Dallas and they would come over and, uh, no phones, no computers, no screens. Yeah. Out in the woods. Yeah, I mean, it's awesome. And we would teach some science classes, some history classes, or we do like a team building class and like that is just.

Amazing. I love that stuff. I love TA getting kids out into the world like that. Into the wild, some might say the forest. Yeah. Connecting 'em with nature. Yes. Yeah. Nature and also each other. Yeah. 'cause there's no distractions. It's just you out with your friends and, um, so anyway, how did I get here? Well, I moved to Cottonwood about a year ago.

Got married. And, um, I ran a summer program in Red Bluff [00:11:00] for summer and then found Project SHARE and I started just a little over a year ago. And I have loved learning the expanded learning world. It's not something I was that familiar with, but has a lot of overlap with what my passions already and skills already were.

And now I'm just in learning mode. Um, just understanding everything. The more I learn, the more I love it. That's awesome. And a lot of what Nick said, those connections, especially what he said about families, , the power of the family unit is so important. And pro in Project SHARE, we're meeting those parents every day when they pick them up and we're checking in, we're, you know, updating them on how their kids' day was, or you know, and those connections are so powerful.

Maggie Joyce: Yeah. And 

Joshua Cohen: I really like that aspect of Project SHARE. 

Maggie Joyce: Yeah. Well, you can tell, you guys both have a lot of passion for, for expanded learning and connecting with families and kiddos. So we appreciate you. 

Jenn Cobb: Thank you. 

Maggie Joyce: Um, 

Jenn Cobb: so October is maybe a, an important month for Project SHARE. It might be [00:12:00] something called Lights On.

Hmm. Yeah, it's uh, not just important for Project SHARE. It's a important for expanded learning all over the nation. So it's Lights On After School and what lights on, it's been around for a long time. I think that people maybe don't know exactly what it is, but that is the entire point of what Lights On is, right?

So it's the opportunity for expanded learning programs, especially on October 24th, which is National Lights On Day, is to highlight what our programs do. So. When I first started in expanded learning what afterschool was the con, the perception of what it was was it's childcare. Yeah. And so we've worked really hard to change that perception for folks.

So the lights on is that opportunity for everyone to really shine during that time and show these are the things that we do with students in expanded learning is so much more than just childcare. It's connections to people, it's enrichment activities, it's physical [00:13:00] activity. Um, it's, yeah. And so Project SHARE has in the past done things where they've had multiple school sites come together and put on different events.

In the past couple years, we've invited people down to the Sundial Bridge and they've lit the Sundial bridge up, um, yellow to kind of highlight what our programs are. That doesn't always work out because we have another very special day during the month of October, which is the breast cancer awareness.

And so, uh, it kind of happens at that same time. So we're, we didn't ask for the bridge to be lit up the last couple years because we want to definitely be good partners with everyone and, um, make sure that that also is that really important time to bring awareness to something that's very important as well.

We have our sites do a lot of activities on that day, and we invite families and we invite different community members to come out and check out what we're doing over our 22 [00:14:00] Project SHARE sites. And they'll do it over the course of three days this year, October 22nd, 23rd and 24th. We ask them to split it up so we could get to as many of them as possible and check it out.

What are some examples of what different sites do or lights on? 

Joshua Cohen: Um, well I was just walking through meadow Lane in one of the classrooms and there were some students, um, getting, we were connecting all these like circuit things together.

Mm-hmm. And I asked 'em what they're doing and then, um, their instructor explained, well, they're getting ready for lights on. They're gonna show. Um, anyone who comes, what they do and, and after school. And so what they're doing is building these cool circuit electrical things where you like, connect them together and build lights and no way, all these cool things.

So that was a cute little thing that, uh, the students get to do. That's what's cool is like, it's not like just Project SHARE staff trying to show what's going on. It's like students showcasing what they do and look what we made, you know? So there's art galleries, meadow Lane's bringing in. [00:15:00] The radio station and I think barbecue, hopefully I can make it to that.

And 

Jenn Cobb: yeah, Q 97 will be come out Oh yes. To Meadow Lane. And then Britain's Barbecue is gonna, um, wow. They've donated to, uh, host the event and feed, feed the families. And so I don't think anything necessarily specific in terms of this is what we do. What we do every day. So you're happy right? You're highlighting what we're doing?

Yeah, we're just highlighting it. So we may. We may publicize it a little more, invite more people to come see it. Yeah. But it really is just a showcase of what we do every day with the kids. I know that the Cottonwood sites are combining this year, um, to do a chili Cookoff, but that's really just to get the people there to see what we do.

Yeah. So they'll have our Z tag there. Um, they'll have drones going there. So a bunch of different enrichment activities that we do on a daily basis. It's just, what can we add? Well, we could add a chili cookoff, and you know, people always come for food, makes for food, family, 

Maggie Joyce: family friendly. Yeah, that's right.

