1 00:00:38,001 --> 00:00:41,440 Speaker 1: Hey friends, it's Kelly from Life Audio. We just launched 2 00:00:41,501 --> 00:00:45,181 Speaker 1: something new. It's called The Good Word, our free weekly 3 00:00:45,241 --> 00:00:48,120 Speaker 1: newsletter built for people who want to go a little 4 00:00:48,161 --> 00:00:54,011 Speaker 1: deeper in their faith. Think devotionals, guided prayers, curated podcast recommendations, 5 00:00:54,191 --> 00:00:57,311 Speaker 1: and a little community all in one place. No ads, 6 00:00:57,651 --> 00:01:00,091 Speaker 1: just good content. This one means a lot to us. 7 00:01:00,491 --> 00:01:03,271 Speaker 1: We built The Good Word based on the audience survey 8 00:01:03,491 --> 00:01:05,671 Speaker 1: so many of you filled out a few months back. 9 00:01:05,991 --> 00:01:08,571 Speaker 1: You told us what you wanted and we listened. So 10 00:01:08,611 --> 00:01:11,550 Speaker 1: thank you truly for helping us shape this. Head to 11 00:01:11,571 --> 00:01:14,150 Speaker 1: the link in the show notes and join our community today. 12 00:01:14,471 --> 00:01:15,441 Speaker 1: We'd love to have you. 13 00:01:18,461 --> 00:01:25,280 Speaker 2: Life Audio. Good morning or good afternoon, good evening, wherever 14 00:01:25,601 --> 00:01:27,941 Speaker 2: you may be and whatever time it may be in 15 00:01:27,961 --> 00:01:31,761 Speaker 2: your world. It's morning here and I've got some fresh 16 00:01:31,821 --> 00:01:35,601 Speaker 2: coffee as I'm celebrating another day here on this earth 17 00:01:36,281 --> 00:01:38,881 Speaker 2: Another day to praise the Lord and to remember that 18 00:01:39,101 --> 00:01:43,270 Speaker 2: not all stories are bad. There are still some great 19 00:01:43,351 --> 00:01:48,291 Speaker 2: stories going on behind the headlines, if you will, encouraging 20 00:01:48,651 --> 00:01:52,731 Speaker 2: and positive stories and headlines to help us in our 21 00:01:52,871 --> 00:01:55,831 Speaker 2: walk with God. I'm Sean McAvoy, and I've picked a 22 00:01:55,851 --> 00:02:00,270 Speaker 2: couple stories for you today about schools. The great things 23 00:02:00,351 --> 00:02:03,211 Speaker 2: that God is doing do not stop at the doorway 24 00:02:03,411 --> 00:02:06,941 Speaker 2: of the school. They continue on inside. And with that, 25 00:02:06,981 --> 00:02:09,481 Speaker 2: I'll let you think about students in your life who 26 00:02:09,521 --> 00:02:11,681 Speaker 2: you may know who may be at school right now 27 00:02:11,821 --> 00:02:14,771 Speaker 2: as you're taking some time in your day while they're 28 00:02:15,191 --> 00:02:18,391 Speaker 2: not in your hair or under your feet to consider 29 00:02:18,771 --> 00:02:21,191 Speaker 2: what the Lord might be doing in their place of 30 00:02:21,271 --> 00:02:24,130 Speaker 2: education today. And I'll be back with you in just 31 00:02:24,171 --> 00:02:34,761 Speaker 2: a moment. Our first story today comes to us from 32 00:02:35,001 --> 00:02:40,490 Speaker 2: Heather Riggleman. And again, you can find our stories at GodUpdates, 33 00:02:41,231 --> 00:02:47,050 Speaker 2: which can be found at GodTube.com slash blog. This one 34 00:02:47,431 --> 00:02:50,710 Speaker 2: is about students who received a surprise they'll remember for 35 00:02:50,751 --> 00:02:57,411 Speaker 2: years thanks to a school resource officer. For most families, 36 00:02:58,151 --> 00:03:00,971 Speaker 2: a trip to the movies is just another summer memory. 