Podcasts about kennedy high school

For this Thanksgiving week episode, Sunil Dasgupta talks with young activist and Kennedy High School junior Richa Tripathi, who is now the president of the youth wing of the local advocacy group MoCo Pride. Music from Washington DC rock ‘n' roll band 7 Door Sedan.

First Degree The D.E. is a rap artist, music producer, movie producer and math teacher from Sacramento, California. He was born Michael Colen on October 4th, 1974. He owns independent record label, Fahrenheit Records and has released over 20 projects, including rap and jazz albums and full length movies. Known for his dark sound, deep voice, and creative lyrics, First Degree The D.E. has been a factor in the West Coast rap scene for over 15 years, working and touring with Brotha Lynch Hung, Andre Nickatina, Tech N9ne, and more. First Degree The D.E. has sold over 75,000 units world-wide. His uninique style, music, and authenticity has delveloped First Degree The D.E. and global cult-like following. Over the years, The D.E. has been active in the South Sacramento community. He has been featured in several Sacramento Bee and Sac News & Review articles, including a spread about his Bloods and Crips gang peace album, First Degree The D.E.s most noted accomplishments include appearances on Brotha Lynch Hung's "Loaded" and most recently Brotha Lynch Hung's "Dinner and a Movie", released by Strange Music Inc. First Degree The D.E. has performed in over 100 shows and had recently authored a book about Sacramento's musical past called The History of Sacramento Rap. First Degree The D.E. attended Sam Brannon, Kennedy High School, Christian Brothers High School, Hampton University, Sac State University, and National University. Michael Colen has a Master's Degree in Global Teaching Strategies. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the first hour of the Chase & Big Joe Show, the guys discussed Titans fans and if they're checked out. Titans fans are you checked out? Later in the hour Nashville Predators President Michelle Kennedy joined the show and shared the cool stuff going on at Bridgestone Arena! To end the hour, Big Joe shared his thoughts on the this might being the last Friday night for some high school football players.

Jason Hetzler is a teacher, former coach, and current athletic director at Kennedy High School. He joins the podcast to talk about his athletic/coaching background, how he started as an AD, best/most challenging parts of being an AD, his Bills fandom, managing life/work balance, and much more! Jason has a ton of great insight on athletics and how it impacts the lives of student-athletes. We're thankful he's a part of our Home Team. FOLLOW US AT: Instagram: hometeamsac YouTube: Home Team Sacramento X: hometeamsac Facebook: hometeamsac Facebook Group for Coaches: Home Team #HomeTeamSac

Nick Chrastil on "extreme" conditions incarcerated people face at David Wade Correctional Center. Marta Jewson on a judge's order that will give Kennedy High School seniors who endured a graduation scandal their day in court. And Delaney Dryfoos on what a 'D' for New Orleans' water system means for residents. The post Behind The Lens episode 245: ‘Adults failed them' appeared first on The Lens.

Hey, you! Yea, you! The woman that is interested in yoga but has no idea where to start. This episode is just for you! It's literally an intro to yoga teaching you the basics of yoga and its origins in the Hindu religion. There's also a lot of joking and laughter. :) Today I talk to my homegirl, Zikea McCurdie, yogi, health coach, and all-around wellness guru about the benefits of yoga, especially for Black people.7 benefits (7:42):Improved balanceBetter breathingBetter sleepReduced stressIncreased flexibilityStrengthened mind/body connectionImproved cardiovascular healthZikea dives into the 4 types of yoga (12:54):HathaVinyasaYinRestorativeShe teaches us about the chakras (18:32):Root - redSacral - orangeSolar plexus - yellowHeart - greenThroat - blueThird-eye - indigoCrown - purpleHands and feetAnd, she talks about yoga extending beyond the mat (25:29):Yoga SutrasDharmaKarmaZikea shares a bunch of great resources and advice to get you started on your journey. For example, she tells beginners to think about what works for you and start small. Don't commit to doing yoga everyday for 2-hours a day and then wonder why you can't keep up. Commit to one class. You can even commit to a free class on youtube or other social media. Start small and take it from there.We also talk about the most important thing: your breath! Do not forget to breathe!So I hope you are ready to take notes, because this episode is just the jolt you need!Check out Zikea on Instagram @doseofvitamin.zEpisode references:Kennedy High School, Paterson, NJHoward University!, Washington, DCEastside Park, Paterson, NJWarrior Goddess Fitness, Elmwood Park, NJThe Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma, book by Bessel van der Kolk M.D.Khepera Wellness Yoga StudioAvatar: The Last Airbender, S2 E19 - The GuruAvatar: The Last Airbender (Live Action)Maslow's Hierarchy of NeedsBhagavad Gita, book by Ved VyasJenna Warriner - Marketing Coach*This episode was produced by Pink Lady Productions --> pinkladyprod.com Podcasting Is the New Kink! is a Black-owned, woman-owned podcast, and we support other Black, Indigenous, Women of Color-owned podcasts and businesses. We aim to educate and inspire. If that resonates with you, then become contributor now! Check us out for more info on how you can support. -> https://plus.acast.com/s/podcastingisthenewkink. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What’s Trending: Antisemitism on college campuses continues to spread like wildfire, including at the University of Washington. // A group of children had to watch in horror as a grizzly bear devoured a family of baby ducks. Drew Barrymore had a very awkward encounter with Kamala Harris on her talk show. // Burien residents expressed their concerns at last night’s council meeting about the City’s plans to put a homeless pallet village near Kennedy High School.

Lens reporters on the Louisiana Public Records Act and how it helps us fulfill our mission. We reflect on how records made possible reporting on Henry Montgomery, a graduation scandal at Kennedy High School and the uncovering of the state's decision to send kids in juvenile detention across state lines. The post Behind The Lens “Sunshine Week” episode 232: ‘It's so powerful to see' appeared first on The Lens.

Shout out to our sponsors! -Rick Stockel - Your Source for Buying and Selling Homes in Richmond and Central Virginia https://rickstockel.com - Dr. O Sports Medicine - http://kwadwoowusuakyawmd.com Dr. O Instagram - https://instagram.com/dr.o_forthe804 Today on BallinVA we are excited to have Jason Williford, UVA's Associate Head Coach of men's basketball who has a rich Virginia basketball background. Williford, a native of Richmond, shares memories of growing up in the area and playing basketball with local legends. He reflects on his own team's lack of championships despite talented players and recalls the impactful coaches and players in his life. The conversation touches upon regret for missed opportunities and the ongoing success of Kennedy High School's basketball program. The hosts also discuss the challenges of recruitment and the importance of overcoming adversity for college teams. Williford emphasizes the challenge of keeping local talent home and producing great players for UVA and other local schools. He shares his personal experience as a recruit and advice for high school athletes in the college basketball scene. Williford acknowledges the shift in the college basketball recruiting landscape due to attrition and encourages high school athletes and parents to seriously consider their recruitment opportunities. #ballinva BallinVA Host: Larry Merritte Check out our Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/ballinva Shop our Merch! https://bit.ly/3uNsNgz BallinVA Social Media https://facebook.com/ballinva https://tiktok.com/@ballinva For business inquiries - ballinvapodcast@gmail.com Morrisette Media Socials - IG - https://instagram.com/morrisettemedia Morrisette Media is a digital media/marketing agency based in Richmond, VA, that specializes in the creative side of marketing and branding. We love to work with small to medium-sized businesses to help grow and promote their brand to their target customers through highly thought-out commercial video and photo. https://linktr.ee/morrisettemedia --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ballin-va/message

Rep. Josh Harder challenges ongoing PG&E rate hikes. Also, a Sac City high school is among the first in the state to be part of an EV technician pilot program. Finally, how the city of Sacramento's Community Ambassadors Program works. Rep. Harder on PG&E Rate Hikes As PG&E customers get ready for the sticker shock of their January bill, they may be wondering if there will ever be an end in sight to rising utility rates, which the utility giant says is needed for safety upgrades. Today on Insight, we welcome Congressman Josh Harder to discuss what can be done on a federal level to stave off future rate hikes and if there is a legislative fix to the continuous increases in recent years. High School's New EV Pilot Program California is planning for a greener transportation future, with all new cars sold from 2035 onward required to be zero-emission. Since the start of the new year, a groundbreaking pilot program at John F. Kennedy High School is preparing students for future careers as electric and hybrid vehicle technicians. CapRadio Education Reporter Srishti Prabha explains how this Sac City Unified school is among the first in the state to be part of this inaugural pilot program. We're also joined by JB Polanco who is the automotive pathway instructor at Kennedy High. Sacramento's Community Ambassadors Program Sacramento's Community Ambassadors program will soon announce the members of its 2024-2025 cohort. Sacramento Community Engagement Manager Lynette Hall and community ambassador Juan Carlos Ruiz Guajardo provide a deeper look at how ambassadors build multicultural bridges between Sacramento's many communities, and how the program helps spread important information, resources, and opportunities.

Every first broadcast day of the month, Hugh reviews his bio for new affiliates and then updates the 2024 presidential race. Plus, former Deputy National Security Advisor Matt Pottinger, Salena Zito, and Jake Sherman on events both foreign and domestic.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Changing your lifestyle to fit your own passions and dreams can be extremely empowering. When life throws us unexpected circumstances, such as an illness or other serious issues, how can we find a way to pivot and still create a meaningful life? It is possible to reinvent ourselves while maintaining our sense of identity, purpose, and fulfillment. With some creativity and determination, adapting to new circumstances can lead to new opportunities that bring a sense of joy and personal growth.It's important to stay focused on what you're passionate about, even when life throws you a curveball. Struggles are not the end of the world, but instead should be viewed as opportunities for growth. It may not always be easy and it may hurt, but by pushing through these times, you will find your true strength and uncover your potential.In this episode, Stephanie Hammerman-Roach shares her inspiring story of overcoming health conditions, surviving cancer and transforming into the world's first CrossFit Level 2 trainer with cerebral palsy. She has also been signed by Nike as their first sponsored adaptive athlete from 2018 to 2022 - an incredible achievement after all she has been through! Hear Stephanie's story and learn more about how she changed the game. Let's jump in!Key Points from the Episode:[02:12] Steph's backstory and her journey of surviving cancer.[06:24] How Steph got inspired to enter the fitness space.[10:36] How Steph connected with Nike.[12:08] Steph's superpowers have been hallmarks of her success. The best “pinch me” moments that Steph is always proud of.[16:48] Steph's greatest challenges and how she overcame them.[19:10] Why everybody needs to love their bodies.[25:22] What does working from your happy place mean to Steph?[26:13] Steph's advice to people wanting to start their own business.About Stephanie Roach - Stephanie Hammerman-Roach is the world's first CrossFit Level 2 trainer with cerebral palsy. Nike signed her as their first sponsored adaptive athlete from 2018 to 2022. Hammerman, known as Steph or The Hammer, grew up inMerrick, New York, and graduated from Kennedy High School in 2008. Hammerman went on to study for a master's degree in college student affairs at Nova Southeastern University and an undergraduate degree from Lynn University in Boca Raton, Florida. Steph began her career as a child model with a feature for Toys R'Us. She was a special guest commentator as a toy reviewer on CNN by age 6 and was a columnist for WE magazine at 10.At the age of 30, Hammerman had been featured on Good Morning America, CNN, in Shape, People, and on the YouTube channel CrossFit. Hammerman has been involved in fitness since 2012.How to connect with Stephanie Roach:Website: https://www.stayingdrivenlive.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephthehammer/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stephthehammer/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/stephthehammer/About the Host -Belinda Ellsworth is a Speaker, Trainer, Best-Selling Author, and PodcasterShe has been a professional speaker, mover, and shaker for more than 25 years. Having built three successful companies, she has helped thousands of entrepreneurs make better decisions, create successful systems, and build business strategies using her "Four Pillars of Success" system.Belinda has always had a passion and zest for life with the skill for turning dreams into reality. How to Connect with Belinda:Facebook -https://www.facebook.com/workfromyourhappyplaceLinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/belindaellsworthInstagram -https://www.instagram.com/workfromyourhappyplace/Website - www.workfromyourhappyplace.comQuotes:“Anyone can be constantly evolving and adapting to their circumstances and create a life they desire.”“The efforts you put in to learn something will always show up in good returns.”“Always start a business based on what you are passionate about.”

