1 00:00:02,680 --> 00:00:05,600 Speaker 1: Everybody. It's Bill Courtney with an army of normal folks. 2 00:00:05,800 --> 00:00:09,160 Speaker 1: We continue now with part two of our conversation with 3 00:00:09,280 --> 00:00:18,720 Speaker 1: Kelly loth Right after these brief messages from our generous sponsors. 4 00:00:25,520 --> 00:00:28,120 Speaker 2: There was a box on the desk, the only thing 5 00:00:28,160 --> 00:00:32,159 Speaker 2: the former principal left me with four thousand keys in 6 00:00:32,240 --> 00:00:36,640 Speaker 2: it that were not labeled. They went to every single 7 00:00:36,680 --> 00:00:39,040 Speaker 2: cabinet indoor in the building in a jumbled box, and 8 00:00:39,080 --> 00:00:41,720 Speaker 2: I thought, this is the greatest metaphor for what I'm 9 00:00:41,800 --> 00:00:43,840 Speaker 2: doing I've ever seen. 10 00:00:44,960 --> 00:00:47,680 Speaker 1: I don't even know what they represents. A child, Yes, 11 00:00:48,040 --> 00:00:49,720 Speaker 1: like this challenge. 12 00:00:50,200 --> 00:00:52,480 Speaker 2: You know, we had a dead body on the campus, 13 00:00:52,520 --> 00:00:54,880 Speaker 2: like the first couple weeks. Yes, like domestic balance this 14 00:00:54,880 --> 00:00:56,959 Speaker 2: skuy flew over the fence and died on the grounds. 15 00:00:57,160 --> 00:00:59,280 Speaker 2: We had squatters out back. My custodians got in a 16 00:00:59,280 --> 00:01:01,720 Speaker 2: fist way. I mean, I cannot make this up. And 17 00:01:01,760 --> 00:01:04,800 Speaker 2: I remember calling my dad saying like I this. 18 00:01:04,640 --> 00:01:06,000 Speaker 1: Is this is too much. 19 00:01:06,040 --> 00:01:07,959 Speaker 2: I'm a little Yeah, I'm in way over in my head. 20 00:01:08,040 --> 00:01:09,080 Speaker 1: And what Bob say. 21 00:01:09,280 --> 00:01:12,199 Speaker 2: He said, you know you figure it out, Yeah, yeah, 22 00:01:12,240 --> 00:01:15,480 Speaker 2: you got it. Get back on the worse. You're fine. 23 00:01:16,040 --> 00:01:19,480 Speaker 1: But so we went Bob in just to hang out 24 00:01:19,520 --> 00:01:22,760 Speaker 1: at the school for a week, hit a couple of 25 00:01:22,840 --> 00:01:25,120 Speaker 1: kids with a witch and straighten things out. 26 00:01:25,319 --> 00:01:29,680 Speaker 2: Yep, and uh, twenty five twenty five teachers walked out. 27 00:01:29,440 --> 00:01:31,720 Speaker 1: Walked out when you walked in, Huh, guy, they weren't 28 00:01:31,720 --> 00:01:32,440 Speaker 1: having you. 29 00:01:32,480 --> 00:01:35,200 Speaker 2: They weren't They were done. They were done the whole thing. 30 00:01:35,600 --> 00:01:38,319 Speaker 2: And so I had to hire pretty much a new staff. 31 00:01:38,360 --> 00:01:40,759 Speaker 2: And when I walked in the ones who stayed plus 32 00:01:40,800 --> 00:01:43,160 Speaker 2: the new ones, the first thing I said was if 33 00:01:43,200 --> 00:01:46,280 Speaker 2: you don't believe that kids who are poor, kids who 34 00:01:46,319 --> 00:01:48,240 Speaker 2: are black, or kids who are brown, can learn, then 35 00:01:48,240 --> 00:01:50,920 Speaker 2: you get out because I'm not doing this with you. 36 00:01:51,480 --> 00:01:54,040 Speaker 2: This is not happening all of your classrooms. You have 37 00:01:54,080 --> 00:01:56,800 Speaker 2: shown me that you lower standards for these kids and 38 00:01:56,840 --> 00:01:59,760 Speaker 2: not raise them. And this stops today. And so if 39 00:01:59,760 --> 00:02:01,400 Speaker 2: you're not going to be on this journey with me, 40 00:02:01,640 --> 00:02:03,120 Speaker 2: you're out you. I will not work with you. 41 00:02:04,240 --> 00:02:07,960 Speaker 1: Yes, that's what I expected the first school. So that's 42 00:02:08,000 --> 00:02:11,480 Speaker 1: what happened the school. And I walked over the dead 43 00:02:11,480 --> 00:02:12,680 Speaker 1: body and left left. 44 00:02:12,960 --> 00:02:15,160 Speaker 2: Yep. I said, you know, we have to climb out 45 00:02:15,200 --> 00:02:17,239 Speaker 2: Everest twice and we're not even at base camp. I 46 00:02:17,280 --> 00:02:19,639 Speaker 2: have six graders who can't read most of my kids 47 00:02:19,639 --> 00:02:22,760 Speaker 2: are three levels behind, like this is this is real. 48 00:02:23,000 --> 00:02:25,160 Speaker 2: So if you're not up for the challenge, you gotta go. 49 00:02:25,840 --> 00:02:31,200 Speaker 2: And they did so in one year, one year, one year, 50 00:02:31,240 --> 00:02:33,600 Speaker 2: we went from a turnaround school on the verge of 51 00:02:33,600 --> 00:02:38,079 Speaker 2: being closed to a performance school. How by just doing 52 00:02:38,080 --> 00:02:41,600 Speaker 2: problem based learning, by investing in my staff, by saying 53 00:02:41,600 --> 00:02:43,320 Speaker 2: we're going to believe kids can learn, and we're going 54 00:02:43,360 --> 00:02:46,200 Speaker 2: to invite industry in to make things relevant and authentic. 55 00:02:46,960 --> 00:02:50,320 Speaker 2: And that's it. Like everyone, you know, we're always looking 56 00:02:50,320 --> 00:02:53,200 Speaker 2: for this like silver bullet or this magical thing in education, 57 00:02:53,400 --> 00:02:56,560 Speaker 2: it's not it's about people. Keep telling people, it's not 58 00:02:56,600 --> 00:03:00,960 Speaker 2: about stuff. It's about human beings. And just really investing 59 00:03:00,960 --> 00:03:04,240 Speaker 2: in my staff, leadership training, project management training, again, throwing 60 00:03:04,240 --> 00:03:07,320 Speaker 2: them out into industry, saying you're going to leave this initiative, 61 00:03:07,360 --> 00:03:09,000 Speaker 2: you're going to do that, you're going to figure it out. 62 00:03:09,000 --> 00:03:11,919 Speaker 2: I mean our values were have porous boundaries, be a 63 00:03:12,000 --> 00:03:15,240 Speaker 2: yes organization and fail fast and pivot. That's it. And 64 00:03:15,280 --> 00:03:17,000 Speaker 2: that looks more like a business mantra than it does 65 00:03:17,000 --> 00:03:17,959 Speaker 2: an education mantra. 66 00:03:18,200 --> 00:03:21,080 Speaker 1: It does, and that's how we I'm thinking, that's what 67 00:03:21,120 --> 00:03:22,120 Speaker 1: I do every day. 68 00:03:22,120 --> 00:03:25,520 Speaker 2: Right and That's how I led the school, was, you know, 69 00:03:26,080 --> 00:03:28,799 Speaker 2: on the model of industry of like, we're not going 70 00:03:28,840 --> 00:03:30,760 Speaker 2: to be stuck. We're just going to dig in and 71 00:03:30,760 --> 00:03:33,800 Speaker 2: figure it out. And we just started doing lots of things. 72 00:03:33,800 --> 00:03:36,960 Speaker 2: We started feeding kids, started clothing kids, we started helping 73 00:03:37,000 --> 00:03:39,840 Speaker 2: adults connect to education. I mean, just all these programs 74 00:03:39,880 --> 00:03:41,720 Speaker 2: and all these things just start. We fed kids breakfast, lunch, 75 00:03:41,720 --> 00:03:43,920 Speaker 2: and dinner. You know. We just started becoming this kind 76 00:03:43,960 --> 00:03:46,680 Speaker 2: of community hub and this innovation center, and that was 77 00:03:46,760 --> 00:03:49,839 Speaker 2: really the goal. And people came to visit and got 78 00:03:49,840 --> 00:03:50,600 Speaker 2: it pretty excited. 