Podcasts about kenston

Please help us welcome our special guest Kenston Henderson Sr. to the pod. The Chief Empowerment Officer of Live With Lyfe, offers a unique blend of motivational speaking, leadership development, resilience training, and diversity and inclusion advocacy.You can "connect" with him at the link below:http://livewithlyfe.comAlso, search live with lyfe through favorite social media platforms.Listen in while we speak with Kenston about connection and marriage.We hope you enjoy!Please reach out to us at:marriageistougher.comfacebook.com/MarriageIsTougherinstagram.com/marriageistougher/Let us know if you would like to be a guest on the show or share topic ideasDon't forget to rate, review and subscribe!!!This goes a long way to help us get our message out to more men ready to be better husbands!Thank You,Bryan and Paul

In this episode of Real Talk, KJK Student Defense Attorneys Susan Stone and Kristina Supler are joined by Mark Coffin, the owner and President of Academy Custom Test Prep.  In this episode, they talk about the sweep changes coming to the SAT.  Topics include what big changes are coming to the SAT, how colleges are responding to those changes, and what strategies students should consider when preparing for either the SAT or ACT. Links: Academy Custom Test Prep:  https://academycustomtestprep.com/ Show Notes: (01:45)  What are the Big Changes to SAT in 2024 (04:49)  How will the SAT be different? (06:58)  Some Key Differences Between the SAT and ACT (07:34)  What the new SAT Focuses on with Reading and Grammar (09:52)  The Mysterious Logic Behind Taking the SAT Online (12:08)  The Biggest Change to Taking the SAT (12:54)  Cheating: Varsity Blues Scandal Explained (14:10)  All Scores are Not Created Equal (14:33)  Adaptive Tests:  Are They Equal? (17:08)  Will Colleges Know if You Got a Hard or Easy Test? (18:15)  Will the new SAT be of Any Value? (18:39)  The Response from ACT (19:55)  Do Colleges Prefer SAT over the ACT? (21:37)  Should Students Go with the ACT? (22:43)  A Simple Strategy Students Can Use to Prepare for the SAT (24:40)  How Colleges Are Responding to the SAT Changes (26:33)  Tutoring versus Self-Prep:  What works better? Susan Stone: Kristina, is this the first time we're recording a podcast and we're not together?  Kristina Supler: It is and it feels weird. I feel so alone.  Susan Stone: I was gonna say, I feel so disconnected from you. This is so weird everyone. You know that we're always attached at the hip, but I'm in New York and I.  Kristina Supler: I'm in our studio in Cleveland, Ohio, and, we're gonna do this with technology today, and I think we're gonna be talking about technology a lot today. Susan, what are we talking about today?  Susan Stone: Oh my gosh. We're gonna talk about the changes to the SAT because there's a lot happening and I'm gonna also wanna delve into, is the ACT gonna do the same thing, it's. The time of year where everybody's trying to get their last scores in before college applications go out. So good time for this talk. And, with that, why don't you introduce our guest?  Kristina Supler: Sure. We are joined today by Mark Coffin. Mark's the proud owner of Academy Custom Test Prep. ACT P helps students with the ACT , SAT, P-SAT and GRE tests, as well as common app essays and other college admissions essays. So Mark, thanks for joining us today.  Susan Stone: Happy to be here.  So Mark, big changes are coming to the SAT in 2024. Yeah. Complete. Describe the dun da. So can you describe the changes?  Mark Coffin: Sure. It's a complete revamp. The, college board who, runs both the P-SAT and SAT testing, they make up the tests and score 'em and all that. They made major changes to the SAT in 2016. So this isn't a long time for them to have had this new test. They made it then much closer to the ACT. Now effective with the P-SAT. This fall they're given traditionally in the high schools to juniors, sophomores, and juniors in October of each year. So this fall, both sophomores and juniors will take the new version of the P-SAT, which will be very much like the new version of the SAT. The first new SAT will be in March of 24. So current juniors who pretty much have already taken some of these tests, have taken the old s a, the current SAT. The new one will be for current sophomores and younger kids starting next March. Now a current sophomore could in fact take SAT tests this fall. There are, four testing dates. And take the current version on paper. But starting with March, it's going to be a very different format, for a number of reasons. Number one, the test is gonna be completely online. So there'll be no printed tests. Students will take it at testing centers, not at home, designated as they do now, but they can use their own computers or they, a computer will be provided when they go in and get ready for the test and start, their computer will basically be frozen. So they can't use it for research or texting or anything else they might want. And they download through a link, the new SAT test. And so they will have their own test on their machine or on a provided machine that's online and everything must be done online. The test will be shorter. It's currently a little over three hours. It's gonna be two hours. They're shortening it by combining some of the sections and reduce, just simply reducing the number of questions. The current SAT has a reading section. And a writing or grammar section. And those will now be, those are now separate sections. You finish one and then go on when the time's up to the next one. And then it current one has two math sections. One without a calculator. You can't use a calculator. And then one with a calculator. And again, you do the non calculator. You finish when the time's up. You go on to the next one.  Susan Stone: Mark. I just wanna interrupt, how did they know whether you have a calculator or a non calculator? Do the proctors manage that? Yeah, the proctors.  Mark Coffin: The proctors are walking around and they see you with a calculator. you're kicked out. so  Kristina Supler: it sounds like it's almost, it's a really different test.  Mark Coffin: It's different in a lot of other ways too. One hugely important way, which I'll get to after I've covered the more, the simpler questions. So the current two sections that are reading and grammar, they call it writing and language, are gonna be combined into one section so you don't finish big. That's a big, that's a big change. That's a big change. In the, reading part, in the current test, you generally have around 11 paragraphs to read, eight to 11, and then you answer 10 or 11 questions about each paragraph. So you have to be not only a perceptive reader, but a pretty quick reader because I'll give you a lot of time. The current, the new test will reduce this, I think, to four passages for the reading with one question and just be a paragraph with only one question per paragraph. The, reasoning is that students will have more time to absorb the material and answer one sort of more broader question about the point of the paragraph so they have more time to ponder it in effect.  Susan Stone: Mark,  Kristina Supler: is that easier?  Yeah, it sounds like they're in some ways watering the test down. Am I wrong?  