A large paycheck and a new car…but still an empty heart. Devon McDonald shares his journey from a stellar football career at Notre Dame to signing his first NFL contract. Regardless of the number of tackles made, the number of accolades received or the amount of an NFL paycheck, he knew something was still missing. You'll be encouraged to hear how God pursued him and is now using him to help others Power Up in the Training Camp Moments of life.     Guest Bio: Devon McDonald played linebacker at Kennedy High School in Patterson, NJ and went on to play for legendary head coach, Lou Holtz at the university of Notre Dame. He would be named co-MVP at the 1993 Cotton Bowl. McDonald was a 4th Round Draft Pick of the Indianapolis Colts in the 93' NFL Draft. He would later play with the Arizona Cardinals in 1996 for one season. Devon McDonald now serves as Chief of Staff to NFL Chaplains with Athletes in Action. McDonald lives with his wife, Shereasher, and 2 daughters. He is an ordained minister.    Links/Books/Resources mentioned in the show: Athletes in Action: athletesinaction.org Join Power Up Family here on Facebook!  https://www.facebook.com/groups/powerupsports/ Join Power Up You Tube Channel here:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCo84-tdih-z0PcqAh7lvbZQ The Heart of an Athlete 30-Day Devotional PDF:  https://file.ac/UvlI0UtgjKE/     MB01UDSS1WTH76Z

I've shared a bit about my high school and college basketball career in previous episodes, and in today's episode, I want to highlight one of the most pivotal games of my career. Flashback to a snowy game night on the outskirts of Cedar Rapids, Iowa一just a typical Tuesday in the middle of winter for my Kennedy High School team. Two of our biggest fans, Ryan and Greg, were in the crowd. They had differing mental capabilities and were known throughout the town for going to all of the city's sporting events. The warmups and 20minute countdown to tip-off were going as planned, when all of the sudden, the legendary University of Tennessee Head Coach Pat Summitt, and her assistant coach Mickie DeMoss, walked in. Summit accrued 1,098 career wins, the most in college basketball history at the time of her retirement, and took home eight NCAA Division I basketball championship titles, so you can imagine what an honor it was to have her recruiting and watching my game. You would think that's what made the game so special, but it was actually the car ride home that sticks in my memory. My parents and I gave Ryan and Greg a ride home, and they shared passionately about their upcoming Special Olympics game. This conversation sparked a shift in my relationship with them, and I started to view them as true friends and fellow athletes instead of superfans. Listen to today's episode to hear more about how I first learned about the Special Olympics and discovered what it meant to be a part of something bigger than myself. Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, TuneIn, Simplecast, or on your favorite podcast platform. Topics Covered:A peek into my junior year basketball season The larger role that Ryan and Greg played in my life outside of basketball The inclusive team spirit of the Special Olympics Why I love connecting with other people and hearing what lights them up Special Offers: If there's a topic or charity you want me to highlight on the podcast, DM it to me on Instagram @getbusylivin_podFollow Us:Get Busy Livin' Podcast WebsiteGet Busy Livin' Podcast Instagram Get Busy Livin' Podcast TwitterAnne's Website Anne's LinkedInAnne's InstagramAnne's Twitter

Jerist Roberts aka Coach JT is the head basketball coach at Kennedy High School and the host of the 94 Feet with Coach JT Podcast. He joins the show to talk about his athletic/coaching background, the impact his junior college coach had on his life, the value of being an on campus coach, why he started his podcast, and more! Coach JT has a passion for coaching the game of basketball, but he has an even greater passion for seeing the lives of student athletes changed. We're thankful he's a part of our Home Team.#hometeamsac

Kodey solos this stream with 2 3A Junior QBs who are on PMC's radar for the upcoming senior class and who are gunning for spots on next season's Top 5 QBs list! Tommy Poholsky of Evergreen High School and Isaac Sisneros of Kennedy High School look to elevate their teams into being taken seriously. This Twitch Stream was recorded March 15th, 2022. https://linktr.ee/PlaymakersCorner Social Media: Twitter: https://twitter.com/PlaymakerCorner Tik Tok: Playmakers Corner Instagram: https:https://www.instagram.com/playmakerscorner/?hl=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PlaymakerCorner Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUEcv0BIfXT78kNEtk1pbxQ/featured Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/playmakerscorner Website: https://playmakerscorner.com/ Listen to us on: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4rkM8hKtf8eqDPy2xqOPqr Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-cycle-365/id1484493484?uo=4 Breaker: https://www.breaker.audio/the-cycle-365 Google Podcasts: https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy9mODg4MWYwL3BvZGNhc3QvcnNz

Become a Patreon member -- > https://www.patreon.com/CrimeWeekly Shop for your Crime Weekly gear here --> https://crimeweeklypodcast.com/shop It was around 7pm on the evening of December 19th, 1979, as Kennedy High School senior Michelle Martinko made her way from her parked car to the newly opened Westdale Mall located on the west side of Cedar Rapids, Iowa. It was a bitterly cold night, and Michelle was not dressed for the weather, so she shivered and clutched her rabbit fur coat around her body until she reached the warmth and safety of the mall entrance. Michelle was only eighteen, but she was a beautiful girl. Her friends said she was the kind of girl that turned heads, even though she seemed blissfully unaware of the effect she had on people. During her time in the mall that evening, Michelle chatted with many of her friends, all of whom would later say she was her normal, happy, sparkling self. But within nine hours, Michelle would be found dead in that same mall parking lot, stabbed and slashed over twenty times, and left to bleed out in her car. Detectives were sure that the crime had been personal, it was just too angry and violent to have been a random attack, but the decades long investigation would reveal that things are not always as they seem.  Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/CrimeWeeklyPodcast Website: CrimeWeeklyPodcast.com Instagram: @CrimeWeeklyPod Twitter: @CrimeWeeklyPod Facebook: @CrimeWeeklyPod

Become a Patreon member -- > https://www.patreon.com/CrimeWeekly Shop for your Crime Weekly gear here --> https://crimeweeklypodcast.com/shop It was around 7pm on the evening of December 19th, 1979, as Kennedy High School senior Michelle Martinko made her way from her parked car to the newly opened Westdale Mall located on the west side of Cedar Rapids, Iowa. It was a bitterly cold night, and Michelle was not dressed for the weather, so she shivered and clutched her rabbit fur coat around her body until she reached the warmth and safety of the mall entrance. Michelle was only eighteen, but she was a beautiful girl. Her friends said she was the kind of girl that turned heads, even though she seemed blissfully unaware of the effect she had on people. During her time in the mall that evening, Michelle chatted with many of her friends, all of whom would later say she was her normal, happy, sparkling self. But within nine hours, Michelle would be found dead in that same mall parking lot, stabbed and slashed over twenty times, and left to bleed out in her car. Detectives were sure that the crime had been personal, it was just too angry and violent to have been a random attack, but the decades long investigation would reveal that things are not always as they seem.  Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/CrimeWeeklyPodcast Website: CrimeWeeklyPodcast.com Instagram: @CrimeWeeklyPod Twitter: @CrimeWeeklyPod Facebook: @CrimeWeeklyPod

Even during difficult times like we've been experiencing, it helps to look for the positive. In Sacramento Valley rice country – two positives are unfolding. After a difficult year where drought left 20 percent of fields unplanted, harvest of America's sushi rice is underway and early reports are favorable. Although acreage is down, initial reports on quality and yields look strong. “We're about thirty percent down from the total acreage that we can plant,” said Everett Willey, who farms with his dad Steve, at E.D. Willey & Sons in Nicolaus, Sutter County. “The growing season went alright. It was a fight to keep water on some fields. That's why we started harvest early. There was a lack of water on the bottom check of the sweet rice field we're harvesting now. We couldn't push water down to it, so that's a big reason we're harvesting this early.” A second positive is there's help on the way for the Pacific Flyway – a program should provide emergency water to support the millions of birds heading to our region's rice country to rest and refuel. “The Drought Relief Waterbird Program is focused on providing extra water from groundwater pumping to shallow flood rice and wetland acres in the Sacramento Valley for waterbirds, commented Luke Matthews, Wildlife Programs Manager with the California Rice Commission. “It's going to be particularly important this year, given the lack of habitat that we expect to see.” In a normal year, about 300,000 acres of rice fields are shallowly-flooded after harvest, which breaks down rice stubble and creates vital environmental benefits. This year, current estimates are only about 65,000 acres will be flooded. That's where the program with the State Department of Water Resources can provide substantial help for this vital part of the Sacramento Valley ecosystem. “Well certainly the current conditions truly heighten the importance of this landscape,” said Greg Golet, Applied Ecologist with The Nature Conservancy, one of the conservation groups that work with rice growers to maximize wildlife benefits from their fields. “These birds, when they arrive here, typically are ready to rest and refuel before either they continue further south or they set for their winter period in this region.  But this year, they're going to arrive in likely poorer condition, due to the lack of good habitat in their traditional stopover sites. In addition to malnourishment, they can be susceptible to disease, and that's exacerbated by crowded conditions.” With such a dry landscape, rice field habitat is an even more important for the health of millions of ducks, geese and other birds.   “It's really an incredible opportunity that we have,” Golet remarked. “There are all of these levers, effectively, that we can pull to create the conditions that these birds depend upon. We know what they want, in terms of timing, depth of the water and how long it stays out on the fields. With this system of rice agriculture and associated infrastructure, it's really very straightforward to create those conditions and then we see virtually an immediate response. The trick, of course, is getting adequate water to create that for the birds.” The wildlife migration has begun. Shorebirds and ducks have already started to arrive. We will keep you updated on harvest and the amazing annual wildlife migration about to unfold. Episode Transcript Jim Morris: COVID, fires, and drought. This year has been a rough one throughout our state. It helps to look for the positive where you can. And for me, what I'm looking at is a positive, the rice harvest in the Sacramento Valley. It's a momentary respite from the unrelenting news cycle, and it appears there's good news as well for the millions of birds that depend on the rice fields every fall and winter in this area. Jim Morris: Welcome to Ingrained, the California rice podcast. I'm your host, Jim Morris, proud to have worked with California farmers and ranchers for 31 years. And it's funny how life can go full circle. Before, I was in ag communications. Ten years before, I was in the marching band at John F. Kennedy High School in south Sacramento, playing trombone alongside of Steve Willey. And this morning, I'm with Everett Willey, Steve's son, at ED Willey & Sons in Nicolaus, in Sutter County. And Everett and Steve have started harvest. So Everett, how have things gone with rice harvest to date? Everett Willey: Pretty good so far. It's a lot of downed rice right now, just because of the nature of the beast. So we're trying to get it out of the field while everything else continues to ripen up. Jim Morris: What varieties have you harvested so far? Everett Willey: Right now, just Calmochi-101, which is a sweet rice, short grain, made for mochi balls, mochi ice cream. That's what that rice goes into, a lot of flour, rice flour. Jim Morris: Yeah. And if anybody hasn't tried mochi, I suggest you go to Mikuni. And the mochi they have there wrapped around ice cream is phenomenal. It's well worth trying that out. So tell me a little bit about this year. It's been challenging in many fronts in California. So what did you see with the rice? You started off with not being able to plant everything. So talk a little bit about that, and then also the growing season. Everett Willey: Yeah. We're about 30% down from our total acreage that we can plant. So there's quite a few hundred acres that's just dirt right now because of lack of water. Growing season went all right because, I mean, it was a fight to try to keep water on some fields. And that's part of the reason why we're actually harvesting right now is because the field that we're in, there was a lack of water in the bottom check because we just couldn't, we couldn't push the water down to it. So I think that has a big part in why we're actually harvesting right now. Jim Morris: And it was very smoky throughout Northern California, in fact, still is. What impact did the smoke have on the rice, if any? Everett Willey: The smoke this year wasn't as bad as last year timing-wise. Last year, it hit really heavy right when the rice was all flowering and I think that actually killed yields. The smoke this year, it came a little later. So a lot of the rice was already flowered. It'll slow down the ripening process probably a little bit because it'll keep the temperatures a little cooler. And we're definitely not getting any of the north wind, that's really what helps dry out and ripen the rice for harvest. Jim Morris: In terms of the smoke, fortunately, rice has an external hull on it. So there's not going to be a damage to the kernel, but the lack of sunlight did slow some of the maturity down in parts of the valley. Also, to your point about not planning a full crop, we have about 100,000 acres less rice grown this year in the state because of the drought. So certainly, impacts have been felt there. So the rice harvest is interesting when you compare to other crops. Other crops are sometimes harvested late at night, early in the morning. Rice, not so much. So when do you start harvest and why do you start it at that time of day? Everett Willey: In the morning, our operation, we clean off all the machines, all the harvesters, we blow it all, all the chaff and stuff off, really looking for problems with the harvester, and that way we can try to fix it. But we won't start actually cutting rice until the dew is lifted because any excess moisture that you're pulling through the machine makes the machine work harder. And then it can end up in the trailer to have a higher moisture and you don't want that because that could affect your drying cost. It could make it more expensive. Jim Morris: What is the moisture range that you're looking for when you harvest the rice? Everett Willey: Kernel moisture percentage would be like... 18-22 is a good quality to cost ratio. If you cut a little higher, so like if you're cutting 22 to 26%, you might get a little bit better quality, but the cost for drying also increases. So that 18-22% range is pretty much where you want to be. Jim Morris: And how important is the high-tech machinery that you have? Everett Willey: Having good equipment is extremely important. Compared to 10, 15 years ago, before GPS was really incorporated into these machines, it was not as efficient. Everything was smaller. You had to go slower. So when the rice was ready to come out of the field, you had to plan for it a lot more. Now, you can react and go. It saves a lot of money in the end. Jim Morris: And the GPS, Global Positioning System, is important in other aspects of the growing season too. So how else is GPS technology helping rice farming? Everett Willey: It's a big fuel saver because you're not... It knows exactly where your implement is going and has been. So if you have something that's 24-feet wide and you want to have a three-inch overlap, it'll do that for you. Whereas without it, you're going back and forth, so you have no overlap to a foot overlap. So having that consistent tillage is where you can really save some money, and it makes everything more uniform, which will make a more consistent yield. Jim Morris: Other high-tech aspects include planting, which is done by airplanes, which are guided by GPS. So it's very high tech here in California, rice country. And it's water efficient as well. Water is a concern after harvest. There will be a shallow amount of water put out there, but it's very limited this year because of the drought. I've seen a lot of wildlife on your farm. What thoughts and concerns do you have about the months ahead and rice fields helping the Pacific Flyway, but with a very limited water supply? Everett Willey: I think with the reduction in acres planted, a lot of farmers won't do a decomposition flood. Because on a fallow field, you'd be just putting water on dirt, which isn't benefiting either wildlife or the farmer. So the reason that we flood in the winter is to decompose the straw that is left over after you harvest it. So when we're done harvesting, we'll come in, we'll usually chop up the straw into smaller pieces to create more surface area, and then we'll till that ground up just a little bit to help add some air into the soil, and then we'll put a couple inches of water on it and hold that. And it'll decompose the straw, but it also provides a plethora of food and habitat for mostly waterfowl. I mean, we'll get all kinds of other stuff out here too. I mean, you got skunks, and raccoons, and coyotes, and all other kinds of things. It's a circle of life out here. Jim Morris: I've seen minks as well out here. And talk about some of the birds that you've seen too, lot of birds of prey, and not only numbers, but a wide variety of species. Everett Willey: We'll get bald eagles out here. The mink are actually pretty... They're cool. You see one of them run across and you're like, "Oh, that was a mink. I haven't seen one of those in a while." All the different varieties of geese, we'll get all the varieties of ducks. It was pretty cool. In one of our ditch systems, I actually saw a mandarin duck, which is super rare to see here, super, super rare. It looks like a wood duck, but cooler. Jim Morris: At the moment, there's not a lot of water on the landscape, and the needs for wildlife will be great later in the fall and winter. I'm speaking with Luke Matthews, Wildlife Programs Manager with the California Rice Commission. fortunately, there's a new program the Rice Commission is carrying out with the state Department of Water Resources that should help. Luke, tell us about the program. Luke Matthews: The Drought Relief Waterbird Program is focused on providing extra water through groundwater pumping to flood rice acres and wetland acres in the Sacramento Valley for waterbirds. And it's going to be particularly important this year, given the lack of habitat that we expect to see. Jim Morris: How much of a shortfall going into this program are we expecting in terms of the amount of shallow flooded acres in the Sacramento Valley? Luke Matthews: In a typical year, there's about 300,000 acres of flooded rice lands in the winter. And that provides an amazing source of food and habitat for ducks, geese, shorebirds, and more. This year, we expect, if conditions don't change, to maybe see about 60,000 acres flooded. So a very, very significant decline in flooded habitat. Jim Morris: And I imagine there's careful consideration when it comes to groundwater use. Luke Matthews: Absolutely. Yeah. We're being very sensitive to areas that may be experiencing depletions or issues with groundwater wells going dry. We also have considerations for proximity to rivers and streams, things like that. So we're considering all the options, but really focusing on providing the habitat for the resource of concern right now. Jim Morris: The Pacific Flyway is amazing, 7-10 million ducks and geese, many other birds coming through. It is really a jewel for the Sacramento Valley, important for our environment and something so many people enjoy. And how much is this water needed? Because I believe the birds are already stressed, correct? Luke Matthews: The water is really needed more this year because of a significant drought throughout the west. The Great Salt Lake is drier than it's ever been in recorded history, it's very dry up in Oregon, and Klamath as well is almost dry. So these key areas that migrating birds in the Pacific Flyway typically utilize are dry or drying out. So they're in a worst-body condition when they arrive here and they're going to need the water even more than normal. Jim Morris: As we've heard from Luke Matthews, the drought is a significant concern for the millions of birds that are heading our way for the fall and winter months. I'm speaking with Greg Golet, an applied ecologist with the Nature Conservancy, good friends of rice growers and the California Rice Commission. And Greg, as you look at the stresses that the birds have already had as they're heading our way, how much more important is the Sacramento Valley to provide food and a resting place? Greg Golet: Well, certainly, the current conditions truly heighten the importance of this landscape. These birds, when they arrive here, typically are ready to rest and refuel before either they continue further south or they set up for their winter period in this region. But this year, they're going to arrive in likely much poorer condition due to the lack of good habitat in their traditional stop oversights. Jim Morris: What concerns do you have for the wildlife? Disease and even death are possibilities unfortunately? Greg Golet: Yeah, that's definitely the case. In addition to malnourishment, they can be susceptible to disease. A lot of that's exacerbated by crowded conditions. So you get transfer of the disease through the aerosol when the birds are taking off and landing. And when they're in tight quarters and you have those high temperatures, it's just that much worse. Jim Morris: Let's talk about something optimistic. There is a program in place that's being unveiled that hopefully we'll get more water on the landscape. And we've talked about this recently, that rice fields are surrogate wetlands. And so does that give you optimism or some degree of optimism that we're going to get through this fall and winter in reasonable shape for the wildlife? Greg Golet: Yeah, it definitely does. It's really an incredible opportunity that we have. There are all these levers effectively that we can pull to create the conditions that these birds depend upon. And we know what they want in terms of the timing, in terms of the depth of the water, in terms of how long it stays out on the fields. And with this system of rice agriculture in the associated infrastructure, it's really very straightforward to just create those conditions, and then we see virtually an immediate response. The trick of course, is getting adequate water to create that for the birds. Jim Morris: I have to tell you, after a year like this, I cannot wait to see the birds. And I've been talking with the rice growers. They're keeping an eye out because it is such a joy for me to see it. What does that mean to you, when you see that wildlife come in to the Sacramento Valley every fall and winter? Greg Golet: It's extremely uplifting to see these species drop into our valley. And that's already happening for the shorebirds whose migration is earlier than for the waterfowl typically. But for me, it provides confirmation that the network of habitats that these migratory species have evolved to depend upon that stretch from the Arctic all the way to South America are still functioning at least in some way. Because they're depending upon that. It's if you take out a link in that chain, the whole system can break down. So when they show up, I have that affirmation that, "Hey, we still have this incredible natural phenomenon in place." And it's just so rewarding and personally gratifying to be part of making that possible. Jim Morris: As the migration intensifies and this innovative program takes shape, we will keep you updated on the progress. Thank you to our interviewees, Everett Willey, Luke Matthews, and Greg Golet. You can find out more @podcast.calrice.org. Please listen, subscribe, and comment. Thanks for listening.