79 00:03:51,400 --> 00:03:52,880 Speaker 1: How old your son at this one? 80 00:03:53,520 --> 00:03:55,839 Speaker 2: So here's the thing, Mike, I have three kids, and 81 00:03:56,120 --> 00:03:58,240 Speaker 2: my son's in middle school at this point. They're in 82 00:03:58,240 --> 00:04:01,560 Speaker 2: a private school up north, and I said to my husband, 83 00:04:01,600 --> 00:04:03,720 Speaker 2: I got to walk my talk. So we took them 84 00:04:03,800 --> 00:04:07,680 Speaker 2: out of a private school and put them in my school. 85 00:04:08,080 --> 00:04:13,040 Speaker 1: That school, Yeah, how much should your kids like you? 86 00:04:15,000 --> 00:04:17,920 Speaker 2: It was a huge change for them. And I will 87 00:04:17,960 --> 00:04:19,360 Speaker 2: say one of the greatest things we've ever. 88 00:04:19,200 --> 00:04:23,880 Speaker 1: Done, that's getting kicked off a horse. That's your version 89 00:04:24,480 --> 00:04:24,800 Speaker 1: m hm. 90 00:04:25,400 --> 00:04:26,760 Speaker 2: Because if it was going to be good enough for 91 00:04:26,760 --> 00:04:28,640 Speaker 2: the kids in that neighborhood, would should be good enough 92 00:04:28,640 --> 00:04:29,159 Speaker 2: for my kids. 93 00:04:29,600 --> 00:04:32,919 Speaker 1: Did it worry doing that? It worries a little bit 94 00:04:32,960 --> 00:04:33,200 Speaker 1: of a. 95 00:04:33,160 --> 00:04:35,880 Speaker 2: Mom Yeah, definitely. I mean I'd be lying if I 96 00:04:35,920 --> 00:04:40,560 Speaker 2: said it wasn't. But I also knew that it would 97 00:04:40,600 --> 00:04:44,800 Speaker 2: be okay, and it was. I mean, not only was 98 00:04:45,000 --> 00:04:48,520 Speaker 2: it such a much better learning trajectory for them, they 99 00:04:48,520 --> 00:04:50,440 Speaker 2: went on to the high school that I had worked 100 00:04:50,440 --> 00:04:53,320 Speaker 2: with prior. We have a great high school in our neighborhood. 101 00:04:53,480 --> 00:04:55,760 Speaker 2: Everybody goes to the high school. And I'll never forget 102 00:04:55,839 --> 00:04:58,800 Speaker 2: putting a Northland High School stake in my ground because 103 00:04:58,800 --> 00:05:01,360 Speaker 2: my kids were getting ready to graduate and my neighbor said, 104 00:05:01,760 --> 00:05:06,440 Speaker 2: your kids go to Northland. Why like what? I said, Yeah, 105 00:05:06,480 --> 00:05:09,720 Speaker 2: they do like it, just you know, it's like it's 106 00:05:09,720 --> 00:05:10,719 Speaker 2: still just had that. 107 00:05:10,720 --> 00:05:14,880 Speaker 1: Sort of Are your kids any What are their ages? 108 00:05:15,000 --> 00:05:17,039 Speaker 2: So they're all in college now, they play all of 109 00:05:17,080 --> 00:05:19,000 Speaker 2: them play sports in college. 110 00:05:19,400 --> 00:05:21,000 Speaker 1: All play sports in college. 111 00:05:21,080 --> 00:05:24,880 Speaker 2: Yes, And my son was studied engineering in my Stem school, 112 00:05:24,960 --> 00:05:27,680 Speaker 2: study engineering in the Stem high school, is studying engineering 113 00:05:27,680 --> 00:05:28,320 Speaker 2: in college. 114 00:05:28,560 --> 00:05:32,720 Speaker 1: What's he play? He lacrosse, all right? The next two lacrosse, 115 00:05:32,880 --> 00:05:33,960 Speaker 1: lacrosse and lacrosse. 116 00:05:34,040 --> 00:05:38,120 Speaker 2: And my daughter also plays flag football in college. So 117 00:05:38,160 --> 00:05:40,960 Speaker 2: she plays club because they don't have Yeah, programs, that's 118 00:05:40,960 --> 00:05:43,400 Speaker 2: so cool, it's very cool. And then she's in BAOMED 119 00:05:43,720 --> 00:05:45,760 Speaker 2: and she started that track in middle school. 120 00:05:47,200 --> 00:05:52,360 Speaker 1: Wow. All right, so now you say, yeah, So I. 121 00:05:52,240 --> 00:05:55,640 Speaker 2: Had partners, industry partners and donor partners still anthropy partners 122 00:05:55,640 --> 00:05:58,880 Speaker 2: that were like, this has gotta be scaled, this has 123 00:05:58,920 --> 00:06:02,600 Speaker 2: got to go somewhere. And so this mind spark was 124 00:06:02,640 --> 00:06:06,520 Speaker 2: sort of born of this idea that teachers matter, adults 125 00:06:06,560 --> 00:06:07,839 Speaker 2: in the system matter, and we do a lot of 126 00:06:07,839 --> 00:06:10,000 Speaker 2: programs for kids, but we don't often kind of put 127 00:06:10,000 --> 00:06:13,599 Speaker 2: those adults in that equation and could we scale what 128 00:06:13,600 --> 00:06:17,400 Speaker 2: we were doing nationally? And that's really I mean, that's it. 129 00:06:17,520 --> 00:06:18,520 Speaker 2: That's the premise of it. 130 00:06:18,600 --> 00:06:21,720 Speaker 1: Well, so tell me what the mind sparks go. It's 131 00:06:21,760 --> 00:06:27,200 Speaker 1: a spark as an acronym, and you've got really five 132 00:06:28,080 --> 00:06:30,520 Speaker 1: targeted rifle shot and things you're achieving. 133 00:06:30,920 --> 00:06:35,000 Speaker 2: Yeah. So the S stands for sustained transformation. So we 134 00:06:35,000 --> 00:06:36,280 Speaker 2: don't want to be a one and done, We don't 135 00:06:36,279 --> 00:06:39,200 Speaker 2: want to be this drive by organization. We want to 136 00:06:39,320 --> 00:06:41,760 Speaker 2: know that if you work with us, not only is 137 00:06:41,760 --> 00:06:44,839 Speaker 2: there return on your investment, but also that this idea 138 00:06:44,920 --> 00:06:48,200 Speaker 2: is sustained. Right, it grows its scales, it's replicable, it's durable. 139 00:06:48,560 --> 00:06:50,800 Speaker 2: The other one is partnerships are formed so we don't 140 00:06:50,839 --> 00:06:53,600 Speaker 2: go into any community where I don't leave behind five 141 00:06:53,640 --> 00:06:57,360 Speaker 2: to seven foundational partnerships for the schools, industry, community, orgs, 142 00:06:57,400 --> 00:07:00,320 Speaker 2: whatever it is. The AA is that all succeed. Again, 143 00:07:00,440 --> 00:07:04,240 Speaker 2: just this foundational belief that this should be good for 144 00:07:04,279 --> 00:07:07,080 Speaker 2: all kids, right, that we all succeed, no one is 145 00:07:07,160 --> 00:07:10,600 Speaker 2: left behind. And then the ours for recruitment and retention. 146 00:07:10,800 --> 00:07:13,600 Speaker 2: So teachers tend to not stay in the profession very long. 147 00:07:14,080 --> 00:07:16,400 Speaker 2: And so this idea was that we wanted teachers to 148 00:07:16,640 --> 00:07:18,880 Speaker 2: stay and love what they do and kind of create 149 00:07:18,920 --> 00:07:23,680 Speaker 2: this identity about being the greatest workforce developers in America, right, 150 00:07:23,760 --> 00:07:27,800 Speaker 2: being foundational to the economy, being foundational to society. And 151 00:07:27,800 --> 00:07:29,760 Speaker 2: then the last one is just kinetic, this idea that 152 00:07:29,880 --> 00:07:32,840 Speaker 2: what you do matters and that you if I upskill 153 00:07:32,880 --> 00:07:34,800 Speaker 2: you and I invest in you, I expect you to 154 00:07:34,840 --> 00:07:37,720 Speaker 2: go pass it along. You go do something cool with 155 00:07:37,760 --> 00:07:38,320 Speaker 2: what you've learned. 156 00:07:38,520 --> 00:07:41,920 Speaker 1: And so the idea is to invest in teachers to 157 00:07:41,960 --> 00:07:44,240 Speaker 1: then go back to their districts all in the world 158 00:07:44,440 --> 00:07:49,200 Speaker 1: and carry this problem solving model with them. 159 00:07:49,400 --> 00:07:53,360 Speaker 2: Yes, and we work with teachers principles. Yeah, yeah, and 160 00:07:53,400 --> 00:07:55,200 Speaker 2: we work with large and small systems. It's not just 161 00:07:55,240 --> 00:07:58,840 Speaker 2: teacher by teacher, but we work with groups, schools, districts. 