Mark Coffin: The questions are not easy. I don't think it's easier. It's easier in the time sense. You're not hurried to read a paragraph and answer 10 or 11 questions. Because you have to have pretty good recall to read a paragraph and then immediately go to the questions and remember 11 different answers. Now it'll be one answer. And I've taken a practice test. Khan Academy, which many people are familiar with, is Sure. An online practicing entity for basically the SAT. They now have a couple of these, new format practice tests. And I've taken one, the question's not, I'm not a junior in high school, so I may be somewhat better at taking these tests than some kids, but,it's a fairly difficult question, I thought for a junior. Susan Stone: Okay. So sorry to, they're taking  Kristina Supler: the time management pressure out of it, but the substance of the questions is still weighty.  Mark Coffin: Yes, I think so. The. Yeah, they're trying to give kids more time. The SAT compared to the ACT has never been a time crunch. The way the ACT is. The ACT is much more direct, and so there are many more questions in the same three hour period. For example, the math section in the ACT is 60 questions in 60 minutes. you gotta move. SAT was never that time crunch. But they're dropping it from three hours to two dramatically reducing the number of questions. The whole idea is to make it, an easier test, frankly.  Susan Stone: So let's go back. What are the other changes, cuz I wanna make sure we cover 'em all.  Mark Coffin: I told you they combined the two reading and grammar. Grammar will have much more emphasis on vocabulary. The SAT before they changed it in 2016, was much more of a vocabulary test than the then new SAT. They reduced the, you really had to study vocabulary if you took an SAT in 2005. Kristina Supler: so are we back to that? Are we back to studying vocabulary?  Mark Coffin: I think so, somewhat. The but they'll, there'll be more emphasis on vocabulary, not so much, you don't have to define words, but they will have a blank in a sentence and ask you which word best fills in that blank. So you don't have to know the definition, but you have to know pretty much the context of words, how they're used. And in some words will be absurd. You just wouldn't use 'em. It might be farmer, where the right word is horse. I'm using simplistic examples, but you would never put farmer in the, in that blank. So some of them will be obvious, but some won't be. It'll be difficult. So anyway, those are two of the changes. The, making the math all, maybe I didn't get to that. The math is now gonna be all with a calculator, fewer questions than the two previous sections. But you can use a calculator anywhere. And you don't bring a calculator. The calculator is on the screen. One of the big changes with this test going online is that you have to be adept at taking the test online. With a paper test going forwards and back, skipping a problem, but coming back to it later because you circled it on your paper. Those things are second nature to kids now. I'm much older than a junior in high school. I think many of these kids are much more adept at online testing than I am.  Kristina Supler: There's all sorts of online testing now, for sure. Yeah, I Susan Stone: know, but I would struggle because I remember that taking the SAT and seeing something that was challenging, saying, okay, I'm gonna come back, and I would just jot where to go back. But now you've got a manage and negotiate everything on the screen.  Mark Coffin: Well, you can have to help with that. You can have scratch paper, obviously you can't bring anything other than blank paper. They'll provide scratch paper. So you can write down section one. I wanna come back to number 11 or something. But you still gotta be able to do it on the screen. Now there are arrows. Kids know how to do that. But it's another step I think thatIt just makes it, for me, it makes it much more challenging to take this test online. So essentially those are the format is largely the same. The material tested largely the same. Just many fewer questions. Their thinking is that by making it shorter and online, I don't know how they come up with this logic, but that it will appeal to many more kids. That it'll be fairer. I don't know what makes this fairer. That's what they put in their press releases, that they think more kids will take it. I think that may be true, but not because they've improved the test. I think kids will be, a p will be attracted by the two hours instead of three. These tests are no fault.  Susan Stone: for sure.  Kristina Supler: So were these, what motivated, or caused SAT to make these sweeping changes?  Mark Coffin: There's no question that these tests, ACT or SAT are culturally biased. If you come from a good school system, a nuclear family, maybe get prep work, tutoring, you have a huge advantage over a student that doesn't have those things. So that makes the score. The score is it's almost a. It's hard for an inner city kid, for example, to score, and many do nonetheless, but they have a bigger hurdle to get the kind of scores that a kid's kid from a top flight, public or private school can get.  Kristina Supler: So in other words, if you have resources, you can game the test. Mark Coffin: I tell people only partly inject ingest that academy's job is to be a legal cheater. Our job is to train these kids interesting, to improve the on the test. And think of this as a move on an athletic field. Think of prepping as a move on an athletic field or learning in an instrument or lines in a play. If you do the test over and over in practice, you're just simply gonna get better.  Susan Stone: Yeah, but Mark, my understanding of the TE biggest test change is that students will get different tests cuz the computer will spit out different questions based on how you do.  Kristina Supler: Is that true? I'm gonna track you, Susan? Is that what you're getting at?  Mark Coffin: There's two parts to that answer, and it's the biggest change. The first part is everyone in the room will have a different test. Forget the adaptive nature I'll get to next. Every, the person sitting next to you will have a different test than yours. I believe. That's simply a plain attempt to stop cheating. You can't look at the person next to you and see what they're answering. Not only is it online, but they have a different test. They're gonna have, 17 is gonna be a different question for John than Mary.  Susan Stone: so you can't use AI to help you with the test. Kristina Supler: No. This was one thing I was wondering as well, aside from ai, is this some sort of response to the varsity blues, matter and all the cheating that happened just a couple years ago?  Mark Coffin: That was pretty genius, frankly, what that guy did it, it hinged on you moving your test center to one of his. And to do that was very simple. He said, I've got a wedding that day in Texas and can I take the test there? Yeah, sure. And you take the test to his test center and he either, gave you the answers or he had someone else take the test.  Susan Stone: Just sit there. Yeah. That wouldn't have prevented varsity blue because he actually I agree had someone take the test for you. But you won't be able to really move test centers, correct?  