37 00:03:02,011 --> 00:03:06,421 Speaker 2: For some children, it's something they've only imagined. So when 38 00:03:06,501 --> 00:03:12,231 Speaker 2: funding for Greenway Middle School's end-of-summer field trip unexpectedly fell through, 39 00:03:13,651 --> 00:03:18,411 Speaker 2: school resource officer Shah Rivi refused to let disappointment have 40 00:03:18,451 --> 00:03:21,811 Speaker 2: the final word. When he saw the look on their 41 00:03:21,851 --> 00:03:25,221 Speaker 2: faces about the trip not happening, he said, it made 42 00:03:25,261 --> 00:03:31,141 Speaker 2: me sad. Determined to turn their frowns into smiles, he 43 00:03:31,381 --> 00:03:36,361 Speaker 2: quietly rented all 144 seats from at a Harkins Theater, 44 00:03:37,181 --> 00:03:39,901 Speaker 2: so that every 7th and 8th grader in the school's 45 00:03:40,081 --> 00:03:44,521 Speaker 2: After the Bell summer program could watch Toy Story 5 together. 46 00:03:45,621 --> 00:03:48,071 Speaker 2: And he didn't stop there, either. He wanted it to 47 00:03:48,101 --> 00:03:51,271 Speaker 2: be a memory they would cherish for years. So he 48 00:03:51,311 --> 00:03:54,631 Speaker 2: included snacks, knowing many of the students couldn't afford them, 49 00:03:55,351 --> 00:04:00,531 Speaker 2: and got the motherlode of popcorn, candy, and drinks. For 50 00:04:00,571 --> 00:04:02,841 Speaker 2: several students, this was the first time they had ever 51 00:04:02,881 --> 00:04:07,021 Speaker 2: stepped inside a movie theater. Greenway is a Title I 52 00:04:07,081 --> 00:04:12,181 Speaker 2: school in Phoenix, where many families qualify for free breakfast 53 00:04:12,281 --> 00:04:18,861 Speaker 2: and lunch. Officer Sean, a 20-year law enforcement veteran, knows 54 00:04:18,921 --> 00:04:24,001 Speaker 2: his students' stories extend far beyond the classroom. Some of 55 00:04:24,061 --> 00:04:25,960 Speaker 2: them live in a different life than most of us 56 00:04:26,001 --> 00:04:31,630 Speaker 2: would comprehend, he said. Their family doesn't have a car. Parents, 57 00:04:32,010 --> 00:04:36,351 Speaker 2: if they have to, work multiple jobs. Half of them 58 00:04:36,390 --> 00:04:39,521 Speaker 2: have never been to a water park before. They've never 59 00:04:39,541 --> 00:04:44,621 Speaker 2: been across the other side of the highway before. If 60 00:04:44,661 --> 00:04:47,141 Speaker 2: they needed more, I would have given them more, he added. 61 00:04:47,581 --> 00:04:52,551 Speaker 2: You can't break a promise to a child. His generosity 62 00:04:52,591 --> 00:04:56,491 Speaker 2: wasn't a one-time gesture, either. Last year, he spent more 63 00:04:56,531 --> 00:04:59,771 Speaker 2: than $ 3, 000 to take students to a nearby water park. 64 00:05:01,630 --> 00:05:05,001 Speaker 2: Before the lights dimmed and the movie began, Officer Shawn 65 00:05:05,641 --> 00:05:09,901 Speaker 2: had one final request for his students. As you get 66 00:05:10,001 --> 00:05:13,351 Speaker 2: older in life, help other people as a payback to me. 67 00:05:14,111 --> 00:05:19,031 Speaker 2: Would you do that? That's all I ask. Paying it 68 00:05:19,111 --> 00:05:24,251 Speaker 2: forward is how kindness changes the world. It doesn't always 69 00:05:24,311 --> 00:05:29,061 Speaker 2: arrive in grand speeches or viral moments. Sometimes it looks 70 00:05:29,101 --> 00:05:32,861 Speaker 2: like a police officer who sees children not as someone 71 00:05:32,940 --> 00:05:38,421 Speaker 2: else's responsibility, but as his own neighbor's to love. Sometimes 72 00:05:38,461 --> 00:05:43,681 Speaker 2: it looks like popcorn, a movie ticket, and a promise kept. 73 00:05:45,121 --> 00:05:48,861 Speaker 2: Because the greatest gifts are rarely the ones we receive. 