162 00:07:58,960 --> 00:08:01,040 Speaker 1: So how do you get these teachers and where do 163 00:08:01,120 --> 00:08:02,640 Speaker 1: they come and how does it work? 164 00:08:04,400 --> 00:08:07,320 Speaker 2: So the interesting about mind Spark is actually our clients 165 00:08:07,360 --> 00:08:09,320 Speaker 2: are industry partners. So I work with some of the 166 00:08:09,360 --> 00:08:13,640 Speaker 2: biggest brands in the world. I work with Samsung, kpmg IBM. 167 00:08:13,120 --> 00:08:16,520 Speaker 1: Auto clients are them, Yes. 168 00:08:16,360 --> 00:08:19,640 Speaker 2: So what happens is industry. So you're an industry you 169 00:08:19,640 --> 00:08:21,760 Speaker 2: would come and say I want to do something in education, 170 00:08:21,880 --> 00:08:24,440 Speaker 2: I want to make an investment in education, or I've 171 00:08:24,440 --> 00:08:26,360 Speaker 2: done something for a long time in education it's not 172 00:08:26,400 --> 00:08:28,400 Speaker 2: really working. I'm not getting a return on my investment. 173 00:08:28,960 --> 00:08:31,240 Speaker 2: Or we have a program we run an education I'm 174 00:08:31,240 --> 00:08:33,480 Speaker 2: fed up, right, I feel like the system's broken. I've done, 175 00:08:33,800 --> 00:08:36,040 Speaker 2: or we have a program we've done, but we're tired 176 00:08:36,040 --> 00:08:38,280 Speaker 2: of running it. So they come to us and we 177 00:08:38,400 --> 00:08:41,760 Speaker 2: help them revamp, re up their strategy, reimagine it, create 178 00:08:41,800 --> 00:08:44,240 Speaker 2: a new one, give them one whatever it is, and 179 00:08:44,280 --> 00:08:48,880 Speaker 2: then we deploy that work with schools all over the country. 180 00:08:48,920 --> 00:08:54,959 Speaker 1: Wow, so where are you how many schools. I mean, 181 00:08:55,600 --> 00:08:56,960 Speaker 1: tell me what it looks like. Yeah. 182 00:08:57,000 --> 00:08:59,720 Speaker 2: So we currently have worked with just over one hundred 183 00:08:59,720 --> 00:09:02,240 Speaker 2: thousand educators. We've been backed at about two point seven 184 00:09:02,240 --> 00:09:05,920 Speaker 2: million kiddos. We've worked with tens of thousands of schools 185 00:09:06,200 --> 00:09:09,000 Speaker 2: and that's everything from like literally a micro school with 186 00:09:09,320 --> 00:09:12,960 Speaker 2: one teacher and three kids to LA unified. So we 187 00:09:13,000 --> 00:09:16,920 Speaker 2: don't we define teaching learning very broadly and it's all 188 00:09:16,920 --> 00:09:20,240 Speaker 2: community centered. So we come to you, we spend time, 189 00:09:20,280 --> 00:09:21,600 Speaker 2: we get to know the community, we get to know 190 00:09:21,600 --> 00:09:23,320 Speaker 2: the assets in the community, we get to map all 191 00:09:23,320 --> 00:09:25,679 Speaker 2: the partners that are already in the space, and then 192 00:09:25,679 --> 00:09:27,040 Speaker 2: we're the whole school district. 193 00:09:27,120 --> 00:09:28,840 Speaker 1: Yes, an entire district. 194 00:09:28,920 --> 00:09:31,680 Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean we've had trainings as large as you know, 195 00:09:31,679 --> 00:09:34,520 Speaker 2: over six hundred people together. We've had trainings as smart 196 00:09:34,559 --> 00:09:35,280 Speaker 2: is certainly. 197 00:09:35,040 --> 00:09:36,920 Speaker 1: Follow up to make sure these teachers are doing what 198 00:09:36,960 --> 00:09:37,880 Speaker 1: they supposed to leave. 199 00:09:37,960 --> 00:09:40,640 Speaker 2: So we follow every cohort. We follow every cohort for 200 00:09:40,720 --> 00:09:42,840 Speaker 2: up to two years post engagement to see what they're doing, 201 00:09:42,880 --> 00:09:46,640 Speaker 2: and we collect data on the wow to say is 202 00:09:46,679 --> 00:09:48,520 Speaker 2: it working, are they still at it, are they still there, 203 00:09:48,520 --> 00:09:51,120 Speaker 2: are they making more money? Are they happier? What are 204 00:09:51,200 --> 00:09:52,240 Speaker 2: kids doing what's. 205 00:09:52,120 --> 00:09:56,760 Speaker 1: That look like is the can you qualify the return 206 00:09:56,840 --> 00:09:57,959 Speaker 1: on that investment at all? 207 00:09:58,360 --> 00:10:01,560 Speaker 2: Yeah? So right now, if you are a mind Spark educator, 208 00:10:01,559 --> 00:10:03,960 Speaker 2: you've worked with us and a cohort. We have an 209 00:10:04,000 --> 00:10:07,000 Speaker 2: eighty eight percent teacher attention rate, no kidding, and I 210 00:10:07,000 --> 00:10:09,280 Speaker 2: think the national average is on forty forty two. 211 00:10:11,080 --> 00:10:13,280 Speaker 1: Oh, you're better at what you do and happier because 212 00:10:13,320 --> 00:10:34,319 Speaker 1: you are better at what you do. We'll be right back, and. 213 00:10:34,280 --> 00:10:37,600 Speaker 2: Your identity shifts. You're not just a teacher, right You're 214 00:10:37,800 --> 00:10:40,280 Speaker 2: a STEM teacher. You're an engineering teacher. You're someone who 215 00:10:40,280 --> 00:10:43,760 Speaker 2: works alongside industry. You've been in an internship with IBM 216 00:10:43,880 --> 00:10:47,800 Speaker 2: and you feel really upskilled in AI. It changes who 217 00:10:47,840 --> 00:10:51,719 Speaker 2: you are as a teacher. One of our programs, when 218 00:10:51,720 --> 00:10:54,240 Speaker 2: you're through about seventy five percent of the program, you're 219 00:10:54,320 --> 00:10:56,520 Speaker 2: salary doubles as a teacher. 220 00:10:56,720 --> 00:10:59,440 Speaker 1: Closing opportunity gaps, which is a big one for me. 221 00:11:00,520 --> 00:11:03,880 Speaker 1: I don't believe everybody deserves happiness. I believe everybody deserves 222 00:11:03,880 --> 00:11:05,760 Speaker 1: the pursuit of it. I know that's old school, but 223 00:11:05,840 --> 00:11:08,520 Speaker 1: that's how I feel about. Bob would agree with me. 224 00:11:11,320 --> 00:11:16,200 Speaker 1: But I do believe that the barriers to opportunity in 225 00:11:16,280 --> 00:11:21,839 Speaker 1: a lot of situations exists. I think it's a real thing, 226 00:11:22,240 --> 00:11:29,400 Speaker 1: and so closing gaps is one thing. Closing the opportunity gaps, 227 00:11:29,440 --> 00:11:32,120 Speaker 1: I think is just a requirement of a civil society. 228 00:11:33,120 --> 00:11:35,880 Speaker 1: I'm a Christian. I think it's a requirement of my 229 00:11:36,040 --> 00:11:41,280 Speaker 1: faith to close a gap and just opportunity. If the 230 00:11:41,320 --> 00:11:43,840 Speaker 1: opportunities equal in the gap exists, well then that's a 231 00:11:43,840 --> 00:11:46,640 Speaker 1: different conversation talk about. And that may be more than 232 00:11:46,800 --> 00:11:53,880 Speaker 1: one sided, but typically an opportunity gap is closed by 233 00:11:53,880 --> 00:11:56,600 Speaker 1: the people with the power. So it's a one sided thing, correct. 