Today we visit with Aaron Stecker, CMAA as we complete our visit with the BIG 3 who help host the Beyond The Bench Podcast. Aaron is also the Director of Athletics at Kennedy High School in Cedar Rapids, Iowa and he does a great job with his program! Aaron shares his story along with some Best Practices on this episode of The Educational AD Podcast! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/educational-ad-podcast/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/educational-ad-podcast/support

Last week Tom talked with Morgan Fasanelli, a Kennedy High School graduate and the lead vocalist/co-founder of hard-rocking indie quintet, Mandala. She and Tom chatted about Mandala's creative process when it comes to songwriting and their future plans to take their show to the West Coast. Mandala just rocked a SOLD OUT show at the Space Ballroom this past Saturday, but you can still catch them in Waterbury on July 9.

This is Stephen Schmidt from the Gazette digital news desk and I'm here with your update for Thursday, June 17. Thursday's weather is going to be very hot again, with a chance for rain. According to the National Weather Service there will be a high of 95 degrees in the Cedar Rapids area with mostly sunny skies. Then, showers and thunderstorms will become increasingly likely Thursday night, with a chance of rain increasing to 60 percent Thursday night after hovering at 30 percent for most of the day. 20-year-old Alexander Ken Jackson faced his first court appearance Wednesday on charges he murdered his parents and sister in their northeast Cedar Rapids home the day before. Jackson, who was found with a gunshot to his foot, told investigators that he woke to the sound of gunshots and struggled with an intruder, causing him to get shot. But prosecutors said Wednesday there was no evidence corroborating his story. The three people Alexander Jackson is accused of killing are his 19-year-old sister Sabrina and his parents Melissa and Jan. Alexander and Sabrina were students at the University of Iowa in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, according the Associated Press, and both had attended Kennedy High School in Cedar Rapids. Alexander Jackson had no criminal history prior to this incident. With tears flowing and candles glowing, several students gathered Wednesday night outside Kennedy High School for a vigil to honor their friend and former classmate, Sabrina. Following brief prayer, the students lit candles and sang “Amazing Grace.” Afterward, students stepped forward to share their memories of Sabrina and their profound grief. With demand for COVID-19 tests waning, sites for Test Iowa — the free, statewide testing program — will be shut down by next month, Iowa public health officials announced Wednesday All five state-operated drive-through locations will stagger closures over the next five weeks before the program, which launched in April 2020, ends July 16. Linn County's site, on the southwest side of Cedar Rapids, will close at 4 p.m. June 24. As COVID-19 vaccines have become more widely available, state officials say demand for testing is at its lowest in more than a year. Approximately 400 tests per day currently are being conducted across 17 drive-through and clinic sites, according to state officials. All ideas are on the table when it comes to future state tax reductions, including the elimination of the state's income tax that is responsible for nearly half of all state revenue, Gov. Kim Reynolds said Wednesday. Reynolds made the comments Wednesday moments after signing into law a package of state tax reductions and reforms, including a reduction in the state income tax rate from 8.5 percent to 6.5 percent. As she signed that legislation into law during a public ceremony, Reynolds pledged to work on more state tax reductions in the coming year. After the ceremony, she expanded on that pledge while fielding questions from reporters. The Iowa Ideas 2021 virtual conference will be here before you know it, and we would like you to be our guest on the house. The Gazette is providing free access to this two-day gathering with more than 50 sessions- filled with thought-provoking local, and national speakers-- all ready to engage you on a variety of important and timely Iowa-issues. Join us October 14th and 15th for this can't miss, idea-exchange experience. Learn more and register for the event at iowaideas.com  Be sure to subscribe to The Gazette Daily news podcast, or just tell your Amazon https://www.thegazette.com/topic?eid=121774&ename=Alexa&lang=en (Alexa) enabled device to “enable The Gazette Daily News skill" so you can get your daily briefing by simply saying “Alexa, what's the news? If you prefer podcasts, you can also find us on iTunes. Support this podcast

In this video profile, Plainview-Old Bethpage John F. Kennedy High School educators, students, and partners explain how the school has implemented a robust news literacy program, designed to help students learn to thoughtfully examine the many sources of information around them. As one educator puts it, this program “is the way in which [students are]… Continue Reading Video: Educating for Democracy: Helping Students Understand the News

This week, we dive into community impact at the hyperlocal level. Funding the budget shortfalls for school sports and clubs is a pain point for many parents and students, and a barrier to participation for others. How can a credit union and booster club partnership foster sustainable programs, eliminate the need for door-to-door sales, and ensure equitable access to activities? Learn about how My Credit Union in Bloomington, Minnesota is teaming up with community booster clubs to support students and build long-term self-sufficiency. Check out:  My Credit Union   Guests: Todd Barduson | Vice President of Marketing; My Credit Union; Bloomington, Minnesota Melissa Riebel | School & Community Engagement Coordinator; Kennedy High School; Bloomington, Minnesota