74 00:05:50,601 --> 00:05:52,401 Speaker 2: They're the ones who teach us to become the kind 75 00:05:52,440 --> 00:05:59,651 Speaker 2: of people who give. I'm reminded of 1 John 3.18, 76 00:05:59,651 --> 00:06:03,411 Speaker 2: which says, My little children, Let us not love with 77 00:06:03,471 --> 00:06:09,721 Speaker 2: words or speech, but with actions and in truth. I'll 78 00:06:09,731 --> 00:06:11,161 Speaker 2: be back with you in just a moment with our 79 00:06:11,221 --> 00:06:23,601 Speaker 2: second story today. And we're back with our second story 80 00:06:23,981 --> 00:06:26,901 Speaker 2: at Story Behind. But before we get to that, I 81 00:06:26,940 --> 00:06:29,521 Speaker 2: want to just take a quick moment to remind you 82 00:06:29,561 --> 00:06:32,570 Speaker 2: that there is actually a reason why I've decided to 83 00:06:32,591 --> 00:06:36,991 Speaker 2: bring you a couple of school-related stories today in our 84 00:06:37,171 --> 00:06:40,921 Speaker 2: episode that is airing on September 28th, and that is 85 00:06:40,981 --> 00:06:45,321 Speaker 2: because later this week on Thursday, October 1st, it is 86 00:06:45,421 --> 00:06:48,021 Speaker 2: Bring Your Bible to School Day. This is an event 87 00:06:48,421 --> 00:06:52,640 Speaker 2: put on by Focus on the Family that encourages students 88 00:06:52,880 --> 00:06:57,311 Speaker 2: to bring an actual physical Bible to school and talk 89 00:06:57,351 --> 00:07:02,461 Speaker 2: about Scripture during free time, lunch, recess, and while also 90 00:07:02,501 --> 00:07:06,281 Speaker 2: remembering to be respectful of school rules and other students 91 00:07:06,661 --> 00:07:09,961 Speaker 2: not being disruptive or forcing anyone to join in, but 92 00:07:10,021 --> 00:07:13,831 Speaker 2: just to be proud about their faith. The goal here 93 00:07:13,951 --> 00:07:18,491 Speaker 2: is to celebrate religious freedom and free speech by being 94 00:07:18,631 --> 00:07:22,931 Speaker 2: able to bring your cherished Bible with you to your 95 00:07:22,951 --> 00:07:26,791 Speaker 2: place of education. So that is coming up on Thursday, 96 00:07:27,331 --> 00:07:30,151 Speaker 2: October 1st. So if you wanted to share this episode 97 00:07:30,291 --> 00:07:34,231 Speaker 2: of Amazing stories happening in our schools with some young 98 00:07:34,281 --> 00:07:37,701 Speaker 2: people who might be encouraged and strengthened in their faith 99 00:07:37,881 --> 00:07:40,641 Speaker 2: and to remember that we have religious freedom in this 100 00:07:40,701 --> 00:07:43,941 Speaker 2: country to bring their Bible to school on Thursday the 1st. 101 00:07:44,501 --> 00:07:46,801 Speaker 2: Please feel free to send this along to them and 102 00:07:46,861 --> 00:07:50,401 Speaker 2: to let them know that there are great stories happening 103 00:07:50,461 --> 00:07:54,701 Speaker 2: here at Story Behind. Our second one today is by 104 00:07:54,941 --> 00:08:02,361 Speaker 2: Michaela Gordonei. School Staff praised for life-saving response after a 105 00:08:02,401 --> 00:08:09,781 Speaker 2: student suffered cardiac arrest. When a California student suddenly went 106 00:08:09,841 --> 00:08:14,641 Speaker 2: into cardiac arrest during class, staff at the school saved 107 00:08:14,721 --> 00:08:19,661 Speaker 2: the student's life. It took coordinated effort among three school 108 00:08:19,711 --> 00:08:23,531 Speaker 2: members to rally around and get sophomore Mark Moon the 109 00:08:23,571 --> 00:08:30,141 Speaker 2: help he needed. Now, he's forever grateful. When Mark collapsed 110 00:08:30,281 --> 00:08:34,080 Speaker 2: in band class, his teacher quickly called the school office. 111 00:08:34,741 --> 00:08:40,911 Speaker 2: School nurse Jennifer Bayer and school resource officer Adaris immediately responded. 112 00:08:42,651 --> 00:08:44,531 Speaker 2: We knew right away as soon as we walked in 113 00:08:45,391 --> 00:08:50,021 Speaker 2: that this was truly an emergency, Jennifer said. We called 114 00:08:50,050 --> 00:08:55,561 Speaker 2: for EMS, got them dispatched right away. She immediately did 115 00:08:55,621 --> 00:08:58,851 Speaker 2: everything she could to save Mark. and gave him chest 116 00:08:58,871 --> 00:09:04,121 Speaker 2: compressions while a campus monitor went to get an AED machine. 