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My name is Taina Asili, and you're listening

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to two dope teachers and a mic.

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Hey, yo. What's up,

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nerds?

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How y'all doing?

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Welcome back to two Dope Teachers and a

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mic. The most dangerous podcast in the schoolhouse

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even in 2025.

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I am just

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another dude with a podcast. There's a lot

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of us dudes, with podcasts out there.

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The mansplainer in me wants to say to

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you,

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but I'm one of the nice dude podcasters.

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Why can't nice dude

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podcasters

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get

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engagement and listenership?

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Like, I'm just a nice dude.

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Sorry. Now that I've lost,

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all non cis

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hetero dude bro, listeners,

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I'm just gonna be very sad. No, it's

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true. And,

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you know, here at two Dope Teachers and

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a Mic, we strive every day to try

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to uplift

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all voices in our communities, particularly those who

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are marginalized, minoritized,

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or as one of my favorite writers Arundhati

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Roy once wrote, preferably

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unheard. So we are here today. It is

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spring.

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I am recording this on spring break.

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Yes, central office,

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middle management, nobody's also get a short spring

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break. It's very nice.

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To get three days, so that'll be good

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before we get back into the home stretch,

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for all of us. If you are new

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to the show, and hopefully we have new

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listeners all the time, welcome.

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Welcome to Tudoep Nation.

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We do not have citizenship requirements.

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Our borders are wide open.

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Anyone can be a citizen of Tudoep Tupelo

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nation. You can even vote

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without showing an official Tupelo nation ID.

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In fact,

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we're gonna assume that you're Tupelo

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even

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if

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you don't say so.

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We'll just look at the evidence. Because some

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people are not too dope. Others are very

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dope. But if you're welcome if you're new

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if you're new, welcome to the show.

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You can follow us on social media at

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two dope teachers on Instagram,

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Twitter,

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TikTok.

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There is a TikTok up. It's the most

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basic pic TikTok,

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probably in the history of TikTok ing.

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But, hey, gonna give it a try because

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I like music and I like history and

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I like social social justice.

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You can also like us on facebook.com/

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2 dope teachers and a mic with a

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bunch of hyphens.

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If you have show ideas or,

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have feedback for us or if you wanna

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send us gift cards, we love getting gift

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cards, you can email us at 2dopeteachers@gmail.com.

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And if you believe,

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with your whole heart in supporting BIPOC created

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news and media,

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head over to patreon.com/2dopeteachers

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where you can follow us for free. You

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can support us for free. You can also

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become a patron for as little as $5

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a month. And I just gotta shout out,

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these tried and two patrons who have been

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with us are day ones,

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who have weathered the storm with us,

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time in and time again. And,

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it's just

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it's just also it's just so humbling

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because I know that there's times that we

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bring you, like, really amazing stuff and you're,

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like, listening to it. And you're like, man,

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this is why I listen to two Dope

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Teachers and a Mic. And then there's, like,

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yo, is

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is two Dope Teachers and a Mic still

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a podcast? Like, I haven't heard from them

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in a while.

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So we're trying to keep this thing alive.

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I'll be really honest with you.

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A lot of my life is being taken

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up. I'm at I'm at a pretty major

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crossroads at the moment.

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And,

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I am able to retire in a few

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months if that's what I choose.

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I'm looking at other,

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possibilities. I'll still need to work because this

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is America.

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But,

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I'm I'm sort of excited about

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the notion of

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a next act.

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It's kinda cool.

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But yeah. So there's been a lot of

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uncertainty with me. I'm also if my, advisor

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is listening, I've definitely been putting in a

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lot of work into my my dissertation proposal,

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and definitely would

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not prioritize my podcast over my dissertation. But

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that is also a thing I'm working on.

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So just trying to balance it all and,

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you know, always always feeling the love for

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you all.

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It's kinda crazy in these education streets, isn't

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it?

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Like, I have in my notes to do

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a check-in on the state of education today,

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but,

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like, I don't even where know where to

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start.

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Also, Linda McMahon, if you're listening, we would

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love to invite you to the podcast. Have

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a real conversation about education.

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Dude, that would be amazing. Like,

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that would be amazing.

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We could even say your predecessor came on.

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So I don't know if you want him

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controlling the narrative of what the Department of

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Education should be.

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Yeah. If any, y'all have connects to Linda

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McMahon.

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Let's get her on the show.

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That's so not happening.

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But I there's just a lot of stuff

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that I just kind of

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I'm watching and I'm trying to react to.

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Remember that this administration

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and this leadership regime,

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all they want is

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to fire hose

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us with their BS.

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So it makes really

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difficult,

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the task

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of responding

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and reacting and combating

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some of this stuff. And so what I

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see a lot of people doing

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is either

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responding with humor, which a, I'm good with

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that. Like,

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if we

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can't laugh, we're gonna cry.

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We really are. And

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I see others combating with facts, and I

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think that's also a good thing. But I

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was listening to On The Media, and if

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you've been watching my Instagram feed and if

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you've been watching my Substack oh, also follow

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my Substack.

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Gotta get my name out there.

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I've posted a lot of On The Media

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content

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that really gets at this question of how

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do we deal with this reality that's in

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front of us today. Especially,

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the most recent episode is talking about,

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journalism being in peril

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and how

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we combat

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misinformation

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and untruths

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in an environment that is not driven

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by truth

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or objectivity. I I don't really believe objectivity

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fully exists, but I do believe in telling

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a complete story and aligning your story with

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evidence.

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And so

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it's just a really scary time out there.

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And so I've got a couple of pieces

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that I'm working on, that are interrogating a

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lot of things around us.

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I am interrogating

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whether the fights we're in are good for

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us as a society and as a,

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as a social justice movement? Do we need

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to wake up a little bit in the

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face of all this stuff?

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I'm also interrogating

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social media, whether social media is a place

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to have these conversations and whether whether the

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work stops

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with social media engagement.

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And, and it's not just because people aren't

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following my socials like that. It's fine. I

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totally get it. It's the algorithm.

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It's definitely

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not me. But I also, you know, posting

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on social media,

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I just sit here wondering whether is this

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moving the needle even a little bit for

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anybody that it needs to move the needle

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for?

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I don't have an answer to that question,

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but I'm dubious man. You know me. I'm

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always like scratching my head and kind of

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wondering what's going on.

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But this,

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the past week has seen

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the president give an executive order to abolish,

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the depart of the department of education, and

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it's stupid.

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And this is a piece that we'll talk

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about more in-depth.

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But, essentially,

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it's

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it's ridiculous because we have federal funds. And

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for me, it's stupid. Beak and I'm sorry

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for using that word. I know that it's

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ableist and harmful.

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I'm running out of words for how to

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describe the things that are happening around us.

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But but the reason it's such a problem

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is this notion,

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as a person

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who manages

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state, local, and federal dollars in my budget,

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I will tell you it all needs oversight.

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Like, the notion that we're just going to

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disperse dollars to the state,

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to the states,

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there needs to be oversight in some states.

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I believe that the Department of Education in

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my state is pretty diligent and does a

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pretty good job of ensuring that we know

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the rules and ensuring that we are maintaining

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fidelity to the spirit of the grants that

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we have. Not all states are like that.

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And if you don't believe me, ask my

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friend Gina Nelson in Oklahoma,

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what it's like to trust the state

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and the fascist state superintendent

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with this whole idea of states' rights of

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education. And let's also not forget

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that the entire states' rights framing

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of government

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was developed as a justification

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to

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maintain

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enslavement

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of human beings.

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To to some, it doesn't matter what the

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roots are of things. Like, just because that's

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what state rights were for,

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for three hundred years in The United States

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Of America. Not three hundred years, obviously. The

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United States Of America was not a country

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for three hundred years. Don't come at me,

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nerds. But,

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also,

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it may be having states' rights could be

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deployed for good. There is there are some

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who believe that, and there are some who

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will pursue that line of thinking. And I'm

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not, like, super mad at you. I'm I'm

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just not one of those people. I think

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00:10:39,654 --> 00:10:42,235
that something that was developed in bad faith

279
00:10:42,455 --> 00:10:45,174
will eventually find its way to being in

280
00:10:45,174 --> 00:10:45,995
bad faith.

281
00:10:46,855 --> 00:10:47,355
So,

282
00:10:48,149 --> 00:10:49,830
you know, we just I I don't have

283
00:10:49,830 --> 00:10:52,250
anything smart or encouraging to say about this.

284
00:10:52,790 --> 00:10:54,730
I just hope that

285
00:10:55,509 --> 00:10:57,290
there are people whose hands

286
00:10:57,830 --> 00:10:59,850
are on the levels of pa on the

287
00:10:59,910 --> 00:11:01,529
on the levers of power

288
00:11:02,975 --> 00:11:03,794
can come

289
00:11:04,975 --> 00:11:05,955
to the conclusion

290
00:11:07,054 --> 00:11:09,154
that preserving a society

291
00:11:10,095 --> 00:11:11,315
is a good thing.

292
00:11:12,335 --> 00:11:14,095
I've been watching a lot of zombie movies,

293
00:11:14,095 --> 00:11:15,315
y'all. It doesn't,

294
00:11:16,220 --> 00:11:17,360
doesn't end like this.

295
00:11:17,980 --> 00:11:20,059
On a personal level, like, I can tell

296
00:11:20,059 --> 00:11:21,580
it's hard out there. I'm not a classroom

297
00:11:21,580 --> 00:11:22,399
teacher anymore.

298
00:11:23,100 --> 00:11:24,480
I'm not going back to teaching.

299
00:11:25,420 --> 00:11:27,820
There's that's a whole other Substack post that's

300
00:11:27,820 --> 00:11:28,639
on its way.

301
00:11:29,544 --> 00:11:31,144
Nobody wants me to go back to teaching.

302
00:11:31,144 --> 00:11:33,144
Like honestly, it's not it's not a thing

303
00:11:33,144 --> 00:11:34,204
that's good for anybody.

304
00:11:35,464 --> 00:11:35,964
But,

305
00:11:37,384 --> 00:11:38,985
I can tell it's hard out there man.

306
00:11:38,985 --> 00:11:40,664
I have a lot of teacher friends. Obviously

307
00:11:40,664 --> 00:11:42,789
most of my friends are teachers. This This

308
00:11:42,789 --> 00:11:45,110
happens when you spend twenty plus years, as

309
00:11:45,110 --> 00:11:46,169
a classroom teacher.

310
00:11:46,950 --> 00:11:47,450
And

311
00:11:49,350 --> 00:11:51,370
they're going through it. And I can tell

312
00:11:51,910 --> 00:11:53,289
the unanswered text,

313
00:11:53,910 --> 00:11:54,410
the

314
00:11:54,950 --> 00:11:56,570
silence on social media,

315
00:11:58,164 --> 00:12:01,044
the chasm that seems to open up between

316
00:12:01,044 --> 00:12:03,845
us. And just give our teachers grace, man.

317
00:12:03,845 --> 00:12:05,384
It's horrible out there.

318
00:12:06,245 --> 00:12:08,105
Can you imagine trying to

319
00:12:08,964 --> 00:12:10,105
keep young

320
00:12:10,485 --> 00:12:13,740
and not yet fully developed minds focused on

321
00:12:13,740 --> 00:12:14,879
a larger purpose,

322
00:12:15,420 --> 00:12:15,920
when

323
00:12:16,379 --> 00:12:19,179
the larger purpose of our society seems to

324
00:12:19,179 --> 00:12:19,679
be,

325
00:12:20,540 --> 00:12:22,940
in this day and age, for the people

326
00:12:22,940 --> 00:12:23,600
in power,

327
00:12:24,379 --> 00:12:26,480
the conclusion of that society.

328
00:12:27,215 --> 00:12:28,915
So I can tell teachers,

329
00:12:30,014 --> 00:12:31,315
you are too dope.

330
00:12:32,575 --> 00:12:32,975
And,

331
00:12:33,774 --> 00:12:35,394
we hope you're just getting through

332
00:12:36,894 --> 00:12:37,394
it.

333
00:12:39,259 --> 00:12:41,519
I am feeling good about some things.

334
00:12:42,460 --> 00:12:44,080
The work that my team and I,

335
00:12:45,100 --> 00:12:47,820
get to do together every day to remove

336
00:12:47,820 --> 00:12:49,919
barriers to teaching and to

337
00:12:50,299 --> 00:12:50,799
support

338
00:12:51,654 --> 00:12:53,914
people who dream of being teachers,

339
00:12:54,294 --> 00:12:56,695
and people who just made that dream come

340
00:12:56,695 --> 00:12:58,714
true of becoming teachers. It's beautiful.

341
00:12:59,254 --> 00:13:01,355
And the little tiny ways

342
00:13:01,975 --> 00:13:03,575
that we can move the needle is like

343
00:13:03,735 --> 00:13:06,690
it's like really cool. And, you know, I

344
00:13:06,690 --> 00:13:07,750
am a recovering,

345
00:13:09,490 --> 00:13:10,950
you know, attention addict.

346
00:13:11,649 --> 00:13:12,789
Shout out to my therapist.

347
00:13:13,649 --> 00:13:15,970
And now that I'm sort of moving away

348
00:13:15,970 --> 00:13:17,909
from some of those things,

349
00:13:18,884 --> 00:13:20,904
y'all, I kinda like being in the background.

350
00:13:21,605 --> 00:13:23,705
Like, there's a lot of things that

351
00:13:24,245 --> 00:13:26,485
that we are doing for future teachers and

352
00:13:26,485 --> 00:13:28,345
new teachers in my space

353
00:13:28,884 --> 00:13:30,345
that people won't

354
00:13:30,725 --> 00:13:32,884
ever really know that I'm the one that

355
00:13:32,884 --> 00:13:35,809
did it. And that's kinda dope. It's kinda

356
00:13:35,809 --> 00:13:38,289
dope. It feels really good to just smile

357
00:13:38,289 --> 00:13:38,950
and nod,

358
00:13:39,649 --> 00:13:42,149
and feel really good about what we're doing,

359
00:13:42,690 --> 00:13:45,169
for teachers. Also, I got to, I got

360
00:13:45,169 --> 00:13:47,350
to chaperone indigenous students

361
00:13:47,674 --> 00:13:49,674
to the Denver March Powwow. If you haven't

362
00:13:49,674 --> 00:13:51,434
been to the Denver March Powwow, like, you

363
00:13:51,434 --> 00:13:53,914
gotta go, even if you're not in Denver.