Uh, 

Nick Lott: Britain's people always come [00:16:00] for food, so Yeah. Yeah, yeah. It um, it's really what we do every day. It's just that opportunity to, um, shine the light on it. Light's on. Yeah. So 

Joshua Cohen: I should tell people what Z Ttag is. Yeah. CAG is a, like advanced tag. You put on a little wristband and then the wristband tells you what to do and tells certain people to go get.

Catch other people, you know, tag them, but you actually don't even need to tag them. The wristband senses it. It's like advanced tag. It's amazing. And the kids love it. Every single site loves it. 

Maggie Joyce: Wow. 

Joshua Cohen: Yeah, it's really cool. 

Maggie Joyce: Just with the few things you guys shared, I just think like all of the amazing things that kiddos are getting from that, like critical thinking, STEM activities, a way to see how things work it, it really is fantastic.

You know, our day programs have to focus so much on different standards to be able to have access to that. Outside of the day program with staff that are, that have the time to be able to dedicate to really good programming is really fantastic for our kiddos. So I love that you guys have a day [00:17:00] and that it's national, um, because the recognition definitely needs to be there.

Nick Lott: Yeah, we want oftentimes kids go home and you know what you do today. Well, we did nothing so. We, we know our goal is for after school when they say, what did you do today? That they are able to go home and share something really exciting about what they did for the day. So it's disguised learning. So we're hoping they're still learning, but it's disguised learning.

And we know oftentimes after school when kids start, it might not necessarily be a place where they wanted to be. I think that a lot of kids would say they want to go home. But we make it a place where they want to be. So the coolest thing is when parents come to pick up their kids and they don't want to leave.

Parents might not. Yeah. Maybe the parents. Sometimes they do. They're like, all right, I'll go get shopping then. I'll come get in later. You guys are up before six, 

Maggie Joyce: Maggie? Yeah. Six. Six. Um, with all of the activities that you guys do, have you noticed any ones that are more effective in the [00:18:00] learning recovery, or acceleration of learning?

Joshua Cohen: Um, there's a few for me that come to mind. So I, you know, I'm new. So Cathy and Nick kind of threw some funds, resources that Project SHARE has in our storage that we can use, and I got to use 'em a lot last year. Um, oh, the ones that really seem to, in my eyes, seem to increase learning is like the ones where they're doing stuff.

So there's this one called our Piper Computer Building Kits, and they literally get to build a computer. And so yes, it's, it's awesome. And so last year I had fourth graders building a computer. I mean, that's cool. They can throw that right on their resume. Right? It's awesome. But it's, it's cool they get to go through the struggle of, um, trying to do something that's hard and eventually succeeding, but after many, many attempts and.

Just the social emotional learning from doing something like that is, uh, it's not very quantifiable. 

Jenn Cobb: Yeah. 

Joshua Cohen: But it's really valuable. Um, so we have a lot of stuff like that where we're like building [00:19:00] something that is does something else or, uh, we have these vex robotics that is like, okay, we're gonna build a robot and then we're gonna learn how to code the robot.

Um, and again, you, you have that learning through play aspect, but with that you're even learning coding, which is a very applicable skill for the future. But those are two examples I can think of right now. 

Maggie Joyce: Yeah. Yeah. I was, I think at Shasta High School and they were doing some stuff with their robots and I was blown away.

Oh yeah. I, it, it didn't, it was another language for me 'cause I didn't learn how the robot worked or code or anything like that. But the, the students picked it up so quickly. I'm sure that there was a lot of things that went into it, but it's such, so many skills that they can apply outside of school.

Mm-hmm. So that's awesome. 

Nick Lott: Yeah, it's cool, really cool to see them like pick up those piper kits and something that, you know, I'm, I'm a little bit older. Yeah. Um, so our computers were a little different when we were going up. Yeah. A little bit different. And, uh, they can pick one of those up and have that piper kit built in a day where I know it would take me [00:20:00] several days to do something like that.

So I think that it's that hands-on opportunity to, to learn in their learning coding during that. All different sorts of things. I think one of the things when we talked about Z-tag, I know Joshua had mentioned, um, that it was like a tag game, but it's so much deeper than that. That's right. So there's like math games on there that you can play with  Z-tag, and so that that learning recovery is that, that chance to do it without again, them even knowing that they're doing it.

Yeah. So really being intentional about working with the schools to see. Where, where they are, what kind of enrichment activities we could do to support where their level is for each kid. And, um, kind of patterning our, our activities that we do after school off of whoever we're working with. Joshua has a really cool opportunity, but as he switches roles, he'll be an area coordinator, but, uh, previously was a project coordinator, so he got the opportunity to take a lot of that curriculum out to sites and, and teach it to [00:21:00] kids and.