234 00:11:57,040 --> 00:11:59,480 Speaker 1: That's how I feel, and I feel we have to 235 00:11:59,520 --> 00:12:01,840 Speaker 1: get rid of those and one of the things. And 236 00:12:01,880 --> 00:12:04,960 Speaker 1: it's one of my big pet beeves. And I was 237 00:12:05,000 --> 00:12:07,480 Speaker 1: toward the end of Alexis Prep when I saw this, 238 00:12:07,920 --> 00:12:12,360 Speaker 1: and I really wanted you to talk about it. Closing 239 00:12:12,520 --> 00:12:16,400 Speaker 1: opportunity gaps for example within Todd County in South Dakota, 240 00:12:16,440 --> 00:12:19,960 Speaker 1: which I have no earthly clue where that is. Our 241 00:12:20,000 --> 00:12:25,520 Speaker 1: work with the Lakota Sanson and he says, sangsu nations again, 242 00:12:25,800 --> 00:12:30,040 Speaker 1: it's a it's a first person's nation. It is lifted 243 00:12:30,080 --> 00:12:33,800 Speaker 1: students from three grade levels below the national average to 244 00:12:33,960 --> 00:12:40,080 Speaker 1: sixty three percent performing above the district average. That's all 245 00:12:40,160 --> 00:12:43,040 Speaker 1: about an opportunity gap, because if that doesn't happen, those 246 00:12:43,120 --> 00:12:46,839 Speaker 1: kids don't even have the opportunity to be a part 247 00:12:48,000 --> 00:12:52,360 Speaker 1: of a civil society. Correct, how'd you do that. 248 00:12:53,080 --> 00:12:56,680 Speaker 2: Papa Beast Learning. So we got a small grant to 249 00:12:56,760 --> 00:12:59,240 Speaker 2: go to one of the largest reservations in South Dakota 250 00:12:59,280 --> 00:13:04,360 Speaker 2: where it was a huge and schools are generally kind 251 00:13:04,360 --> 00:13:07,880 Speaker 2: of hundreds of miles apart, so geography even geographical challenge. 252 00:13:07,920 --> 00:13:09,800 Speaker 1: Geographic it's mass expansive. 253 00:13:09,960 --> 00:13:10,400 Speaker 2: Yeah. 254 00:13:10,679 --> 00:13:13,880 Speaker 1: And it's a nation Native American. 255 00:13:13,559 --> 00:13:16,640 Speaker 2: Nation indigenous community. Yeah. And when we got there it 256 00:13:16,720 --> 00:13:18,640 Speaker 2: was actually kind of right on the heels of COVID 257 00:13:18,760 --> 00:13:21,000 Speaker 2: and uh So we got in there thinking, so we 258 00:13:21,040 --> 00:13:23,520 Speaker 2: went in with the premise of again an industry partner 259 00:13:23,559 --> 00:13:26,040 Speaker 2: had an interest in this community. We went in with 260 00:13:26,080 --> 00:13:29,400 Speaker 2: the premise of getting more girls excited about stem opportunities 261 00:13:29,480 --> 00:13:32,200 Speaker 2: and entering the workforce because they don't typically do that 262 00:13:32,280 --> 00:13:36,400 Speaker 2: in this community. When we got there, no running water, 263 00:13:37,200 --> 00:13:40,800 Speaker 2: electricity was scarce, I mean in the school, in the community, 264 00:13:40,800 --> 00:13:43,439 Speaker 2: in the community, lots tons of houses with no running water, 265 00:13:43,559 --> 00:13:46,160 Speaker 2: tons of houses with very little electricity, access to like 266 00:13:46,200 --> 00:13:49,480 Speaker 2: electricity and Wi Fi and just some basic humanity pieces. 267 00:13:49,920 --> 00:13:52,560 Speaker 2: And so we went back to the partner and said, Okay, 268 00:13:53,400 --> 00:13:55,920 Speaker 2: girls in stem is cool. I believe in my whole heart, 269 00:13:55,960 --> 00:13:57,839 Speaker 2: that's not what we're going to do. We're going to 270 00:13:58,000 --> 00:14:00,560 Speaker 2: start working with schools. We're going to bring in problem 271 00:14:00,640 --> 00:14:02,920 Speaker 2: based learning and kids and teachers are going to start 272 00:14:02,960 --> 00:14:07,640 Speaker 2: tackling access to clean water, access to Wi Fi, food, sovereignty, 273 00:14:07,880 --> 00:14:08,640 Speaker 2: housing security. 274 00:14:08,760 --> 00:14:10,320 Speaker 1: I wouldn't have even thought of it that way, but 275 00:14:10,400 --> 00:14:13,400 Speaker 1: you said, okay, we'll have our kids. Yes. Six, the 276 00:14:13,440 --> 00:14:15,000 Speaker 1: basic problems first. 277 00:14:14,760 --> 00:14:16,640 Speaker 2: Because you, when you were part of the system, you 278 00:14:16,679 --> 00:14:18,880 Speaker 2: have an obligation and a right and a privilege to 279 00:14:19,000 --> 00:14:20,600 Speaker 2: solve the problems in your system, and. 280 00:14:20,600 --> 00:14:22,560 Speaker 1: You would be very interested in that works. 281 00:14:22,640 --> 00:14:24,600 Speaker 2: It's not sustainable if I come in and set solve 282 00:14:24,640 --> 00:14:27,440 Speaker 2: it for you, that's not sustainable. When I walk away, 283 00:14:27,440 --> 00:14:28,680 Speaker 2: you're not going to You're gonna go back to doing 284 00:14:28,680 --> 00:14:29,160 Speaker 2: what you're doing. 285 00:14:29,240 --> 00:14:32,280 Speaker 1: Bottom up solutions too. All this screams bottom up solution. 286 00:14:33,760 --> 00:14:38,960 Speaker 2: I mean it's it's these global problems, but they're locally sourced, right. 287 00:14:39,040 --> 00:14:41,040 Speaker 2: I mean I every time I hear from a community, 288 00:14:41,040 --> 00:14:42,200 Speaker 2: oh we have this, we have this wrong, I'm like 289 00:14:42,240 --> 00:14:44,880 Speaker 2: you're not special. That's the problems we see everywhere we go. 290 00:14:44,960 --> 00:14:47,000 Speaker 2: But the way you solve it with your people is good. 291 00:14:47,000 --> 00:14:49,080 Speaker 2: What's going to matter? And that's what they did. So 292 00:14:49,240 --> 00:14:52,520 Speaker 2: kids tackled so one of their biggest problems was a 293 00:14:52,560 --> 00:14:56,200 Speaker 2: lot of students were not staying within their culture, so 294 00:14:56,520 --> 00:15:00,200 Speaker 2: their language was dying out there, a lot of their 295 00:15:00,240 --> 00:15:02,880 Speaker 2: heritage and their traditions were not being sort of captured 296 00:15:02,880 --> 00:15:05,240 Speaker 2: by the next generation because they saw it as something 297 00:15:05,320 --> 00:15:08,720 Speaker 2: not tied to their identity. And so through problem based 298 00:15:08,760 --> 00:15:11,480 Speaker 2: learning again, we spent several years with them, two years 299 00:15:12,000 --> 00:15:14,680 Speaker 2: with them, we just started working on problems grade level 300 00:15:14,680 --> 00:15:18,920 Speaker 2: by grade level, tackling what I just said, food sovereignty, right, 301 00:15:19,000 --> 00:15:20,760 Speaker 2: how do we get healthy food here? How do you 302 00:15:20,760 --> 00:15:22,320 Speaker 2: start growing your own food? How do you go back 303 00:15:22,360 --> 00:15:25,720 Speaker 2: to this sort of culture you have around egg What 304 00:15:25,800 --> 00:15:27,920 Speaker 2: are jobs that we can sort of then start bringing 305 00:15:27,920 --> 00:15:31,080 Speaker 2: in the tide of that, this idea of revitalizing the 306 00:15:31,120 --> 00:15:34,080 Speaker 2: Lakota language and culture. What does that look like? What 307 00:15:34,120 --> 00:15:36,480 Speaker 2: are kids going to care about? So it just started 308 00:15:36,480 --> 00:15:40,400 Speaker 2: there and that's that's it. And then that the kids 309 00:15:40,440 --> 00:15:44,920 Speaker 2: performing better at reading, it's a byproduct. 310 00:15:44,960 --> 00:15:45,480 Speaker 1: So they. 311 00:15:47,080 --> 00:15:49,000 Speaker 2: That wasn't the goal right, Like I didn't come and 312 00:15:49,000 --> 00:15:52,080 Speaker 2: say I'm going to creach your literacy scores. So that's 313 00:15:52,120 --> 00:15:55,720 Speaker 2: a byproduct of again being authentically engaged in learning. 