364
00:13:53,914 --> 00:13:55,754
Like, it's one of the my understanding is

365
00:13:55,754 --> 00:13:57,615
it's one of the biggest powwow events,

366
00:13:58,475 --> 00:14:01,294
on the powwow calendar for native people.

367
00:14:02,519 --> 00:14:05,799
I'm I'm good friends with, members of our

368
00:14:05,799 --> 00:14:06,940
Native American education,

369
00:14:08,039 --> 00:14:08,539
team.

370
00:14:09,000 --> 00:14:09,500
And,

371
00:14:10,120 --> 00:14:12,840
we and, you know, I volunteered my team

372
00:14:12,840 --> 00:14:15,164
to go and chaperone some little ones. And

373
00:14:15,164 --> 00:14:16,845
it was a blast. It was it was

374
00:14:16,845 --> 00:14:19,164
just cool to be around kids, and, like,

375
00:14:19,164 --> 00:14:21,565
one little girl said to a person on

376
00:14:21,565 --> 00:14:22,225
my team

377
00:14:22,684 --> 00:14:25,164
that she was really tired because she was

378
00:14:25,164 --> 00:14:27,004
so excited to go to the powwow that

379
00:14:27,004 --> 00:14:28,625
she couldn't sleep the night before.

380
00:14:30,040 --> 00:14:30,940
Children still

381
00:14:32,440 --> 00:14:35,480
want and need to feel connected and feel

382
00:14:35,480 --> 00:14:37,240
a sense of belonging and just to be

383
00:14:37,240 --> 00:14:39,899
there and watch our resilient,

384
00:14:42,455 --> 00:14:45,674
indigenous communities in Denver really just

385
00:14:46,054 --> 00:14:47,355
be there for each other.

386
00:14:47,654 --> 00:14:49,035
It was great. Ran into,

387
00:14:49,815 --> 00:14:51,035
a former student,

388
00:14:52,134 --> 00:14:55,355
who is really important in the powwow circuit

389
00:14:55,654 --> 00:14:56,154
and

390
00:14:56,535 --> 00:15:00,070
is, like, he's just grown into this fantastic

391
00:15:00,850 --> 00:15:03,809
young man, family man, a man who's rooted

392
00:15:03,809 --> 00:15:06,210
in his community. It's it's like, it's like

393
00:15:06,210 --> 00:15:07,350
the best, you guys.

394
00:15:08,529 --> 00:15:09,889
I'm gonna pivot real quickly.

395
00:15:10,929 --> 00:15:12,825
This, intro is going a lot. I just

396
00:15:12,825 --> 00:15:14,184
I there's so much I want to share

397
00:15:14,184 --> 00:15:14,845
with everybody,

398
00:15:15,865 --> 00:15:16,264
and,

399
00:15:16,745 --> 00:15:18,745
feel free to talk back wherever you find

400
00:15:18,745 --> 00:15:19,245
this.

401
00:15:20,985 --> 00:15:23,065
So the topic for today is grow your

402
00:15:23,065 --> 00:15:25,164
own teacher development programs.

403
00:15:25,779 --> 00:15:27,240
And these are

404
00:15:27,860 --> 00:15:29,160
programs that have really

405
00:15:30,580 --> 00:15:31,799
gained in popularity

406
00:15:32,580 --> 00:15:34,840
really since just before the pandemic.

407
00:15:35,940 --> 00:15:39,044
Most districts even in Colorado where tend to

408
00:15:39,044 --> 00:15:41,304
lack a little behind in innovation,

409
00:15:42,085 --> 00:15:42,825
have developed

410
00:15:43,285 --> 00:15:43,785
some,

411
00:15:44,245 --> 00:15:44,745
mechanisms

412
00:15:45,205 --> 00:15:47,924
to bring people into the classroom that we

413
00:15:47,924 --> 00:15:48,745
really need.

414
00:15:50,245 --> 00:15:50,985
We know

415
00:15:51,309 --> 00:15:53,550
that people who are from the communities that

416
00:15:53,550 --> 00:15:56,430
they teach in tend to stay in their

417
00:15:56,430 --> 00:15:58,850
roles and grow and become the teachers

418
00:15:59,470 --> 00:16:01,629
who students need. And when I say teachers

419
00:16:01,629 --> 00:16:02,690
who students need,

420
00:16:03,470 --> 00:16:04,129
I mean

421
00:16:04,430 --> 00:16:07,095
they tend to be from similar backgrounds. They

422
00:16:07,095 --> 00:16:08,955
tend to be from a similar neighborhood.

423
00:16:09,495 --> 00:16:11,835
These teachers tend to be a reflection

424
00:16:12,535 --> 00:16:14,934
of the communities that they serve in ways

425
00:16:14,934 --> 00:16:15,434
that

426
00:16:15,815 --> 00:16:17,495
in ways that teachers who come out of

427
00:16:17,495 --> 00:16:18,554
traditional pipelines

428
00:16:19,174 --> 00:16:19,674
don't.

429
00:16:20,054 --> 00:16:22,019
This is not a slam on those of

430
00:16:22,019 --> 00:16:24,920
you who are in traditional teacher education programs.

431
00:16:25,220 --> 00:16:25,960
Not everybody,

432
00:16:26,820 --> 00:16:28,580
has been able to access a Grow Your

433
00:16:28,580 --> 00:16:29,320
Own program,

434
00:16:29,700 --> 00:16:32,180
especially if you're not in a super diverse

435
00:16:32,180 --> 00:16:34,534
district. It probably hasn't come up.

436
00:16:35,235 --> 00:16:37,634
But Grow Your Own is essentially we have

437
00:16:37,634 --> 00:16:38,774
people in our community

438
00:16:39,315 --> 00:16:41,634
who should have the opportunity to become teachers

439
00:16:41,634 --> 00:16:42,774
if they want to be.

440
00:16:43,875 --> 00:16:45,315
Most Grow Your Own Profess

441
00:16:46,195 --> 00:16:47,975
Grow Your Own program participants,

442
00:16:50,009 --> 00:16:52,649
are from the communities that they are working

443
00:16:52,649 --> 00:16:55,290
in. And so this is a lot about

444
00:16:55,290 --> 00:16:58,269
the work that I support, where our paraprofessionals,

445
00:16:58,889 --> 00:16:59,790
who are amazing,

446
00:17:00,889 --> 00:17:03,544
and who have a lot of the the

447
00:17:03,544 --> 00:17:05,625
talents and the gifts to become teachers, they

448
00:17:05,625 --> 00:17:07,164
just don't have the training yet,

449
00:17:07,865 --> 00:17:08,684
the overwhelming

450
00:17:08,984 --> 00:17:09,484
majority

451
00:17:10,105 --> 00:17:11,244
of those

452
00:17:11,545 --> 00:17:14,924
individuals come from communities of color and historically

453
00:17:14,984 --> 00:17:16,204
marginalized or minoritized

454
00:17:16,505 --> 00:17:17,940
backgrounds just like the kids.

455
00:17:20,179 --> 00:17:22,579
There's also the growth of growing your own

456
00:17:22,579 --> 00:17:25,000
student cadet programs that reflect those communities.

457
00:17:25,460 --> 00:17:26,200
I remember

458
00:17:26,579 --> 00:17:27,079
reading

459
00:17:27,460 --> 00:17:28,119
a piece,

460
00:17:29,700 --> 00:17:32,115
by Von Lock by Doctor. Von Lock. I'm

461
00:17:32,115 --> 00:17:34,295
probably not pronouncing that correctly.

462
00:17:35,234 --> 00:17:37,734
On the critical educators of color pipeline:

463
00:17:38,194 --> 00:17:40,295
leveraging youth research to nurture,

464
00:17:40,994 --> 00:17:43,714
future critical educators of color. So this, this

465
00:17:43,714 --> 00:17:45,634
piece is going to be in the show

466
00:17:45,634 --> 00:17:47,976
notes. You really should read it. It. The

467
00:17:47,976 --> 00:17:51,480
full text is available on Eric. But essentially

468
00:17:51,480 --> 00:17:54,985
it's a teacher, I think in California, I

469
00:17:54,985 --> 00:17:58,490
could be wrong about that, who posed the

470
00:17:58,490 --> 00:18:01,994
question of if we start developing critically focused

471
00:18:02,315 --> 00:18:04,234
educators of color when they are in high

472
00:18:04,234 --> 00:18:04,734
school,

473
00:18:05,595 --> 00:18:07,855
what could that mean for the teaching profession?

474
00:18:09,035 --> 00:18:12,414
And so student cadet programs have tended to

475
00:18:12,875 --> 00:18:15,434
lack a lot of racial diversity. They tend

476
00:18:15,434 --> 00:18:17,690
to be all white students. And,

477
00:18:19,269 --> 00:18:21,589
that's a podcast for another day, but it's

478
00:18:21,589 --> 00:18:23,109
something to kinda keep in mind. But what

479
00:18:23,109 --> 00:18:24,889
I'm noticing both in my own district

480
00:18:25,190 --> 00:18:26,649
as well as more broadly

481
00:18:27,109 --> 00:18:30,069
that there seems to be there seem to

482
00:18:30,069 --> 00:18:30,730
be some,

483
00:18:31,345 --> 00:18:33,984
you know, rumblings of a critical educator of

484
00:18:33,984 --> 00:18:36,065
color pipeline that starts in high school. And

485
00:18:36,065 --> 00:18:37,284
it's for that reason

486
00:18:38,464 --> 00:18:39,764
that I bring to you today,

487
00:18:41,024 --> 00:18:43,125
my interview with doctor Jeffrey

488
00:18:43,505 --> 00:18:44,005
Geisse

489
00:18:44,384 --> 00:18:44,884
and,

490
00:18:45,345 --> 00:18:48,569
of this of this Silver State Education Foundation.

491
00:18:49,190 --> 00:18:52,169
Doctor Geis has dedicated his career to transforming

492
00:18:52,230 --> 00:18:54,630
education. He's been a teacher. He's been a

493
00:18:54,630 --> 00:18:56,789
principal. He's been a district leader in the

494
00:18:56,789 --> 00:18:58,490
Clark County School District.

495
00:18:59,465 --> 00:19:01,545
This this guy has done all of the

496
00:19:01,545 --> 00:19:03,144
work, and that's one of the things that

497
00:19:03,144 --> 00:19:05,785
I always think about when people come on

498
00:19:05,785 --> 00:19:08,285
the podcast and and we have a conversation

499
00:19:08,984 --> 00:19:10,744
about putting the story out there is have

500
00:19:10,744 --> 00:19:12,125
you actually done the work?

501
00:19:12,505 --> 00:19:13,484
He's done everything.

502
00:19:14,025 --> 00:19:14,684
He's led

503
00:19:15,039 --> 00:19:18,500
efforts in school turnaround programs, improving student achievement,

504
00:19:18,720 --> 00:19:22,019
and expanding access to honors and AP courses,

505
00:19:22,720 --> 00:19:26,160
which resonates really deeply with me. As an

506
00:19:26,319 --> 00:19:28,500
as a school associate superintendent,

507
00:19:29,015 --> 00:19:31,654
he oversaw the turnaround zone where he helped

508
00:19:31,654 --> 00:19:34,555
struggling schools significantly improve graduation rates

509
00:19:35,414 --> 00:19:38,795
and academic performance. Excuse me. Keeping it real.

510
00:19:39,735 --> 00:19:42,394
Beyond CCSD, doctor Geiss has held leadership,

511
00:19:42,910 --> 00:19:44,849
roles in educational organizations,

512
00:19:45,150 --> 00:19:46,609
advocating for school administrators,

513
00:19:47,070 --> 00:19:50,130
and shaping policy. He is currently the executive

514
00:19:50,190 --> 00:19:50,690
director

515
00:19:52,109 --> 00:19:55,490
of NASA, the Nevada Association of School Administrators,

516
00:19:56,575 --> 00:20:00,255
where he leads expanded professional development and has

517
00:20:00,255 --> 00:20:01,315
strengthened partnerships.

518
00:20:02,095 --> 00:20:03,695
Most importantly, and what brings him on the

519
00:20:03,695 --> 00:20:04,595
podcast today

520
00:20:05,615 --> 00:20:07,795
is that he leads the Silver State Education

521
00:20:07,934 --> 00:20:08,434
Foundation,

522
00:20:08,735 --> 00:20:10,595
which supports high school students

523
00:20:11,069 --> 00:20:13,470
in becoming teachers in the city of North

524
00:20:13,470 --> 00:20:14,450
Las Vegas.

525
00:20:15,710 --> 00:20:17,569
This this is just such

526
00:20:17,950 --> 00:20:19,009
a dope story

527
00:20:20,750 --> 00:20:21,490
of really

528
00:20:21,950 --> 00:20:22,450
engaging

529
00:20:22,750 --> 00:20:25,710
young people into the teaching profession coming out

530
00:20:25,710 --> 00:20:26,369
of communities

531
00:20:26,724 --> 00:20:28,984
that really, really need that engagement.

532
00:20:31,125 --> 00:20:32,884
I was really excited to have him reach

533
00:20:32,884 --> 00:20:35,365
out because his work really is relevant to

534
00:20:35,365 --> 00:20:35,865
us,

535
00:20:37,365 --> 00:20:39,684
because we are a community based podcast. We

536
00:20:39,684 --> 00:20:41,519
wanna know what's going on in

537
00:20:41,920 --> 00:20:43,779
communities, and we wanna know the ways

538
00:20:44,160 --> 00:20:44,660
that,

539
00:20:45,200 --> 00:20:45,940
the conversation

540
00:20:46,320 --> 00:20:49,059
on race power and education can be remixed.

541
00:20:49,519 --> 00:20:51,779
And this work that he is doing particularly

542
00:20:52,240 --> 00:20:53,940
around diversifying and sustaining

543
00:20:54,400 --> 00:20:55,460
the teaching profession,

544
00:20:55,845 --> 00:20:58,265
It just aligns really deeply. That's a remix.

545
00:20:59,765 --> 00:21:00,265
So,

546
00:21:01,365 --> 00:21:03,444
Jeff is a great guy. Really enjoyed the

547
00:21:03,444 --> 00:21:03,944
conversation,

548
00:21:04,565 --> 00:21:07,784
and I really hope you enjoy our conversation

549
00:21:08,005 --> 00:21:08,744
as well.