Mark Coffin: No. I don't know that. You go, you still go to a test center, so I guess that same argument still applies. But obviously they're paying much more attention. That was a, he called it a side door. And of course the bad part of that was that he had athletic coaches, letting a guy who lives in a desert get in on the crew team kind of thing. Susan Stone: But the question is, now that everybody has a different test, how do you compare? How can a school say, look at Johnny Smith versus Johnny Jones. And if they both have a 1300, how do you compare? Cuz they're two different tests,  Kristina Supler: right? Not all 13 hundreds are created equal with an adaptive test, right? Mark Coffin: Yeah, that's correct. And of course some kids are better at certain phraseology, better re even though you end up with the same score, you might do well on certain questions that the other guy didn't do well on. But it comes out to the same score because vice versa. And other questions. The yeah, there is no comparative value that I can see. and I haven't even gotten to the big change. Susan Stone: Okay. give us the big change. Yeah. wait,  Mark Coffin: take us there. I'll one more comment though, on the sitting next to people with different tests. The college board maintains that the test, no matter being different, they're equivalent. Well, that's a value judgment. And I don't know how you That's a great comment. How you can really ascertain that or say it with a straight face. If it's a different test, by definition, it's not compar comparable. So you're right. So that's a fairly big change right there. But here's the killer. The tests are now gonna be adaptive, meaning I, I mentioned, I think I mentioned before, that when you do the verbal part, the reading and the grammar. They're gonna be two modules. And the same thing with math. Two modules. So when you finish the first one, say the, reading in, in grammar, the program is gonna analyze how you did and either give you harder questions for the second module or easier ones. So if you screw up early on, even if you're brilliant, and then just half asleep and start off slowly, you're gonna get easier questions. Same thing in the math. After the first module, they're gonna adjust the following questions. That also will adjust the score you can get the maximum score is gonna stay still. 1600, 800, 800 on the two sections. Which is pretty hard to get by the way. But the maximum score now will be essentially 1200. So if you get in both sections, the easier Second module, your score will be capped in each section at 600, so two would be 1200. Even if you answer the second module, both the verbal and the math perfectly, your score can't go over 1200, or maybe it's 1225. It's not specific, but it's low 12 hundreds. And it's nowhere near 1600. Now if you, obviously, if you do well in the sections, you get the harder questions and your maximum score could be the 1600. But this means, again, Everyone is taking a different test that when you start changing the second module from the first module. And by the way, the first module is already different, and now you're gonna change the second one. What possible value do two scores have when be like a batter's batting average when they're in a different ballpark against a different pitch. It's not the same ballgame.  Susan Stone: Mark, will colleges have any way of knowing that? Let's say Kristina and I both took it. I got an easy version. She got a hard,  Mark Coffin: I. Not in anything I've read. I don't believe so. It's a very good question. But I don't think colleges will know. college board has been quiet on that and colleges have been crickets on this. They haven't said anything basically about this new test. Part of that is because it's not in their ball ballpark yet. The kids that are gonna be taking this test, are gonna be next year's juniors. They don't apply until the fall of senior year. So we're two years away from colleges even having to think about these scores. D do they matter or not?  Kristina Supler: Well, it's interesting to think about the change, really significant changes in the SAT coupled with the affirmative action ruling from the Supreme Court. You know how that the trickle down effect of both those changes on the college admissions landscape. It's it's gonna be really significant.  Mark Coffin: Well, certainly certain minorities are gonna have a harder time. They're not getting favoritism theoretically on paper. And is that good or bad? We could argue the point. But, and they're, both sides have plenty of value in the argument. But yeah, it. In my mind, this new SAT will be of no value whatsoever to colleges. Because its only value is comparative. And that's a limited value. But if you take the comparison value away, what, what's left? They took, they got a score.  Susan Stone: So what is ACT gonna do? Are they gonna sit back and hold the course? And what that test is?  Mark Coffin: So far, the ACT has said they are not doing anything except they're investigating, going online with their test. And they, the SAT is has already been online abroad. If you took it, if you're a student taking it abroad and want to apply to a US college, which many do, that is currently the new version of the SAT and it's online. The ACT, all they've said is they're looking into going online, away from paper tests.  Now, here's problem for a company like mine. There are no paper tests anymore. The college board currently puts out a big blue book, has eight practice tests. And kids that's how we give kids homework and that's how they improve. They do the tests,  Kristina Supler: ah, materials for practicing, and yeah, so on and so forth.  Mark Coffin: There are no materials now. I don't have any way of having a tutor sit with a student and go over the questions and answers. It's just, it's not on paper. It's not there. You can't do women computers.  Kristina Supler: Mark, I'm wondering, irrespective of the changes to SAT, let's set that aside for a moment. As things currently stand, in your opinion, do colleges and universities prefer the SAT over the ACT or vice versa?  Mark Coffin: No, they did 20 years ago, 15 years ago. They clearly did. The East Coast was an SAT area. Largely they preferred the SAT. So if you were uva, Harvard, any, any East Coast team you wanted an SAT. Same thing with the West Coast. They wanted SAT. Basically the Midwest has always been the ACT home. But that all changed, I don't know, 2 20 12 kind of thing. All colleges then and now say that they don't have a preference. And of course, as many colleges have gone test, some are test blind. If you turn in a test, they won't even consider it. But many are test optional. So many kids have opted out, would've opted out of even taken the test. Cuz it's no fun. If you really want to do well, you pretty much have to prep. And that's expensive and time consuming. And these kids are busy. Junior year is a really busy year for a high school kid. So many of them have opted to go test fun. And of course any student who forget, just not wanting to bother. any student who knows they're a weak test taker or maybe takes the test one time and is very disappointed, of course they're not turning that score in and they're not gonna take it again. So test optional is still, it helps if a school's test optional, you can turn in a good score. It helps in two ways. It's a tie breaker for a student that looks like you on paper without a score. And it's also a help for marade. Almost all colleges consider if they get a score, it's a factor in. And colleges, as are really expensive. So getting merit aid is a big plus. But, you're only turning in a good score. So you can see what that does to the average scores that colleges now.  Susan Stone: The average score is now higher. I'm gonna have two follow up questions based on what Kristina said. One is, now with the change of the SAT, would you recommend students just stick with the ACT? Because it'll give Yeah. Pardon?  