Meet LeTeisha   LeTeisha was born in Richmond, Virginia, she graduated from John F. Kennedy High School in 1994. She is a serial entrepreneur and has been self-employed for over 17 years. LeTeisha uses her life experiences to motivate and to find ways to help others. She's the Founder and CEO of A Better Day Than Yesterday Initiative Program, where they help families rebuild their relationships during and after incarceration, divorce, and deployment. She specializes in re-entry and family reunification.   How did you get started in the work that you do?   I was invited to a five-day event to speak on a panel for entrepreneurs about entrepreneurship and it was a Father's Day event. On that panel, it was me, other invites, government agencies, and returning citizens. So the guy asked me, "How do you rebuild a relationship with someone that's been incarcerated?" When he asked me that, it took everything out of me. On that ride home, God said, that's your purpose because two weeks prior to that I asked him, "What is my purpose? What am I here?" I know I'm here to be an entrepreneur, I know I'm here to help people, but I'm not being fulfilled, I'm not feeling successful in any of it. After that event, he let me know that was it because my dad and I weren’t talking at the time and he had been home at that point for 16 years. We had a terrible disconnect when he came home, trying to rebuild our relationship. So that's how I got started and I've been affected by incarceration since I was five years old so it actually started way before I realized I was here for this purpose.   What keeps you motivated to keep doing what you're doing?   I know there's a need for it and I'm surrounded by it. My son just came home which made it more personal other than my father, my brother, my aunt, my uncle, and my mother. So my son came on July 13, 2020, last year during a pandemic, and he was incarcerated for 18 months. Just being around the kids that are in our programs, and how they talk about their relationship with their father or their mother who are incarcerated, it touches your heart. So, you know you have work to do, and you just have to keep doing it so I just feel that this is what I want to do for the rest of my life.   Do you work with the families that are anticipating the re-entry on how to best prepare, or what does that relationship look like?   So the idea of it is to get with the family before the person is actually going to be serving the time so that we can navigate the family through the system throughout their journey. Before the pandemic we were going into the institutions, bringing awareness to the unintentional victim, and the father wound. So now during the pandemic and we're reconstructing our program, we're waiting right now on IRB approval for a study to do on six families to help them navigate after incarceration, how to start rebuilding that relationship and that's the 12-week program. During that pro 12 week program, they were there in life skill every week. Every Monday they will do a debriefing with a social worker and an intern, and then every four weeks, they will do a family engagement activity. Then on the 12th week, they will do a weekend retreat from Friday to that Sunday. So right now, this is the first time we're ever doing the family as a whole because before we were doing it as pieces, like we were talking to the parent and do something with the parent, but it would not be their child that's in the program. So now we're doing it while we're selecting the whole family that was affected to participate in this 12-week program.   How many years has it been since you started this work, and does your program serve across the US, or mainly locally?   This is the fourth year now. You have to find your niche, but when it all boils down to I never strayed away from the point of the family. The only thing that we added on that just became part of our initiative is called Operation Freedom Package which is open to anyone that's been incarcerated, regardless of conviction other than sex offenders. Now that we are going virtually we're able to assist all across the world. That's the best part about it, because we were just limited to Virginia and now we have a family in Delaware, and we have that Father’s house in Petersburg. So I can't wait to make that connection when visitation opens back up and we're able to make that connection happen between the children and their parents.   Can you share with our listeners some of your most successful or favorite networking experiences that you've had?   One of my favorite networking experiences was when I was looking for a motivational speaker to speak for our Build a Dad workshop and it was through word of mouth and I was meeting everybody on the phone. Just so happen I came across this guy named Vincent White, and he was busy that weekend that we were having the event. I had met the guy that gave me Vincent's number at a networking event, and I just so happened to talk to Vince and he gave me another person's number whose name was Mr. White and his wife actually sent him the flyer earlier that day and asked him if he knew me and he was like, "No, I don't know anything about it," So when I called him, I had known that his wife had forwarded him that flyer and he said, "Hey my wife just showed me your flyer," and then we laughed about it and we and he's been my mentor to this day.   How do you stay in front of and nurture the relationships you have created?   So I attend networking events, virtually or in-person by just keeping people in the loop of what I'm doing, forming groups where we can share our information on what we're doing so that we can stay connected. Also, just by partnering and doing events and things, which helps to keep the relationship going, especially if they have turned out good events and everybody's taking a group interest in what we're doing and growing their business as well as mine.    What advice would you offer that business professional is really looking to grow their network?   I would suggest they join different networking groups, social groups. Then somebody is dependent on what that professional is, there's always a Facebook group, there's always a group that's going to be doing free workshops that you find on Eventbrite. You can always look for hashtags to find a networking group in your city or state. I just think, drawing in different groups is what helped me and then once I started joining these different groups, I got to see what type of person I needed to connect with, and then I got to know who to connect with.   If you could go back to your 20-year-old self, what would you tell yourself to do more or less of or differently with regards to your professional career?   I would say that I would have wanted to party more! I mean, I party, don't get me wrong. I would just say, I am glad that I did party when I did, I'm glad I had my kids when I did because now I have grown a lot more and I'm more mature and more focused now. So back then, when you're growing up without guidance, and if you're not that focused person, you will tend to not think about the things you should think about and I'm glad it happened how it happened, and I'm glad it's happening now. Because now my kids are grown and now I'm able to put my focus on my mission and I'm happy about the journey. So I really wouldn't change anything, I just think I would have partied a bit more!   Connect with Lateisha   A Better Day Than Yesterday’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/abetterdaythanyesterday    Instagram: @abetterdaythanyesterday   Website: https://www.abetterdayassoc.org/    LeTeisha’s email: abetterdayassoc@gmail.com   

In this episode of AUHSD Future Talks, Superintendent Matsuda interviews an AUHSD Teacher of the Year, Paola Rosenberg. Paola teaches Living Earth/IB Biology SL at Kennedy High School, has an amazing story, and has created a technological tool used by teachers and students across our District.

This episode Brian and Nez go into the free fire zone to Kennedy High School to help fight the Department of Educations battle droids in the 1990 cult classic CLASS OF 1999. Join The Action Returns Facebook group. https://www.facebook.com/groups/841619946357776   Follow The Action Returns on IG and Twitter: Instagram: @theactionreturns Twitter: @action_returns     