550
00:21:09,470 --> 00:21:12,190
Hey. What's up, everybody? As promised, we are

551
00:21:12,190 --> 00:21:12,690
here,

552
00:21:13,230 --> 00:21:15,390
with, I think, my new friend. We're we're

553
00:21:15,390 --> 00:21:17,869
friends now. Right, doctor Geiss? Yeah. Yeah. So

554
00:21:17,869 --> 00:21:20,849
it's my new friend. After meeting. That's right.

555
00:21:21,150 --> 00:21:23,309
We we have to keep common interest not

556
00:21:23,309 --> 00:21:24,049
to be friends.

557
00:21:24,355 --> 00:21:26,274
I know. Exactly. We're gonna have to figure

558
00:21:26,274 --> 00:21:27,815
that out. Yeah. So

559
00:21:28,274 --> 00:21:30,934
I'm here with doctor Jeff Geiss,

560
00:21:31,634 --> 00:21:32,934
who is the

561
00:21:33,234 --> 00:21:33,734
CEO

562
00:21:34,115 --> 00:21:36,534
of the Silver State Education Foundation.

563
00:21:37,075 --> 00:21:39,095
And as I said in the intro,

564
00:21:40,150 --> 00:21:41,910
is one of the leaders and one of

565
00:21:41,910 --> 00:21:43,450
the most powerful and innovative,

566
00:21:45,349 --> 00:21:46,230
grow your own,

567
00:21:46,549 --> 00:21:49,190
teacher programs in kind of the country right

568
00:21:49,190 --> 00:21:51,589
now. Doctor Geiss, welcome to two Dope Teachers

569
00:21:51,589 --> 00:21:52,410
and, Mike.

570
00:21:53,615 --> 00:21:55,855
Thank you so much, Gerardo. It's so it's

571
00:21:55,855 --> 00:21:58,355
a pleasure to be here, and I appreciate

572
00:21:58,414 --> 00:21:59,695
you taking the time to,

573
00:22:00,494 --> 00:22:02,815
speak with me and about our foundation and

574
00:22:02,815 --> 00:22:03,634
about also

575
00:22:03,934 --> 00:22:06,734
the Nevada Association of School Administrators where I

576
00:22:06,734 --> 00:22:08,595
also serve as the executive director.

577
00:22:09,200 --> 00:22:11,680
That's right. Different kind of NASA. Right? Yeah.

578
00:22:11,680 --> 00:22:12,500
But it's Right.

579
00:22:13,200 --> 00:22:14,960
So and this is you know, I think

580
00:22:14,960 --> 00:22:16,640
I was saying to you before we started

581
00:22:16,640 --> 00:22:17,140
recording,

582
00:22:17,599 --> 00:22:20,559
this work that you are doing in grow

583
00:22:20,559 --> 00:22:22,339
your own programming for,

584
00:22:22,960 --> 00:22:23,460
teachers,

585
00:22:24,194 --> 00:22:26,194
especially in light of this teacher shortage that

586
00:22:26,194 --> 00:22:27,095
we've been facing.

587
00:22:27,554 --> 00:22:29,794
This is near and dear to my heart.

588
00:22:29,794 --> 00:22:32,194
This is the work I do in Denver

589
00:22:32,194 --> 00:22:34,355
public schools of trying to find out how

590
00:22:34,355 --> 00:22:37,255
we put the teachers that our students need

591
00:22:37,315 --> 00:22:38,375
in front of them,

592
00:22:38,970 --> 00:22:41,230
every day. But I wanna start really quickly

593
00:22:41,529 --> 00:22:42,970
just to have you set the stage a

594
00:22:42,970 --> 00:22:44,349
little bit for me.

595
00:22:45,049 --> 00:22:47,049
So talk a little bit about the context

596
00:22:47,049 --> 00:22:49,130
of education in North Las Vegas where where

597
00:22:49,130 --> 00:22:51,309
you're doing a lot of this work, and

598
00:22:51,529 --> 00:22:53,710
how does this larger context

599
00:22:54,434 --> 00:22:56,994
help us understand the schooling needs in this

600
00:22:56,994 --> 00:22:58,855
in this in this community?

601
00:22:59,954 --> 00:23:02,034
Well, let me start by saying, as the

602
00:23:02,034 --> 00:23:05,154
executive director of the Nevada Association of School

603
00:23:05,154 --> 00:23:05,654
Administrators,

604
00:23:05,954 --> 00:23:07,554
I went to my board about two and

605
00:23:07,554 --> 00:23:08,694
a half years ago,

606
00:23:09,099 --> 00:23:11,339
and we've been we're we're we were and

607
00:23:11,339 --> 00:23:14,000
are doing very well from a fiduciary standpoint.

608
00:23:14,700 --> 00:23:16,460
And I said to my board, I said,

609
00:23:16,460 --> 00:23:17,980
we need to do something to give back

610
00:23:17,980 --> 00:23:20,299
to our state and our communities in our

611
00:23:20,299 --> 00:23:22,075
state. They said, what do you wanna do?

612
00:23:22,075 --> 00:23:24,015
I said, I wanna I wanna tackle,

613
00:23:24,554 --> 00:23:25,694
however we can,

614
00:23:26,315 --> 00:23:28,335
this decades old problem

615
00:23:28,634 --> 00:23:30,095
of teacher vacancies

616
00:23:30,474 --> 00:23:31,214
in Nevada.

617
00:23:33,605 --> 00:23:36,599
Most most felt in Southern Nevada,

618
00:23:37,220 --> 00:23:39,779
deepest felt in the city of North Las

619
00:23:39,779 --> 00:23:40,279
Vegas

620
00:23:40,660 --> 00:23:41,480
with more,

621
00:23:41,859 --> 00:23:43,960
teacher vacancies there per capita

622
00:23:44,259 --> 00:23:45,559
than any other municipality

623
00:23:45,940 --> 00:23:46,759
in our state.

624
00:23:47,454 --> 00:23:47,954
And,

625
00:23:48,734 --> 00:23:49,234
so,

626
00:23:49,694 --> 00:23:50,674
they unanimously

627
00:23:51,054 --> 00:23:51,554
agreed.

628
00:23:52,254 --> 00:23:54,254
To date, we've put about a quarter million

629
00:23:54,254 --> 00:23:55,634
dollars into that foundation,

630
00:23:56,414 --> 00:23:58,194
and we secured an endowment

631
00:23:58,494 --> 00:23:59,315
from the,

632
00:23:59,774 --> 00:24:02,194
city of North Las Vegas through the mayor,

633
00:24:02,440 --> 00:24:05,880
mayor Pamela Goins Brown, who was a I

634
00:24:05,880 --> 00:24:08,539
mean, once an educator, always an educator. Right?

635
00:24:09,000 --> 00:24:11,160
She retired as an educator from the Clark

636
00:24:11,160 --> 00:24:12,940
County School District and then,

637
00:24:13,799 --> 00:24:16,599
was ultimately elected mayor where she serves in

638
00:24:16,599 --> 00:24:17,900
that community now.

639
00:24:18,335 --> 00:24:18,734
And,

640
00:24:19,295 --> 00:24:20,914
I will just say to you

641
00:24:21,375 --> 00:24:21,875
that,

642
00:24:22,974 --> 00:24:24,974
when I retired from the Clark County School

643
00:24:24,974 --> 00:24:27,795
District in 2019, I was an associate superintendent.

644
00:24:28,494 --> 00:24:31,055
I supervised many schools in the North Las

645
00:24:31,055 --> 00:24:31,954
Vegas community.

646
00:24:32,569 --> 00:24:34,730
I was a principal in the North Las

647
00:24:34,730 --> 00:24:35,630
Vegas community.

648
00:24:36,089 --> 00:24:38,670
And years before that, I was an administrative

649
00:24:38,970 --> 00:24:39,470
assistant

650
00:24:40,009 --> 00:24:40,490
to,

651
00:24:40,970 --> 00:24:42,349
one of the region's superintendents

652
00:24:42,650 --> 00:24:44,269
in the North Las Vegas community.

653
00:24:45,085 --> 00:24:45,904
And for

654
00:24:46,205 --> 00:24:48,625
years, you would see the impact

655
00:24:49,404 --> 00:24:51,424
of not having all the vacancies

656
00:24:51,725 --> 00:24:52,225
filled,

657
00:24:52,845 --> 00:24:55,345
and, hundreds and hundreds of vacancies,

658
00:24:56,205 --> 00:24:59,644
often primarily in the city of North Las

659
00:24:59,644 --> 00:25:00,144
Vegas,

660
00:25:00,509 --> 00:25:01,570
in the most economically

661
00:25:02,190 --> 00:25:02,690
disadvantaged,

662
00:25:03,470 --> 00:25:03,970
schools

663
00:25:04,509 --> 00:25:05,970
where children need,

664
00:25:06,430 --> 00:25:10,049
the teachers the most, especially highly qualified teachers.

665
00:25:10,589 --> 00:25:12,609
So that's why we started there.

666
00:25:12,990 --> 00:25:14,690
That's why we started the program.

667
00:25:15,274 --> 00:25:17,755
The last time every vacancy was filled in

668
00:25:17,755 --> 00:25:19,855
the Clark County School District alone,

669
00:25:20,315 --> 00:25:22,315
which is the fifth largest district in The

670
00:25:22,315 --> 00:25:23,615
United States Of America,

671
00:25:23,994 --> 00:25:25,615
was 1994.

672
00:25:26,075 --> 00:25:28,494
So we're talking now 31

673
00:25:31,210 --> 00:25:32,670
of of a systemic problem

674
00:25:33,450 --> 00:25:34,829
where the most vacancies,

675
00:25:35,130 --> 00:25:37,069
teacher vacancies are in schools,

676
00:25:37,609 --> 00:25:39,690
where the poor kids go to school, and

677
00:25:39,690 --> 00:25:40,670
that's unacceptable.

678
00:25:41,609 --> 00:25:42,045
Yeah.

679
00:25:42,445 --> 00:25:43,265
Yeah. That's

680
00:25:43,805 --> 00:25:46,684
that's really intense. There's something you said early

681
00:25:46,684 --> 00:25:49,164
on that wanna see if you can kind

682
00:25:49,164 --> 00:25:51,404
of unpack that and just really bring it

683
00:25:51,404 --> 00:25:53,884
to light for listeners. When you said that,

684
00:25:54,285 --> 00:25:56,785
North Las Vegas has the worst per capita

685
00:25:57,369 --> 00:26:00,089
vacancies, can you kind of explain what that

686
00:26:00,089 --> 00:26:02,109
what that, metric means?

687
00:26:03,450 --> 00:26:05,289
Well, well, I'll tell you what it means

688
00:26:05,289 --> 00:26:06,509
in practical terms.

689
00:26:06,890 --> 00:26:09,309
It means that you have substitute teachers,

690
00:26:10,095 --> 00:26:12,974
that are well intended people. Most substitute teachers

691
00:26:12,974 --> 00:26:15,134
are very good people. That's right. Yep. That

692
00:26:15,214 --> 00:26:17,694
I'm not I'm not criticizing. Special kind in

693
00:26:17,694 --> 00:26:20,255
my in my experience. But yeah. Not by

694
00:26:20,255 --> 00:26:22,515
by no means do I want my my

695
00:26:22,575 --> 00:26:23,075
my

696
00:26:23,460 --> 00:26:24,759
comments to be interpreted

697
00:26:25,140 --> 00:26:26,359
as any criticism

698
00:26:27,220 --> 00:26:29,079
of individuals that substitute

699
00:26:29,460 --> 00:26:32,819
or or are long term term substitute teachers

700
00:26:32,819 --> 00:26:35,079
because we need those people. They're good people.

701
00:26:35,299 --> 00:26:38,734
But the reality is that a substitute teacher

702
00:26:38,955 --> 00:26:41,674
is not in a requirement of any kind

703
00:26:41,674 --> 00:26:44,174
of advanced degree or bachelor's degree.

704
00:26:45,434 --> 00:26:48,095
They often do not have content knowledge

705
00:26:48,394 --> 00:26:50,460
around the subject in which they're

706
00:26:50,940 --> 00:26:53,359
teaching, especially at the secondary level.

707
00:26:54,059 --> 00:26:56,460
Many of them, unfortunately, have not had the,

708
00:26:57,259 --> 00:26:58,640
you know, the the pedagogy

709
00:26:59,339 --> 00:27:01,740
or even the classroom management. I mean, that's

710
00:27:01,740 --> 00:27:02,399
the reality.

711
00:27:05,595 --> 00:27:07,615
High school in North Las Vegas,

712
00:27:08,234 --> 00:27:10,394
who I can tell you last year with

713
00:27:10,394 --> 00:27:11,454
2,000 kids

714
00:27:11,835 --> 00:27:13,214
had 38 vacancies.

715
00:27:15,034 --> 00:27:15,534
18,

716
00:27:17,339 --> 00:27:17,839
18

717
00:27:18,220 --> 00:27:21,019
positions at that school were in science, which

718
00:27:21,019 --> 00:27:21,920
is not uncommon,

719
00:27:22,859 --> 00:27:25,579
for a a comprehensive high school to have

720
00:27:25,579 --> 00:27:26,079
18

721
00:27:26,460 --> 00:27:27,920
science teacher positions.

722
00:27:28,619 --> 00:27:31,200
But that principal was only able to hire

723
00:27:31,579 --> 00:27:32,079
one

724
00:27:32,724 --> 00:27:34,345
licensed science teacher.

725
00:27:35,044 --> 00:27:38,024
Wow. So 17 of those substitute

726
00:27:38,325 --> 00:27:38,825
teachers,

727
00:27:39,204 --> 00:27:40,184
many of whom

728
00:27:40,484 --> 00:27:42,644
were long term, meaning they were there every

729
00:27:42,644 --> 00:27:43,865
day all year long,

730
00:27:45,125 --> 00:27:46,984
didn't have the content knowledge

731
00:27:48,230 --> 00:27:49,930
of the subject they were teaching.

732
00:27:50,470 --> 00:27:50,970
Right.