Mark Coffin: Completely. Partly because I can't, and I'm on it. I've already started talking to parents whose kids are, rising juniors. We're not tutoring the SAT I can't do it. And I also don't think you should take it. If you're going to take the test, a test, take one that matters. Why take a test that's meaningless?  Susan Stone: And then my follow up is something that you said if it's gonna be online and it's difficult for you to get practice materials, are you just gonna tutor with like, general testing strategy. Mark Coffin: Well, we're doing that with some kids. We have our, or we're set up to do that with some rising juniors who know they are not taking a paper test in the fall. They're taking the first in March, the first,new format. And the mom said to me, since the material's largely the same, I understand the timing and all those things are different. But can you just tutor her for the current SAT using paper tests? She'll be better, won't she? At the real, the new SAT the answer. That's a great question. Of course she will be. And we are doing that with some kids. And I've suggested that to some moms. But,But it's not, it's still not prepping him for the exact same test. So that as a businessman, that makes me a little uncomfortable taking your money, but I'm preparing you for something you're not gonna do.  Susan Stone: So what are you going do? How are you going?  Mark Coffin: Just ACT. And so unless something changes now, we're still a ways away from next March. If there are sufficient numbers of online practice tests and they become accessible somehow. I'm not a computer geek, so I don't know what that means, but if there's some way we can use them sitting down one-on-one with a kid, yeah, of course we'll do that. Except again, I think it's hard for me to justify to a mother. Why do, why are you gonna take the SAT? Why's your student taking the SAT? It's a pointless test now. And I think colleges will come to that conclusion. Now, if you get a 1500. Whether it's a different test or not, of course that's an indicator. You're a pretty, pretty good student, at least at this type of work. Does it compare to another 1500 or, I don't think so. But a but a strong score is a strong score. I think they're dumbing down the test, and I think it'll be easier to get a pretty good score if you take it. but  Kristina Supler: Mark, how would you respond to someone who, a listener out there who might just say,geez, this guy's in the test prep business. And, it's sour grapes for the SAT because now you've in, you've said you can't tutor on the SAT. it's just your business interests are driving your opinion of the test changes. How would you respond to that?  Mark Coffin: I think the colleges are gonna have the same business interest. And they're gonna be making the same evaluation I am. How valuable is this number now? As I said before, they haven't gotten there yet. They don't have to. It's not even on their radar. Another interesting wrinkle in this is, the state of Ohio currently requires as a diploma requirement, graduation requirement that all public and parochial, not private schools, but public and parochial, give their junior class either an SAT or an ACT For free. For free. For free. Yes. Yes. And the school picks the date. And they pick which test. And some schools pick ACT, like Solen, west Joa, but many schools pick SAT like Orange and Kenston and Chagrin Falls. The SAT, they're gonna be able to give, and they typically do this in the spring. So the SAT they're gonna have available to them is gonna be the new format. Are they gonna give that SAT as a graduation requirement or are they gonna go to ACT? I would think they'd go ACT. But I don't know. I've asked a couple of college guidance people and they say it's not on our radar yet. That's so far ahead. So yeah.  Susan Stone: That's really interesting. I would say that, Look, you can't deny, especially with the test, optional, that there's a positive inference by submitting a score. Correct. And I don't know that's gonna change. So it is still important and studying practice makes perfect with this test. And there are some good free resources available. We can't deny that. But it Mark, after having three kids go through it, No matter what the free resource is, it helps to have a human being sit with you and explain things, doesn't it? Kristina Supler: Not quite the same as working with the tutor.  Mark Coffin: Yeah, the one-on-one is very different than doing it yourself. Partly cuz when you miss a question, it might be cuz you don't understand how to do it. Not just a casual error. Like I forgot to bring a minus sign down. The other thing is motivation. None of humans are very good at doing things we don't particularly enjoy and prepping on your own. Very true is difficult, to sit there. And plus, when you prep, you're not taking a three hour test, eight o'clock on a Saturday morning. You take a, you do a math test for practice and you get up in the middle of it and go get a soda or something. And it's just very different on your own even if you do it. And one of the reasons that my business is attractive to parents is it's a way of, in effect, forcing their kids to do it. It's like a doctor's appointment. You gotta get, go meet with this person, do the homework, and just take this seriously. It's costing me a lot of money. Yep. And doing it on your own just isn't the same motivation. Very few kids are successful at doing it on their own. Some are, they're some kids that are driven for this kind of thing. But I think the answer to your earlier question is this self-serving course. It is. it's my business, and I want it to work as well as possible. The good news is tutoring works. And it's very rewarding, especially for my tutors. When you raise a kid's score, 250 points on the SAT. You take 'em from 1150 to a 1500 or something. it's, it, that's very big job. Big job. Yeah. and it happens. it sounds incredible. But it's a function of the kids putting in the effort. And again, they're the same tests every time, different material, but they get used to the material. It brings back stuff like the math they may have had two years earlier and have basically largely forgotten since ninth grade. Kristina Supler: There's so much to consider now for families, planning for the future with the college process. But this has really been a wonderful discussion that's full of chock full of good information for parents to be aware of as they, plan for the future and the college process with their children. Susan Stone: And again, another difficult decision, SAT V versus ACT or whether you should take it at all. Lots to think about. You gotta know your kid. Absolutely.  Mark Coffin: Another point, the test may become more available to companies like mine because there are huge national tutoring companies like Princeton Review, Kaplan. They don't wanna stop tutoring the the SAT. Some of them are making their own tests trying to divine how are we, how's this test gonna look? That's, that doesn't work very well. but they, they've got a lot of incentive to get something out there that little companies like me can use and students can use. Kristina Supler: What's the saying? Necessity is the mother of invention. So there you go.  Susan Stone: That's a good one. Supler. That's a good one. Mark, it's been such a pleasure.  Kristina Supler: Feel free to reach out to Mark Coffin at Academy Custom Test Prep. Thanks for joining us, Mark. Thanks.  Mark Coffin: My pleasure. Thanks. Have a good day. Bye-Bye. 