I think he minimizes what his role in that was. He was really instrumental in bringing that stuff to our liaisons to also teach with kids. 

Maggie Joyce: Yeah. Yeah. 'cause it doesn't do any good in the storage shed. Right. You gotta have somebody that gets it out there, has passion behind it, and really, um, encourages those to do it with the students.

Nick Lott: Yeah. And I mean, sometimes they. They don't know what they don't know. So that could be very intimidating for someone working with a group of kids who's already working to do their, you know, academic time, which is their homework and reading, and then figuring out how, how am I gonna figure out how to use this curriculum in order to teach it to the kids?

And so to have people like Joshua, Jen Godbout, Jen shoots as our project coordinators going out and teaching to the liaisons mm-hmm. And sometimes just teaching it to the kids and then they get to sit back and see how they do it. And then Lisa fry, who's one of our enrichment liaisons really gets that opportunity as well.

Maggie Joyce: And the, and the [00:22:00] liaisons. Just for the listeners, do you wanna just talk a little bit about what that role looks like? 

Nick Lott: Yeah, so a liaison is essentially what some people might call a group leader. I know across California, across the nation. They call 'em different things in terms of what, what they.

Their title is for leading a group of students during expanded learning programs, so we call 'em liaisons, and their role is really to schedule out the day for the kids, plan activities to do with them. Use that curriculum. Joshua was talking about. We do have grant guidelines that we have to follow for our ACEs grant and our assets grant, and making sure we're being compliant with those.

So developing their schedules to where they're in coordination with what our requirements are. They just lead the kids. They develop the relationships with them, they do the activities with them, and really are there as a support to students and families and, um, really are our biggest role, if you ask me mm-hmm.

Is our liaisons at the sites because [00:23:00] they're the ones who have the direct, um, our boots on the ground. Yeah. They're the boots on the ground. They're working with kids and they're, they're the one, they're the frontline staff. Yeah. So, yeah, they, they have a huge, huge role. 

Maggie Joyce: Yeah. That's where that relationship starts, right?

Yeah. Yeah. 

Nick Lott: Mm-hmm. It was my, well, I, it was facilitator, the one who ran the program was my favorite job that I've ever had. And, um, all things being equal, I would right in this moment go back to being a facilitator 'cause not only did you get to make that connection liaisons do with students, but then you also got the family piece.

Jenn Cobb: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Um, so. You do a lot with curriculum design and activity planning, and how do you incorporate student voice in and student choice into those things that you bring to the classroom? 

Joshua Cohen: Good question. Well, uh, student voice and choice, um, is, are one of the standard quality standards for [00:24:00] expanded learning.

Um, and I, I see it all through Project SHARE. As someone who, as I've said, you know, had kind of new eyes to expanded learning, I, I wouldn't even have to know. That was a standard, a quality standard to know that Project SHARE and other expanded learning programs implement student voice and choice. Um, the way I've seen it is, uh, as simple as a liaison has two ideas for the day or, uh, for the enrichment activity, and they write it on the board and they say, Hey, which one you, which one you guys wanna do today?

And then the students get to literally vote. And I, I think it's awesome they get to practice. Autonomy, um, responsibly. Like they get to make choices and as soon as they're making choices, they're learning from their decisions and there's buy-in too. They're like excited to do it. Yeah. So really everyone benefits from student voice and student choice.

Yeah. 

Nick Lott: I think it's that opportunity. I think at the junior high level, we see where, where it's the biggest right? Is that even if I'm [00:25:00] a liaison and someone says, here, you're gonna do this with your kids. Right? It, it has to be something I bought into because I want to be excited about it too. And it's really the same for the students.

If, if we're gonna ask them to do it, we hope it's something they want to be doing. They, yeah. 

Maggie Joyce: They'll let you know. They'll let you know, and, and they 

Nick Lott: might let you know through their voice, but they might let you know through their actions, which 

Maggie Joyce: is so true. Communication around being able to recognize 

Nick Lott: it.

And so finding out what do you guys really want to be doing because it's really about you guys, not about me. And then I just have to make sure I mix in like what we're supposed to be doing during that time. So, um, working with the team to figure out how we do mix that in, but really. The junior high kids, if you give them an opportunity to tell you what they want to do, then they are passionate about doing it.

I seen that's so true. I've, I've seen Joshua go out with junior high kids who we've had a challenge getting to do things before, and even if he had an idea, he made it feel like their idea and then they were, you know, whether it's the drones or the. [00:26:00] I know out at uh, old Shasta, we actually did podcasting, which we're on right here.