Sushi is often a high culinary art form and its popularity continues to grow. Since the countries first sushi roll was served in Little Tokyo Los Angeles in the 1960s, is has grown into a multi-billion dollar a year industry. Interest in the cuisine is fueled by creative chefs, who push boundaries and take painstaking steps to ensure the best customer experience. One example is Billy Ngo, founder, chef and partner of Kru Restaurant in Sacramento, whose innovation and emphasis on quality has garnered loyal customers and rave reviews. As Leilani Marie Labong from SacTown Magazine put it, Billy “has fine-tuned an unofficial M.O. to bring as-yet-uncharted experiences to his hometown.” Billy’s ascendance as one of the region’s top chefs is remarkable, considering his journey. “We were very lucky to have the life that I had and the opportunities I had growing up here with my parents coming over here,” he remarked. “My parents are Chinese, but they're from Vietnam. Born in Vietnam. They had to flee because of the Vietnam War. And my mom was pregnant with me when they got on the boat, escaped, landed in a refugee camp in Hong Kong, and that's where I was born.” Billy arrived in Sacramento as a baby, and he admits his early work career was more focused on earning money for stereo equipment than being a top chef. As a teen, he spent many laborious weekends preparing shrimp for later use. Other jobs included busing tables and washing dishes. However, over time, Billy’s interest in sushi grew. This spark was fueled by his work with high achieving chefs, including Taka Watanabe, Taro Arai and Randall Selland. Through this experience, he saw changes in how sushi was being presented. From a rigid, predictable menu came food with a flair, and a chance for every chef to roll something amazing and unique. He founded Kru Restaurant in 2005, putting optimism over a firm foundation of success. As he put it, “it was all done with band-aids and pennies.” Fortunately, Kru has grown, as more people became enchanted with Billy’s groundbreaking cuisine. Billy cited using great ingredients as a key, and that includes the foundation of sushi – rice.  In fact, California rice is used in virtually every roll of sushi made in America. Billy gets his rice from grower Michael Bosworth in Yuba County, and said he’s impressed with the sophistication of farming; the scale and hi-tech nature that one must see to fully appreciate. He has carried forth this approach of sourcing local ingredients, and forging relationships with the farmers and ranchers that grew them. “We're so lucky to be in this region in Sacramento with so many things being grown here locally,” he said. “Knowing where it's coming from and having the relationship with the grower or the rancher or the farmer. Any questions you have, it's easy.” Billy said his current priorities are to keep Kru and his other businesses, including the employees, going as reasonably as possible during the COVID-19 restrictions, although he can’t wait for a better day. “This is so different,” he commented. “I’m very thankful that we're still able to offer food to-go. But part of the magic and why I fell in love with this industry, is seeing the faces, hearing the sound, hearing the laughs of the dining room and the clang of pans in the kitchen, you miss all that. And I can't wait for that and I think hopefully soon we'll have that energy again, inside the building.” Episode Transcript Jim Morris: The first sushi served in America was in the 1960s in little Tokyo, Los Angeles. From its humble beginnings here, it is now a powerhouse generating billions of dollars a year. The Sacramento Valley provides virtually all of America's sushi rice, and this region has some outstanding sushi. Ian Scharg and his family are regular customers at Kru Restaurant. Ian Scharg: We like the freshness and quality of their food. Everything is very interesting that they make. Sushi is, to us, a form of artwork, fresh fish, and we feel like it's a healthy choice for lunch or dinner that we like to enjoy as a family. Jim Morris: Time to take a closer look at sushi and a fascinating chef, Billy Ngo. Welcome to Ingrained, The California Rice Podcast. I'm your host, Jim Morris. Proud to have worked with California farmers and ranchers for more than 30 years to help tell their stories. And along the way, I've had the good fortune to visit with culinary icons like Julia Child and Thomas Keller. Jim Morris: I first met Billy Ngo 14 years ago, and continue to be amazed at his work ethic and pushing culinary boundaries. Billy, do you ever get a chance to sleep? Billy Ngo: I try to as much as I can. I mean, definitely not 24 anymore when I first opened the restaurant. Jim Morris: Yeah. You have come a long way since then. So, I want to ask you about the very beginning. And I know you've immigrated to America at a very young age. You were from China, then in a Hong Kong refugee camp, and then you came over now to be a star of Japanese cuisine in Northern California. So, from what you've heard from your family, can you tell me a little bit about their existence prior to getting to America? Billy Ngo: Yes. Absolutely. I don't remember much because when I came over I was a baby, so I don't remember much. But the stories I hear from my sisters and my parents was, it was a struggle. We were very lucky to have the life that I had and the opportunities I had growing up here with my parents coming over here. So, my parents are Chinese, but they're from Vietnam. Born in Vietnam. They had to flee because of the Vietnam War. And my mom was pregnant with me when they got on the boat, escaped, landed in a refugee camp in Hong Kong, and that's where I was born. Billy Ngo: And then from there, we were able to come to the United States, to America. And just hearing their stories though, just really, really, really grateful and thankful to be here and to be able to have the opportunity to do what I wanted to do. I know it was funny, going along with that whole thing, with the story, you're like, "Oh, you're Chinese-Vietnamese doing Japanese food." But I mean, I joke around with this all the time. Well, the first job I ever had was at a pasta shop, Kru might be a pasta shop. Billy Ngo: But actually, first job I had was at Fuji's as a bus boy, and then dishwasher, and then sushi prep. And actually it was just a job at first, but then I actually fell in love with the cuisine. Jim Morris: So, we're both from South Sacramento area. I went to Kennedy High School, but I graduated in 1981, when I think you were actually born in 1981. So, tell me about this area. I have a lot of memories about South Sacramento. It's kind of a gritty, hardworking area. And did that shape you in any way, the fact that where you lived? Billy Ngo: Oh, definitely. I grew up in South Sac. It wasn't easy, but a lot of experience growing up in that kind of neighborhood just makes... I don't know. It makes you a little tougher, a little stronger. It kind of made who I am, I feel like. Jim Morris: Some of those early jobs, you've mentioned some of them, but Fuji, which was a great restaurant, and then Taka's and Mikuni. Tell me some of those early jobs you had and some of the different things you did in the restaurants. Billy Ngo: First off, at Fuji's was actually just being a bus boy. Got a job there as a bus boy/dishwasher. Fuji's amazing. Wish they were still open. The food was so good there. Jim Morris: It was awesome. Billy Ngo: So good. They were around for a long, long time. But just, you get to see how the food scene changed in Sacramento over the last 20 years. Fuji's was huge. They had a elevator, full bar, they had downstairs, they had upstairs that fit giant parties. But they had this tiny sushi bar that sat seven seats, sushi bar. And it just shows even though Japanese cuisine was really, really popular, sushi wasn't really popular back then. I think this idea of eating raw fish or whatever it is. And then to see it expand, explode the way it is now, it's everywhere. Billy Ngo: And then I think a big part of that was with Taro at Mikuni's helping blow it up and then making it fun and exciting. And it was really, really cool to have a opportunity to work with Taro's at Mikuni's to see what they were doing there. It was very, very outside the box at the time, what they're doing. And that's what's good about the whole culinary scene. Things change, evolve, and then it's not competition. There's never bad competition, it's good competition because it pushes everything, everyone to be better. Jim Morris: Can you remember the first fish you ever cut, and some of the things you learned from that? Billy Ngo: First fish would have to be... I would say salmon. That's the easiest fish, salmon. And then shrimp. People see all the other sushi Ebi. You see at sushi restaurants, the boiled shrimp, it looks so simple, but it's so much work. At Fuji's, the first position I got in the sushi bar was just sushi prep. And I remember I had to go in there at 8:00 AM every Saturday, Sunday to prep all the shrimp for the week for the two sushi chefs that was working there. Billy Ngo: And the shrimp doesn't come straight like that. They come with their shell on, head, everything you have to... And this was cases of it. You have to sit there and skewer each shrimp so when you boil it, they stay straight. Because otherwise when you cook shrimp, it the curls up, right? So you sit there, you have to skewer hundreds of shrimp, and then you have to boil them, then you have shock it in ice water. Then once it's cool, then you got to peel it, then devein it, then you got to split them open. And then you have to cure it and then you have to package it, wrap it up. And then, at the time, freeze it and then the sous chefs will pull it out as they need it. And that was done every week. Billy Ngo: But it was something so simple that... That's what makes sushi so cool, or hard too, that a lot of people don't understand. Sometimes like, "Oh, sushi chef. You don't even cook anything. What do you do?" But a lot of it is what you see being done at the sushi bars, is all the prep's done. But 95% of the work is done before all that. Jim Morris: Man, I would have a nightmare about being surrounded by shrimp at night or something like that. So, when did you know you wanted to be a sushi chef and go out on your own? Billy Ngo: I would have to say when I actually worked at Mikuni's. I hate to say it, but at first, when I first got the job, it was fun, but it was just a job. I didn't care. I think I first got my job was 15 and a half with a work permit. And when I was in high school, being the busboy/dishwasher. And then started learning sushi probably right when I graduated high school and I was going to Sac City College. I didn't care, it was just a job. Billy Ngo: I was super young, I just wanted to get a paycheck to go hang out and buy parts for my car, buy a stereo system for my car at the time. And I was working at Fuji's. And I think during that time, Mikuni's was just opening up Roseville and everybody's talking about Mikuni's and sushi. And I had a friend that worked there. Actually, I think they were looking for more staff members because they just opened [inaudible 00:07:12]. I think they were looking to expand some other spots. Billy Ngo: And he just hit me up. He's like, "Hey, why don't you come check out this place? We need sushi chefs. Just come and check it out." And he got me an interview. And the interview was the craziest interview I ever had because it wasn't an interview. I got the date and time, I went there, I was ready to sit down, get asked all these questions. They sat me down at the sushi bar, and Taro was working. And he was like, "Hey, what do you like to eat? Do you like to eat this stuff?" And he just started feeding me. And then he was like, "Okay, when do you want to start" And that was it. Billy Ngo: But then just seeing the ambiance, the atmosphere was really cool because working... I didn't have much experience in sushi or even food at the time. I grew up really, really, really poor, right? So, we ate a lot of home cooking at home or a lot of junk food. I loved junk food growing up, fast food and all that stuff. So, a lot of stuff was different to me. And was working at Fuji's, that's my first experience of Japanese cuisine or seeing how everything was done there. Billy Ngo: The chefs that I worked with, trained with, were super, super traditional, super old school. And that's how I had it ingrained in my head. This is how sushi should be. This is how food should be. You need to do it like this. No sauces, nothing. It's like this. It's like very formal. And I go here and then all these guys have bandanas, bleached hair, they're like rock stars, they were like bartenders behind the sushi bar. And everybody looked like they're having a great time. Billy Ngo: Seeing all these young people eating or hanging out, then you see the chefs I was like, "This looks fun." I was like, "Yeah, I want to work here." And I think that was the turning point and actually working there. It was just seeing all these things. I was like, "What are you guys doing? You guys are putting this hot mayonnaise on this." And doing all this. It was just different, but then it tasted good. And it was cool. And that's when my mind kind of opened up. It was like, "Oh, this is actually fun." And that's when I was like, "I want to do this." And I want to learn as much as I can about it, instead of just being a job." Jim Morris: And you were at the California Culinary Academy I believe, about 20 years ago? And how did that help the whole process? Billy Ngo: It was something I wanted to do for myself. I think the culture has changed a lot too in this industry. Everything's changed a lot, from the food scene to just the culture. I think back then it was crazy, it was really hard. I mean, doing it ourselves, but back then there was no iPhones with cameras on it, there was no Instagram or all this stuff or YouTube. So, back then, it was really hard. Billy Ngo: You really had to learn what you needed to learn by working under chefs, or you wanted to see what a chef or another restaurant's doing, you literally have to drive there or fly there and make a reservation, eat there, and then take notes in your little notebook. Probably at that time, I just wanted to learn as much as I can, to be as good as possible, bounce around, work in different places. Billy Ngo: And at one point, I just felt stuck and I couldn't... It was hard to learn too at the time. A lot of chefs were still old school. They don't really teach or whatever it is. Why? I don't know. Job security, whatever it is. You usually just get stuck doing the same thing at each place. And I just felt I wanted to get better and I wanted to learn how to cook as well, not just do sushi. So, I went to culinary school. Jim Morris: I think one of the formative things that occurred to you early on, was working at The Kitchen with Randall Selland, which is an excellent restaurant in Sacramento. Tell me about that experience. Billy Ngo: It was really cool. It opened my eyes there. I think right before I went off to culinary school, I had dinner there. Taka actually bought me dinner there for my birthday right before I went off to culinary school. Going there blew my mind what they were doing. And it was fun, but it was super serious. And I remember after dinner, I talked to Randall. I was like, "Hey, I'm going to culinary school. I'm moving going to be back in Sacramento 16 months. I have to do internship. I would love to do it here." Billy Ngo: He said, "You just come back here when you're ready, when you're done." And I took him up on the offer. Came back, worked with him, internship for three months. And I ended up staying I think another six more months after that to work with them. And there, just learned the importance of ingredients. They never skipped on quality at the kitchen. They only wanted to bring in the best and treat it the best. And their relationships with their farmers and purveyors was awesome, seeing that interaction. Billy Ngo: Because working at a lot of these other old school restaurants I worked in before, some of them... Restaurants ultimately is a business, but everything's a business, down from the farmers, to the ranchers, to your purveyors. And I always see some of the old chefs or owners I worked with, they like to haggle with prices, this and that. And working at The Kitchen, I learned that I've never seen them haggle. All they would say is, "Just make sure you give us the best." Billy Ngo: And that was the big thing I've learned is everybody needs to make a living. If you're going to haggle about stuff, it should be about the quality, not the price. And that's a big thing for me that I learned from there. You get what you pay for. You should never, ever haggle. And then good cuisine, good food starts with good ingredients. Jim Morris: I'm going to ask you a little more about working with local farmers in just a moment. But first, I'm visiting with Michael Bosworth, rice grower in Yuba County, who supplies Billy his rice. And Michael, how long has that happened? And tell me a little bit about your friendship and working relationship with Billy. Michael Bosworth: We've been supplying Billy since 2006, and that's the year that we started direct marketing our rice. He was our first customer, I think Randall Selland at The Kitchen was our second customer. It's been a great relationship over the years. We've worked with Billy at Kru and then also on all of his other restaurant ventures. Michael Bosworth: I've learned a lot from him. We actually transitioned from supplying him organic medium-grain rice, to organic Calacarri short-grain rice, because he wanted to elevate the food that he's doing and we wanted to help him do that. So, it's been really great to work with him and we've all learned a lot. Because we're at that same age and kind of started getting going 15, 16 years ago. And so, it's been great just to watch him grow as an entrepreneur and a restaurateur. And his food was always amazing and it just keeps getting better and better. And so, it's great to be working with somebody that is constantly striving to improve. Jim Morris: What's your favorite dish at Kru? Michael Bosworth: That's really tough. He has a really great sushi roll that's kind of off-menu called the Ziggy Roll. It's wrapped with soy paper. Obviously has some really good rice in it, avocado, soft-shell crab, and fish eggs. So, yeah. It's really great. And it's just one of my favorite things. The texture components are awesome, the flavor's really great. So, yeah. That's my go-to. Jim Morris: So Billy, you have taken the effort to go to the farms directly and seeing how it's grown. Michael Bosworth in particular with rice, that's a key ingredient in sushi. How important is it to understand how that is produced, and to get the best quality for what you're doing? Billy Ngo: I think it's very important. And we're so lucky to be in this region in Sacramento with so many things being grown here locally, and just knowing where it's coming from and having the relationship with the grower or the rancher or the farmer. Any questions you have, it's easy. You're not talking to a rep. Jim Morris: What's your first impression when you saw the rice farm? I mean, when I take people out for tours, their mouth is normally open about the space that is involved, the technology. What were some of your observations? Billy Ngo: I would say exactly the same thing. Blew my mind the whole process of how huge the fields are and even the technology, the GPS, everything that's going into it. I just thought it was a big pond. But seeing how everything operates, it's really, really cool. Jim Morris: And it's really important to be as efficient as you can in a place like California with land values and other factors, the water situation, so that the growers do a great job with their efficiency. Before we learn more about the restaurant, its dishes, and even a discussion about fast food, I wanted to talk with another top chef in Sacramento to get his impression of Billy Ngo. Jim Morris: I'm visiting with Patrick Mulvaney, one of the outstanding chefs in the Sacramento region, a pillar of farm-to-fork, somebody very passionate about what he does. And that also seems to feed Billy Ngo. Tell me a little bit about your experience with Billy. Patrick Mulvaney: Well, we love Billy's food, right? And it's just so great to be going... We call Kru the chefs restaurant, right? Because you go, not only is Billy welcoming and all his staff bring you in, but what you see is a lot of chefs who are off work, who want to go somewhere for really good food, clean, and not have to ask for what you're looking for. Billy is probably one of the kindest, most gentle chefs that I know. Always gracious with everyone that he goes to. Patrick Mulvaney: Sometimes when I come into the restaurant with my daughter, he'll bring out a little appetizer for us and usually has some kind of shellfish, which I'm allergic to. And he'll put it down in front of me and say, "Oh, I'm sorry, you can't eat that." And my daughter immediately grabs it from me and says, "That's quite all right, we'll have another." Jim Morris: Billy, Let's talk about Kru. You opened the restaurant in 2005. What does that name mean? Billy Ngo: It means raw in French, but with C so we just changed it to a K. A lot of the guys that worked with me when we first opened the restaurant, we've been friends for years. The whole staff. When we would get off work so, we always hit up these places with a group of five of us or seven. So it was kind of like the crew. And then when we opened the restaurant, that was like the crew, crew. So, that and [inaudible 00:16:40]. That's what the meaning behind it is. Billy Ngo: And also I wanted a French word because it is sushi, but we impact so many other techniques and cuisines into our food too. We just wanted to make really good food. Jim Morris: The old location was a different atmosphere, a great one, but a different atmosphere than what you have at this new location. And I remember coming in several years back and John C. Reilly was sitting in there. I don't know if you remember that, but... Billy Ngo: I do remember that, but I can't remember... I was just so star struck. I remember you were still in there that time that... yeah, it was really cool to have him sitting right there in the corner table. Jim Morris: I wanted it to say hello, and I was too chicken to do that. Do you have a favorite John C. Reilly movie? Billy Ngo: I love all his movies, actually. Jim Morris: I'll name a few and tell me if you like these. Talladega Nights was awesome and Chicago, which was way different, but that was great too. Billy Ngo: Yeah. Oh yeah. Well, it was funny meeting him in person because he was so chill instead of... It was completely different than what I thought he would be like. But it was awesome having him in. Jim Morris: So this new location of Kru, it feels very big city to me. What were some of the goals as you got the restaurant together that you wanted to accomplish? Billy Ngo: That restaurant was the first location. Opened that place when I was 24 years old, crazy budget. I don't even know how we did it. To think of it now, how we opened that place up. It was all done with band-aids and pennies. And to be here, I'm really grateful and thankful. We wanted a space that matched the food and also a bigger kitchen for us to make the food even better. Jim Morris: Tell me about the dishes that are here at Kru. How much are planned, how much are kind of freelance and what are some of your goals? Because there are some pretty interesting combinations of food that you offer. Billy Ngo: The factual food is just a combination of everything that I like. And just me growing up in Sacramento, California, being a Chinese-Vietnamese immigrant, that's what culinary school learned classical French, but then worked in a Japanese restaurants, but then ate Chinese food and Vietnamese food at home. But loved happy meals McDonald's and stuff like that. So, we just want to do a really, really good food, but still adhering to what the basis should be in the sushi. Billy Ngo: But the small plates want to do really cool stuff, utilizing local ingredients, pushing the boundaries. And wouldn't be here to this day without the team, from employees of past and present. Everybody really helped to turn this place into what it is. Jim Morris: The Sunshine Roll, I think is one of the most popular that has apples in it as well. Tell me a little bit about that roll. Billy Ngo: I would say a signature dish for the sushi bar, it would be that roll because that's our top selling roll, but it's kind of what we do. When you read the ingredient lists, a lot of people are like, "What's your favorite roll? What do you suggest?" I'll suggest that roll. Wow, that seems like a lot. But it's sounds a lot when you read it, but you can really taste all the ingredients. You can taste apple, you taste lemon, you got to taste spicy tuna, there's fried leaks, there's cilantro, there's fish. It's not just the mesh, it's cool because there's a lot ingredients, a lot of textures, a lot of flavors, but you can actually taste each one. Jim Morris: So sushi, correct me if I'm wrong, literally means vinegared rice. So how important is rice in the equation? Billy Ngo: This is something that a lot of people don't know and understand. They think of sushi and the first thing you think about this raw fish. But even the word sushi is straight up means rice and vinegar. Rice is the most important ingredient in sushi. You can't have a good sushi without good rice. And then sushi is without the rice and then the fish is [inaudible 00:20:11] or, I mean, compliments to really... In Japan, sous chefs have to learn for years, you just have to wash and make the rice and prep veggies, before putting stuff together. So the rice it's very, very important, most important that a lot of people forget about. Jim Morris: So tell me about some of your other ventures, everything from dog food to other restaurants. You're a busy guy. Tell me about some of those please. Billy Ngo: We have Kodaiko Ramen, a ramen shop in downtown, then we have Fish Face Poke Bar, and then we have Healthy Hounds Kitchen, where we actually do human grade dog food. All these restaurants, I just want to do projects that I feel that actually could help the community instead of just opening another business, just to open the business, just to do something. If you already have something, we don't need to do it. That's how I think about business-wise like Healthy Hounds. Billy Ngo: We all love our pets. Our animals are like our kids, so we want to do something really good food for the pups. And it's fun doing that project too, because even the dog food I work with Michael on the rice, and we use his rice there too. Jim Morris: It has been a difficult time with COVID and restaurants have been really hard hit in terms of the businesses that have really had some challenges. So, tell me a little bit about that and some of your priorities and staying open, and you have dozens of people that work for you too. Billy Ngo: Yeah. I think that the biggest priority was actually just trying to keep as many of our staff employed as possible. And then at some of the other business was a little harder than others. Kru, we're very fortunate, we've been here for 15 years, we have a very loyal following, we're very, very thankful for that. And just even just doing our to-go business was good enough to keep a lot of our staff employed. That was the main goal. Billy Ngo: And the other places that were like Kodaiko we just opened that very new. And even that area got hit very hard with Golden 1 not being open and all the venues, so many places closing. And over there, the goal there was to keep our managers employed, but there's no way to not lose money. It's just lose as little money as possible, but don't close the shop down. You want to... I don't want to go induced coma. I was like, just go to sleep, have a heartbeat, but don't die. Jim Morris: How much will you rejoice when things are much, much better? And hopefully that day is coming soon. Billy Ngo: I can't wait. This is so different. Putting food in boxes, very thankful that we're still able to do that to-go. But part of the magic and why I fell in love with this industry, is seeing the faces, hearing the sound, hearing the laughs of the dining room and the clang of pans in the kitchen, you miss all that. And I can't wait for that and I think hopefully soon we'll have that energy again, inside the building. Jim Morris: I can tell you have a lot of compassion. So, tell me what drives you because you work a lot, you have a lot of different business endeavors, and you keep charging up that hill. So, what motivates you? Billy Ngo: I just want to keep pushing, do good. And before younger had a lot of energy, but now I see so many people working with such great employees and team members. And like I said, Kru would that be the way it is or where it's at without employees of the past and present. And then you see a lot of people with so much talent and stuff, you can see the next generation. And now I want to keep pushing, keep doing cool things to help the next generation if they want to open a restaurant or do this, or be the best chef. Jim Morris: So we're doing this interview outside with masks and distance outside of Kru. And I can see another sushi sign, just a few feet away. So, the popularity of sushi is that going to change? Do you think it's going to continue to grow? Billy Ngo: I think it'll continue to grow, because it's just such a different food and the social aspect of the experience, is really fun and just the food it's anything you want. It could be really healthy for you, or it could just make a roll with cream cheese and deep fry it, and then it'll be delicious. It's anything you want to get this it's just so vast I don't think it's going away anywhere. Jim Morris: And you mentioned healthy and things that might not be fully healthy. So, you have to tell me what's your go-to junk food? Billy Ngo: I'd say Mexican food, Jimboy's. It killed me when there was a Jimboy's right here on 20th street. They had a drive-through and I used to hit that up multiple times a week on the way to work. And when they closed, it broke my heart. Jim Morris: Oh yeah. Jimboy's is the best. And for those that aren't in this area, they have the cheese on the outside. It's just a little greasy, actually it's way greasy, but it's awesome. So, have you ever had a Happy Meal or a Big Mac or what are some of the other favorites? Billy Ngo: I just had a quarter pounder a few days ago. Jim Morris: Yeah. Billy Ngo: I'm a junk food King. Jim Morris: You got to live. Billy Ngo: Yeah. But also I live also one thing is too, that I'm sure a lot of people don't know, but finding out more now, there's a lot of these chefs they don't like to cook for themselves. We do all this cooking and prepping at work, when we get off, we want something quick. We'll throw a hot pocket in the microwave or stop by McDonald's and we just want to scarf that thing down and then lay down. Jim Morris: That will wrap up this episode. Thank you to Michael Bosworth, Ian Scharg, Patrick Mulvaney and of course, Billy Ngo for his time and expertise. Remember, you can find out more and listen to past episodes at podcast.calrice.org. We welcome your comments. Thanks for listening.