What if we all approached conversations with others with respect, empathy, and maturity? Just think of all we could accomplish together! We would all win!Every one of us has a different lived experience and we all see things differently from one another. At the same time, we all have biases. We tend to gravitate toward people who look like us and who we were surrounded by as we were growing up.In short, we're all human. And we need to move outside our comfort zones if we want to see change in the world. When we get comfortable with change, we allow ourselves to grow and develop. As leaders, this is essential.On this episode of the Mental Health for Leaders podcast, guest Kenston Hendersion is sharing about bias, approaching conversations with an open mind, why leaning into discomfort is a good thing, and how to do right by your employees. He also shares an amazing resource that can help you identify your own biases so you can start to do something about them.About Kenston Henderson:This week's guest is Kenston Henderson Sr. aka "The Bias Disrupter" and " The Winning Conversations Enthusiast". He is the founder and CEO of Live With Lyfe, LLC, is a TEDx Signature Speaker, a certified John Maxwell Leadership Speaker and Trainer, Culture Transformation Champion, and certified in Youth Mental Health First Aid USA. He is also a speaker at the upcoming SHRM conference being held in New Orleans in June of 2022.Kenston has over 18 years of experience in Human Resources coaching and training leaders and teams to communicate and play well together. Kenston delivers impactful, on-time, and action-packed speaking and training messages.Kenston is one of the most sought after Corporate and Youth motivational speakers and trainers around the world. He is enthusiastic, dynamic, and engaging. Since the pandemic, his impact has extended virtually to international areas in Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and South America. His most recent talk was given live in Nairobi Kenya. Kenston also received the ICN Dr. Astell Generation Leadership Award. I think you'll really enjoy Kenston's insights so on with the show.Mentioned in this Episode of Mental Health for Leaders:Harvard Implicit Association TestCreating Culture of Racial Equity in Workplace - courseJoin the monthly digital subscription