733
00:27:51,350 --> 00:27:52,090
It means

734
00:27:52,789 --> 00:27:53,850
that when you

735
00:27:54,950 --> 00:27:56,890
have a large number of vacancies,

736
00:27:58,150 --> 00:27:59,130
in a school

737
00:27:59,430 --> 00:28:02,490
that at any level, elementary, middle, or high,

738
00:28:02,785 --> 00:28:04,545
that on any given day, if all your

739
00:28:04,545 --> 00:28:06,464
people don't show up because you have some

740
00:28:06,464 --> 00:28:08,164
people out sick compounding

741
00:28:09,105 --> 00:28:10,805
the vacancies you may have,

742
00:28:11,825 --> 00:28:12,224
that,

743
00:28:12,944 --> 00:28:15,424
that you you are now putting two and

744
00:28:15,424 --> 00:28:16,805
three classes together,

745
00:28:17,289 --> 00:28:19,769
or you're putting four or 500 kids in

746
00:28:19,769 --> 00:28:20,269
the

747
00:28:20,570 --> 00:28:24,089
multipurpose room at a secondary school, or in

748
00:28:24,089 --> 00:28:26,029
the gymnasium, or in the lunchroom

749
00:28:26,490 --> 00:28:29,390
with a couple campus monitors and a secretary

750
00:28:29,529 --> 00:28:30,750
just simply babysitting.

751
00:28:31,515 --> 00:28:32,015
That

752
00:28:32,394 --> 00:28:34,174
those are the kinds of things

753
00:28:34,954 --> 00:28:35,855
that happen

754
00:28:36,634 --> 00:28:38,335
in schools in our community

755
00:28:39,035 --> 00:28:40,575
as a result of

756
00:28:41,755 --> 00:28:42,894
many, many vacancies.

757
00:28:43,515 --> 00:28:46,974
And often, those vacancies can't even attract substitute

758
00:28:47,115 --> 00:28:47,430
teachers

759
00:28:47,990 --> 00:28:50,730
because there's not enough of those people either.

760
00:28:51,190 --> 00:28:53,750
Right. Yeah. And that's so it sounds like

761
00:28:53,750 --> 00:28:56,250
it what that the position that

762
00:28:56,549 --> 00:28:58,070
that the schools are put in, it is

763
00:28:58,070 --> 00:29:00,904
very triage. It's very much, like, how do

764
00:29:00,904 --> 00:29:03,065
we stop the bleeding on this particular day

765
00:29:03,065 --> 00:29:04,044
in terms of

766
00:29:04,345 --> 00:29:06,664
just ensuring that students are in the room

767
00:29:06,664 --> 00:29:07,484
with an adult.

768
00:29:08,184 --> 00:29:10,204
And, you know, and and I really appreciate

769
00:29:10,265 --> 00:29:10,765
you

770
00:29:11,144 --> 00:29:12,809
kind of, like, uplifting our substitute

771
00:29:14,009 --> 00:29:16,809
teachers as as being quality professionals who do

772
00:29:16,809 --> 00:29:17,549
their jobs really well. This is not the

773
00:29:17,690 --> 00:29:19,630
work that they sign up

774
00:29:21,450 --> 00:29:23,529
for. Right? It's important that we have a

775
00:29:23,529 --> 00:29:26,170
vibrant substitute teacher force as well as a

776
00:29:26,170 --> 00:29:28,065
teacher force, but I appreciate you doing that.

777
00:29:28,065 --> 00:29:29,744
And you said that this is essentially when

778
00:29:29,744 --> 00:29:30,724
we spoke before,

779
00:29:31,184 --> 00:29:33,265
you said this is has essentially been the

780
00:29:33,265 --> 00:29:35,025
reality since 1994.

781
00:29:35,025 --> 00:29:37,105
Am I am I remembering that correctly? That's

782
00:29:37,105 --> 00:29:39,265
correct. Yeah. That's the last the the year

783
00:29:39,265 --> 00:29:41,359
I was hired as a English teacher in

784
00:29:41,359 --> 00:29:42,899
the Clark County School District,

785
00:29:43,599 --> 00:29:46,079
I got hired in Jan December of ninety

786
00:29:46,079 --> 00:29:46,579
four.

787
00:29:47,039 --> 00:29:49,779
There was only one position open

788
00:29:50,319 --> 00:29:52,480
at that time, and it was the job

789
00:29:52,480 --> 00:29:54,775
I got. And there were many of us

790
00:29:54,775 --> 00:29:56,555
that applied for that. Many of

791
00:29:56,934 --> 00:29:59,654
us that year that graduated at UNLV midyear,

792
00:29:59,654 --> 00:30:01,735
and I was very fortunate because all of

793
00:30:01,735 --> 00:30:03,335
those all of my,

794
00:30:03,735 --> 00:30:06,455
colleagues at that time were highly qualified people.

795
00:30:06,455 --> 00:30:08,840
I mean, they're all teaching or or have

796
00:30:08,840 --> 00:30:11,880
now retired, but, they all eventually got positions.

797
00:30:11,880 --> 00:30:14,279
But but my point is that's how competitive

798
00:30:14,279 --> 00:30:17,799
it was. Right. And and fast forward to

799
00:30:17,799 --> 00:30:18,299
today

800
00:30:18,759 --> 00:30:21,660
where we're trying everything we can to attract

801
00:30:22,704 --> 00:30:25,024
folks into teaching and and to find some

802
00:30:25,024 --> 00:30:25,524
sort

803
00:30:26,065 --> 00:30:26,804
of solve.

804
00:30:27,984 --> 00:30:30,144
So you've kind of covered the questions on

805
00:30:30,144 --> 00:30:32,464
sort of, you know, how you became involved

806
00:30:32,464 --> 00:30:34,404
in the work and kind of the implications

807
00:30:34,704 --> 00:30:36,349
of of the staffing

808
00:30:36,890 --> 00:30:39,069
challenges for students and communities.

809
00:30:39,609 --> 00:30:40,109
Let's,

810
00:30:40,809 --> 00:30:43,130
frame this a little bit because in in

811
00:30:43,130 --> 00:30:43,789
my own

812
00:30:44,410 --> 00:30:46,910
dissertation research that I'm working on right now,

813
00:30:47,130 --> 00:30:49,230
I've noticed that there are

814
00:30:49,714 --> 00:30:52,275
there's more than one definition for a grow

815
00:30:52,275 --> 00:30:54,455
your own program. It sort of depends on

816
00:30:54,595 --> 00:30:57,234
where you are, where the funding comes from,

817
00:30:57,234 --> 00:30:59,414
what the need is that's being filled.

818
00:30:59,795 --> 00:31:03,154
Can you kind of describe what grow your

819
00:31:03,154 --> 00:31:04,914
own means in the work that you are

820
00:31:04,914 --> 00:31:05,160
doing?

821
00:31:06,759 --> 00:31:08,279
Doing. Yes. I will do that. But I

822
00:31:08,279 --> 00:31:10,759
will say to you, first that the Clark

823
00:31:10,759 --> 00:31:13,640
County School District, for example, where I what

824
00:31:13,640 --> 00:31:15,500
I grew up in as a educator

825
00:31:16,039 --> 00:31:18,359
has recruited not only all over the country,

826
00:31:18,359 --> 00:31:19,660
but all over the world

827
00:31:20,115 --> 00:31:22,275
and brought people in on j one visas

828
00:31:22,275 --> 00:31:22,934
and everything.

829
00:31:23,315 --> 00:31:25,394
And then, you know, the national average, I

830
00:31:25,394 --> 00:31:27,234
think it's still true that we lose most

831
00:31:27,234 --> 00:31:29,815
people within five years after they start teaching.

832
00:31:30,115 --> 00:31:32,194
And in Clark County, it's even higher than

833
00:31:32,194 --> 00:31:34,579
that because what would traditionally happen is if

834
00:31:34,579 --> 00:31:37,059
somebody's from, you know, the great state of

835
00:31:37,059 --> 00:31:39,140
Colorado, for example, and they get a job

836
00:31:39,140 --> 00:31:41,220
in Las Vegas, you know, it sounds kinda

837
00:31:41,220 --> 00:31:43,859
sexy. Right? Getting a job in Vegas, and

838
00:31:43,859 --> 00:31:45,615
you're gonna go have an adventure as a

839
00:31:45,615 --> 00:31:47,775
twenty two, twenty three year Long road trip

840
00:31:47,775 --> 00:31:49,694
to the beach, you know, if you you

841
00:31:49,694 --> 00:31:51,474
get to medium road trip. Right?

842
00:31:51,775 --> 00:31:54,255
Yeah. Five hours from the Pacific Ocean and

843
00:31:54,255 --> 00:31:56,575
so on and so forth. But what happens

844
00:31:56,575 --> 00:31:58,335
even in the in even in the good

845
00:31:58,335 --> 00:31:58,835
years,

846
00:31:59,359 --> 00:32:01,779
where and I say the good years when,

847
00:32:02,000 --> 00:32:02,660
I mean,

848
00:32:03,440 --> 00:32:06,259
where vacancies were filled and you didn't struggle,

849
00:32:06,640 --> 00:32:07,940
was we would hire,

850
00:32:08,480 --> 00:32:11,200
young people from somewhere else where where it

851
00:32:11,200 --> 00:32:13,214
was hard to get a job as a

852
00:32:13,214 --> 00:32:13,714
teacher,

853
00:32:14,095 --> 00:32:16,434
where people had to wait for somebody literally

854
00:32:16,654 --> 00:32:17,394
pass away

855
00:32:17,775 --> 00:32:19,295
before they could get a job in their

856
00:32:19,295 --> 00:32:20,774
community. Hearing that slightly.

857
00:32:21,214 --> 00:32:23,634
Those days, thirty, forty years ago,

858
00:32:24,015 --> 00:32:25,910
and they would come here. And then as

859
00:32:25,910 --> 00:32:28,390
soon as they could often often, not always,

860
00:32:28,390 --> 00:32:29,990
but as soon as they could get a

861
00:32:29,990 --> 00:32:33,190
job back home, they they'd they'd move, and

862
00:32:33,190 --> 00:32:35,690
we would have given them the the experience

863
00:32:35,910 --> 00:32:36,410
here.

864
00:32:36,950 --> 00:32:38,170
Right. So,

865
00:32:38,789 --> 00:32:39,289
so

866
00:32:39,634 --> 00:32:41,475
the bottom line is, here's a grow your

867
00:32:41,475 --> 00:32:43,315
own here's what we define as grow your

868
00:32:43,315 --> 00:32:43,815
own.

869
00:32:44,115 --> 00:32:46,035
We look at high school students. We're at

870
00:32:46,035 --> 00:32:49,154
one high school in particularly named Canyon Springs

871
00:32:49,154 --> 00:32:50,835
High School in the city in North Las

872
00:32:50,835 --> 00:32:53,015
Vegas. They have 3,000 students.

873
00:32:53,930 --> 00:32:56,569
We have a career coach. That's what's different

874
00:32:56,569 --> 00:32:59,150
from our program than a lot of programs.

875
00:32:59,210 --> 00:33:00,670
You can offer things,

876
00:33:01,210 --> 00:33:01,710
Gerardo,

877
00:33:02,009 --> 00:33:04,890
till pigs fly. It doesn't mean a dang

878
00:33:04,890 --> 00:33:06,365
thing. That's right.

879
00:33:07,065 --> 00:33:09,305
When you're especially when you when you're working

880
00:33:09,305 --> 00:33:12,765
with young people and especially young people that

881
00:33:13,144 --> 00:33:15,625
are gonna be first generation college or at

882
00:33:15,625 --> 00:33:19,384
risk or or economically disadvantaged, however we wanna

883
00:33:19,384 --> 00:33:20,045
say it,

884
00:33:21,000 --> 00:33:23,240
We need an a caring adult working with

885
00:33:23,240 --> 00:33:24,759
them and their family. So we have a

886
00:33:24,759 --> 00:33:25,580
career coach.

887
00:33:25,960 --> 00:33:28,279
That career coach goes to all the sophomore

888
00:33:28,279 --> 00:33:31,240
classes and says, here's the opportunity we'd like

889
00:33:31,240 --> 00:33:33,400
you to think about. If you're at all

890
00:33:33,400 --> 00:33:35,894
interested, come come visit with us, bring your

891
00:33:35,894 --> 00:33:37,434
parents, so on and so forth.

892
00:33:37,974 --> 00:33:40,454
Then we developed a cohort, our first cohort

893
00:33:40,454 --> 00:33:42,875
of 50 kids, and part of the criteria

894
00:33:43,095 --> 00:33:46,375
is looking at their enrollment history, if they

895
00:33:46,375 --> 00:33:49,329
have family connections here, if their family, their

896
00:33:49,329 --> 00:33:52,390
parents have no intention of moving from here.

897
00:33:52,529 --> 00:33:54,849
Because this is a very transient community, yet

898
00:33:54,849 --> 00:33:56,069
it's a growing community.

899
00:33:56,609 --> 00:33:58,289
So we're supposed to get a million more

900
00:33:58,289 --> 00:33:59,890
people in the next ten years in this

901
00:33:59,890 --> 00:34:00,390
community.

902
00:34:01,544 --> 00:34:03,384
And, you know, when when I moved here,

903
00:34:03,384 --> 00:34:05,544
my dad moved us here in 1980, there

904
00:34:05,544 --> 00:34:06,924
were a quarter million people.

905
00:34:07,224 --> 00:34:11,244
Now Wow. There's there's almost 2,000,000 people Wow.

906
00:34:12,025 --> 00:34:13,139
Since 1980.

907
00:34:13,460 --> 00:34:15,239
So this is a growing place,

908
00:34:16,099 --> 00:34:18,260
but still there's a lot of transiency. So

909
00:34:18,260 --> 00:34:20,119
we wanna identify young people

910
00:34:20,500 --> 00:34:22,980
who have family roots here. Their family intends

911
00:34:22,980 --> 00:34:25,000
to stay here. They're they're,

912
00:34:25,505 --> 00:34:27,364
they're they're they're part of our community

913
00:34:27,744 --> 00:34:30,224
because it begins to become an investment once

914
00:34:30,224 --> 00:34:30,965
they graduate,

915
00:34:31,744 --> 00:34:34,465
especially once they graduate high school, and you

916
00:34:34,465 --> 00:34:36,085
continue to help support

917
00:34:36,385 --> 00:34:38,324
their college tuition on their trajectory

918
00:34:38,945 --> 00:34:40,625
to be a teacher, in this case, in

919
00:34:40,625 --> 00:34:42,780
North Las Vegas. That's the commitment.