And, um, Sebastian out there was able to run with that and get the kids going on a podcast 'cause it's something they were interested in. Right. And it was more current. I mean, it's things that people are doing right now. Yeah. So, um, we could have asked them to do, you know, art that day, but if it's not something they're into.

I'll tell everyone, you ask me to dance, you're not gonna get a lot of buy-in from me. I am not great dancer. And same, I will dance if I'm told to, but it is gonna be a mess. I'm not gonna be that excited about it. 

Maggie Joyce: Yeah. Unless it's your daughter's wedding, then you'll dance. 

Nick Lott: Yeah, yeah, yeah. But there might be a video there.

I said dance. Oh yeah. So that, that goes back to, if you tell me to do it, I'm probably gonna do it. So we are a training in Chico a couple years ago, and. Our presenter, um, I'm losing her name right now, but she did the keynote and um, she got everyone up and [00:27:00] moving and so, you know, I mean, you're there with your team and stuff and you wanna make sure that you're participating so that it gets everyone participating.

But Gail Gorky. Gail Gorky, yes. Gail Gorky memory. So she's a phenomenal, uh, speaker and she gets everyone up and moving and dancing. So. I, unbeknownst to me there was a video being filmed of, of me dancing at the time, which made its way around our department, but um, I've seen it. Yeah. I'm not very self-conscious, so even though I don't particularly want to dance, um, I could laugh at myself.

I'd love to laugh. Yeah. So it's a fun video and um, we'll share it sometimes at our different trainings to get people laughing a little bit. 

Maggie Joyce: And then you ask 'em to dance. No. Yes. Just kidding. Uh, so expanded learning is during the school year, right? And it is also during the breaks, but what some people probably don't know is it extends into summer.

And so how does the summer activities and enrichments look different in this summer from the regular school year? And what are some of [00:28:00] the things that you offer? 

Nick Lott: I think I'm gonna let Joshua jump in a little bit here, and then I'll expand on it. Oh yeah. But um. I'd just like you to talk a little bit about what you guys did with SOAR this summer.

Um, it's our Shasta, do you know that? Oh, can you, Shasta Outdoor. Outdoor 

Joshua Cohen: Adventure and Recreation. Yeah. 

Maggie Joyce: Yeah. As your outdoor background. 

Joshua Cohen: Oh, yes. 

Maggie Joyce: Yeah. 

Joshua Cohen: Yes. I, I was so happy when Nick and Cathy were like, Hey, are you interested in making this outdoor program a little different than the previous years? And I was like, yeah, I would love to do that.

So as most people in Shasta County know, there's Whiskey Town Environmental School, um, it's unavailable for us this this past summer. And so Project SHARE, we got to kind of pivot a little and um, do a different version of outdoor education. Um, so we did a hybrid program this summer. Part of it was outdoor education at their sites, and then part of it was they got to go to Whiskeytown.

And go to the [00:29:00] beach and learn how to kayak and go on a hike and learn about, uh, local wildlife and, uh, outdoor education. Um, and so it was just a great way to still do outdoor education just differently. So when they're on site, they're learning about, you know, paw prints of different animals and different, how to identify different kinds of leaves and plants.

And they're, and all these activities are like, they're building something or they get to keep something after they've built it or, um, so it's all hands on. And then, uh, we had naturalists come out, uh, naturalist, uh, Tallianna and um, 

Jenn Cobb: Annise Annise.

Joshua Cohen: And Taylor, they all came out and these people love the outdoors and they got to get these kids excited about outdoors. And guess what? They didn't have a phone, they didn't have a screen. Uh, not that those are bad, but when we're outside let you know, let's have some separation and just enjoy the [00:30:00] outdoors.

And I think kids loved it. Um, so it was so great. I'm a little sad, I won't be able to do it this next summer. Someone else will, but 

Maggie Joyce: Well, and they're outdoors of their own community, right? Yes. Like it's amazing how many kids aren't, don't, like, I might not know different leaves and stuff like that, but to learn that, and then to be able to identify that outside of summer when they're on walks with their family or out doing things in the outdoors on their own, it's pretty cool.

Nick Lott: Yeah. I think summer's also that opportunity of providing some things we can't do during the school year, whether those barriers are 'cause of transportation. It's that chance to get 'em out on field trips and experience things that they may not get to do outside of being school. That's good point. A school.

So we went up to Shasta Caverns this year. I wanna say it was at least five or six of the different programs got to go up to Shasta Caverns and explore the caves. They also got to do some mining. Um, yeah. And so. We did rock climbing this summer where we went to Shasta Rock [00:31:00] Club and our students got the experience doing that.

So it's providing 'em those chances they might not get to do, you know, a lot of people, sports are great. I am a sports guy, but I think a lot of our experiences during the school year are people are picking up their kid and they're going to basketball, they're going to soccer, they're going to cheer, they're going to football.