Brought to you by Ganley Chevrolet of Aurora, its episode 30 of the Principal's Podcast. On this episode Braden, Jenny, and Mr. Gabram welcome the Kenston Resource Officers Sergeant Weiner and Officer Patete to talk about what it is like being K9 handlers, working with Kenston, and their opinion on upcoming holiday debates.

Are you done, tired, ready to move on from talking about Diversity in the workplace? Yeah me too! Time to shut up and put up! In this episode, I am bringing a familiar face to talk about how we are helping organizations win not just in conversation but win at doing the work of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Come join TEDx Speaker Kenston Henderson and me as we dig into how to move past Performative Allyship. It's time to put the posters into practice!

Chaun Powell '99 takes a trip Down to the River and discusses his switch from Kenston to Hawken and how important of a roll playing football was in his time as a high school student. Chaun and I talk about the responsibilities of being a captain, as a senior, and 12th man, as a sophomore, on special teams. There is no Ask Coach segment this episode.

This week on this first day of February and what is traditionally the start of "Black History Month" in the United States of America I get to kick things off with Kenston Henderson. We are coming in H.O.T. to talk about how to have Winning Conversation: How to Communicate Successfully and Courageously About Race Do you avoid conversations about race? Are you a victim to your mind imagining that conversation going bad? Or question whether or not you're prepared for the conversation? Well, the truth is you're not alone, as a matter of fact, most people avoid talking about race in the US and all around the world. But those days are over! In this podcast session, we will discover how to communicate successfully, confidently, and courageously.

Just like an end of year performance review, one of the most effective tools I have seen to date to help me with behavior change is to sit and do my own review. I am bringing my business partner, friend, and one of the most authentic voices I know Kenston Henderson, Sr. In this final episode of 2021, we will talk through how the year started and what we accomplished. We will also give you a sneak peek into what 2021 will hold as it pertains to the look and feel of the H.O.T. Takes Podcast. Listen in as we display what it truly means to be Humble, Open, and Transparent.

Alex and returning co-host Molly Gebler welcome back superintendents Nancy Santilli and Bob Hunt of Kenston and Chagrin Falls, who update us on this challenging semester and what’s in store for the next one (so far) in light of the pandemic. Notes  Introductions and personal updates Current virtual learning status in each district Managing staff in and outside of the classroom Which is better? Letting every district make decisions or having everyone do the same thing. “If I knew then what I know now…” Handling the stress personally Highs and lows from this semester Teachers’ concerns Managing staff stress Lightning round Links Chagrin Falls Exempted Village SchoolsKenston SchoolsChagrin Valley Chamber of Commerce“Schools and Child Care: Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)” – Minnesota Department of EducationEp 34 – School House Rock – Meet Nancy SantilliEp 45 – Head of the Class – Reconnect with Bob Hunt and Nancy SantilliEp 77 – Bob Hunt and Nancy Santilli: Solving Problems Students Care About MostEp 109 – Hunt and Santilli in the Hot SeatsEp 124 – Schooling During The Pandemic – A Special Q&A Session with Superintendents Nancy Santilli and Bob HuntLemon Falls Cafe/Marketplace“The Splendid and the Vile: A Saga of Churchill, Family, and Defiance During the Blitz” by Erik LarsonGet Molly’s Books!

Cliff Hickman and Mike Popovich from the Canton Repository wrap up Week 1 of the OHSAA football playoffs. Mike was at the Tuslaw at Sandy Valley and Kenston at Marlington games this week while Cliff was at the Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin at Louisville and Central Catholic at Tusky Valley games. Catch coverage on all those and more in this episode. Don't miss it! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Marlington Coach Mark Gulling joined The Kenny & JT Show Tuesday, as his Dukes prepare to open the playoffs Friday night vs Kenston. It's the WHBCSports.com Stream Game of the Night.

In this world of ours we rarely take the time to see the world as others do, instead we settle and see the world as we are. The danger with that is if we are not careful we could find ourselves trying to help someone rationalize their reality. How insensitive is that!? Can you imagine trying to convince someone who just lost a family member that its not that bad or relegate their emotions and feelings by saying "It could be worse". You wouldn't dare would you? Then why is it okay to attempt to do it when it comes to social issues? I am done explaining away my humanity to help others be okay with me not being okay. Enough is enough we must talk about our world as it IS not as we wish it to be. When we stay present for what is we an then put words and feet to actively move the needle forward. I brought my brother in once again to talk through this with me. This one is a bit raw and full of emotion, so, as always let me know what you think and how we can continue to make the show better.

Josh Jakacki was a well heralded basketball player in the northeast Ohio basketball scene in 1994 starring at Crestwood High School. He went on to have a hall-of-fame career at Hiram College where his mother had worked and he had lived. His coaching career--both at Kenston and at Crestwood-- has been built on toughness, honesty and collaboration. Ever adapting to his teams' strengths, Josh coached both of his sons at Crestwood and formed lifelong memories not only with his family but the Crestwood family at large. His year round commitment to the school, evidenced by his role as head track coach and football assistant, speaks to his willingness to work tirelessly for his community. In addition, he trains over 150 young athletes with his personal basketball training business. Next year will be his last on the bench for his hometown school.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/teachercoach)