314 00:15:57,120 --> 00:16:03,000 Speaker 1: It's phenomenal. Before we go to kind of wrapping this up, 315 00:16:03,280 --> 00:16:07,320 Speaker 1: you're gonna have to suffer me for five minutes. I'm 316 00:16:07,360 --> 00:16:12,400 Speaker 1: in the hardwood lumber business. I'm gonna have to do 317 00:16:12,440 --> 00:16:15,040 Speaker 1: this quickly with you. I wish we had an hour. 318 00:16:15,280 --> 00:16:22,760 Speaker 1: I really did hardwood. The difference in hardwoods and softwoods 319 00:16:22,760 --> 00:16:26,400 Speaker 1: are scientifically. Hardwoods are deciduous and nutree that loses its 320 00:16:26,440 --> 00:16:30,160 Speaker 1: leaves are in the winter is a hardwood that keeps 321 00:16:30,200 --> 00:16:33,440 Speaker 1: us comfort during the winter. As softwood, it's has nothing 322 00:16:33,480 --> 00:16:37,640 Speaker 1: to do with the texture of the way. In terms 323 00:16:37,640 --> 00:16:41,160 Speaker 1: of use practicalities, think of it this way. Softwood's build 324 00:16:41,160 --> 00:16:45,960 Speaker 1: of structure. Hardwoods furnish it. Hardwood's going to flooring and cabinets, molding, millwork, 325 00:16:46,120 --> 00:16:52,520 Speaker 1: things like that. The hardwood industry is robust industry. The 326 00:16:52,560 --> 00:16:56,200 Speaker 1: hardwood log is really a two piece thing. The outside 327 00:16:56,240 --> 00:16:58,880 Speaker 1: of the log, the outside half of the log creates 328 00:16:58,920 --> 00:17:02,200 Speaker 1: the lumber in a lower grade, of middle grade and 329 00:17:02,280 --> 00:17:04,440 Speaker 1: higher grade that make all the things I talk about. 330 00:17:04,480 --> 00:17:08,000 Speaker 1: But the inside of the log is very important for 331 00:17:08,000 --> 00:17:10,879 Speaker 1: industrial uses. It is what you make railroad ties on it. 332 00:17:11,160 --> 00:17:13,400 Speaker 1: It is what you make crane mat and board road 333 00:17:13,440 --> 00:17:16,439 Speaker 1: out of for oil and gas exploration. It is where 334 00:17:17,160 --> 00:17:21,520 Speaker 1: tractor trailer flooring comes from. It is where it's got 335 00:17:21,560 --> 00:17:27,760 Speaker 1: all kinds of really important industrial and really economic and 336 00:17:27,920 --> 00:17:31,080 Speaker 1: national security uses. And there's really no substitute for it 337 00:17:31,119 --> 00:17:34,479 Speaker 1: other than if you get into really expensive plastics. But 338 00:17:34,760 --> 00:17:42,119 Speaker 1: it's not there. Because housing has gotten so expensive, people 339 00:17:42,119 --> 00:17:48,000 Speaker 1: have started using substitutes for things like flooring doors. The 340 00:17:48,160 --> 00:17:50,800 Speaker 1: very floor you're looking at right now is not hardwoods. 341 00:17:51,000 --> 00:17:56,119 Speaker 1: That's lvl, it's plastic. It's horrible for the environment. It 342 00:17:56,160 --> 00:17:58,119 Speaker 1: does it's not biodegradea but when it goes on a 343 00:17:58,200 --> 00:18:03,080 Speaker 1: landfill and you can't refinish it, but it's thirty percent cheaper. 344 00:18:05,160 --> 00:18:09,440 Speaker 1: So the advent of these substitutes. If you'll think of linoleum, 345 00:18:09,560 --> 00:18:12,439 Speaker 1: like your grandmother's linoleum countertops, it used to be that 346 00:18:12,560 --> 00:18:18,280 Speaker 1: shiny green yes, well, that very product, that very plastic product, 347 00:18:18,320 --> 00:18:23,680 Speaker 1: which is a petroleum based, mercury based product excruded through 348 00:18:23,720 --> 00:18:28,359 Speaker 1: plastic machines, then glued on top of glued up breast board. 349 00:18:29,440 --> 00:18:31,919 Speaker 1: Back in the seventies, people knew exactly what that was, 350 00:18:31,960 --> 00:18:35,080 Speaker 1: with a little hard squared edge around the corners, very ugly. 351 00:18:36,960 --> 00:18:40,400 Speaker 1: Science has evolved to a place that they can now 352 00:18:40,480 --> 00:18:43,399 Speaker 1: make that stuff to look just like textured hardwoods and 353 00:18:43,440 --> 00:18:46,320 Speaker 1: all kinds of different colors with everything else. And so 354 00:18:46,400 --> 00:18:49,240 Speaker 1: now people are making flooring and cabinets and everything out 355 00:18:49,240 --> 00:18:52,640 Speaker 1: of it. And it's smoking my industry because it's thirty 356 00:18:52,640 --> 00:18:55,199 Speaker 1: percent cheaper, and people are trying to build houses cheaper. 357 00:18:55,560 --> 00:18:59,080 Speaker 1: And now even architects that used to snub their nose 358 00:18:59,160 --> 00:19:02,200 Speaker 1: that these things are I specking them for cost issues. 359 00:19:02,320 --> 00:19:05,560 Speaker 1: As a result, the hardwood industry, my industry is getting 360 00:19:05,760 --> 00:19:12,240 Speaker 1: absolutely smoked as a result. How we're going to build 361 00:19:12,280 --> 00:19:14,000 Speaker 1: our railroads from the middle of a log if can't 362 00:19:14,080 --> 00:19:15,879 Speaker 1: use the outside, how are we going to dol and 363 00:19:15,920 --> 00:19:20,960 Speaker 1: gas exploration. There's a lot of downside to all of this. 364 00:19:21,600 --> 00:19:25,840 Speaker 1: One other thing is there's three times more lightning strikes 365 00:19:25,920 --> 00:19:28,480 Speaker 1: east of the Mississippi River as they are west of 366 00:19:28,480 --> 00:19:30,720 Speaker 1: the Missippi River. But the west seems to as forest 367 00:19:30,720 --> 00:19:32,760 Speaker 1: fires all the time. In the east. Do you know why? 368 00:19:33,080 --> 00:19:37,200 Speaker 1: Because we log A logging road is a natural firebreak, 369 00:19:37,920 --> 00:19:40,040 Speaker 1: and when you take mature trees and you select of 370 00:19:40,119 --> 00:19:42,960 Speaker 1: cut and use the little ones. We actually have seventy 371 00:19:43,040 --> 00:19:46,239 Speaker 1: percent more harvestable timber east of the Missippi River than 372 00:19:46,240 --> 00:19:50,440 Speaker 1: we did one hundred years ago because of sustainable forestry practices. Okay, 373 00:19:50,440 --> 00:19:54,320 Speaker 1: I've gone on that's I could do this forever. But 374 00:19:54,359 --> 00:19:56,960 Speaker 1: the point is we're going to start having forest fires 375 00:19:56,960 --> 00:20:00,080 Speaker 1: and losing timber and losing industry because if we're not 376 00:20:00,200 --> 00:20:03,159 Speaker 1: taking these lugs and cultivating for the use, Look what 377 00:20:03,240 --> 00:20:05,360 Speaker 1: happens to the forest and you have then you get 378 00:20:05,400 --> 00:20:07,600 Speaker 1: that bent of beetles and all kinds of things that 379 00:20:07,920 --> 00:20:14,040 Speaker 1: kill the forest. And at any rate, here's a problem. 380 00:20:15,280 --> 00:20:22,240 Speaker 1: How does the solid hardwood industry compete with cheap or 381 00:20:22,280 --> 00:20:27,120 Speaker 1: sit in at one cheap knockoff plastics and substitute products 382 00:20:27,119 --> 00:20:29,359 Speaker 1: that are bad from the environment and every all of 383 00:20:29,400 --> 00:20:35,320 Speaker 1: the problems. How does this and and you know understand 384 00:20:35,359 --> 00:20:38,479 Speaker 1: why it's important that it does remain about all industry 385 00:20:38,480 --> 00:20:42,080 Speaker 1: in the United States, how does it compete with largely 386 00:20:42,160 --> 00:20:52,800 Speaker 1: forearm made environmentally infrat imported plastic bella mean imitation knock 387 00:20:52,840 --> 00:20:57,520 Speaker 1: off products. My question is, as a business industry person, 388 00:20:58,240 --> 00:21:00,040 Speaker 1: is that the kind of question I would bring you 389 00:21:00,040 --> 00:21:02,200 Speaker 1: your kids, and they would figure it out one thousand percent. 