So I'll never hear anyone saying, I'm coming to pick up my kid. They have rock climbing today. So it's really those, those chances to get them out experiencing things that they might not otherwise get to do. 

Maggie Joyce: Yeah. And some of those kids might not get to go to rock climbing, not because of sports, but because of other barriers Yeah.

Mm-hmm. That their families might face. So to have that exposure is really great. 

Jenn Cobb: So kind of along those lines of barriers, how does having safe and consistent space in the afterschool zone contribute to students' mental health and wellbeing?

Nick Lott: I think for, for me is, it's just a sense for a lot of our kids of I belong somewhere.

So, um, they get that [00:32:00] opportunity to create those relationships with, whether it's staff or other students that, you know, when, when you're in school, you might be with your group of students throughout the whole day and those might not be exactly kids that they're your. 

Maggie Joyce: Peer group. 

Nick Lott: Your peer group. Yeah.

And so after school's an opportunity to come into a safe space and be able to find the people who more represent what you are into and what you like to do, and gives you that chance to connect with them. And maybe it's a structured setting, but it's a little more free than the school day. So I like to call it structured unstructured time and, and so it gives those kids a chance who don't.

Do great in the setting of you have to be sitting in a chair at a table and learning all day to go somewhere where they can play and have a safe spot to do it. Yeah. 

Maggie Joyce: Yeah. It sounds like there's a lot of exploration too, and, and different [00:33:00] likes. And I think, um, reflecting on like my own kiddos' upbringing and even my own is like you, you kind of like, you do what your peers do and whether you're, you know.

Fall in or not. Like if you, if you're an athlete, typically your friends are also athletes. Mm-hmm. And so to be able to get that exposure to other things like robots or building computers that maybe that's not present in their everyday life because they're busy with doing sports or their family doesn't have the ability to connect the kids with those sort of activities.

Um, providing that space for that exploration and the kiddos to feel safe to do so is really, really cool. 

Jenn Cobb: Yeah, I agree. Joshua. 

Joshua Cohen: Yeah, I think you said it well.

Um, safety is another ma massive facet of expanded learning. Um, if, if students do not feel safe. It's really hard to do anything else, like, to [00:34:00] do learning to build relationships. They need to feel safe, like both, you know, physically in a room safe or emotionally safe. Yeah. Agree. Safe to be themselves. Yeah.

And kind of what Nick was saying, um, with, you know, unstructured structured time, like they kind of get to, they have a little more choices like where they get to choose reasonable options available to them. And it's just a place where they get to explore. It's, it's cool. I think you said that well earlier.

Yeah. That they get to, to explore. 

Maggie Joyce: Yeah. I think it's great for our kids and for our families. Right. We're providing something that is different than the school day as well as when you're at home. So, um, as we wrap up today, is there one thing that you would like to leave the listeners with that you wish every parent, educator or policymaker understood about expanded learning programs?

Nick Lott: I think I see it more than I ever have in the past is that, um, the value of expanded learning [00:35:00] is really being taken into consideration when policies are being made, when funding is being distributed. I think that people are realizing it's bigger than just childcare, so. I think just to continue down that path of understanding of the difference that expanded learning can make in, in students and families lives.

I know that we have a lot of families that, you know, and they may be speaking more to the childcare issue at times of like, without you guys, I didn't know what we would do. But that's where it starts. And then by the time that kid has gone through three, four or five years at your school, they're speaking to you more like you're part of their family.

And so I think it's, um. People recognizing that the relationships and the opportunity to help grow, grow students is a huge part of what we do. And to, you know, I mean, people speak about funding all the time and we're, we're in a time of where funding cuts are [00:36:00] going on, some people are being funded here, and just how important expand the expanding learning division plays in the role of.

Of what kids get in the educational experience. 

Maggie Joyce: Yeah, we talked about student safety. I mean, parents, they, after school is a place for their kids to go to be safe while they're finishing up the rest of their workday. Right. And so the alternative is what, like the kiddo is on their own, potentially. The parents aren't aware of where they're at and they're, they're not able to even fully focus on what the parents are supposed to be doing because they're worried about the safety of their kids.

So you're providing a space that's safe for the student, but you're also providing a space that the parent feels safe to leave their kid with and knows where they're at. And they're with caring people who, who have a relationship with them as well. So it. It's far beyond childcare. Yeah. Right. It's, I mean, anybody could watch somebody.

You guys are doing more than that. 

Nick Lott: Yeah. And, and that's what Lights On is all about. Yeah. Right. Come check it out. 

Maggie Joyce: Yeah. Well, I'm [00:37:00] excited your lights on and you guys always do good pictures. You guys always show and highlight what you guys are doing on Lights On, so it's really cool to watch. 