What have you always wanted to ask a superintendent? We brought back Ms. Nancy Santilli of Kenston Schools and Dr. Bob Hunt of Chagrin Falls Exempted School District and showered them with questions from the students and the community on topics like student support, snow days, the future of education, and what they do for fun. Get to know the people leading the districts in this thoughtful interview with 2 inspiring pacesetters. Kenston Center Stage had their production of Elf earlier this month, but you can still see the High School Holiday Concert (Dec 12th) and Middle School Band (12/18) and Choral (12/19) Concerts. Visit kenstonlocal.org for event information. Chagrin Falls School Events Calendar can be found at www.chagrinschools.org, and includes a band performance on Dec 12th. SHOW NOTES Congratulation Dr. Hunt; Molly parties with the Browns; Disney law and local theater; Nice new building at CF Schools; Bomber Bash; A big accomplishment with a strong support system On the job rewards and challenges public misconceptions about running a school system, Goals for the school year Home Ec becomes Life Skills Snow Day Decisions Supporting a range of students The future of education – freedom in learning; meeting community demands Staying in and going out with the family Investing a million dollars REFERENCES IN THIS INTERVIEW: A Kid Again helps to restore a sense of normal for families thrust into the situation of having to care for a child with a life-threatening illness. Learn more at akidagain.org Jacques Evans was our guest on Ep 68 – Get in the FLOH. We spoke with Gene Shelton Ep 67 – Meet the Music Legends The River of Doubt: Theodore Roosevelt’s Darkest Journey (book) by Candice Millard. Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy Seals Lead and Win (book) by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin. View a TEDx Talk on the topic at www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljqra3BcqWM Browse and purchase a copy of Sherman or one of Molly’s other books at apieceofmollysmind.com, Fireside Book Shop, the Chagrin Falls Popcorn Shop. Northeast Ohio attorneys are invited to register for The 10x Law Firm: How to Future-Proof Your Clients and Your Firm While Increasing Revenue and Reducing Costs on December 20th, 2019. This all-day CLE program offers you relevant business information, coaching, and advice to help you take your law practice to the next level in 2020. Reserve your seat at jurisink.com. Enjoy these other episodes with Bob and Nancy: Ep 20 – Meet Bob Hunt and Shannon Beach Ep 34 – School House Rock – Meet Nancy Santilli Ep 45 – Head of the Class – Reconnect with Bob Hunt and Nancy Santilli Ep 77 – Bob Hunt and Nancy Santilli: Solving Problems Students Care About Most

Welcome to Episode 11 of the Principal’s Podcast. This week on the show we invite senior Josh Walls and senior George Sell to talk about their decisions in early graduation and what that whole experience is like. With of course this not being the norm here at Kenston, we hear a little bit of a different perspective. Alongside our special someones, Donny talks about kitten t-shirts and Gabram quickly changes the subject to security systems in homes.

Matt Vespa is entering his first year on the Lakeland Community College Men's Basketball coaching staff and his first year coaching basketball at the college level. Previously, Vespa was head coach at Kenston High School in Ohio and held an overall record of 44-27 during his three years leading the program. During his time at Kenston, Vespa helped guide several players to play college basketball at Walsh University, Notre Dame College and Baldwin Wallace University. During the 2016-17 season, Vespa led Kenston to a sectional championship. Before his time at Kenston, Vespa led the Geneva Eagles for two seasons, helping the team set a record for single-season wins in the last 10 years. Prior to his coaching career, Vespa was an all-conference and all-academic player at Eastlake North High School. After high school, Vespa played at Lake Erie College under coach Cliff Hunt. Vespa was part of two Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference championship teams and participated in two NCAA Division III National Tournaments. Vespa is a USA Basketball Certified coach and has been featured in basketball clinics internationally. Check out our website www.hoopheadspod.com where you can listen to every episode in our archive. After you’ve listened to this episode or one of your other favorites, please head over to your favorite podcast app and leave us a 5 star rating and review. Those reviews help others in the basketball community find our show . Make sure you’re subscribed to the Hoop Heads Podcast so you never miss an episode. The pod is available on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, SoundCloud, Google Play, & YouTube. Get out your notebook right now so you don’t miss any of the wisdom shared by Matt Vespa, assistant men’s basketball coach at Lakeland Community College in the state of Ohio. Email - mvespa0@lakelandcc.edu Twitter - @CoachMattVespa Support this podcast

Welcome to episode 6 of the Principal’s Podcast. This week our three hosts invite Mr. James Watson onto the podcast and talk about his life here at Kenston, and with James bringing the laughs throughout, Jack could hardly contain himself. The topics this week cover a very wide range of topics from Natalie Portman to the Madison vs. Kenston football game.

Download Episode Here Our favorite superintendents are back! Bob Hunt of Chagrin Falls School District and Nancy Santilli of Kenston School District return to the studio and give their perspective on the issues that mattered most to students in the 2018 We Solve Problems Essay Contest. Visit wesolveproblems-essay.com to read essays from finalists from each year of the contest. Stay informed of contest updates by joining the mailing list at mailchi.mp/5eadbcf306b8/wsp, or by following We Solve Problems Essay Contest on Facebook and Twitter (@WSPEssayContest). Like Brian Reardon's 5-0 Buffalo Chicken Dip on Facebook at www.facebook.com/50buffalo/. The sizes of the words in this “word cloud” are proportional to the frequency with which they were chosen as problems to solve by students in the 2018 We Solve Problems Essay Contest. Breakdown of topics selected by 2018 We Solve Problems Essay Contest participants SHOW NOTES: Welcome and congratulations, Molly - the transformation from parent to grandparent; A look into Nancy’s family; Bob and Nancy hijinks; Chagrin Falls and Kenston in the news Revisiting student-selected issues from We Solve Problems Essay Contest – The problem of vaping The most important relationships; Technology Revisiting We Solve Problems issues – Mental health Additional issues from We Solve Problems – Sleep deprivation; Violence in school and gun control; Social Media Enjoy these other episodes with Bob and Nancy: Ep 20 – Meet Bob Hunt and Shannon Beach Ep 34 – School House Rock – Meet Nancy Santilli Ep 45 – Head of the Class – Reconnect with Bob Hunt and Nancy Santilli Ep 109 – Hunt and Santilli in the Hot Seats Molly's new grand-babies! MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: Junction Auto, Sam Evers, Punderson restaurant, Brian Reirdan, Hungry Bee, Café Michaels