920
00:34:43,400 --> 00:34:45,079
I love that so much. And I'm so

921
00:34:45,079 --> 00:34:45,880
I'm looking at,

922
00:34:46,679 --> 00:34:49,079
at the, article from the Las Vegas Review

923
00:34:49,079 --> 00:34:49,579
Journal,

924
00:34:50,199 --> 00:34:52,199
that you shared with me. And there's a

925
00:34:52,199 --> 00:34:53,799
couple of things that really jumped out at

926
00:34:53,799 --> 00:34:55,875
me. But I think just to echo kind

927
00:34:55,875 --> 00:34:57,015
of what you're saying,

928
00:34:57,394 --> 00:34:57,894
there's

929
00:34:58,594 --> 00:35:00,835
so much power in the type of program

930
00:35:00,835 --> 00:35:02,135
that you describe

931
00:35:02,755 --> 00:35:03,255
because,

932
00:35:03,875 --> 00:35:05,954
oddly, one of the phrases that popped into

933
00:35:05,954 --> 00:35:08,195
my head as you were talking was this

934
00:35:08,195 --> 00:35:09,894
idea of brain drain. Right?

935
00:35:10,250 --> 00:35:11,150
Where oftentimes

936
00:35:12,010 --> 00:35:14,030
the way we frame attaining

937
00:35:14,409 --> 00:35:16,190
a higher level of education

938
00:35:16,809 --> 00:35:17,309
is

939
00:35:17,609 --> 00:35:18,349
it removes

940
00:35:19,289 --> 00:35:22,250
young people from their communities, particularly communities of

941
00:35:22,250 --> 00:35:24,724
color. Right? And so what ends up happening

942
00:35:24,724 --> 00:35:26,505
is a lot of them do leave,

943
00:35:26,885 --> 00:35:28,565
and maybe they do, maybe they don't come

944
00:35:28,565 --> 00:35:30,965
back after attaining that education. So what you

945
00:35:30,965 --> 00:35:31,864
do is you

946
00:35:32,164 --> 00:35:34,825
create this tradition of college matriculation

947
00:35:35,925 --> 00:35:38,300
that goes on for generations, and then they're

948
00:35:38,300 --> 00:35:38,800
also

949
00:35:39,099 --> 00:35:40,400
giving back to the community.

950
00:35:40,860 --> 00:35:42,219
The other thing that I thought was really

951
00:35:42,219 --> 00:35:44,380
fascinating so the in in the article and

952
00:35:44,380 --> 00:35:45,980
and this is linked in the show notes,

953
00:35:45,980 --> 00:35:47,900
everybody, so definitely take a look at it.

954
00:35:47,900 --> 00:35:48,640
In the article,

955
00:35:49,179 --> 00:35:51,724
there's a great story about Lonnie Fletcher, the

956
00:35:51,724 --> 00:35:52,864
16 year old,

957
00:35:53,565 --> 00:35:56,684
who wasn't actually that kid who was a

958
00:35:56,684 --> 00:35:57,184
superstar,

959
00:35:58,204 --> 00:36:00,224
in terms of how he engaged school.

960
00:36:01,405 --> 00:36:02,545
And it was actually

961
00:36:02,925 --> 00:36:05,344
a world an AP world history teacher

962
00:36:05,804 --> 00:36:06,304
that

963
00:36:06,750 --> 00:36:09,170
sort of helped him move in the direction

964
00:36:09,869 --> 00:36:10,369
of,

965
00:36:10,829 --> 00:36:13,230
his passion for education. So it sounds a

966
00:36:13,230 --> 00:36:15,010
little bit like one of the ways

967
00:36:15,389 --> 00:36:16,449
that this program

968
00:36:17,789 --> 00:36:19,969
is is different at Canyon Springs High School

969
00:36:20,190 --> 00:36:20,690
is

970
00:36:21,994 --> 00:36:23,934
that it isn't just confined

971
00:36:24,235 --> 00:36:25,934
to one cadet space.

972
00:36:26,715 --> 00:36:28,335
It sounds like there's actually

973
00:36:29,195 --> 00:36:29,695
collective

974
00:36:30,075 --> 00:36:32,735
interest among the staff at the school

975
00:36:33,140 --> 00:36:34,980
to say we're gonna contribute to this score.

976
00:36:34,980 --> 00:36:36,840
You're on am I understanding that correctly?

977
00:36:37,300 --> 00:36:39,380
No. You're you're understanding that 100%

978
00:36:39,380 --> 00:36:42,199
correctly. They already have a teacher CTE program,

979
00:36:42,739 --> 00:36:45,219
so this is an enhancement to it. And

980
00:36:45,219 --> 00:36:46,280
the biggest enhancement

981
00:36:47,765 --> 00:36:49,864
just to be this is not complicated.

982
00:36:50,325 --> 00:36:53,285
Okay? Right. This is not complicated. So you

983
00:36:53,285 --> 00:36:55,704
tend in education to complicate things.

984
00:36:56,005 --> 00:36:57,144
The biggest enhancement

985
00:36:57,525 --> 00:37:00,105
is sergeant major Gary Schoolfield,

986
00:37:00,405 --> 00:37:01,224
who's a retired

987
00:37:02,429 --> 00:37:04,130
junior ROTC instructor,

988
00:37:05,070 --> 00:37:06,210
sixty years old,

989
00:37:07,150 --> 00:37:08,609
African American gentleman,

990
00:37:09,869 --> 00:37:10,030
who

991
00:37:11,070 --> 00:37:12,670
and I just say that because it's a

992
00:37:12,670 --> 00:37:13,889
very diverse population.

993
00:37:14,269 --> 00:37:16,349
That's right. This is this is we didn't

994
00:37:16,349 --> 00:37:19,275
intend this, but at this point, there's not

995
00:37:19,275 --> 00:37:21,855
even any Caucasian children in the program.

996
00:37:22,234 --> 00:37:24,394
Right. Part of it is where we started.

997
00:37:24,394 --> 00:37:27,755
It's a majority minority school. Yep. But but,

998
00:37:27,755 --> 00:37:30,315
you know, I always feel with this this

999
00:37:30,315 --> 00:37:32,554
kind of effort. We're killing two birds with

1000
00:37:32,554 --> 00:37:35,050
one stone. That might not be the best

1001
00:37:35,909 --> 00:37:38,809
analogous statement to make. I I've been using,

1002
00:37:39,750 --> 00:37:41,989
feeding two birds with one seed. Maybe that

1003
00:37:41,989 --> 00:37:44,170
feels better. Okay. Let's go with that one.

1004
00:37:44,469 --> 00:37:46,710
Feeding two birds with one seed. I like

1005
00:37:46,710 --> 00:37:48,570
that. So I see this in two ways.

1006
00:37:49,175 --> 00:37:52,234
I see the young people that we engage

1007
00:37:52,295 --> 00:37:53,514
and are in the program

1008
00:37:54,295 --> 00:37:57,574
as as giving an an opportunity to change

1009
00:37:57,574 --> 00:37:58,795
their life trajectory,

1010
00:37:59,335 --> 00:38:02,715
an opportunity that they wouldn't have otherwise had.

1011
00:38:04,090 --> 00:38:06,889
K? Even if they ultimately decide, you know

1012
00:38:06,889 --> 00:38:07,389
what?

1013
00:38:08,650 --> 00:38:10,889
Teaching pathway is not for me. Well, they're

1014
00:38:10,889 --> 00:38:13,469
only 16 years old, so that can happen.

1015
00:38:13,530 --> 00:38:14,989
Okay? No problem.

1016
00:38:15,289 --> 00:38:17,704
But even if they've done that, they're getting

1017
00:38:17,704 --> 00:38:20,344
30 college credits before they graduate from high

1018
00:38:20,344 --> 00:38:20,844
school,

1019
00:38:21,224 --> 00:38:23,625
all of which are mainly in those core

1020
00:38:23,625 --> 00:38:24,125
areas

1021
00:38:24,505 --> 00:38:26,425
that can carry over to them. So you're

1022
00:38:26,425 --> 00:38:28,605
giving them a collegial experience.

1023
00:38:29,180 --> 00:38:31,440
All of these young people are first generation

1024
00:38:31,579 --> 00:38:32,079
college.

1025
00:38:32,619 --> 00:38:34,940
All most of them are first generation high

1026
00:38:34,940 --> 00:38:37,920
school. Okay? Yeah. So number one, you're uplifting

1027
00:38:37,980 --> 00:38:40,079
these young people who wouldn't have otherwise

1028
00:38:40,380 --> 00:38:42,735
had the opportunity because we're inviting them in.

1029
00:38:42,974 --> 00:38:44,815
But number two, for the ones that do

1030
00:38:44,815 --> 00:38:46,355
finish and become teachers,

1031
00:38:47,215 --> 00:38:48,275
they're gonna impact

1032
00:38:48,575 --> 00:38:50,255
like, over the course of their career, we

1033
00:38:50,255 --> 00:38:52,575
looked at the data. It's over 300,000

1034
00:38:52,575 --> 00:38:53,075
kids

1035
00:38:53,614 --> 00:38:55,934
that they would impact if they stay a

1036
00:38:55,934 --> 00:38:57,235
teacher thirty years.

1037
00:38:58,130 --> 00:38:59,989
I mean, you know, that's a phenomenal

1038
00:39:00,690 --> 00:39:03,090
thing when you're looking, like, right now, the

1039
00:39:03,090 --> 00:39:05,590
Clark County School District, just them alone

1040
00:39:05,969 --> 00:39:08,530
has about a thousand vacancies as we sit

1041
00:39:08,530 --> 00:39:09,750
here right now in February.

1042
00:39:10,315 --> 00:39:13,775
Yeah. And therefore, we're all in the schools

1043
00:39:14,155 --> 00:39:15,934
that are economically disadvantaged

1044
00:39:16,235 --> 00:39:16,735
communities.

1045
00:39:17,275 --> 00:39:19,195
Yeah. We see exactly the same thing in

1046
00:39:19,195 --> 00:39:21,355
the district. I'm in I work in, the

1047
00:39:21,355 --> 00:39:23,135
office of talent, human resources,

1048
00:39:23,610 --> 00:39:25,369
and there's a board I walk by every

1049
00:39:25,369 --> 00:39:27,849
day where, fortunately, I'm not beholding to hiring

1050
00:39:27,849 --> 00:39:28,349
data.

1051
00:39:28,730 --> 00:39:29,450
Yeah. Yeah.

1052
00:39:30,090 --> 00:39:32,010
I walk by this board and it and,

1053
00:39:32,010 --> 00:39:33,789
you know, it used to be in DPS

1054
00:39:34,090 --> 00:39:34,590
that,

1055
00:39:34,890 --> 00:39:37,494
you know, big heavy hiring season, as you

1056
00:39:37,494 --> 00:39:40,454
probably remember back in the day, was in

1057
00:39:40,454 --> 00:39:41,114
the summer,

1058
00:39:42,375 --> 00:39:46,074
spring, and maybe the odd December, January hire.

1059
00:39:46,215 --> 00:39:48,394
Now it just feels like constantly

1060
00:39:48,934 --> 00:39:51,510
needing to hire and bring teachers in.

1061
00:39:52,070 --> 00:39:53,989
And and that point that you made about

1062
00:39:53,989 --> 00:39:55,769
have about about changing

1063
00:39:56,230 --> 00:39:59,269
a person's life trajectory and giving them credits

1064
00:39:59,269 --> 00:40:02,090
in areas that may open other pathways,

1065
00:40:02,710 --> 00:40:04,630
listeners, when you read this article, you'll learn

1066
00:40:04,630 --> 00:40:06,650
that Lonnie, the student we were talking about,

1067
00:40:07,404 --> 00:40:08,784
is also studying,

1068
00:40:10,525 --> 00:40:12,824
biochem biomedical engineering with

1069
00:40:13,164 --> 00:40:15,744
Yep. The hopes of becoming an AP biology

1070
00:40:15,804 --> 00:40:18,045
teacher. The last time I checked, he could

1071
00:40:18,045 --> 00:40:19,724
use that degree in a lot of other

1072
00:40:19,724 --> 00:40:21,984
areas too if he changes his mind.

1073
00:40:22,910 --> 00:40:24,289
I just think that's incredible.

1074
00:40:24,590 --> 00:40:26,670
Couple of We hope he doesn't change his

1075
00:40:26,670 --> 00:40:29,070
mind, but if he does, he's had a

1076
00:40:29,070 --> 00:40:29,570
great,

1077
00:40:31,390 --> 00:40:32,610
eye opening experience,

1078
00:40:33,150 --> 00:40:35,775
and opportunities to learn about. I just wanna

1079
00:40:35,775 --> 00:40:37,375
say one other thing before you go on

1080
00:40:37,375 --> 00:40:38,275
to the next question.

1081
00:40:39,375 --> 00:40:42,014
We we didn't create this concept of the

1082
00:40:42,014 --> 00:40:43,315
way I defined homegrown.

1083
00:40:44,094 --> 00:40:45,234
We we partner

1084
00:40:45,775 --> 00:40:49,234
with an organization called Avenue Scholars, and Avenue

1085
00:40:49,295 --> 00:40:50,914
Scholars is in Omaha, Nebraska

1086
00:40:52,050 --> 00:40:53,349
and Des Moines, Iowa.

1087
00:40:54,050 --> 00:40:57,010
And my dear friend, doctor Ken Bird, started

1088
00:40:57,010 --> 00:40:59,190
Avenue Scholars about twenty years ago

1089
00:40:59,650 --> 00:41:01,750
with a multimillion dollar check

1090
00:41:02,289 --> 00:41:04,230
from billionaire Walter Scott

1091
00:41:04,805 --> 00:41:06,025
in Omaha, Nebraska.

1092
00:41:06,805 --> 00:41:08,585
Walter's no longer with us.

1093
00:41:09,445 --> 00:41:11,864
Ken's board chair now is Susie Buffett.

1094
00:41:12,965 --> 00:41:14,905
But the whole concept was

1095
00:41:15,364 --> 00:41:16,744
to grow your own

1096
00:41:17,045 --> 00:41:17,704
in various

1097
00:41:19,380 --> 00:41:19,880
career

1098
00:41:20,500 --> 00:41:22,900
strands to keep those young people in your

1099
00:41:22,900 --> 00:41:23,400
community,

1100
00:41:24,019 --> 00:41:26,339
which is exactly what we're doing. We just

1101
00:41:26,339 --> 00:41:26,839
started

1102
00:41:27,299 --> 00:41:28,760
in the strand of education.