390 00:21:02,280 --> 00:21:03,679 Speaker 2: My answer to you is going to be you let 391 00:21:03,760 --> 00:21:06,160 Speaker 2: kids figure that out, right, Yes, you bring it. 392 00:21:06,119 --> 00:21:11,119 Speaker 1: To kids, yep, Okay, well good, I'll just call me 393 00:21:11,160 --> 00:21:13,880 Speaker 1: in the next week or so after they figured out. Yeah, 394 00:21:14,800 --> 00:21:16,480 Speaker 1: we've been working on her for the last three years 395 00:21:16,480 --> 00:21:21,639 Speaker 1: and have not come up with a solution. We'll be 396 00:21:21,720 --> 00:21:22,200 Speaker 1: right back. 397 00:21:34,240 --> 00:21:35,639 Speaker 2: But I mean, that's that's part of what we've been 398 00:21:35,640 --> 00:21:37,240 Speaker 2: talking about this whole time, is you get kids to 399 00:21:37,280 --> 00:21:40,600 Speaker 2: care about this, right, this is a problem that everyone 400 00:21:40,640 --> 00:21:42,520 Speaker 2: should care about, but we get kids to care about it, 401 00:21:42,520 --> 00:21:43,760 Speaker 2: and it changes the community. 402 00:21:44,119 --> 00:21:47,800 Speaker 1: So really, this changes half of the United States exactly. 403 00:21:47,840 --> 00:21:49,639 Speaker 2: So this is a really small example of this in 404 00:21:49,680 --> 00:21:52,400 Speaker 2: a microcosm. So in Florida, we have a huge issue 405 00:21:52,440 --> 00:21:54,600 Speaker 2: with invasive species, right, we have a big issue and 406 00:21:54,600 --> 00:21:57,920 Speaker 2: it's everywhere. We have the Beatle, We've got all kinds 407 00:21:57,920 --> 00:21:58,480 Speaker 2: of things. 408 00:21:58,560 --> 00:22:01,720 Speaker 1: And so that eating up trees probably, Yeah. 409 00:22:01,600 --> 00:22:04,840 Speaker 2: I mean, you have this huge thing. So when you 410 00:22:04,960 --> 00:22:07,760 Speaker 2: get first grader or second graders, third greaters, high schoolers, 411 00:22:07,760 --> 00:22:10,000 Speaker 2: whatever involved in this problem, and you get them to care, 412 00:22:10,600 --> 00:22:15,439 Speaker 2: they influence their entire family. You see decision making and proof, 413 00:22:15,600 --> 00:22:19,520 Speaker 2: you see buying practices change, you see consumer activities change. 414 00:22:19,560 --> 00:22:21,720 Speaker 1: Did they fix the batal problem in Colorado? 415 00:22:21,920 --> 00:22:23,720 Speaker 2: So they're they're working on it, and we have second 416 00:22:23,760 --> 00:22:26,280 Speaker 2: graders tackle that problem alongside industry, and we have two 417 00:22:26,320 --> 00:22:29,600 Speaker 2: patents pending out of that work from second graders, because 418 00:22:29,800 --> 00:22:31,679 Speaker 2: again they're so they're naive, they're just looking at a 419 00:22:31,680 --> 00:22:33,639 Speaker 2: simple problem and saying, why don't you try this? And 420 00:22:33,680 --> 00:22:37,080 Speaker 2: then industry's like, I don't know what I do that 421 00:22:37,400 --> 00:22:38,159 Speaker 2: right because we're. 422 00:22:38,040 --> 00:22:40,160 Speaker 1: Over there, so we don't understand rocket surgery. 423 00:22:40,320 --> 00:22:42,600 Speaker 2: But the thing is is that you influence an entire community. 424 00:22:42,640 --> 00:22:46,640 Speaker 2: You actually change the outcomes for families and communities by 425 00:22:46,640 --> 00:22:49,199 Speaker 2: getting kids excited and getting kids to tackle this's like 426 00:22:49,920 --> 00:22:52,159 Speaker 2: you take so I hear all the time, especially in 427 00:22:52,440 --> 00:22:54,800 Speaker 2: poor communities that we work with, like we can't recycle. 428 00:22:54,840 --> 00:22:57,639 Speaker 2: It's too expensive, we can't we can't get a part 429 00:22:57,680 --> 00:22:59,480 Speaker 2: of that program. It's it's too expensive. That doesn't that 430 00:22:59,480 --> 00:23:01,760 Speaker 2: doesn't really attain to us. They don't care about us, 431 00:23:01,960 --> 00:23:04,240 Speaker 2: don't care about how we engage in that. You get 432 00:23:04,240 --> 00:23:06,600 Speaker 2: a second grader to set up a recycling program in 433 00:23:06,640 --> 00:23:10,440 Speaker 2: their community, and all the adults follow along, like this 434 00:23:10,520 --> 00:23:13,720 Speaker 2: is the thing, you can change, this by getting kids 435 00:23:13,720 --> 00:23:15,720 Speaker 2: to care about this and getting involved, and they influence. 436 00:23:15,720 --> 00:23:16,960 Speaker 2: They have great influence. 437 00:23:18,119 --> 00:23:22,359 Speaker 1: Mine was not a metaphorical example, just to fill a 438 00:23:22,400 --> 00:23:25,080 Speaker 1: few minutes of a podcast. And I'm just dead so. 439 00:23:25,080 --> 00:23:27,119 Speaker 2: Excited while you were talking, because I was like, that 440 00:23:27,280 --> 00:23:28,480 Speaker 2: is the perfect problem. 441 00:23:28,640 --> 00:23:30,679 Speaker 1: I am dead as serious. 442 00:23:30,960 --> 00:23:31,720 Speaker 2: It's a problem. 443 00:23:31,840 --> 00:23:34,920 Speaker 1: Love to talk with you later about setting every one 444 00:23:34,960 --> 00:23:39,160 Speaker 1: of your schools absolutely loose on the side. No, there 445 00:23:39,240 --> 00:23:42,000 Speaker 1: needs to be a solution. There are so many reasons to. 446 00:23:41,960 --> 00:23:43,000 Speaker 2: Carry so many. 447 00:23:42,760 --> 00:23:48,400 Speaker 1: There's environmental there's self defense, there's national security, there's economic reasons. 448 00:23:48,960 --> 00:23:52,199 Speaker 1: And I wish we'd had your schools back when the 449 00:23:52,240 --> 00:23:54,760 Speaker 1: foreigniture industry left the Carolinas in the eighties and the 450 00:23:54,800 --> 00:23:57,200 Speaker 1: textiles left it in the nineties, and all those blue 451 00:23:57,200 --> 00:23:59,800 Speaker 1: collar jobs left, all those cool little towns up and 452 00:24:00,040 --> 00:24:02,280 Speaker 1: on the Eastern Seaboard vacant. Well, that's about what's going 453 00:24:02,320 --> 00:24:05,040 Speaker 1: to happen with the American logging and lumber industry if 454 00:24:05,080 --> 00:24:08,280 Speaker 1: we don't figure this out. And so far none of 455 00:24:08,280 --> 00:24:12,879 Speaker 1: my contemporaries, including yours, truly has come up with a solution. 456 00:24:13,080 --> 00:24:16,000 Speaker 1: And as I read through all of this and listen 457 00:24:16,080 --> 00:24:19,800 Speaker 1: to you, I'm like, I want an army of normal 458 00:24:19,960 --> 00:24:23,520 Speaker 1: third graders to figure this out, because it clearly it works. 459 00:24:23,680 --> 00:24:24,640 Speaker 2: It does, it does. 460 00:24:24,840 --> 00:24:27,000 Speaker 1: Plus it would be a really great learning experience for kids. 461 00:24:27,000 --> 00:24:29,919 Speaker 1: It would be Oh, their mind would explode. 