Nick Lott: Yeah. It's, it's really an opportunity for us too, to celebrate what we are.

I mean, it's not, yeah. It's to shine a light on after school, but it really is a time for celebration for us. And, um, we're always excited about what we do, but I think we get extra geared up during that week with like, you know, wanting to make sure we have so many programs doing different things and we want to try and get out to all of them because we want to be a part of it.

Sometimes we we're here at the office and we're having to do our office work, but really all of us, all we wanna do mm-hmm. Is be out with students and families and, and staff and connecting with them. So it's that excuse during that week of, well, hey, I got these events I gotta go to, so I can't, I can't do my paperwork.

Yeah. Right. Can't my calendar, I'm with the kids. That's right. Acceptable. And who could argue with that, right? 

Maggie Joyce: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Well, that's, it's really great that you guys do that for our kiddos in our county and that there's so many successful expanded learning [00:38:00] programs throughout all kinds of counties.

Um, and I look forward to seeing all the amazing things that you guys do at Lights Out and all the amazing things you guys do the rest of the year. So thank you for being here. 

Nick Lott: Thank you for having us. Yes, thank you. 

Maggie Joyce: Alright. We just heard from Nick and Joshua about their leadership roles with Project SHARE. To give us another perspective, we're joined now by Tiffany Dorroh and Tom Vanderpool, co-directors of Redding STEM Academy.

Welcome guys. We're excited to hear your perspectives today about Project SHARE. Thank you for having us on today. Thank you. It's a pleasure being here. 

Jenn Cobb: So can you tell us a little bit about, uh, Redding STEM Academy and your role as administrators there? 

Tiffany Dorroh: Yes, absolutely. So Tom and I are co-directors. Um, we definitely work together on all aspects of the administrative side, but he handles a lot of the SPED side and the business side, and I handle more of the on-campus operations and HR.

But we [00:39:00] definitely share a lot of, uh, combined things such as student discipline, meeting with parents, helping students, um, on campus. Excellent. 

Maggie Joyce: How, how many students are enrolled at R STEM? We currently have 236 this year. Okay. So you guys have a lot of, a lot of kiddos to manage, huh?

TK through eight. Yeah. That's excellent. How does, uh, you guys have Project SHARE site on your campus, and so how does that align with your school's overall mission, vision, and goals? 

Tiffany Dorroh: Yes, Project SHARE is on our site. Um, our, one of our main parts of our mission is we offer personalized learning experience, and it's built in throughout our whole part of our day.

But Project SHARE really helps that come alive with their homework program that they have. So they work alongside our teachers to see what students might need extra support within the classroom, or maybe there's a big project due and they need a little more adult help. So Project SHARE really comes along and partners with us to make sure students' academics are taken care of throughout the day.

They also have a [00:40:00] reading time, which is really important. And Project SHARE really is big on STEM. So they have a lot of STEM kits that they do. Um, they also have a hydroponic, uh, system in the classroom. They, I know they're growing. I think they have lettuce in there right now. Oh, really? Yep. That's awesome.

Really cool. Awesome. Awesome. Mm-hmm. 

Maggie Joyce: Yeah. And with being connected with their focus on STEM, I bet that also directly connects to what is happening in your students' personalized learning plans in the classroom. Yes. Yeah, that's fantastic. 

Tom Vanderpool: And we partner with our sports programs. 

Maggie Joyce: What does that look like?

Tom Vanderpool: Our sports students all sign up for share and they get a snack. And from their snack, they go, the coaches pick 'em up. So they have a place where they can meet all rally, get dressed, get ready to go, get nourished, and then they're off in their sports. 

Jenn Cobb: That's fantastic. That's awesome. Um, so speaking of sports and kind of clubs and enrichment activities, um, [00:41:00] what does Project SHARE provide for our STEM that couples with what's going on in the regular?

Tiffany Dorroh: Yes. So last year specifically, we had 26 ELOP clubs throughout the school year. Wow. Which serves 239 students. Um, and Project SHARE partnered with us because, um, ELOP clubs have to start after our teachers contract hours. So the clubs really couldn't start until three 30, but our school day ends at two 50.

So we had this gap of time where we thought. What can we do to help these students, um, find something to do, a safe place to be? So parents didn't have to pick students up after school and then bring them back 40 minutes later. So Project SHARE said, we'll help, let's partner with you. We can have the, we'll pick this kids up after the school day.

Again, just like Tom said with the sports. We'll give them a snack. We'll give 'em some homework help. We'll let 'em play on the playground and then we will send them. To their ELOP clubs and then they can come back after the club is over or they can get parent [00:42:00] picked up afterwards. So they, they definitely came alongside us and helped support the kids in that way.

Maggie Joyce: Yeah. Can you give us an example of a couple of what, a couple of clubs, like a couple of different types? 