1103
00:41:29,619 --> 00:41:32,099
And the big difference with with with doctor

1104
00:41:32,099 --> 00:41:35,375
Byrd's Avenue Scholars and with our Silver State

1105
00:41:35,375 --> 00:41:37,155
Education Foundation programming

1106
00:41:37,534 --> 00:41:38,034
is,

1107
00:41:38,574 --> 00:41:40,734
and it always will be no matter what

1108
00:41:40,734 --> 00:41:42,675
it what program it is,

1109
00:41:43,054 --> 00:41:43,954
the caring

1110
00:41:44,414 --> 00:41:45,554
and competent adult

1111
00:41:47,219 --> 00:41:49,079
that is working with those young people

1112
00:41:49,539 --> 00:41:51,719
and their families. That's always

1113
00:41:52,099 --> 00:41:53,719
the success of these things.

1114
00:41:54,019 --> 00:41:54,679
To leave

1115
00:41:55,619 --> 00:41:58,260
it young people to just fend I don't

1116
00:41:58,260 --> 00:41:59,894
like the word opportunity

1117
00:42:00,195 --> 00:42:01,175
for that reason

1118
00:42:01,555 --> 00:42:04,994
because you it can you can be, it

1119
00:42:04,994 --> 00:42:06,914
it almost can be a cop out. Well,

1120
00:42:06,914 --> 00:42:08,295
they have the opportunity.

1121
00:42:09,235 --> 00:42:09,894
You know?

1122
00:42:11,075 --> 00:42:13,320
So I don't like that. It's they have

1123
00:42:13,320 --> 00:42:15,719
to be sometimes I'm gonna use these words

1124
00:42:15,719 --> 00:42:18,280
because I don't think they're bad. Spoon fed

1125
00:42:18,280 --> 00:42:19,260
through a process.

1126
00:42:19,719 --> 00:42:20,219
Sure.

1127
00:42:21,640 --> 00:42:24,680
So because children don't know what's best for

1128
00:42:24,680 --> 00:42:27,525
them. We as adults know what's best for

1129
00:42:27,525 --> 00:42:30,344
them. And when something's getting hard,

1130
00:42:30,724 --> 00:42:32,164
I don't know about you, but when I

1131
00:42:32,164 --> 00:42:34,324
was a young man, sometimes I just wanted

1132
00:42:34,324 --> 00:42:35,224
to give up.

1133
00:42:35,764 --> 00:42:36,264
And,

1134
00:42:36,804 --> 00:42:37,304
fortunately,

1135
00:42:37,925 --> 00:42:38,565
I had,

1136
00:42:38,965 --> 00:42:40,744
you know, parents that were,

1137
00:42:41,079 --> 00:42:43,639
you know, able to get two parents in

1138
00:42:43,639 --> 00:42:45,659
the home and able to give me experiences

1139
00:42:45,880 --> 00:42:48,359
and make me follow through with things. They

1140
00:42:48,359 --> 00:42:50,139
may be many occasions.

1141
00:42:50,760 --> 00:42:54,039
And, that's what the career coach, in part,

1142
00:42:54,039 --> 00:42:56,059
does. They're a mentor and a monitor.

1143
00:42:57,434 --> 00:42:58,954
So they help, and they work with the

1144
00:42:58,954 --> 00:43:00,015
kids and their parents.

1145
00:43:00,555 --> 00:43:02,315
Yeah. I think that's really powerful, and I

1146
00:43:02,315 --> 00:43:04,635
and I really do think you know, I

1147
00:43:04,635 --> 00:43:05,135
definitely

1148
00:43:05,434 --> 00:43:08,075
resonate with this idea of, you know, how

1149
00:43:08,075 --> 00:43:10,679
you sort of contextualize the idea of spoon

1150
00:43:10,679 --> 00:43:12,679
feeding because I really do think that when

1151
00:43:12,679 --> 00:43:14,760
you have folks who are first gen who

1152
00:43:14,760 --> 00:43:18,139
traditionally have felt alienated from the educational process,

1153
00:43:18,679 --> 00:43:20,360
the the dots seem to be a little

1154
00:43:20,360 --> 00:43:22,360
bit closer together. They still need to connect

1155
00:43:22,360 --> 00:43:24,619
them. But for us to assume

1156
00:43:24,974 --> 00:43:27,295
that a person coming from an upper middle

1157
00:43:27,295 --> 00:43:28,595
class educated background

1158
00:43:29,375 --> 00:43:31,295
is on the same level as somebody who's

1159
00:43:31,295 --> 00:43:33,454
first gen and that they need the same

1160
00:43:33,454 --> 00:43:36,335
things is is inaccurate and culturally insensitive. So

1161
00:43:36,335 --> 00:43:38,869
I appreciate you saying that. One thing that,

1162
00:43:39,569 --> 00:43:40,549
piques my curiosity,

1163
00:43:41,170 --> 00:43:42,769
when we when we met a little while

1164
00:43:42,769 --> 00:43:44,609
back, we you mentioned this a little bit,

1165
00:43:44,609 --> 00:43:46,789
but would love to have you unpack this.

1166
00:43:46,849 --> 00:43:47,589
What happens

1167
00:43:48,449 --> 00:43:48,949
between

1168
00:43:49,730 --> 00:43:50,690
a young person

1169
00:43:51,164 --> 00:43:52,765
you know? So there's a couple of students

1170
00:43:52,765 --> 00:43:54,765
that are that are discussed in this. There's

1171
00:43:54,765 --> 00:43:55,664
Lonnie Fletcher.

1172
00:43:56,285 --> 00:43:56,785
There's,

1173
00:43:57,244 --> 00:44:00,765
there's Quatria Jemison who's who also wants to

1174
00:44:00,765 --> 00:44:03,005
become a teacher, kind of like the the

1175
00:44:03,005 --> 00:44:03,885
family driven,

1176
00:44:04,204 --> 00:44:05,905
motivation for being a teacher.

1177
00:44:06,680 --> 00:44:08,599
What happens between the time that they opt

1178
00:44:08,599 --> 00:44:10,940
in to participating in this program

1179
00:44:11,559 --> 00:44:13,980
and the time that they

1180
00:44:15,240 --> 00:44:17,960
finish school? What other supports are available to

1181
00:44:17,960 --> 00:44:18,460
them?

1182
00:44:18,965 --> 00:44:22,005
Oh, they're they're well, there's several. Number one,

1183
00:44:22,005 --> 00:44:22,565
the career

1184
00:44:23,125 --> 00:44:23,625
each

1185
00:44:23,925 --> 00:44:26,644
there's nothing more unequal than the equal treatment

1186
00:44:26,644 --> 00:44:28,644
of unequals. I say that all the time.

1187
00:44:28,644 --> 00:44:30,105
There's nothing more unequal

1188
00:44:30,485 --> 00:44:32,820
than the equal treatment of unequals. And not

1189
00:44:32,820 --> 00:44:35,160
every kid is equal in the sense that

1190
00:44:35,300 --> 00:44:36,519
they come to the table

1191
00:44:37,059 --> 00:44:37,960
with the same,

1192
00:44:38,900 --> 00:44:40,900
skill set, with the same,

1193
00:44:41,300 --> 00:44:43,079
supports from home,

1194
00:44:43,460 --> 00:44:44,760
with the same understanding

1195
00:44:45,300 --> 00:44:48,135
of how to get where they wanna get.

1196
00:44:48,514 --> 00:44:51,494
So so we have to differentiate support for

1197
00:44:51,635 --> 00:44:54,375
each individual students, and that's why the relationship

1198
00:44:55,234 --> 00:44:57,714
with the career coach is so critical, not

1199
00:44:57,714 --> 00:45:00,139
just with the youngster, but with their moms

1200
00:45:00,139 --> 00:45:03,119
and and or dads or guardians, whoever, whatever.

1201
00:45:03,339 --> 00:45:06,480
Yep. So level of support is dependent.

1202
00:45:07,019 --> 00:45:08,079
So for example,

1203
00:45:08,940 --> 00:45:11,484
we found out at the end of first

1204
00:45:11,484 --> 00:45:11,984
semester

1205
00:45:12,605 --> 00:45:14,864
that seven of our of our,

1206
00:45:15,644 --> 00:45:18,304
students in our cohort of, 47

1207
00:45:18,844 --> 00:45:19,664
had failed

1208
00:45:20,045 --> 00:45:21,025
or were failing

1209
00:45:21,565 --> 00:45:22,945
one of their,

1210
00:45:23,885 --> 00:45:24,385
college

1211
00:45:24,684 --> 00:45:25,184
classes

1212
00:45:26,119 --> 00:45:28,699
Because their the whole concept is they graduate

1213
00:45:28,760 --> 00:45:30,780
with a year of college, 30 credits,

1214
00:45:31,559 --> 00:45:33,880
then they enter the rebel teach program at

1215
00:45:33,880 --> 00:45:34,380
UNLV.

1216
00:45:35,480 --> 00:45:37,800
And and and and while they do the

1217
00:45:37,800 --> 00:45:39,900
rebel teach program to finish at UNLV,

1218
00:45:40,445 --> 00:45:43,505
we help them apply and obtain support staff

1219
00:45:43,724 --> 00:45:46,385
para pro jobs, like teacher aids and stuff

1220
00:45:46,525 --> 00:45:48,525
while because we wanna keep them in the

1221
00:45:48,525 --> 00:45:49,025
schools.

1222
00:45:49,405 --> 00:45:51,824
Yep. So of those seven kids, we met

1223
00:45:52,940 --> 00:45:55,279
with, doctor Seaburn Coleman

1224
00:45:55,900 --> 00:45:58,460
and and Danica Hayes, doctor Hayes over in

1225
00:45:58,460 --> 00:46:00,319
the Department of Education at UNLV.

1226
00:46:01,259 --> 00:46:02,000
These people

1227
00:46:02,380 --> 00:46:03,039
are wonderful

1228
00:46:03,900 --> 00:46:05,279
because doctor Coleman

1229
00:46:08,335 --> 00:46:11,554
carried the message from his boss, doctor Hayes,

1230
00:46:13,214 --> 00:46:15,214
doctor Geis, we don't wanna give these young

1231
00:46:15,214 --> 00:46:16,514
people a bad

1232
00:46:17,054 --> 00:46:17,554
experience,

1233
00:46:18,894 --> 00:46:19,394
collegially

1234
00:46:20,239 --> 00:46:22,019
when they're 16 years old.

1235
00:46:22,639 --> 00:46:24,799
And so we talked as a team with

1236
00:46:24,799 --> 00:46:25,539
their team,

1237
00:46:26,000 --> 00:46:28,239
and and he said we should keep these

1238
00:46:28,239 --> 00:46:29,460
classes open

1239
00:46:30,480 --> 00:46:31,859
for those seven kids.

1240
00:46:33,144 --> 00:46:35,865
Sergeant major school field can continue to work

1241
00:46:35,865 --> 00:46:36,525
with them

1242
00:46:37,305 --> 00:46:40,845
to support them in learning and or doing

1243
00:46:41,625 --> 00:46:43,965
the work they need to complete to pass.

1244
00:46:45,144 --> 00:46:45,644
And,

1245
00:46:47,440 --> 00:46:49,840
then we'll give them a deadline to create

1246
00:46:49,840 --> 00:46:51,619
a little fire under their belly.

1247
00:46:51,920 --> 00:46:53,619
Yep. We gave them the deadline,

1248
00:46:54,239 --> 00:46:56,960
and all all of them made it except

1249
00:46:56,960 --> 00:46:57,460
two.

1250
00:46:58,320 --> 00:47:01,039
Then with those two, because those two almost

1251
00:47:01,039 --> 00:47:01,780
made it,

1252
00:47:02,534 --> 00:47:05,175
we're gonna keep theirs open longer while sergeant

1253
00:47:05,175 --> 00:47:06,474
major works with them.

1254
00:47:06,855 --> 00:47:09,414
Because this is their first now you have

1255
00:47:09,414 --> 00:47:09,914
people.

1256
00:47:10,614 --> 00:47:12,214
If I were to talk to some people

1257
00:47:12,214 --> 00:47:15,034
about this, they'd say that's the rule.

1258
00:47:15,489 --> 00:47:19,250
We can't compromise the integrity of the prog

1259
00:47:19,329 --> 00:47:20,150
of the university

1260
00:47:20,450 --> 00:47:20,950
course,

1261
00:47:21,410 --> 00:47:22,789
and that's the rule,

1262
00:47:23,250 --> 00:47:26,070
and they fail Yeah. And they're 16.

1263
00:47:27,170 --> 00:47:28,710
People that talk that way,

1264
00:47:29,744 --> 00:47:31,264
I know I don't want anything to do

1265
00:47:31,264 --> 00:47:32,244
with them professionally

1266
00:47:32,704 --> 00:47:35,364
because that is that is incorrect thinking

1267
00:47:35,904 --> 00:47:37,904
when you're dealing with young people. And you

1268
00:47:37,904 --> 00:47:40,404
know what I find too? Often people

1269
00:47:40,784 --> 00:47:43,260
that talk that way, as I illustrated,

1270
00:47:43,800 --> 00:47:45,720
they're the first ones as an adult to

1271
00:47:45,720 --> 00:47:47,099
call you for a break.

1272
00:47:47,480 --> 00:47:48,220
That's right.

1273
00:47:48,920 --> 00:47:49,800
That's right. They don't want they don't want

1274
00:47:49,800 --> 00:47:51,400
you to give the kid a break who's

1275
00:47:51,400 --> 00:47:51,900
16.

1276
00:47:52,440 --> 00:47:54,599
A 16 year old kid who doesn't know

1277
00:47:54,599 --> 00:47:57,579
what's best for them Yeah. Whose whose mom

1278
00:47:58,094 --> 00:48:00,655
and dad are working two, three jobs to

1279
00:48:00,655 --> 00:48:01,635
make end meets.

