Engaging Bobcats

We sit down this month with Marleis Trover, someone who brings immense passion, not only to her role as an educator, but to her role as an advocate for educational equity and a passer of the administrative torch. I've known Marleis for years, and have seen her on numerous occasions, standing up for our kids, and making pathways for the betterment of her fellow educators through her work at McKendree University with doctoral candidates and superintendent candidates. In a word, Marleis is dedicated, perhaps on a level you'll rarely see, and I think that warrants a conversation with Marleis herself. 

We welcome Meridian teaching phenoms Jennifer Beshue and Lisa Thomas aboard our podcasting ship to talk about Meridian schools' unique, organic culture and how it benefits everyone involved. The pair break down the reputation of Meridian as a "family" and highlight the exceptional support they receive from other faculty. We brainstorm about what can be done to provide better resources for students outside of the school, and we're so grateful to receive their insight into the challenges and scenarios that young people face today. Our professional educators also discusses community engagement activities and the variety of district events scheduled in the future. The conversation emphasizes that learning to accept others and yourself is the fundamental building block toward becoming a successful adult. Lisa and Jennifer discuss the paths that brought them to Meridian and share no-nonsense testimony on how their own teachers helped them evolve into who they are today. By the end of our conversation, we understand why they're such a positive force at Meridian. 

We had the honor to speak with Teale Betts at Shawnee Community College about some of the programs and pathways she has to help Meridian students not only prepare for their success while still in high school, but to provide postsecondary support once they've graduated. The Meridian School community is so lucky to have access to education advocates and career professionals like Teale, and, as you'll hear in our conversation, there is no shortage of enthusiasm for the work she does or for the kids for whom she does it. She is 100% in your corner and is, like so many others within your Meridian Sphere, devoted to helping you succeed.We're also joined in this episode by Maryanne Boren, Meridian's Middle and High School principal. I've known Maryanne for a little over a year, but I knew within minutes of meeting her that there are very few educators with a bigger heart for kids or compassion for their concerns. Her policy seems to be tethered to generosity first, and bureaucracy later. She's a leader who clearly has it right as she frames every choice she makes with the question, “Is this good for our kids?” Together, Maryanne and Teale talk with me about the possibilities available to our kids and the benefits of casting a wide net of hope over the future of each and every Meridian student.

Randy Gardner is the Director of Maintenance for Meridian, and he supervises a 10-person crew who make sure the buildings and all the mechanical systems serving them remain clean, functional and safe. When there's a new playground, roof, or fencing system to install, Randy is the person the district turns to to make sure it's done right. In advance of last month's Field Day, Randy even saw to it that a 100-foot Zipline was installed on the grounds. In short, there isn't any aspect of the school day that doesn't directly benefit from the work Randy and his team performs, so Mr. Green and I thought it would be a good idea to sit down with Randy and learn a little more about him.

Today is Friday, May 20th, one day before the Meridian Class of '22 walks across the stage and receives their high school diplomas. I just want to say how proud I am of the young people of this remarkable school community. During this past year, I have had the opportunity to speak with dozens of these kids and have come to better understand their hopes and dreams as well as their tragedies, setbacks, and frustrations. But, to a person, each and every Meridian student I have had the honor to meet has a kind of buoyancy and positivity that you just don't find everywhere. I had a chance to sit down with Mr. Malcolm Larry to talk about what it's like coming back to your hometown to teach. We were joined by Mr. Green, and over the span of about 30 minutes, I came to know this giant of a man who so loves the place where he came up and is so grateful to be here once again.

Napoleon Cook, Ben Tucker, and Jabron Bedward have plans for the days, months, and years that will follow their graduation on Saturday. They're pragmatic young men. But they're also brave young men, willing to dream and to take risks necessary for positioning themselves for a positive future. And as I held a nearly 30-minute conversation with them, it occurred to me that everything is created twice: First in the mind, and second in reality. No one thing worthy of pursuit happens without first appearing in the mind as a goal or a dream. And to have this courage to dream is no small thing, and so I have genuine admiration for Ben, Jabron, and Po for summoning that courage.

This month we discuss the 8-primary postsecondary paths taken by high school seniors after graduation. While Beyond the Tassel's primary focus is on strategies and insights to make the most of the college admissions process, we recognize that college isn't for everyone.  In our episode for April, we lift the hood on, and take ‘The Big 8' for a spin. Military, Trade School, Community College, Travel the World, Family Farm or Business, Start a Business, 4-Year College, and World of Work. We examine the pros and cons of each option and learn a secret about novelist, John Grisham. Learn more here and on our website at journey12.com.

On this episode, we'll hear two outstanding Meridian educators talking about how they've navigated Covid along with the importance of ‘seeing students,' of helping them to understand the joy in accountability, and of finding the positive in even our most challenging circumstances. You'll hear the conviction in their voices, and as you listen I suspect, like me, it will occur to you that Lisa Harris and Maryanne Boren are exactly where they should be, and that the students in their care at Meridian are all the better for it.

Today we meet 5th grader, Reign Green, and discuss her plans for the future along with LaTasha Mandrell's ideas about what makes our school community so unique. Superintendent, Jon Green, also weighs in on how far we've come in the last nearly half-decade as a school. Despite the challenges that we've all experienced through the COVID-19 crisis, Meridian Schools have made huge strides over the last several years and it's worth noting the educational investments being made in the future of our children.

For our September episode, we sit down with Maryanne Boren, Principal of the Junior High and High School, and A/V Teacher, Keyth Blissett. We explore Meridian's ‘secret sauce,' talk about its uniqueness as a school community and chat about a few of the programs that have caught our attention, including a personal finance class and some audio-video programming, both taught by Mr. Blissett.