For episode 2 of Pandemic Pass, I talk to three college students and a high school student about their experiences - Adriana Quinonez, Lupe Lazaro, and Alexia Ferraro all of whom are freshmen at Gettysburg College in Pennsylvania. For the 2nd part, I speak with Nichele Washington, a senior at John F. Kennedy High School in Silver Spring, Maryland. For both parts, we discuss the challenges and the ups and downs of how this pandemic has impacted them and shaped their world views.

In this episode of AUHSD Future Talks, Superintendent Matsuda interviews Neil SahotaMr. Sahota is an IBM Master Inventor, United Nations (UN) artificial intelligence (AI) Advisor, author of the book Own the A.I. Revolution, and Professor at UC Irvine. Over his 20+ year career, Mr. Sahota has worked with enterprises on business and marketing strategies to create next generation products/solutions powered by emerging technology as well as helping organizations create the culture, community, and ecosystem needed to achieve success such as the U.N.’s AI for Good initiative. Mr. Sahota also actively pursues social good and volunteers with nonprofits. During the interview, Mr. Sahota discusses the A.I. Revolution, misconceptions about A.I., the application of A.I. to various subject matters, and the innovative Artificial Intelligence pathway at Kennedy High School in the Anaheim Union High School District.

Kennedy High School Men's basketball coach JT Roberts joined me to discuss his playing days while at Kennedy and Sac City JC before finishing out at Alcorn State. We then talk about how he got into coaching and discuss his journey that brought him back to his old high school and college as a coach! Hear about the many obstacles he faced and the adversity he had to overcome at every stop. His story is truly an example of how hard work, persistence, dedication and resilience truly pays off! •The Strayt Talk With Strayhand Podcast is available on all major platforms! •Follow Oddie Strayhand on Instagram @strayhand https://www.instagram.com/strayhand

https://www.thegazette.com/subject/news/health/covid-19-vaccine-shipments-begin-in-historic-us-effort-20201213 (The first shipments of a COVID-19 vaccine) for widespread use in the United States headed Sunday from Michigan to distribution centers across the country. The first shots expected to be given this week to health care workers and at nursing homes. Shipments of the Pfizer vaccine set in motion the biggest vaccination effort in American history during a pandemic that's killed 1.6 million and sickened 71 million worldwide. Initially, about 3 million doses were expected to be sent out. The priority is health care workers and nursing home residents as infections, hospitalizations and deaths soar in the U.S. With numbers likely to get worse over the holidays, the vaccine is offering a bright spot in the fight against the pandemic that's killed nearly 300,000 Americans. https://www.thegazette.com/subject/news/health/iowa-covid-19-hospitalizations-continue-decline-but-remain-high-20201213 (The virus has killed 3,209 Iowans) since the pandemic began, according to numbers from the Iowa Department of Public Health on Sunday. There were 1,240 new cases reported Sunday morning for a total of 256,249 in the state. A new audit report blames the national Democratic Party's involvement for problems that https://www.thegazette.com/subject/news/government/audit-of-botched-iowa-democratic-caucuses-largely-blames-national-party-20201212 (delayed the results of Iowa's first-in-the-nation caucuses last February.) The report commissioned by the Iowa Democratic Party says the Democratic National Committee insisted on a late change to a mobile app that precincts were supposed to use to report results.  The change was meant to allow the national party to double-check the state's data before allowing the state to publish results. But the technical malfunction prevented the Iowa Democratic Party from reporting results until after the New Hampshire primary and Nevada caucuses already were over.  The state party's chairman at the time, Troy Price, quit over the debacle. The report also says the Democratic National Committee also did not deliver the app with enough time for the state party to adequately prepare for reporting caucus results or to adequately train workers on how to use the program. The national Democratic Party declined to participate in the review. The report makes a series of recommendations for how the state party could avoid similar missteps in the future. After experiencing severe damage in the Aug. 10 derecho, https://thegazette.com/subject/news/education/kennedy-high-school-cedar-rapids-derecho-damage-20201214 (Cedar Rapids' Kennedy High School will finally reopen to students next month.)  Reconstruction crews have been working for more than four months to get the high school safe for students, who have been learning online since school started in September. Crews are scheduled to be out of the building Jan. 4, and Kennedy teachers and staff will have a work day Jan. 8 to prepare their classrooms for students to return the following week. When students return mid-January, they will be in hybrid learning — with half of students attending school on-campus and half attending online every other day. About 800 students will be on campus each day. Kennedy High wasn't the only Cedar Rapids school damaged in the derecho, but certainly was the most devastated. Franklin, McKinley and Taft middle schools and Kennedy, Jefferson and Washington high schools began classes only online because of the derecho damage. Students at Franklin, McKinley, Jefferson and Washington returned to in-person classes last Wednesday. Taft students return to in-person classes Dec. 14.  Iowa and Iowa State football teams again moved up rankings this week, with Iowa State rising two spots to No. 8 in the Associated Press Top 25, and the Hawkeyes moving up 1 to No. 18. The Cyclones were also No. 8 in the coaches poll, and...

In this podcast, Mark Bergman speaks with the wonderful students and staff at John F. Kennedy High School. Rocco Speranza, JFK's Spiritual Care & Guidance counselor, set up a multitude of projects where the students can learn about why it's so important to remember and honour our veterans on November 11th and always. Grade 8 students, Sarah Chiby and Santhina Thaurairajasingam talk to us about some great school initiatives such as No Stone Left Alone, Faces Behind Our Freedom, and more!

Curtis Pride was a dominant athlete at Kennedy High School in the 1980's in not one, not two but three sports. Pride was all-everything in baseball, basketball and soccer. This Sunday, Pride will be inducted into the Montgomery County Sports Hall of Fame (MCSHF). Pride became the first deaf person in almost 50 years to play in the Major League Baseball. Not many people can say they played with and against Michael Jordan in basketball AND baseball. Pride can. For the last 12 years, Pride has been the head coach of the Gallaudet University baseball team. He spoke with Joe Yasharoff in the latest episode of MoCo's Most Famous. Available now on MyMCMedia, Overcast, Apple Podcasts, RadioPublic, Spotify, Stitcher, Facebook, Pocketcasts, and Twitter. Subscribe now. Stay up to date on news in Montgomery County!

In this episode, #FOTV hosts Emmy and Kenna interview two Asian American athletes on how race and culture come to play in sports. Camryn Hamaguchi is a Japanese-American two-sport athlete in basketball and track & field at Chapman University in California. She is also Head Coach at Ironmen Basketball Club Program and Assistant Girls Varsity Coach at Kennedy High School. Jojo McIntosh is a mixed-race Black and Cambodian-American football player and a University of Washington Huskies alum. Jojo and Camryn reflect on their Asian and mixed Asian-American upbringing. Navigating roles as activists and role models, they dive into how the worlds of football and basketball view race, plus its impact. The hosts believe Asian Americans enjoy representation in sports, but without due acknowledgment. They talk about the importance of helping others by using their voices and platforms as Asian American athletes, activists, and beyond.Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/freshoffthevote)

CinePsyEP265: Class of 1999 As crime runs rampant around gang-plagued high schools in late-1990s America, Seattle’s Kennedy High School has become a free-fire zone: an independent area where the police don’t even dare to enter. As a result, bent on bringing order and discipline back to his crime-ridden school, the new principal, Dr Miles Langford, agrees to take part in an ambitious government initiative by having three former military cyborgs as undercover android educators. For the fresh-out-of-prison ex-gang member, Cody Culp, this is a golden opportunity to start afresh and get his life back on track; however, his zero-tolerance cybernetic instructors only believe in punishment. Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0PhshKRtKhh4ESfKhrer6s?si=7M_fLKDsRomBgiowA0WWOA iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/cinema-psyops/id1037574921?mt=2 Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/cinema-psyops Google Play Music: https://play.google.com/music/m/Ij7cs3a2qml6bz2lajomirqcngi?t=Cinema_PSYOPS Cinema PSYOPS Main page: http://www.legionpodcasts.com/cinema-psyops/ Email feedback to  Matt: psyopmatt@gmail.com.  Cort : cinemapsyopscort@gmail.com  Find on twitter Cort:  @Cort_PSYOP Matt: @psyopmatt Join the FaceBook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1616282625298374/   Instagram: cinema_psyops The post CinePsyEP265: Class of 1999 appeared first on Legion.

CinePsyEP265: Class of 1999 As crime runs rampant around gang-plagued high schools in late-1990s America, Seattle’s Kennedy High School has become a free-fire zone: an independent area where the police don’t even dare to enter. As a result, bent on bringing order and discipline back to his crime-ridden school, the new principal, Dr Miles Langford, agrees to take part in an ambitious government initiative by having three former military cyborgs as undercover android educators. For the fresh-out-of-prison ex-gang member, Cody Culp, this is a golden opportunity to start afresh and get his life back on track; however, his zero-tolerance cybernetic instructors only believe in punishment. Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0PhshKRtKhh4ESfKhrer6s?si=7M_fLKDsRomBgiowA0WWOA iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/cinema-psyops/id1037574921?mt=2 Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/cinema-psyops Google Play Music: https://play.google.com/music/m/Ij7cs3a2qml6bz2lajomirqcngi?t=Cinema_PSYOPS Cinema PSYOPS Main page: http://www.legionpodcasts.com/cinema-psyops/ Email feedback to  Matt: psyopmatt@gmail.com.  Cort : cinemapsyopscort@gmail.com  Find on twitter Cort:  @Cort_PSYOP Matt: @psyopmatt Join the FaceBook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1616282625298374/   Instagram: cinema_psyops The post CinePsyEP265: Class of 1999 appeared first on Legion.

Ian chats with the QB for Kennedy High School and top recruit of the Huskies about the group formed to encourage the leadership in Washington to allow for sports in the fall.