1280
00:48:01,934 --> 00:48:03,614
They're not home when they get home from

1281
00:48:03,614 --> 00:48:07,074
school because they're working swing shifts. 40 30

1282
00:48:07,135 --> 00:48:09,614
to 40% of our workforce here in Las

1283
00:48:09,614 --> 00:48:11,695
Vegas goes to work after 02:00 in the

1284
00:48:11,695 --> 00:48:12,195
afternoon.

1285
00:48:12,559 --> 00:48:14,820
That's right. You know? So, I mean,

1286
00:48:15,760 --> 00:48:16,400
you gotta

1287
00:48:16,960 --> 00:48:17,940
I'm not saying,

1288
00:48:18,320 --> 00:48:20,400
by any means, you don't hold young people

1289
00:48:20,400 --> 00:48:20,900
accountable.

1290
00:48:21,519 --> 00:48:23,119
I'm not saying you don't make them do

1291
00:48:23,119 --> 00:48:25,219
what they need to do to pass.

1292
00:48:25,715 --> 00:48:27,655
Matter of fact, I'm saying just the opposite.

1293
00:48:27,875 --> 00:48:29,795
They gotta do the work. But when I

1294
00:48:29,795 --> 00:48:32,114
say the word spoon feed, that's the kind

1295
00:48:32,114 --> 00:48:34,514
of stuff I'm talking about because you gotta

1296
00:48:34,514 --> 00:48:37,094
help uplift them because at some point,

1297
00:48:37,394 --> 00:48:39,574
you want it to click for that intrinsic

1298
00:48:39,715 --> 00:48:40,215
motivation.

1299
00:48:40,989 --> 00:48:43,489
But sometimes you have to exercise a little

1300
00:48:43,950 --> 00:48:46,050
extrinsic motivation for a moment.

1301
00:48:46,430 --> 00:48:48,849
Yeah. And that's okay because they're children.

1302
00:48:49,309 --> 00:48:51,230
Yep. I mean, that that's absolutely right. I

1303
00:48:51,390 --> 00:48:53,175
and and even if we just take our

1304
00:48:53,175 --> 00:48:56,474
most basic understanding of adolescent development, like,

1305
00:48:56,934 --> 00:48:59,815
they're running around with undeveloped brains. Like, their

1306
00:48:59,815 --> 00:49:01,815
brains won't be developed until they're in their

1307
00:49:01,815 --> 00:49:03,594
third or fourth year of teaching. Right?

1308
00:49:04,055 --> 00:49:06,375
Which which is a whole other podcast topic.

1309
00:49:06,375 --> 00:49:09,210
Especially as nails. Especially as nails. Well and,

1310
00:49:09,210 --> 00:49:11,130
yeah, I mean and I'm fond of saying

1311
00:49:11,130 --> 00:49:12,190
that, you know,

1312
00:49:12,730 --> 00:49:15,389
aging is mandatory. Growth is optional. Right?

1313
00:49:16,329 --> 00:49:18,090
But I think so it's interest so all

1314
00:49:18,090 --> 00:49:19,630
this stuff that you've kinda outlined,

1315
00:49:20,250 --> 00:49:22,030
the various people at the table,

1316
00:49:22,474 --> 00:49:25,054
the way that supports are differentiated

1317
00:49:25,675 --> 00:49:27,135
for the participants,

1318
00:49:27,434 --> 00:49:29,454
the way that folks get opportunities

1319
00:49:29,835 --> 00:49:31,295
to figure it out

1320
00:49:31,994 --> 00:49:32,494
when,

1321
00:49:33,195 --> 00:49:33,695
when

1322
00:49:34,640 --> 00:49:36,800
when mayor Pamela Goins Brown that that's her

1323
00:49:36,800 --> 00:49:39,619
name. Right? When when she says

1324
00:49:40,400 --> 00:49:41,199
that this

1325
00:49:42,000 --> 00:49:42,739
what's that?

1326
00:49:43,039 --> 00:49:45,680
She's a wonderful human being. She sounds great.

1327
00:49:46,079 --> 00:49:47,440
And I and I love the idea. I

1328
00:49:47,440 --> 00:49:49,994
mean, this folks just gonna editorialize here for

1329
00:49:49,994 --> 00:49:52,255
a second. So what happens when you bring

1330
00:49:52,315 --> 00:49:55,514
teachers into decision making spaces? Right? We come

1331
00:49:55,514 --> 00:49:57,675
up with things that are really working for

1332
00:49:57,675 --> 00:49:58,175
communities.

1333
00:49:58,554 --> 00:50:01,114
So when she says that this homegrown teacher

1334
00:50:01,114 --> 00:50:01,614
program

1335
00:50:02,210 --> 00:50:04,549
is more than a solution to a problem,

1336
00:50:05,010 --> 00:50:07,489
that's what you're referring to. Right? It's these

1337
00:50:07,489 --> 00:50:09,670
wraparound supports. It's this comprehensive

1338
00:50:11,250 --> 00:50:12,150
way to

1339
00:50:13,010 --> 00:50:14,150
just receive

1340
00:50:14,690 --> 00:50:17,474
the young person that is that is expressed

1341
00:50:17,474 --> 00:50:17,974
interest

1342
00:50:18,275 --> 00:50:20,214
with the knowledge that they may not have

1343
00:50:20,514 --> 00:50:21,494
all of the tools

1344
00:50:22,594 --> 00:50:24,674
to get in the classroom now, but good

1345
00:50:24,674 --> 00:50:26,434
news. You're 16. You're not gonna be a

1346
00:50:26,434 --> 00:50:27,255
teacher today.

1347
00:50:27,554 --> 00:50:30,194
Right? And so doing that kind of thing.

1348
00:50:30,194 --> 00:50:30,694
Plus,

1349
00:50:31,154 --> 00:50:32,454
the the sort of

1350
00:50:32,889 --> 00:50:33,630
the generational

1351
00:50:34,090 --> 00:50:35,070
life trajectory

1352
00:50:35,849 --> 00:50:37,929
that can be altered through this program. Is

1353
00:50:37,929 --> 00:50:39,550
that is that sort of what's meant

1354
00:50:40,170 --> 00:50:42,010
when she says it's more than a solution

1355
00:50:42,010 --> 00:50:44,570
to a problem? Well, I wouldn't wanna speak

1356
00:50:44,570 --> 00:50:46,170
for the mayor directly, but she and I

1357
00:50:46,170 --> 00:50:47,309
have had these conversations,

1358
00:50:47,610 --> 00:50:49,335
and she understands conceptually,

1359
00:50:50,035 --> 00:50:51,715
what we're trying to do here. And this

1360
00:50:51,715 --> 00:50:53,094
is not just to recruit

1361
00:50:53,715 --> 00:50:57,015
a workforce to become teachers. It's to also

1362
00:50:57,635 --> 00:51:00,275
change the trajectory of these young people's lives

1363
00:51:00,275 --> 00:51:01,875
in the state. I mean, you're dealing with

1364
00:51:01,875 --> 00:51:02,855
a state here

1365
00:51:03,590 --> 00:51:04,090
where,

1366
00:51:04,469 --> 00:51:07,030
you know, if somebody has a a million

1367
00:51:07,030 --> 00:51:10,070
dollar house, your property taxes are about $2.50

1368
00:51:10,070 --> 00:51:10,730
a month.

1369
00:51:11,349 --> 00:51:12,789
250

1370
00:51:12,789 --> 00:51:15,429
a month. Okay? You're there is that's why

1371
00:51:15,429 --> 00:51:18,625
our class sizes in our secondary schools, like

1372
00:51:18,625 --> 00:51:20,385
where my son went to school out here

1373
00:51:20,385 --> 00:51:21,045
in suburbia,

1374
00:51:22,065 --> 00:51:24,305
he had 45, 50 kids sitting in his

1375
00:51:24,305 --> 00:51:25,605
classrooms. Wow.

1376
00:51:25,985 --> 00:51:28,065
So that's when people say that, why are

1377
00:51:28,065 --> 00:51:29,985
the class sizes so high? That's why. And

1378
00:51:29,985 --> 00:51:32,230
we don't have state income tax.

1379
00:51:32,690 --> 00:51:34,690
So it's very hard. And and I would

1380
00:51:34,690 --> 00:51:35,190
say

1381
00:51:36,530 --> 00:51:38,630
that most industry here, hospitality

1382
00:51:39,089 --> 00:51:39,589
particularly,

1383
00:51:40,530 --> 00:51:42,550
they don't need an educated workforce.

1384
00:51:43,304 --> 00:51:45,784
They need people educated in some of the

1385
00:51:45,784 --> 00:51:49,704
vocational tracks, you know, dealing cards and and

1386
00:51:50,105 --> 00:51:52,744
or or dealing crap games. They have jobs.

1387
00:51:52,744 --> 00:51:54,925
They need people who will fill those jobs.

1388
00:51:54,984 --> 00:51:56,184
Yeah. They need they need

1389
00:51:56,664 --> 00:51:58,769
people need to be well spoken. They need

1390
00:51:58,769 --> 00:51:59,389
to be,

1391
00:51:59,769 --> 00:52:01,150
you know, be able to read

1392
00:52:01,690 --> 00:52:03,469
decently and and write.

1393
00:52:03,769 --> 00:52:05,449
But, I mean, you know, I don't know

1394
00:52:05,449 --> 00:52:07,389
many communities in this country

1395
00:52:08,170 --> 00:52:09,949
where you can wait tables

1396
00:52:10,809 --> 00:52:11,789
or or be a server

1397
00:52:12,215 --> 00:52:14,695
or be a valet parker or be bellman

1398
00:52:14,934 --> 00:52:16,074
bellman or a bellwoman,

1399
00:52:17,574 --> 00:52:19,835
and and and or a card dealer,

1400
00:52:20,135 --> 00:52:22,614
and you are living an upper middle class

1401
00:52:22,614 --> 00:52:25,494
lifestyle if you're those things. There's not many

1402
00:52:25,494 --> 00:52:27,175
community. I don't know of any other, quite

1403
00:52:27,175 --> 00:52:30,172
frankly. I mean and when I say upper

1404
00:52:30,172 --> 00:52:32,655
middle class lifestyle, I'm saying you're you're you're

1405
00:52:32,655 --> 00:52:35,137
living in a gated community. Each of you

1406
00:52:35,137 --> 00:52:37,619
have a nice vehicle. You you you you

1407
00:52:37,619 --> 00:52:40,102
get to go out, spend some money. You're

1408
00:52:40,102 --> 00:52:42,585
you're making very good income. Yeah. And so

1409
00:52:42,824 --> 00:52:43,644
I'm not criticizing

1410
00:52:44,025 --> 00:52:44,525
that.

1411
00:52:45,144 --> 00:52:46,605
I I think that's fine.

1412
00:52:46,984 --> 00:52:48,764
But the problem with that is

1413
00:52:49,304 --> 00:52:51,885
in a community loss like Las Vegas, Nevada,

1414
00:52:52,184 --> 00:52:52,684
then

1415
00:52:53,864 --> 00:52:56,605
you are you it's makes the battle tougher,

1416
00:52:57,719 --> 00:53:00,440
to to convince a child or young people

1417
00:53:00,440 --> 00:53:02,860
to go the scholastic route.

1418
00:53:03,400 --> 00:53:03,900
Yeah.

1419
00:53:05,400 --> 00:53:08,599
I I there's so much that I'm connecting

1420
00:53:08,599 --> 00:53:10,199
to just based on what I see in

1421
00:53:10,199 --> 00:53:12,434
the work I'm doing, based on all this

1422
00:53:12,434 --> 00:53:14,195
kind of stuff. I mean, one of the

1423
00:53:14,195 --> 00:53:14,695
fundamentals

1424
00:53:16,835 --> 00:53:18,695
of of this work is

1425
00:53:19,394 --> 00:53:20,215
the families

1426
00:53:20,835 --> 00:53:22,135
need to be able

1427
00:53:22,914 --> 00:53:24,449
to bring their kids to school where they

1428
00:53:24,449 --> 00:53:26,849
can access an education. And so if we're

1429
00:53:26,849 --> 00:53:28,469
really beefing up our communities

1430
00:53:29,250 --> 00:53:30,389
through these,

1431
00:53:31,170 --> 00:53:32,389
homegrown programs,

1432
00:53:32,690 --> 00:53:35,510
then we're actually preserving an infrastructure for generations

1433
00:53:35,650 --> 00:53:38,085
to come. It's it's really amazing. I'm gonna

1434
00:53:38,085 --> 00:53:41,204
pivot really quickly to final question I wanna

1435
00:53:41,204 --> 00:53:42,184
bring up to you.

1436
00:53:43,525 --> 00:53:46,005
It's it's a turbulent moment in in our

1437
00:53:46,005 --> 00:53:49,385
nation and in education in American education.

1438
00:53:50,180 --> 00:53:52,660
This is stuff that is feels sort of

1439
00:53:52,660 --> 00:53:54,920
agnostic to political party.

1440
00:53:55,300 --> 00:53:57,960
Over the last generation or so, we've definitely

1441
00:53:58,099 --> 00:54:00,980
seen education go through a real gauntlet of

1442
00:54:00,980 --> 00:54:01,480
challenges.

1443
00:54:04,235 --> 00:54:05,934
As we navigate this moment,

1444
00:54:07,034 --> 00:54:09,454
what is the potential of a vibrant

1445
00:54:09,835 --> 00:54:10,335
homegrown

1446
00:54:10,954 --> 00:54:11,454
program

1447
00:54:11,835 --> 00:54:13,534
to meet our needs

1448
00:54:13,835 --> 00:54:15,614
in education and in society?

1449
00:54:17,500 --> 00:54:20,220
Oh, I think there's tremendous potential. Here in

1450
00:54:20,220 --> 00:54:22,079
in the here in Nevada,

1451
00:54:23,980 --> 00:54:25,760
every group I talk to,

1452
00:54:26,619 --> 00:54:29,519
no no matter their political persuasion,

1453
00:54:30,094 --> 00:54:32,355
has been very supportive of this

1454
00:54:32,815 --> 00:54:33,315
because

1455
00:54:33,694 --> 00:54:34,914
everyone recognizes

1456
00:54:35,295 --> 00:54:35,954
the problem.

1457
00:54:36,574 --> 00:54:38,654
And it's been a problem that we've talked

1458
00:54:38,654 --> 00:54:39,154
about

1459
00:54:40,094 --> 00:54:41,234
year after year,

1460
00:54:41,694 --> 00:54:43,074
decade after decade.