Find out what a Civic Club does from Bainbridge Civic Club officers, Justin Ryan and Mark George. Plus: teacher appreciation, fun history facts, and a passionate music conversation. Be sure you go to Facebook and “Like” Bainbridge Civic Club. You can also browse their website at sites.google.com/site/bainbridgecivicclub/home. Get to know Christi George, Mark’s better half, on episode 59. Gertsburg Law Firm is proud to roll-out CoverMySix for Small Companies and Startups!  If you’re a newer or smaller company, you’ll want this complete legal documentation portfolio to minimize your exposure to lawsuits and investigations.  And if you’re a larger or older company, check out www.covermysix.com to learn about the full CM6 audit suite. SHOW NOTES * 0:50       Hello from Bainbridge Civic Club; A friendly neighborhood competition? * 5:40       Traditional Pancake Breakfasts and Modern Ox Roasts; The evolution of Taste of Bainbridge; Cheering on Kenston’s football championship * 13:20    Finding their way to the Civic Club; Why get involved; Looking ahead to 2019 and spreading the word Shout-outs in this episode include: Chagrin Valley Jaycees, Molly Gebler, Christi George, Bainbridge Area Food for Friends; Kenston High School; Chagrin Valley Chamber of Commerce; Red Wanting Blue; Matt Petche

Download Episode Here At this time in our national climate, we brought back two superintendents in the age of school shootings, social media, and stress. Alex and Molly welcome back to the studio Bob Hunt and Nancy Santilli of the Chagrin Falls and Kenston school districts. These WSP Essay Contest rivals share their perspective on school safety, why schools need to ask for funding, how they feel about testing mandates, and the role that social media plays in their lives. Tune in to learn what's happening in Molly's kitchen, what keeps Nancy up at 1 am, and why Bob's wife calls him "The Sophisticated Hillbilly". Bob was our guest with his wife Shannon on episode 20. You can follow him on twitter at @Hunt_EdLeader. Nancy joined us for episode 34. Follow Nancy at @KenstonSuper. SaferOH tip line allows students and adults to anonymously share information with school officials and law enforcement about threats to student safety-whether that involved a threatened mass incident or harm to a single student. Call or text the safe school hotline at 1-800-SaferOH. The Chagrin Valley Chamber of Commerce Annual Awards Night was a huge success. View photos from the event in this Chagrin Valley Times article: www.chagrinvalleytoday.com/collection_85b413d8-2d3b-11e8-919b-0380ef5f151a.html You can reach us by email at bestpodcastever1@gmail.com, and be sure to subscribe and rate us on iTunes, Stitcher, or at our website www.thebestpodcastever.com. SHOW NOTES Molly's kitchen situation; ADD update; Alex is a fan of Next Door We Solve Problems Essay Contest and a debate on naps A conversation about Gun Control and School Safety Communication after a tragedy Being a teacher after a school shooting Active Shooter procedures If Bob and Nancy had a magic wand Why schools need to ask for funding School testing mandates from the educator's view Stressed out students Being a Superintendent in the age of Social Media How Superintendents manage stress Essay Contest Predictions Bob and Nancy returned to the studio together for these other episodes: Ep 77 – Bob Hunt and Nancy Santilli: Solving Problems Students Care About Most Ep 109 – Hunt and Santilli in the Hot Seats

Step into the shoes of a 6th grader in this episode with Jacob Gertsburg, son of BPE host Alex Gertsburg and student at Kenston Middle School. Alex and Molly ask Jacob about middle school life, uncover what happens in the back of the bus, and find out how times have changed since they were in school. The ever-humble Jake enlightens our listeners with the latest pre-teen slang and his tips for romance in this really "gucci" episode. Kenston Middle School will be presenting Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast Jr.” on Jan. 19 at 7 p.m. and Jan. 20 at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. at the Kenston High School, Robert A. Lee Auditorium. Want to help students as they become the leaders of tomorrow? Volunteer as a judge or be a sponsor in the 2018 We Solve Problems Essay Contest. Essays will be judged at the end of February and winners awarded in May 2018. Learn more at www.gertsburglaw.com/essay.   [caption id="attachment_749" align="alignleft" width="155"] The red blend wine that Molly was raving about[/caption]   [caption id="attachment_748" align="alignleft" width="210"] Molly made a great Santa Claus![/caption] [caption id="attachment_751" align="alignleft" width="133"] Christmas Cactus in the studio[/caption]           SHOW NOTES * 0:55 Molly's wine review * 3:01 Good things in the CVCC office * 4:02 Molly's ADD journey * 11:35 Introducing Jacob * 13:23 When Jacob met Molly * 14:44 The start of a middle-school day * 18:30 School bus adventures * 21:50 Gertsburg family holiday movie reviews * 23:40 Standing up to bullies * 24:35 Coping with relocation for gas leak * 31:22 Lunchtime politics and How to flirt in 6th grade * 35:21 Middle-school romance * 38:08 What happens after school, then and now * 43:31 Slang of today * 47:11 Lightning Round * 60:15 Wrap up

Kenston coach Jeff Grubich talks about the Bombers’ six-game winning streak and goals for the season, as well as the work ethic of his program.DOWNLOAD THIS EPISODE