462 00:24:30,000 --> 00:24:32,720 Speaker 2: The perfect problem because it's it's I always say, you 463 00:24:32,720 --> 00:24:34,119 Speaker 2: want it to not be something you can google, but 464 00:24:34,160 --> 00:24:35,760 Speaker 2: you want it to be rich in media and messy 465 00:24:35,800 --> 00:24:38,640 Speaker 2: and ill defined, ill structured. But at the same time 466 00:24:38,920 --> 00:24:41,119 Speaker 2: you wanted to have all these different perspectives that they 467 00:24:41,119 --> 00:24:43,800 Speaker 2: have to vet it through. My fourth grader's tackled nuclear 468 00:24:43,840 --> 00:24:46,520 Speaker 2: power recently, and they had to really they talked to 469 00:24:46,560 --> 00:24:48,840 Speaker 2: experts on all sides of the fence, people who are 470 00:24:49,440 --> 00:24:51,480 Speaker 2: madly against it, to everyone who loves it, and they 471 00:24:51,480 --> 00:24:54,240 Speaker 2: have to decide within all of that research and information, 472 00:24:54,840 --> 00:24:56,760 Speaker 2: where their solution is going to lie. And that's the 473 00:24:56,760 --> 00:24:59,639 Speaker 2: beauty of this and what you just described spans, you know, 474 00:25:00,000 --> 00:25:03,200 Speaker 2: all of these sort of difference. It is right, it 475 00:25:03,280 --> 00:25:06,240 Speaker 2: spans like you said, environmental, clear to scientific, it's cultural, 476 00:25:06,280 --> 00:25:09,160 Speaker 2: it's all the things. It's the perfect problem. 477 00:25:09,640 --> 00:25:11,560 Speaker 1: Well, I don't think it was a very great problem, 478 00:25:11,560 --> 00:25:13,560 Speaker 1: but I knew you'd be excited about it, and so 479 00:25:13,960 --> 00:25:16,760 Speaker 1: we'll have a follow up interview with you one year 480 00:25:16,760 --> 00:25:18,800 Speaker 1: from now when you fix our industry's issues. 481 00:25:18,840 --> 00:25:20,080 Speaker 2: How's that sounds great? 482 00:25:21,080 --> 00:25:32,800 Speaker 1: So let's end with this three impacts. First, your teachers, 483 00:25:34,400 --> 00:25:37,959 Speaker 1: let us know really what that evolutions looked like. Second 484 00:25:38,119 --> 00:25:44,640 Speaker 1: the kids, and thirdy. 485 00:25:42,440 --> 00:25:48,240 Speaker 2: So I mean, I think with teachers, you know, they 486 00:25:48,240 --> 00:25:51,000 Speaker 2: are community superheroes. And I know that sounds a little 487 00:25:51,040 --> 00:25:56,160 Speaker 2: bit cliche, but underpaid, underpaid, underappreciated all those things, and 488 00:25:57,080 --> 00:26:01,439 Speaker 2: they spend the most time with kids and deeply usually 489 00:26:01,480 --> 00:26:03,919 Speaker 2: understand what they need and where they're headed. And so 490 00:26:03,960 --> 00:26:06,520 Speaker 2: I think just investing them and I don't mean a 491 00:26:06,520 --> 00:26:08,159 Speaker 2: ton of money, I just mean some time and some 492 00:26:08,200 --> 00:26:12,040 Speaker 2: effort goes a long way. So a little bit appreciation, 493 00:26:12,200 --> 00:26:14,840 Speaker 2: a little bit of investment, and we've seen it completely 494 00:26:14,920 --> 00:26:18,680 Speaker 2: change teachers' lives. They stay in the profession longer, that 495 00:26:18,840 --> 00:26:22,240 Speaker 2: changes their identity, they go on to do really incredible 496 00:26:22,240 --> 00:26:26,240 Speaker 2: things themselves. So that's that's a huge impact. And it's 497 00:26:26,640 --> 00:26:28,920 Speaker 2: very understated when we think about education, and we always 498 00:26:28,920 --> 00:26:30,800 Speaker 2: want to go straight to the student. I get it, 499 00:26:31,480 --> 00:26:32,760 Speaker 2: but if we don't take care of the adults in 500 00:26:32,800 --> 00:26:35,359 Speaker 2: the system, then it's our student solutions aren't going to 501 00:26:35,400 --> 00:26:40,439 Speaker 2: be viable. Second, kids, I mean it's emotional for me, 502 00:26:40,520 --> 00:26:44,879 Speaker 2: and I could tell you bazillion stories. I currently have 503 00:26:45,000 --> 00:26:49,720 Speaker 2: a brilliant student who now works for me. She was 504 00:26:49,760 --> 00:26:53,680 Speaker 2: in middle schooler when I was her principal, and she 505 00:26:53,840 --> 00:26:57,520 Speaker 2: started out maybe not the strongest student. I saw a 506 00:26:57,560 --> 00:26:59,399 Speaker 2: lot more in my office than I did in the classroom, 507 00:27:00,160 --> 00:27:04,199 Speaker 2: and but over the years we remained close. Since she 508 00:27:04,280 --> 00:27:06,879 Speaker 2: went on to CSU, she graduated with a degree in 509 00:27:06,920 --> 00:27:08,960 Speaker 2: math and physics. She should not be working for me, 510 00:27:09,040 --> 00:27:12,040 Speaker 2: she should be working for a defense contractor. She's brilliant. 511 00:27:13,280 --> 00:27:15,840 Speaker 2: So working with me, I'm hoping to help her with 512 00:27:15,880 --> 00:27:17,960 Speaker 2: some confidence and some different things that she needs to 513 00:27:17,960 --> 00:27:21,480 Speaker 2: work on, and then introduce her to some of our partners. 514 00:27:23,040 --> 00:27:25,159 Speaker 2: But we've seen it change the entire trajectory of a 515 00:27:25,160 --> 00:27:29,359 Speaker 2: family's economic outcome. It's not about academics. It's really about 516 00:27:29,920 --> 00:27:34,080 Speaker 2: social structures. It's about the you know, like you said, 517 00:27:34,119 --> 00:27:39,400 Speaker 2: just access an opportunity for kids. And when we work 518 00:27:39,440 --> 00:27:42,760 Speaker 2: along someone like yourself and they see a different type 519 00:27:42,800 --> 00:27:44,600 Speaker 2: of role model than maybe they have in their lives, 520 00:27:45,359 --> 00:27:47,920 Speaker 2: even just that small interaction opens up so many doors 521 00:27:47,920 --> 00:27:50,199 Speaker 2: for them that they didn't really think was possible before. 522 00:27:50,680 --> 00:27:51,720 Speaker 2: So I cannot forget to. 523 00:27:51,720 --> 00:27:54,639 Speaker 3: You, I like I heard you put it elsewhere that 524 00:27:54,680 --> 00:27:57,719 Speaker 3: the most profound impact has been on narrative change. And 525 00:27:57,840 --> 00:28:00,600 Speaker 3: like these students would think, Hey, my mom's hair addresser. 526 00:28:01,000 --> 00:28:03,200 Speaker 3: That's the only thing I could possibly do in getting 527 00:28:03,200 --> 00:28:05,160 Speaker 3: them to think beyond that. Not that there's anything wrong 528 00:28:05,200 --> 00:28:07,680 Speaker 3: with that, but they should have every opportunity before them. 529 00:28:07,680 --> 00:28:09,280 Speaker 1: And not only that, we. 530 00:28:09,240 --> 00:28:12,840 Speaker 2: Had a student her mom that's was thinking of. Her 531 00:28:12,880 --> 00:28:15,639 Speaker 2: mom was worked and she was a hairdresser, and she 532 00:28:15,680 --> 00:28:16,760 Speaker 2: always said her what do you want to be? And 533 00:28:16,760 --> 00:28:18,320 Speaker 2: she's like, oh'll probably do something like my mom. And 534 00:28:19,200 --> 00:28:20,960 Speaker 2: I always said, yeah, there's nothing wrong with that, right, 535 00:28:21,000 --> 00:28:25,240 Speaker 2: like we need all jobs. And she spent a couple 536 00:28:25,280 --> 00:28:28,159 Speaker 2: of years in the first school that we were part of, 537 00:28:28,200 --> 00:28:34,920 Speaker 2: and she has now gone on to be a neurologist. What, yes, 538 00:28:35,160 --> 00:28:36,919 Speaker 2: she's studying neurology in college. 539 00:28:37,000 --> 00:28:38,640 Speaker 1: Well, I mean she and her mom are both working 540 00:28:38,640 --> 00:28:44,280 Speaker 1: on people about the nut perfect They are doing the 541 00:28:44,320 --> 00:28:47,880 Speaker 1: same thing, ones on the outside, ones on the inside. 542 00:28:48,440 --> 00:28:49,160 Speaker 1: Ahead family. 