Tiffany Dorroh: Yeah, absolutely. So last year we had a Lego Masters Club and it ran for an hour.

And within that club for the primary grade levels, they did, uh, rotations and they had different little STEM projects that they had to complete with their Legos. We had a moon tree club. Our science teacher partnered with NASA and we got a sapling. Um, when the seed went up to the moon, flew around the moon and came back down and we joined in on their sapling program.

And so our moon tree club researched the trees, researched, um, what we would need in, in the area where we planted the tree for it to be successful. So they prepped the soil, they did fencing. Um, they found the perfect spot to meet the tree's needs, so they picked the perfect location on site. So that was one of the clubs that we had.

Tom Vanderpool: We had a lot of sports based. [00:43:00] That's kind of my focus being the former athletic director, the athletic administrator. We have had a volleyball club. We've had a pickleball club. We've had a pickleball club. Oh yeah, yeah. Ask him rage. Who was the leader of that pickleball club? It was my club.

We have soccer club and I guess and basketball club. That's 

Tiffany Dorroh: awesome. 

Tom Vanderpool: Well, 

Tiffany Dorroh: Mr. V, you also had a flag football club. 

Tom Vanderpool: We do. We have, yes, our flag football club really incorporates with our team, so we just, yeah, we're growing, we're growing things, 

Maggie Joyce: and students have choice in which club they choose, they get to participate in.

Yeah, that's fantastic. 

Jenn Cobb: I think my biggest question is, is there space in Lego Club for me? Yes. Okay, perfect. Can 

Tiffany Dorroh: definitely use you as an adult. Helper might drop by sometime. 

Maggie Joyce: I can do Legos if I have directions. They turn out really well. If I have a guide, once those directions get lost, I, I, that's it. I'm done.

It 

Tom Vanderpool: is, it is one of the [00:44:00] bigger age level. I have a lot 

Maggie Joyce: like the range. Mm-hmm. The 

Tom Vanderpool: range. Yeah. You have the littles that love to do it. And the big kids too. Yeah. Most the sports ones, we try to keep 'em so the kids are fairly can play with each other. Yeah. 

Tiffany Dorroh: And for the older kids, we also have a D&D club, which is ran by one of the middle school teachers and that one is hugely popular and she runs that all year.

Whereas most clubs run for a span of five to six weeks. That one's year round because the interest is so high. Yeah. And then we have, uh, two book clubs that are pretty consistent and they're every Friday for an hour. And the I love that. It's amazing. So we have one that's for fourth through sixth, and then one that's seventh and eighth.

And that one's hugely popular. Yeah. 

Jenn Cobb: And D&D is Dungeons and Dragons, correct? Mm-hmm. Okay, perfect. Yeah. 

Tom Vanderpool: But we have had the Magic Club too, previously. Mm-hmm. Wow. So. 

Tiffany Dorroh: You, if you can think of it, we've probably had it. We try and build our clubs around student [00:45:00] interests. So, yeah. You know, our teachers really think about the interest of the grade levels that they're teaching and they jump in board, uh, board game clubs.

We had a kindness club last year, which was really, really special. That club welcomed students on Monday morning with huge signs that said, welcome to school. We're happy you're here. And those kids in front of the school every Monday with the signs, cheering kids on as they were getting out. And let's just be real, nobody likes going to school on Mondays. Yeah. So it was very helpful. 

Maggie Joyce: That's fantastic. I love that. Yeah. What a way for students to be able to impact the culture of the school they attend, right? Mm-hmm. I mean, to be the welcome for kiddos when they first get to school and do it in a cheerful way, um, and have it be their peers that I'm sure that was infectious.

Mm-hmm. It was definitely special to see 

Tom Vanderpool: it. It cheered me up when I showed up. 

Maggie Joyce: Yeah. Yeah. I, it's a, it's amazing how like someone just being there to greet you, it makes you start your day a little differently. 

Tom Vanderpool: I thought I may have missed something. 'cause they were, there was signs, [00:46:00] there was glitter.

Streamers, they went all out. 

Maggie Joyce: Mm-hmm. 

Jenn Cobb: That's awesome. 

Maggie Joyce: I mean, why not? Um, from, from your guys' perspective, what is the most important non-academic benefit that afterschool programs provide, not only for students and school culture, you guys have shared, like just the impact that it's had on your campus with culture, but also for the working parents and the larger community.

Tom Vanderpool: Well, I can speak as a parent. My son goes to SHARE and I often, when I go pick him up, he's with a different group of students. Mm-hmm. Doing a different activity. So I rarely find him doing the same thing when I show up. So he's around and sometimes he is with different age level. 