Shitty Movie Summer is graduating! This week, we visit 1999 via a 1990 film that imagines dystopian future where Free Fire Zones run rampant as violent youth gangs have taken over several major American cities with weapons that...wait...where the hell did they get those anyway?Either way, the 1990 Dystopian Sci-Fi film Class of 1999 is our advertised content for this week. The film stars Bradley Gregg, Traci Lind, Malcolm McDowell, and Stacy Keach. In this film the Department of Educational Defense enlists three android teachers to teach at the dreaded Kennedy High School in Seattle. Unfortunately for the students and the other faculty, the teachers decide that the best path to knowledge is war. Co-starring film legend Pam Grier, this is a film that's going to show you a different side of yoga pants and compulsory education!Other random topics of discussion:Terminators! Predators! Androids! Cyborgs!Live news bloopers!Police sketch artists!Support the show (https://plotaholics.com)

Ian welcomes Nolan Washington (football coach for Kennedy High School and current police officer) and Melvin Wells (elementary school teacher and football coach at Tahoma High School) to the show for a frank conversation about race.

How did California slide into such a deep school funding hole, and how can we climb our way back up? These are among the questions we take on in this latest adventure with special guest Gary Hart. As a former state legislator, longtime Senate Education Committee Chair, and Secretary of Education, Gary offers the critical perspective of someone who was “inside the Capitol building” during a truly pivotal time in the early life of Ed Funding.He began his career as a classroom teacher before serving two decades in the state legislature at a time (1974-1994) when so many key events in school funding unfolded. What led to the dramatic disinvestment in California’s schools, beginning in the 1970s? Rising real estate values, bad economic times and a major change in the state’s demographics all contributed, according to Gary. He also reflects on whether there’s anything he wishes he might’ve done differently while in office to help change the downward trajectory of per-student funding. And what about Proposition 98? Former Sen. Hart takes some exception to characterizations that legislators and governors “manipulated” the Prop. 98 constitutional guarantee for schools, causing it to become more of a “ceiling” than a “floor” for per-student funding. “Ballot box budgeting,” he says, “is not a good system.” We also explore the sometimes shifting borders between how prescriptive the state used to be in telling local school districts how to spend their funds, and the relatively recent move towards more local control. As our adventure continues, Gary takes on the mountain that California faces to increase school funding to the levels needed to support all students. A more stable state revenue system must be identified, he says, especially so the state is not so disproportionately reliant on income taxes. Finally, we consider whether, at the end of the day, increasing school funding comes down to whether or not those currently serving in Sacramento truly have the political will to take it on.More ResourcesFor a terrific history of California’s school funding slide, we recommend the 2004 documentary, “From First to Worst” a production of the Merrow Report by award-winning journalist John Merrow. You can find it online.Ed100.org is a excellent free resource with concise, engaging online courses that help people understand complex education issues. Ed100 has an entire chapter on school funding, including a great lesson about Propositions 13 and 98.About Gary HartGary served in the California State Legislature as an assemblymember and senator for 20 years, representing Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties. In his role as chairman of the Senate Education Committee (1983 to 1994), he wrote important education legislation concerning school finance, class-size reduction, and charter schools. He also served as the Secretary of Education for Governor Gray Davis. In addition, he has served on the board of directors for the Public Policy Institute of California for more than ten years, including as chair. In 1995, he founded the California State University Institute for Education Reform, a policy center focusing on elementary and secondary school issues. In 2001, he established the Program in America and California Explorations (PACE), an honors program at Kennedy High School in Sacramento. He obtained his MA in teaching from Harvard University and his BA from Stanford University.About CASBOThe California Association of School Business Officials is the premier resource for professional development and business best practices for California's school business leaders. CASBO is dedicated to promoting excellence and professionalism in all aspects of school business.

Boy Scouts file for Bankruptcy, Bernie Sanders visit to Washington state with big crowds reveals big problems, Kennedy High School under national pressure after two teachers resign in protest about biblical standards and other breaking news.

We look back at the grading scandal that rocked Kennedy High School, plans to change how Entergy is regulated, and the negative impacts of a decentralized busing system for public schools in New Orleans. The post Behind The Lens episode 62: 'My wish is that we start to view this for what it is, which is a civil rights issue.' appeared first on The Lens.

This episode, we talk to Kayde Bowers about his unusual experience at Kennedy High School. Episode Hosts: Joel Dillman and Samuel Miranda Episode Guest: Kayde Bowers Song: Markvard - Desire (Vlog No Copyright Music) Music provided by Vlog No Copyright Music. Video Link: https://youtu.be/YybfbwbX_XA

NOLA Public Schools issues a report on its investigation of John F. Kennedy High School, the Orleans Parish Assessor gets caught defending a policy that his staff later said was never really a policy, and residents of the toxic Gordon Plaza housing development press Mayor LaToya Cantrell for help with relocation. The post Behind The Lens episode 51: ‘The city is responsible for this, not the residents of Gordon Plaza.’ appeared first on The Lens.

If you follow online choir content, chances are you've heard the name Adam Paltrowitz and/ or Choral Clarity. Adam sat down with me to elaborate further on the mantra of Choir Baton: #morepeoplesinging and how it fits directly into his work as at Choral Clarity. If you've ever read Adam's posts or wonder why more people aren't singing after their school choir experiences, this episode will give you a greater perspective on why and how we can change that.  Adam Paltrowitz is a master educator, composer, conductor, and clinician.  What makes his choirs unique is his belief that anyone can sing; as a result, his ensembles are always self-selected, while maintaining the highest standard of musical excellence. He also has pioneered a philosophy that every student is a soloist. All students in his choirs continually learn and perform solo repertoire in various languages. Adam's choral program has also gained great acclaim for the cultivation of eight student-run a-cappella ensembles; some of these ensembles have performed on national and local television programs. During his 21-year tenure as the Director of Choral Activities at Plainview-Old Bethpage John F. Kennedy High School in New York, his groups have toured throughout Europe, Canada, and the United States. Adam earned his B.S. in music education from New York University, M.A. in vocal pedagogy from Columbia University - Teacher's College, and Ed.M. choral conducting from Columbia University - Teacher's College. His weekly blog, Choral Clarity, has gained a large international audience as it provides a unique perspective to both the role of the choral director and the empowerment of all students. His choral compositions and arrangements have been performed by choirs around the world; many are available on his Choral Clarity instant download platform. Please join the Choral Clarity Facebook Group for an interactive and introspective conversation about finding our own choral vision. Adam resides in Manhattan with his wife, Blair Goldberg, a professional Broadway actress, and their daughter, Lyla, and son, Nolan. https://www.adampaltrowitz.com/ | @adampaltrowitz https://www.choralclarity.com | @choralclarity Choir Baton Host: Beth Philemon @bethphilemon | www.bethphilemon.com Visit Choir Baton Online: @choirbaton

KIPP New Orleans will take over the charter for John F. Kennedy High School after this year, Kira Orange Jones survives an election eligibility challenge in her campaign for BESE, and a new interpretation of the comprehensive zoning ordinance could impact outdoor music at local venues. The post Behind The Lens episode 46: ‘Hopefully all that data is still going to be made available about graduation rates… cause I think those kids deserve to know’ appeared first on The Lens.

Louisiana has a record number of women running for statewide elected office, more bad news for John F. Kennedy High School regarding a student receiving special education services, The Sewerage and Water Board needs a $25 million loan for sewer repairs. The post Behind The Lens episode 45: ‘Louisiana is reliably in the bottom 10-percent of states in terms of women’s representation’ appeared first on The Lens.

The New Orleans City Council tightens restrictions on short term rentals, a judge denies emergency transcripts for students caught in the John F. Kennedy High School record keeping debacle, and a proposed Entergy plant will actually cost three times than originally estimated. The post Behind The Lens episode 44: ‘This is worse than we thought.’ appeared first on The Lens.

On this 57-minute episode of This a Podcast, Mek talks with Brandon Driver about counseling, playing and coaching football, and forging a new path for himself after injury ended his original plans. In this interview, listen as they talk about: - deciding to get a Masters degree and connecting and leading kids in counseling - his biggest influences then and now and the biggest lesson learned about himself in this whole process - the injury in junior college that caused schools to back out and using rejection as fuel - getting accepted into San Jose State and adversity striking again with another injury during his senior year - being forced to discover who else he was besides a football player and give up dreams based on the false promises of others - receiving an invitation to start coaching and making the mental transition from player to coach - building a feeling of brotherhood among the team and a staff that relates to the players, on and off the field - mistaking passion for anger in conversation and looking forward to the next season - his growth as a coach after just one year and genuineness serving as his superpower - high character helping you out anywhere you happen to be and the advantage of not having everything handed to you while growing up - the comic book character that resonates with him the most and the most influential person in his life - the wise message he’d put on a billboard and final parting words. Bio Brandon Driver grew up in Baltimore and is a former football player who attended Santa Rosa Junior College and San Jose State in California. Currently, he serves as the head varsity football coach at John F. Kennedy High School and is working towards his Masters degree in School Counseling. You can follow him on Instagram @bdrive8. Links It’s Nation TV - itsnation.tv/

A lawsuit is filed over secret meetings about proposed chemical plant in St. James Parish, a short term rental tax begins making it's way through the New Orleans City Council, and more fallout from the graduation scandal at John F. Kennedy High School. The post Behind The Lens episode 41: ‘It has been one of the most depressing things that I’ve ever seen in my entire career’ appeared first on The Lens.

A special all-schools episode. Host and producer Jessica Rosgaard talks to education researcher Doug Harris about New Orleans becoming an all-charter city. And we hear from the lawyer for a family suing John F. Kennedy High School. The post Behind The Lens episode 39: ‘That’s where the district wants to go’ appeared first on The Lens.

The latest from John F. Kennedy High School. New abortion restrictions in Louisiana. And immigration detention centers in Louisiana. The post Behind The Lens episode 38: ‘Completely unable to function’ appeared first on The Lens.

We hear from a Kennedy High School senior who still doesn't know if she graduated. Plus, a plan for ending cash bail. And a new budget crisis for public defenders in New Orleans. The post Behind The Lens episode 36: ‘No, I don’t have my diploma yet’ appeared first on The Lens.

Marta Jewson gives us an update on Kennedy High School. And Jessica Rosgaard talks to the Army Corps of Engineers about the Morganza Spillway. The post Behind The Lens episode 34: ‘That water would have to go somewhere’ appeared first on The Lens.

A holy hour and meditations for high school students!

We have a special sports episode for you today. In this episode, four sophomores, two of whom are swimmers, discuss the Kennedy High School swim team. They discuss their improvements, achievements, and dedication to this sport. Hope this episode brings more light to our Kennedy swim team.

Reporter Marta Jewson tells us how she uncovered allegations of grade inflation at Kennedy High School. Michael Isaac Stein talks about political patronage in lucrative City Council utility contracts. And Tom Wright follows up on his recent story on wastewater assimilation. The post Behind The Lens episode 25: Little red marks appeared first on The Lens.

Hello and welcome, again, to the KennedyStrong Podcast. Today we have in studio three juniors. They are here to discuss online reviews of Kennedy High School to see how the community views our school. They discuss the reviews, tell stories, provide counterarguments, and offer solutions. This episode is a lot of fun, yet, most importantly, insightful at the same time.

Tiffany Cao, Daryl Parayno and Gabby Sandoval are here to tell you about being a Kennedy singer.  Specifically being in the choir at Kennedy High School. Tiffany has been in choir for three years, but has only been in choir at Kennedy for two. Daryl also has been in choir for three years but has never been in choir at Kennedy. They both to sing with all their heart. Gabby has never been in choir but is very interested in learning more about music and dancing. This episode offers something for everyone!

Welcome to the Kennedy strong podcast. Today three students from Kennedy High School are here to talk about volunteering, the benefits of it, and why you should volunteer your time. All three have given their time in order to help their community. They will share their stories about the times they did community service and how it benefited them.

In this cross-over episode, Dr. Ryan Martin is joined by Dana Melone, a teacher at Kennedy High School and host of High School Psych for Life. Listen in as they discuss how they entered into the field, their favorite topics to teach, and skills you gain as a Psychology student.

Episode 11 - Mario Millan (Kennedy Football). Mario is the head coach for Kennedy High School varsity football. We talk about the upcoming CIF playoffs.

Three juniors are here today to interview Officer Phou on how he provides safety for Kennedy High School. Officer Phou will share some insight of his job in the La Palma PD and as Kennedy’s safety officer.  

Students are here to join us today to talk about how the education system has changed since teachers first started working at Kennedy High School. Specifically, whether teachers think is has improved or gotten worse.

BART is making it a priority to reach out to young people. In the latest edition of our podcast series “Hidden Tracks: Stories from BART” we learn more about how BART is teaming up with U.C. Berkeley on the Y-Plan (Youth – Plan, Learn, Act, Now). It’s an educational strategy that empowers young people to take on real-world challenges in their communities. Listen as 70 students from Kennedy High School in Richmond get a behind-the-scenes look at BART operations. That special tour prepares the students to come up with answers to this question: “How can BART better use technology to get more people excited about careers in the transit industry?”