543 00:28:49,320 --> 00:28:52,720 Speaker 2: I had at first grade boy that just said, you know, 544 00:28:52,760 --> 00:28:54,640 Speaker 2: my dad works on the roads. I'm going to be 545 00:28:54,640 --> 00:28:57,120 Speaker 2: in construction. I'm gonna work on roads, which again very noble, 546 00:28:57,480 --> 00:28:59,000 Speaker 2: And I said but what have you got to design 547 00:28:59,080 --> 00:29:01,360 Speaker 2: different types of roads? What if you could be an 548 00:29:01,400 --> 00:29:03,320 Speaker 2: engineer and design types of things and just you know, 549 00:29:03,360 --> 00:29:05,320 Speaker 2: it's just that this is again, this is not that 550 00:29:05,440 --> 00:29:08,400 Speaker 2: big so but students have really shifted, you know, you 551 00:29:08,480 --> 00:29:10,280 Speaker 2: when you meet our kids, it's not I'm a student 552 00:29:10,320 --> 00:29:12,680 Speaker 2: or I'm It's like, I'm an engineer, I'm a scientist, 553 00:29:13,040 --> 00:29:15,680 Speaker 2: I'm an artist. You know, I'm a creator, I'm a 554 00:29:15,680 --> 00:29:20,480 Speaker 2: business owner. So it makes a big difference. I think 555 00:29:20,560 --> 00:29:25,560 Speaker 2: for me, yeah, I I mean I feel I love 556 00:29:25,600 --> 00:29:29,080 Speaker 2: what I do and I think that's the greatest gift 557 00:29:29,680 --> 00:29:32,760 Speaker 2: that you can have. And I think profoundly for me, 558 00:29:35,080 --> 00:29:39,720 Speaker 2: it's made me realize truly what a difference, you know, 559 00:29:40,880 --> 00:29:45,600 Speaker 2: individuals can make. But it's really really taught me that 560 00:29:47,160 --> 00:29:50,680 Speaker 2: it is just about people at the end of the day, right, 561 00:29:50,720 --> 00:29:54,360 Speaker 2: It's about hearing their story, approaching with a little bit empathy, 562 00:29:55,040 --> 00:29:57,960 Speaker 2: and that the very core of my DNA is solving problems. 563 00:29:58,440 --> 00:30:02,360 Speaker 2: And I think that there's nobody better to do that 564 00:30:02,400 --> 00:30:03,360 Speaker 2: than kids. 565 00:30:04,760 --> 00:30:12,120 Speaker 1: I cannot help but summarize all of what's happened and 566 00:30:12,240 --> 00:30:15,840 Speaker 1: all that's been accomplished, and all that you've done, and 567 00:30:15,920 --> 00:30:18,400 Speaker 1: this problem based learning and all that you're going to 568 00:30:18,400 --> 00:30:21,280 Speaker 1: continue to do and that the lives you and your 569 00:30:21,320 --> 00:30:26,280 Speaker 1: approach is going to affect. I cannot help, but just 570 00:30:26,880 --> 00:30:31,719 Speaker 1: think about Bob telling you to figure out that horse. 571 00:30:33,000 --> 00:30:39,840 Speaker 1: It just feels like that mentality that old school ranch 572 00:30:40,280 --> 00:30:48,920 Speaker 1: working in the oil fields. Tough but empathetic, truly understanding 573 00:30:48,960 --> 00:30:52,880 Speaker 1: the perspective of another being, whether it's a human or 574 00:30:52,840 --> 00:30:59,600 Speaker 1: a horse, and seeing in another person and ability that 575 00:30:59,640 --> 00:31:04,440 Speaker 1: they don't even seeing themselves, and requiring them to both 576 00:31:05,200 --> 00:31:09,959 Speaker 1: metaphorically and literally get their ass back on that horse. Yes, 577 00:31:10,160 --> 00:31:13,680 Speaker 1: I can't. It's just really this thing should be called 578 00:31:14,080 --> 00:31:14,840 Speaker 1: Bob Spark. 579 00:31:15,360 --> 00:31:21,000 Speaker 2: It should be. But yeah, he triys to be crazy. 580 00:31:21,040 --> 00:31:23,720 Speaker 2: We were just recently there for the summer. Hit a 581 00:31:23,720 --> 00:31:26,680 Speaker 2: whole pile of gravel he needed moved, and heavy equipment 582 00:31:26,680 --> 00:31:29,160 Speaker 2: would do it in two seconds and we got shovels 583 00:31:29,160 --> 00:31:29,840 Speaker 2: and wheel barrows. 584 00:31:31,920 --> 00:31:34,520 Speaker 1: I love Bob. I want to hang out with Bob. 585 00:31:34,560 --> 00:31:35,880 Speaker 1: I want to have a beer with Bob. 586 00:31:36,240 --> 00:31:36,880 Speaker 2: He's a good guy. 587 00:31:38,160 --> 00:31:43,040 Speaker 1: Kelly. Just phenomenal story. Thank you for sharing it. Thank 588 00:31:43,040 --> 00:31:46,560 Speaker 1: you for the work that you do. Folks hearing us 589 00:31:46,600 --> 00:31:48,440 Speaker 1: that want to find out about mind Spark, how do 590 00:31:48,480 --> 00:31:48,960 Speaker 1: they do that? 591 00:31:49,240 --> 00:31:51,720 Speaker 2: So website's easy. So it's just mind spark dot org. 592 00:31:52,000 --> 00:31:53,720 Speaker 2: Or you can also email me if you want. 593 00:31:53,880 --> 00:31:54,720 Speaker 1: How do you email you? 594 00:31:54,880 --> 00:31:57,440 Speaker 2: So first name K E. L I E. Kelly at 595 00:31:57,480 --> 00:31:58,360 Speaker 2: MindSpark dot org. 596 00:31:59,520 --> 00:32:02,720 Speaker 1: That's good enough, Alex, you got anything else? We're good? 597 00:32:02,760 --> 00:32:03,440 Speaker 1: How about you, Kelly? 598 00:32:03,440 --> 00:32:05,120 Speaker 3: Anything we miss you want to cover? 599 00:32:05,400 --> 00:32:06,160 Speaker 2: Its wonderful? 600 00:32:06,320 --> 00:32:08,240 Speaker 1: When do you and when do you and Bobby? You 601 00:32:08,320 --> 00:32:12,640 Speaker 1: married w Robert married to Robert? When do you have Bobby? 602 00:32:12,720 --> 00:32:13,880 Speaker 1: State anight? Or you're headed up? 603 00:32:14,080 --> 00:32:16,240 Speaker 2: We stay tonight meeting with a few more. He's got 604 00:32:16,240 --> 00:32:17,720 Speaker 2: some business means that I'm going to meet with some 605 00:32:17,760 --> 00:32:18,480 Speaker 2: of the schools. 606 00:32:18,720 --> 00:32:23,360 Speaker 1: Good. We'll enjoy our fair city. Thank you, and I 607 00:32:23,720 --> 00:32:25,520 Speaker 1: hope you have a safe trip home and I will 608 00:32:25,520 --> 00:32:27,239 Speaker 1: follow up with you in six months to a year 609 00:32:27,320 --> 00:32:31,600 Speaker 1: after your children have figured out my big problem know. 610 00:32:34,000 --> 00:32:36,880 Speaker 2: Thanks thanks for being here, Thank you, thank you so much. 611 00:32:40,560 --> 00:32:44,200 Speaker 1: And thank you for joining us this week. If Kelly 612 00:32:44,280 --> 00:32:48,040 Speaker 1: Loth has inspired you in general, or better yet, to 613 00:32:48,080 --> 00:32:52,920 Speaker 1: take action by engaging your community schools about mind Spark, 614 00:32:53,600 --> 00:32:58,600 Speaker 1: engaging your company about becoming one of their partners, implementing 615 00:32:58,840 --> 00:33:03,800 Speaker 1: problem based learning with your own kids, or something else entirely, 616 00:33:04,360 --> 00:33:06,840 Speaker 1: please let me know I'd love to hear about it. 617 00:33:06,920 --> 00:33:10,720 Speaker 1: You can write me anytime at Bill at normal folks 618 00:33:10,800 --> 00:33:15,480 Speaker 1: dot us, and I guarantee you this, I'll respond. If 619 00:33:15,480 --> 00:33:18,800 Speaker 1: you enjoyed this episode, I'm begging you, share it with 620 00:33:18,840 --> 00:33:23,200 Speaker 1: friends and on social subscribe to the podcast, rate and 621 00:33:23,280 --> 00:33:26,680 Speaker 1: review it, Join the army at normal folks dot us, 622 00:33:26,880 --> 00:33:30,200 Speaker 1: any and all of these things that will help us 623 00:33:30,280 --> 00:33:35,200 Speaker 1: grow an army of normal folks. I'm Bill Cordy. Until 624 00:33:35,240 --> 00:33:38,080 Speaker 1: next time, do what you can do.