Maggie Joyce: Mm-hmm. As so, get more exposure 

Tom Vanderpool: because they generally, at our site SHARE is split up by the grades and you have a

older group. And a middle group, and then the young kids. So sometimes he's helping out with the littles and sometimes he's out on [00:47:00] the ball field and sometimes he's helping serve snacks and we're doing an art project. He's, he's rarely doing the same thing every day. So. Cool. 

Tiffany Dorroh: And I'd like to add that, uh, we've got some amazing SHARE.

Um. Teachers on our campus, and those teachers have worked really hard to build relationships with students. And during the day, we have found that when students need to connect with somebody, their safe person, they will look for their SHARE facilitators. Really? Mm-hmm. Yeah. And that's really special because it's just providing students with another person that they can trust and that they can go to when they need to get something off their chest or they just need to share something that.

That is upsetting them. Mm-hmm. They have people they can turn to. 

Maggie Joyce: Yeah. So they're not only getting to connect with their peers maybe in a different way because they, they're hanging out with kiddos. They might not hang out during the school day. There's also another opportunity to have a safe adult connected to a student.

And I love the fact that you, you share that your staff [00:48:00] empower that. Mm-hmm. Right? So if they know that the SHARE staff member is their safe adult, they're gonna ensure that that. Staff member knows what's going on with the kiddo or connects the student to the safe adult. Mm-hmm. So I love that. 

Jenn Cobb: Um, so here at SCOE, one of our core values is hopeful and helpful.

So what is, I would like to ask you guys, what is your hope for the next generation and who is someone who has been especially helpful to you in your journey as administrators and just human beings on planet earth?

Tiffany Dorroh: My hope for the next generation coming up is that they continue to love school, that they continue to find ways to be engaged and, and find connections with their peers and with their school.

Especially since there's so many choices for schools nowadays, we can align the schools with the students' interest. Um, so my, my hope for this future generation is they get back to loving school [00:49:00] and loving learning. Yeah. 

Tom Vanderpool: I couldn't have said it any better than that. As far as my journey in education, I've had so many good administrators to learn from and have long discussions with.

Our previous director, Ms. Fernandez, spent a lot of time with me and I also had the benefit of being, uh, in special education, having some amazing paraprofessionals as a young teacher. Mm-hmm. And they knew the ropes just as good as the regular teachers. So I, as far as all the locations that I taught, middle school, high school, I've always had these great leaders, you know, always around.

So of course, having Tiffany, who is a expert, helped me has been a great thing as well. Yeah. 

Maggie Joyce: I love the fact that you are [00:50:00] acknowledging those that came before you. Right. Because they, they, your previous director worked with you to set you up for success to be able to continue supporting the kiddos at your site and so think that's Yeah.

Mm-hmm. Yeah. Yeah. It takes everybody, paras, the attendance ladies, the lunch ladies. It takes everybody to make a school run. Absolutely. And to impact kiddos. Yeah. 

Tom Vanderpool: I, yeah, I think being a young teacher, I was getting more support from the very seasoned paraprofessionals. Hmm. The teachers are busy. Yeah. You know, I, I know how busy they are, but the paraprofessionals and the, and the very, and the old school ones.

You know, school is changing and we're changing, and I feel like we're a lot more flexible and forgiving, and we're working with the families a lot more. Yeah. Um, but the old school crew and the old school staff, the teachers [00:51:00] that I had at Sequoia, that helped me a lot when I became a teacher, they were incredible.

Maggie Joyce: That's fantastic.

Tiffany Dorroh: A lot of times when Tom and I are collaborating on an issue on campus or a direction we wanna go for a leadership we have referenced what would our past administrators, what would Sarah do at this point? What would John do? What would Mike Freeman be doing? And we use those voices and those guidance we've had in the past to really guide our administration.

Yeah. The decisions we make. 

Maggie Joyce: Yeah. I just, I think that perspective is not often, it's not the norm, right? It's kind of like, well, this is, what are we gonna do? Not what, what somebody else would do. And usually those people have so much knowledge to be able to think about what they would do. It probably changes the landscape of what you actually end up doing, I would imagine.

Yeah, absolutely. 

Tom Vanderpool: I don't think that there's a lot of new things in education. I think [00:52:00] most things have been tried in a certain way. So if you reach back and you ask a retired teacher, they were doing something very similar 30 or 40 years ago. So we can modify a little bit and find those things work really well still.

Maggie Joyce: I am just thankful that you guys came and joined us today to share a little bit about how Project SHARE impacts your school site, your school culture, your kiddos, and your parents so we could see a little bit about what Project SHARE looks like, not only from um, our previous guests who were Project SHARE staff, but also school sites that have a share program on their sites.

So thank you guys so much for being here. We really appreciate it. Yeah, thank you for having us. 

Tom Vanderpool: Thank you.