117 00:09:04,641 --> 00:09:11,081 Speaker 2: That's an automated external defibrillator. Other staff members alerted Mark's parents, 118 00:09:11,461 --> 00:09:15,481 Speaker 2: cleared the classroom, and directed EMS on where to go. 119 00:09:17,381 --> 00:09:21,721 Speaker 2: Once the nurse applied the AED machine, it detected that 120 00:09:21,761 --> 00:09:24,561 Speaker 2: Mark needed to be shot, and that got his heart 121 00:09:24,621 --> 00:09:30,271 Speaker 2: beating again. When EMS arrived, they stabilized him and took 122 00:09:30,331 --> 00:09:34,351 Speaker 2: him to the emergency room. Once there, many doctors began 123 00:09:34,391 --> 00:09:39,371 Speaker 2: to work on him. Mark had to have a defibrillator implanted, 124 00:09:40,511 --> 00:09:45,030 Speaker 2: and it's still unknown why his heart stopped. I've been 125 00:09:45,051 --> 00:09:47,821 Speaker 2: getting better every day, and it's pretty much back to 126 00:09:47,851 --> 00:09:53,101 Speaker 2: normal now, Mark said. I was mainly, like, just really 127 00:09:53,141 --> 00:09:56,070 Speaker 2: grateful that that I was in the situation that I 128 00:09:56,111 --> 00:09:59,180 Speaker 2: could be in the hospital recovering in the first place, 129 00:09:59,821 --> 00:10:03,681 Speaker 2: he said. He lost his memory of the day of 130 00:10:03,741 --> 00:10:07,580 Speaker 2: the accident, but is grateful that the school staff worked 131 00:10:07,801 --> 00:10:12,931 Speaker 2: together to save him. The school gave us more time 132 00:10:12,951 --> 00:10:15,631 Speaker 2: with our kid and more time with our family intact. 133 00:10:17,171 --> 00:10:19,131 Speaker 2: I don't know how to say thank you to that gift, 134 00:10:19,191 --> 00:10:24,331 Speaker 2: his father said. The school recognized the eight staff members 135 00:10:24,511 --> 00:10:28,951 Speaker 2: for their heroic actions at a district board meeting, which 136 00:10:29,011 --> 00:10:33,361 Speaker 2: Mark and his family attended. It's incredible that everyone was 137 00:10:33,401 --> 00:10:37,161 Speaker 2: there and knew what to do. Thanks to this great staff, 138 00:10:37,181 --> 00:10:45,111 Speaker 2: Mark's life has changed. was saved. I'm reminded of John 1, 139 00:10:45,111 --> 00:10:49,291 Speaker 2: verses 4 and 5. In him was life, and the 140 00:10:49,351 --> 00:10:53,811 Speaker 2: life was the light of men. The light shines in 141 00:10:53,831 --> 00:11:02,091 Speaker 2: the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. Thanks 142 00:11:02,111 --> 00:11:07,231 Speaker 2: for listening to this school-inspired episode of the Story Behind podcast. 143 00:11:08,511 --> 00:11:11,851 Speaker 2: I hope today's stories encouraged you and reminded you of 144 00:11:11,891 --> 00:11:15,851 Speaker 2: the ways God is still moving in the world around us, even, yes, 145 00:11:16,231 --> 00:11:20,300 Speaker 2: in our public schools. Visit the links in the show 146 00:11:20,341 --> 00:11:24,241 Speaker 2: notes to find the original articles, photos, videos, and any 147 00:11:24,301 --> 00:11:27,981 Speaker 2: resources mentioned in today's episode. on the God Updates blog 148 00:11:28,141 --> 00:11:32,300 Speaker 2: at GodTube.com. If you enjoyed these stories, be sure to 149 00:11:32,341 --> 00:11:36,050 Speaker 2: follow Story Behind wherever you listen to podcasts and share 150 00:11:36,091 --> 00:11:40,611 Speaker 2: with someone who could use a little encouragement. Story Behind 151 00:11:40,671 --> 00:11:47,190 Speaker 2: is a Life Audio production. For more faith-based podcasts, visit LifeAudio.com. 152 00:11:47,841 --> 00:11:51,341 Speaker 2: I'm Sean McAvoy. Thanks again for joining me, and we'll 153 00:11:51,441 --> 00:11:54,061 Speaker 2: see you next time on Story Behind.