1461
00:54:43,454 --> 00:54:43,954
And

1462
00:54:45,159 --> 00:54:47,900
we always say we're doing the same things,

1463
00:54:48,440 --> 00:54:50,380
but those same things never

1464
00:54:51,079 --> 00:54:51,579
produce

1465
00:54:52,280 --> 00:54:53,179
an eradication

1466
00:54:53,559 --> 00:54:55,739
of or at least close

1467
00:54:56,775 --> 00:55:00,155
to an eradication of this vacancy crisis.

1468
00:55:01,174 --> 00:55:03,034
So this is something different,

1469
00:55:04,534 --> 00:55:06,315
that we've had for years

1470
00:55:06,855 --> 00:55:09,094
in the state of Nevada, might be similar

1471
00:55:09,094 --> 00:55:10,315
in the state of Colorado,

1472
00:55:12,929 --> 00:55:16,070
offering teacher pipeline pathways to high school students.

1473
00:55:16,849 --> 00:55:17,829
None of them

1474
00:55:18,449 --> 00:55:19,989
have produced significantly

1475
00:55:20,289 --> 00:55:20,789
enough

1476
00:55:21,329 --> 00:55:22,949
to come close to eradicating

1477
00:55:23,570 --> 00:55:24,230
the vacancy,

1478
00:55:25,105 --> 00:55:27,445
number of vacancies. I call it a crisis.

1479
00:55:27,744 --> 00:55:30,144
I think even when you have 300,000

1480
00:55:30,144 --> 00:55:31,204
kids in the system

1481
00:55:31,505 --> 00:55:34,224
and about a thousand vacancies, that's still a

1482
00:55:34,224 --> 00:55:37,344
crisis because that's thousands of children that do

1483
00:55:37,344 --> 00:55:39,105
not have a licensed teacher in front of

1484
00:55:39,105 --> 00:55:41,119
them. You know, if you

1485
00:55:41,579 --> 00:55:43,900
had, you know, a couple of dozen, I

1486
00:55:43,900 --> 00:55:44,880
could see that,

1487
00:55:45,579 --> 00:55:46,639
in a large system

1488
00:55:47,019 --> 00:55:48,859
or or even a hundred. You know, you

1489
00:55:48,859 --> 00:55:51,260
can see some of those things. But when

1490
00:55:51,260 --> 00:55:52,159
you're getting,

1491
00:55:52,594 --> 00:55:53,494
you know, a thousand or more

1492
00:55:54,355 --> 00:55:56,835
year after year after year, it's just it's

1493
00:55:56,835 --> 00:55:58,295
just too much in compounding.

1494
00:55:59,074 --> 00:56:00,855
So I haven't had no pushback

1495
00:56:02,034 --> 00:56:04,914
relative to the asks because we're doing some

1496
00:56:04,914 --> 00:56:07,094
other traditional foundation things

1497
00:56:07,739 --> 00:56:10,619
around, you know, galas and golf tournaments and

1498
00:56:10,619 --> 00:56:12,000
all those things as fundraisers.

1499
00:56:12,300 --> 00:56:14,139
And Yep. We're doing all that. We're in

1500
00:56:14,139 --> 00:56:16,460
the midst of planning those things now. And

1501
00:56:16,460 --> 00:56:17,599
and I have people

1502
00:56:18,300 --> 00:56:20,139
really just wanting not only to give, but

1503
00:56:20,139 --> 00:56:21,405
jump on board, and

1504
00:56:21,804 --> 00:56:22,204
and,

1505
00:56:22,605 --> 00:56:24,625
they find it very refreshing.

1506
00:56:25,565 --> 00:56:27,905
I have if we would have started this

1507
00:56:28,125 --> 00:56:29,265
thirty years ago,

1508
00:56:29,724 --> 00:56:31,565
I'm not saying it would have eliminated all

1509
00:56:31,565 --> 00:56:33,724
the vacancies in Nevada. I mean, that would

1510
00:56:33,724 --> 00:56:34,545
be a pretty,

1511
00:56:35,369 --> 00:56:37,609
you know, that's pretty egotistical to say that.

1512
00:56:37,609 --> 00:56:39,849
Be a tall order. Right? But but but

1513
00:56:39,849 --> 00:56:41,929
I would never say that. But had we

1514
00:56:41,929 --> 00:56:42,829
really seriously

1515
00:56:43,130 --> 00:56:45,289
started at thirty years ago just in one

1516
00:56:45,289 --> 00:56:45,789
school

1517
00:56:46,489 --> 00:56:49,130
with 50 kids or so year after year

1518
00:56:49,130 --> 00:56:49,869
in a cohort,

1519
00:56:51,315 --> 00:56:52,755
boy, that would have made a that would

1520
00:56:52,755 --> 00:56:53,894
have made a big difference.

1521
00:56:54,355 --> 00:56:55,954
You would have moved the needle for sure.

1522
00:56:55,954 --> 00:56:57,815
And I think move the needle. Yeah.

1523
00:56:58,195 --> 00:57:00,594
Yeah. And I think the the challenges that

1524
00:57:00,594 --> 00:57:01,734
remain is

1525
00:57:02,114 --> 00:57:04,380
in the position I'm in, I sort of

1526
00:57:04,380 --> 00:57:06,779
look at, okay, once we have folks who

1527
00:57:06,779 --> 00:57:07,440
have matriculated

1528
00:57:07,739 --> 00:57:10,319
from these from these pathways and pipelines,

1529
00:57:10,779 --> 00:57:13,420
now are we allowing them to help us

1530
00:57:13,420 --> 00:57:15,839
craft the next iteration of this system

1531
00:57:16,219 --> 00:57:18,559
and to bring those things,

1532
00:57:19,795 --> 00:57:21,494
that brought them into this space

1533
00:57:22,114 --> 00:57:22,614
into

1534
00:57:22,914 --> 00:57:23,655
the broader

1535
00:57:24,195 --> 00:57:25,255
education world.

1536
00:57:25,715 --> 00:57:27,255
Doctor Geiss, this has been amazing.

1537
00:57:28,515 --> 00:57:29,574
I want to

1538
00:57:30,195 --> 00:57:31,894
invite you back at some point.

1539
00:57:32,360 --> 00:57:34,380
Well, any maybe we can come back and

1540
00:57:34,440 --> 00:57:36,679
give you a report about this time next

1541
00:57:36,679 --> 00:57:39,480
year because we've already recruited. He's recruited about

1542
00:57:39,480 --> 00:57:39,980
another

1543
00:57:40,440 --> 00:57:43,000
65 or 70 for next year on top

1544
00:57:43,000 --> 00:57:45,420
of the 47 we have, and,

1545
00:57:46,175 --> 00:57:48,655
we'd love to stay in contact. And I

1546
00:57:48,655 --> 00:57:50,655
just wanna commend you for the work you

1547
00:57:50,655 --> 00:57:52,815
do do. I know that you and your

1548
00:57:52,815 --> 00:57:54,994
colleague cover a variety of topics,

1549
00:57:56,175 --> 00:57:58,034
and I think that is great

1550
00:57:58,519 --> 00:58:01,639
for our, educational community in The United States

1551
00:58:01,639 --> 00:58:04,119
Of America. So thank you for what you

1552
00:58:04,119 --> 00:58:07,099
do and bring and and bringing people together.

1553
00:58:07,719 --> 00:58:09,960
Oh, yeah. That's what I love. That I

1554
00:58:09,960 --> 00:58:12,119
I like to think of myself as a

1555
00:58:12,119 --> 00:58:14,744
twenty first century Akbar, the Mughal emperor who

1556
00:58:14,945 --> 00:58:17,585
Yeah. Used to just bring he he would

1557
00:58:17,585 --> 00:58:19,505
say, I just wanna hear a Buddhist and

1558
00:58:19,505 --> 00:58:21,605
a Christian missionary just talk to each other

1559
00:58:21,744 --> 00:58:23,285
and just talk about

1560
00:58:23,664 --> 00:58:25,025
the work they do and why they do

1561
00:58:25,025 --> 00:58:27,230
it. And and I really that resonates with

1562
00:58:27,230 --> 00:58:30,190
me. I love just elevating incredible voices and

1563
00:58:30,190 --> 00:58:32,349
incredible work, and, you know, I just really

1564
00:58:32,349 --> 00:58:34,109
appreciate you coming on the show and helping

1565
00:58:34,109 --> 00:58:36,670
us remix this conversation on race power and

1566
00:58:36,670 --> 00:58:37,170
education.

1567
00:58:37,949 --> 00:58:40,109
How do people follow you, connect with the

1568
00:58:40,109 --> 00:58:42,554
work, the ideas, whether it's you, whether it's

1569
00:58:42,554 --> 00:58:43,054
through,

1570
00:58:44,235 --> 00:58:46,094
Silver State Education Foundation,

1571
00:58:46,635 --> 00:58:48,235
the other ones that you missed. Also, folks,

1572
00:58:48,235 --> 00:58:49,135
I have linked

1573
00:58:49,594 --> 00:58:50,574
all of the programs

1574
00:58:50,875 --> 00:58:51,355
and,

1575
00:58:52,155 --> 00:58:52,655
foundations

1576
00:58:53,034 --> 00:58:55,114
in the show notes. So if you wanna

1577
00:58:55,114 --> 00:58:56,980
know about rebel teach, if if you wanna

1578
00:58:56,980 --> 00:58:59,460
know about Avenue Scholars, if you obviously, if

1579
00:58:59,460 --> 00:59:02,440
you wanna know about Silver State Education Foundation,

1580
00:59:02,900 --> 00:59:04,920
you will find that in the show notes.

1581
00:59:05,539 --> 00:59:07,219
How how else do people sort of follow

1582
00:59:07,219 --> 00:59:08,820
your work and the work that's happening in

1583
00:59:08,820 --> 00:59:11,105
North Las Vegas? Well, if you could link

1584
00:59:11,105 --> 00:59:12,625
our websites to your,

1585
00:59:13,025 --> 00:59:15,605
to the for your listeners, the the

1586
00:59:16,464 --> 00:59:18,144
the ssef.org

1587
00:59:18,144 --> 00:59:18,644
and,

1588
00:59:19,744 --> 00:59:21,684
nasanv.org,

1589
00:59:22,704 --> 00:59:23,764
those are our websites,

1590
00:59:24,969 --> 00:59:26,730
if you wanna link those. And then on

1591
00:59:26,730 --> 00:59:28,190
Twitter, it's NASA Nevada

1592
00:59:28,890 --> 00:59:29,950
at NASA Nevada,

1593
00:59:30,489 --> 00:59:31,869
n a s a Nevada.

1594
00:59:32,570 --> 00:59:35,130
And we I post foundation stuff there too

1595
00:59:35,130 --> 00:59:36,349
because remember NASA,

1596
00:59:36,815 --> 00:59:39,055
you know, created and founded this foundation. It

1597
00:59:39,055 --> 00:59:41,394
is a separate entity. It's a c c

1598
00:59:41,614 --> 00:59:44,035
three where NASA's a c six because

1599
00:59:44,335 --> 00:59:45,155
state associations,

1600
00:59:46,095 --> 00:59:48,434
we're not a union. We're a professional association,

1601
00:59:49,055 --> 00:59:50,114
but we advocate,

1602
00:59:50,780 --> 00:59:53,119
for all educators, not just administrators,

1603
00:59:54,300 --> 00:59:56,460
you know, for things like higher pay, good

1604
00:59:56,460 --> 00:59:59,420
benefits, and and, of course, school autonomy where

1605
00:59:59,420 --> 01:00:02,655
principals and and teachers work together to make,

1606
01:00:02,735 --> 01:00:04,994
you know, problems are best solved where they

1607
01:00:05,054 --> 01:00:07,295
where they closest to where they occur. That's

1608
01:00:07,295 --> 01:00:08,195
what we believe.

1609
01:00:08,815 --> 01:00:09,054
So,

1610
01:00:09,775 --> 01:00:11,855
you could list those on on there and

1611
01:00:11,855 --> 01:00:13,934
and then we have a Facebook account. NASA

1612
01:00:13,934 --> 01:00:15,375
does as well. Just search search,

1613
01:00:16,119 --> 01:00:18,599
Nevada Association of School Administrators. That will come

1614
01:00:18,599 --> 01:00:19,099
up.

1615
01:00:19,559 --> 01:00:21,900
And, I really appreciate you.

1616
01:00:22,599 --> 01:00:23,880
This is great. This has been a great

1617
01:00:23,880 --> 01:00:24,380
conversation.

1618
01:00:24,920 --> 01:00:27,079
We will stay in touch. I am excited

1619
01:00:27,079 --> 01:00:28,219
to see the progress,

1620
01:00:29,135 --> 01:00:31,135
that you all make and just the impact

1621
01:00:31,135 --> 01:00:32,494
that you continue to have, and I thank

1622
01:00:32,494 --> 01:00:33,375
you. Folks,

1623
01:00:33,855 --> 01:00:36,335
you should be able to access this wherever

1624
01:00:36,335 --> 01:00:37,234
you get podcasts.

1625
01:00:38,094 --> 01:00:40,994
If you have questions, if you have feedback

1626
01:00:41,054 --> 01:00:41,554
for,

1627
01:00:41,940 --> 01:00:44,119
doctor Guy Geiss or for me,

1628
01:00:44,820 --> 01:00:46,980
obviously, 2dopeteachers@gmail.com,

1629
01:00:46,980 --> 01:00:48,739
or you can hit us up on any

1630
01:00:48,739 --> 01:00:52,440
social media platform at two dope teachers.

1631
01:00:52,739 --> 01:00:53,239
Folks,

1632
01:00:53,940 --> 01:00:54,440
we,

1633
01:00:54,820 --> 01:00:56,505
hopefully, this, great conversation

1634
01:01:02,424 --> 01:01:04,684
touch with the things that are happening

1635
01:01:05,065 --> 01:01:07,384
in communities that are really powerful. Don't get

1636
01:01:07,384 --> 01:01:07,884
distracted

1637
01:01:08,344 --> 01:01:10,523
by the negativity and the things that can

1638
01:01:10,523 --> 01:01:10,598
frustrate us, but really look at the people

1639
01:01:10,598 --> 01:01:10,904
who just need the good work in in

1640
01:01:10,904 --> 01:01:11,309
the