In this special guest Technique Tuesday, Adam Paltrowitz of the Choral Clarity blog, explains his 5 guidelines to follow when programming religious music with your public school ensemble. This is a very insightful episode that I hope will be food-for-thought for Choir Nation. Sponsored by the Choir Nation: Redirect summer conference in OKC, June 27-30. Listen [Player]   Show Notes 5 Guidelines discussed in the episode Always explain WHY we choose any piece of music. We need to facilitate group discussions regarding each composition with our choirs. We must always be sensitive to the backgrounds of the members of our choirs. We should be educating our audiences. We need to approach programming in a balanced manner. Bio Adam Paltrowitz is a master educator, composer, conductor, and clinician. He resides in Manhattan with his wife, Blair, who is a professional Broadway actress, and his beautiful daughter, Lyla. He is currently the Director of Choral Activities at Plainview-Old Bethpage John F. Kennedy High School, on Long Island, New York. During his eighteen year tenure, his groups have toured Europe, Canada, and throughout the United States. What makes his choirs unique is his belief that anyone can sing; as a result, his ensembles are always self-selected, while maintaining the highest standard of musical excellence. He also has pioneered a philosophy that every student is a soloist. All students in his choirs continually learn and perform solo repertoire in various languages. Mr. Paltrowitz' choral program has gained great acclaim for the cultivation of eight student-run a-cappella ensembles that have performed on national and local programs. Under his advisement, these talented students write their own a-cappella arrangements, teach and rehearse fully on their own, and perform in dozens of concerts throughout the year. This approach stems from the concept of student empowerment. Adam is well-known for leading workshops with current and future music educators on topics: Motivating Students to Exceed Expectations Creating a Positive Learning Environment Building a High School Choral Program Training the Soloist in the Choral Setting. As a guest conductor, Mr. Paltrowitz has conducted at numerous festivals and events for elementary, middle school, high school, college, adult, and senior citizen choirs. As a composer, Adam is focused on writing inspiring, yet accessible music that singers of all ages can relate to. Music is intended to evoke pure emotions from the singers and in turn, touch the audience. We sing because we want to communicate. We sing in a choir because we want to communicate together. Adam's music is intended to reach people through its clarity of thought, purity of emotion, and poetic beauty and word painting. His music has been performed throughout the country. Links Adam’s Facebook Profile Adam’s Choral Clarity Blog Support the show on

In this interview, I get a chance to sit down with another choral blogger and content creator, Adam Paltrowitz, who is breaking new ground in the world of “self-selected” ensembles. This episode with make you think about the emphasis you choose to place on the choral “elite” at your school. Support our sponsor for this episode: KI Concerts Listen   Bio Adam Paltrowitz is a master educator, composer, conductor, and clinician. He resides in Manhattan with his wife, Blair, who is a professional Broadway actress, and his beautiful daughter, Lyla. He is currently the Director of Choral Activities at Plainview-Old Bethpage John F. Kennedy High School, on Long Island, New York. During his eighteen year tenure, his groups have toured Europe, Canada, and throughout the United States. What makes his choirs unique is his belief that anyone can sing; as a result, his ensembles are always self-selected, while maintaining the highest standard of musical excellence. He also has pioneered a philosophy that every student is a soloist. All students in his choirs continually learn and perform solo repertoire in various languages. Mr. Paltrowitz' choral program has gained great acclaim for the cultivation of eight student-run a-cappella ensembles that have performed on national and local programs. Under his advisement, these talented students write their own a-cappella arrangements, teach and rehearse fully on their own, and perform in dozens of concerts throughout the year. This approach stems from the concept of student empowerment. Adam is well-known for leading workshops with current and future music educators on topics: Motivating Students to Exceed Expectations Creating a Positive Learning Environment Building a High School Choral Program Training the Soloist in the Choral Setting. As a guest conductor, Mr. Paltrowitz has conducted at numerous festivals and events for elementary, middle school, high school, college, adult, and senior citizen choirs. As a composer, Adam is focused on writing inspiring, yet accessible music that singers of all ages can relate to. Music is intended to evoke pure emotions from the singers and in turn, touch the audience. We sing because we want to communicate. We sing in a choir because we want to communicate together. Adam's music is intended to reach people through its clarity of thought, purity of emotion, and poetic beauty and word painting. His music has been performed throughout the country. Links Adam’s Facebook Profile Adam’s Choral Clarity Blog Support the show on

Sports marketing and broadcasting can be difficult careers to get started. Our Town host Andy Ockershausen and guest Eric Shuster discuss what to do to start a career in sports marketing and how to be successful. Andy says that Eric may be “possibly the most powerful man in sports in ‘Our Town’”. Listen in and find out how Eric achieved such a standing in Our Town. Let's start at the beginning. Eric didn’t really know it at the time, but one of the most important meetings he would ever have was with basketball great Lefty Driesell. Eric met retired college basketball coach Lefty Driesell at a youth basketball camp when Eric was just in elementary school. Coach Driesell sat with Eric and told him something that has proven true to this day, and encouraged him to pursue a career in sports other than on the field. Eric took Coach Driesell’s advice to heart in high school when, at 15, he became an Assistant Coach to the girls’ basketball team at his high school John F. Kennedy in Silver Spring, Maryland. As you continue to listen in, Eric discusses what it takes to get into sports marketing. No need for a Master degree, according to Eric. Rather get your foot in the door as an intern, work hard, and let people know who you are. Get involved, be a go-getter, ask what you can do to help. Learn the business by being on the inside. Shuster stresses to get involved as an intern as well as - and Andy agrees - meet as many people as you can. Eric shares stories about how working with some of the biggest names in sports such as Rick Dempsey, former Baltimore Orioles catcher and World Series MVP, Shawn Springs, former Washington Redskins cornerback, and Jason Campbell, former Washington Redskins starting quarterback have led to lasting friendships with them, as well as introductions to other pro athletes who he also calls his friends. He attributes this to building trust in those looking to learn the business and looking for advice. Today some of his best friends are some of the biggest names in the NFL, NBA and MLB. Eric goes on to discuss his former bosses with Andy. You’ll hear what he learned from them, and how they helped shaped the successful professional sports marketer he has become. “If you give you will receive.” Eric has heard Andy say this again and again, and it is something he will always remember and follow. Andy prompts Eric to talk about a foundation Eric started in honor of his Mom, who was a special education teacher at Brook Grove Elementary School. Eric founded The Elaine Shuster Foundation to give back to his alma mater, Kennedy High School, when he found that the sports facilities were in decline and there was no place for the kids to go. This year marks the third year of fundraising that will benefit Kennedy and a few other schools. Many of the professional athletes Eric has befriended over his career come out to support his effort. This year’s Elaine Shuster Foundation benefit event will be on December 12, 2016 from 6 – 9pm at the American Tap Room in Bethesda with hosts Santana Moss and Ryan Kerrigan. We hope you enjoy listening to Eric Shuster discuss his perspective about Our Town with host Andy Ockershausen. We invite you to listen to each new episode of Our Town as they roll out over the next several months. You can subscribe to the Our Town podcast on iTunes, Google Play, or if you complete the subscription form in the sidebar to the right you will be notified by email when the next episode appears here on the website.

Kevin Kowalski has always been one to work with his hands since an early age. He had a fascination with the process of how things worked and how things were made and not just the finished product. Kevin started with pottery in his Junior year of High school and fell in love with the clay process. Kevin  was finally able to work from start to finish with clay and could learn along the way.   Kevin went on to received a BFA in Ceramics and BA in Art education from California State University, Fullerton. He took a year off after Graduation to travel and taught English in Taiwan where he met a local potter and studied with him for 10 weeks. During this time Kevin learned new throwing techniques and began a love for the moon vase form and developed a vast taste of tea.  After returning to California Kevin got his teaching credential and landed an art position in the same district he was a student. Two years later Kevin transferred to Esperanza High School where he is currently teaching 5 periods of Ceramics.   Kevin works out of his home studio where he has recently been using Periscope to connect with the pottery community. Kevin also uses Instagram and Facebook to help market his artwork and has an Etsy shop where he sells his pottery.   Michael Millam was born and raised in Southern, California and graduated high school in 1999. Michael  attended California State University Fullerton, earning a BA in art education in 2006. He then spent his first 6 years teaching traditional black and white and digital photography at Kennedy High School. In 2012 Michael moved to Western High School to teach ceramics. In June of 2015 Michael completed a Masters in Art Education from Boston University.  Michael was a presenter at NAEA convention and spoke on the subject of high school students using ceramics to communicate identity. Michael also participated on the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) and the Evaluation Systems group of Pearson and served on the California Teaching Performance Assessment (CalTPA) Art Content Expert Panel.

Sean Gaillard is Principal of John F. Kennedy High School in North Carolina. He founded#EdBeat and #CelebrateMonday, and is a#Read4Fun co-founder. He is also a co-organizer for EdCamp Global. Natalie Krayenvenger is the sherpa of learning to some amazing 4th graders in Maryland.  She is a reader, blogger, positive warrior, presenter for Kahoot! and #Buncee Ambassador. In this episode you will learn: The power of being a connected educator How to get started on Twitter How you can incorporate ideas found on Twitter into your own classroom The value of going to ISTE The ways in which you can encourage other educators to become connected How to ditch the desks in your classroom Why Buncee is such a valuable e-portfolio platform The post #83 Sean Gaillard and Natalie Krayenvenger appeared first on Talks with Teachers.

Jahana Hayes, the 2016 National Teacher of the Year, knows what it takes to be a good teacher. In fact, she’s been in the game for twelve years, currently serving as a history teacher at John F. Kennedy High School in Waterbury, Connecticut. But she also believes that not everyone is cut out for the profession, especially if they aren’t willing to change with the times—times that have brought an onslaught of new technologies and practices into the classroom. What does it mean, then, for the teaching profession to prepare for 2020? Last week, EdSurge had the opportunity to sit down with Hayes to hear about her thoughts on what the profession is missing, why there’s a dearth of minority educators in the field, and how her own district struggles with “antiquated ideas” about social media and the like.

Stacie grew up in Colonia, New Jersey.  She graduated from John F. Kennedy High School in Iselin and went on to earn a Bachelor of Science degree from Montclair State University with a minor in community health services. After some time working in a doctor’s office and then at cancer ward of a hospital, Stacie began an 11 year teaching career in Woodbridge Township, N. J. She instructed high school health classes; most of her time was spent teaching sex education to junior and senior students. Stacie is married to Richard Strack. They are now in their 12th year of marriage and have two children, Richie who is 11 years old and Sadie who will turn 9 in August.  After livening in Middlesex, N.J, Stacie and her family moved to Jim Thorpe, PA in 2011 where she has become involved with the holistic health field after a cancer scare that changed her life and direction.   She is currently a Reiki Master and a certified holistic health practitioner. In This Episode, You’ll Learn: About Stacie's cancer scare and how she remains cancer free. Why she was called PVL in her teaching days, and what this meant. :) How traditional health education is failing us. The difference between acidic & alkaline. Why being alkaline is so essential to optimum health.  Why it is important to listen to your intuition. The importance of oxygenating to your body and how. How much control you have over your health and well being. The one thing anyone can do to improve their health. Links & Resources Mentioned In This Episode: Wingsweptwellness@gmail.com 732-599-0110 (Business Phone#) Facebook.com/Stacie.CorradoStrack LifeStrengthandHealth.com Stages Of Healing: Part 1 Stages Of Healing: Part 2   Thanks For Listening!  Thanks you so much for joining us this week.  Have some feedback you’d like to share? Leave a note in the comment section below! And finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play Music or your Android Device to get automatic updates. Thank you Mark for joining us this week. Until next time!  

  This is a rough audio of my 3rd night of doing open mic comedy.  I did it at Overchill, a comedy open mic at Cafe Vino in Atlanta. Please forgive me former students of John F. Kennedy High School. This story is true. Overchill Open Mic Cafe Vino   Spread the word! by

What if every school looked forward to Monday? Guest Sean Gaillard explains how to easily find new inspiration and ideas from experts around the world using Twitter and other resources. Sustaining positive learning environments requires conversation. Learn how to easily celebrate and appreciate students and staff to improve relationships and boost morale through social media. Today's Edspiration Inbox Topic: How to get bullying prevention messages to stick About today’s guest Sean Gaillard is the newly-named principal of John F. Kennedy High School in Winston-Salem, NC after being principal at Wiley Magnet Middle School for six years. He and his wife, Deb (also a teacher), reside in North Carolina with their three daughters. He is the host of the #EdBeat Twitter Chat, and also enjoys co-organizing #Read4Fun Twitter Chat and @EdCampGlobal. Connect with Us Connect with the show at www.Edspirationpodcast.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/impactschoolclimate Twitter: Follow us @schoolclimates Newsletter: Sign up on sidebar at www.Edspiration.org   Questions / comments for John in the Edspiration Inbox: Edspirationpodcast@gmail.com   Show Sponsors International School Climate Institute – Provides practical training, workshops, coaching, and speaking to create positive school climates. Contact us about school climate improvement, planning and climate survey support, bullying prevention and upstander intervention training, restorative justice practices, school safety, youth development, and more.  

Luis Martinez interviews a group from Robert F. Kennedy High School about the murders of young women in Juarez, Mexico, youth round table discussion about arrest of Highland High School Principle, Anthony "Ace" Trujillo, and a radio story about guys hugging.

Kennedy High School is the alternative high school in Cottage Grove, Oregon which has undergone a reincarnation in the past five years under the leadership and vision of Principal Tom Horn. Emphasizing sustainability and place-based learning, students engage academically while carrying out projects that help the community.