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They are in it to win it on and off the basketball court at Herriman High School.

On this episode of the Supercast, it’s “game on” as we talk to players and coach Doug Meacham about their love of basketball and how it builds character in a culture of teamwork and camaraderie.


Audio Transcription

Transcription coming soon.

Her teaching time adds up to more than two decades in the classroom, every day dedicated to transforming the way students learn and experience math.

On this episode of the Supercast, we sit down with Riverton High School nationally recognized math teacher Melissa Brown to talk about her greatest passion and how it led her to receive the very prestigious "Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching."

For listeners who would like to see the YouTube video “Operation Tin Man” created by Melissa Brown’s students and referenced in this episode, click here.


Audio Transcription

Anthony Godfrey:
I want to go back to something you said about your not being good at math.

Melissa Brown:
I struggled a lot being told I wasn't getting enough out of it. And I think the fact that I know exactly what those students are feeling like, never having that light bulb go on in class, not being the kid that can finish in five minutes. I think the kids take me a little more seriously because they're like, "Well, she had trouble and she could do it."

[Music]

Anthony Godfrey:
Hello and welcome to the Supercast. I'm your host, Superintendent Anthony Godfrey. Her teaching time adds up to more than two decades in the classroom, every day dedicated to transforming the way students learn and experience math.

On this episode of the Supercast, we sit down with Riverton High School's nationally recognized math teacher, Melissa Brown, to talk about her greatest passion and how it led her to receive the very prestigious “Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching”.

[Music]

We're here at Riverton High School to talk with Melissa Brown, National Award-winning math teacher. Melissa, thanks for taking a few minutes.

Melissa Brown:
You're welcome.

Anthony Godfrey:
Tell us a little bit about the award that you just received. There are press releases, and this is very rare for someone in Utah to receive this.

Melissa Brown:
So it's called the “Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching”. I was nominated, and then there's a whole application process. I found out two years ago pretty much, so I was a state finalist, and then it was just up to whenever the White House decided to announce the winners. I guess it took them two years to announce the winners.

Anthony Godfrey:
I remember talking about your being nominated and making it to the next level, being a finalist. I had no idea that this was connected. I thought that possibly you had been renominated, but hey, this is how the federal wheels turn sometimes. So tell us about this award, and you went through quite a process to apply.

Melissa Brown:
Yes. So I received an email several, I guess three years now, that said I'd been nominated. So I was nominated by Carolyn Gough, my previous principal, and it just said you've been nominated and said you can apply if you choose.

It's my understanding that a lot of people, after they read through what the process is, decide, no, thank you. Apparently, I was foolish enough to say, “Okay, that sounds good”. So then you have to submit a bio, a resume. It required several letters of recommendations from supervisors, parents, students. I think that was all the letters. And then you have to videotape yourself teaching and then write a bunch of stuff about that video answering a series of questions in like five different areas, I think.

Anthony Godfrey:
Wow, that is nerve-wracking. How many versions of the video did you go through?

Melissa Brown:
Well, I guess I don't know if I should throw somebody in the bus, but I have a funny story about that. So this will be the last time I tell the story because I promise I wouldn't.

Anthony Godfrey:
The people want to know.

Melissa Brown:
I asked one of our instructional coaches to help me out in the filming. So she'd been in frequently just filming me teach. And they just hadn't been what I felt was like a decent video that I felt I had a lot to say about. So finally one day, if you can imagine, she's like with the camera in front of students. I'm trying to teach and my students got so used to her being here, they ignored her. And we finished the day and she got really excited. She was like, “That was it. This is the one. It was great.” She goes, “Let's watch it.” And so we take the camera and we push it and it recorded all of five seconds of an 87-minute class.

Anthony Godfrey:
Oh, no.

Melissa Brown:
And I was just like, “Oh, dear. We have to do that again.” And she immediately was just horrified, very upset. So we both just took a break for a while and said, OK. That wasn't--

Anthony Godfrey:
It took time to reset.

Melissa Brown:
We regrouped. We recorded again a couple of times and found one that she was like, “That was really good. I think you should use that one.” And I was sick of filming and I was like, great. We're going with that one.

Anthony Godfrey:
Well, filming yourself teaching is– and then analyzing it on top of that, that can be pretty harrowing to watch yourself that much. It's a real compliment that with a video and that analysis and perspective from all of these different people that you've won this award, it's really exciting. How does that feel at the end of all this process, two years, all these years of teaching to receive some recognition for that?

Melissa Brown:
I'm not trying to be humble about it, but really I don't know that I don't do a lot of things differently than a lot of other teachers that I work with. I know I have been blessed to have some really great administrators that have supported me and helped me to, I feel like, grow in my job. You know, I had two or three great mentors. Bill Broderick at the time was a fantastic math teacher that I think I emulate him in some ways because everything he did was just phenomenal. Kids loved him.

Anthony Godfrey:
Tell me some of the ways that those mentors, those teachers, and administrators have impacted your teaching.

Melissa Brown:
I think first I just saw that they were really great at connecting with kids and the math came second. I mean, I know it's hard to believe that kids don't just clamor to learn the math stuff.

Anthony Godfrey:
It's the order of operations. You connect with kids first and then you make sure that the math gets through.

Melissa Brown:
I don't know that there's a good acronym for that, though, like the order of operations. We’ll make one up.

Anthony Godfrey:
Yeah, that's true.

Melissa Brown:
I just think they really showed me that it really is the most important thing, is just to connect with kids. And then the math comes second. I mean, how many times do we hear, when am I ever going to have to use this math? And I'm not going to lie to a lot of students and say, "No one's going to come up to you and say, 'Excuse me, could you solve this polynomial for me? I need to know the answer.'" And I'm not going to sugarcoat that for the kids, but I think there's such an importance to learning the processes of critical thinking and just the idea that I can do something hard, that I can progress through more difficult things, that I think it shows kids they can do hard things.

Anthony Godfrey:
A sense of efficacy. A sense of problem-solving.

Melissa Brown:
Yes. 

Anthony Godfrey:
A deeper level thinking.

Melissa Brown:
Yeah, absolutely. So, I think they showed me that. I know, you know, I wasn't worried about, did they get the right answer all the time? You got the wrong answer more times than not, but look at the process that you did and how far you came. And that's more important to me, and I think that helps kids connect to me in a way.

I was not good at math when I was in school. My students don't believe me, so I'll pull out my report cards that have Cs on it. And they're like, "You got Cs?" “I know, they let me teach here. Can you believe it?” So, I just think that connection with kids, I think the principals I've had have allowed me some flexibility just to try things no matter how crazy they seem. ‘You want to do what?’ “Yeah, I want to do that. Can I do that?’ “Okay.” Nine times out of ten it fails, but it gives me some idea, and then I can try something else.

Anthony Godfrey:
I'd say nine out of ten times it works. No, I don't understand. But it does make a huge difference when you know you have that support to try something new.

Melissa Brown:
Right.

Anthony Godfrey:
And I love the creativity that you bring to things, and I'm familiar with that creativity. I'm also familiar with the way that you connect with students. You've had a tradition in the past, I don't know if it's ongoing, of creating a t-shirt at the end of your calculus classes. Talk to me about that.

Melissa Brown:
The AP exam's a big deal, and for some students that's the first time they've sat and taken a really difficult exam that covers months of effort.

Anthony Godfrey:
Yeah.

Melissa Brown:
And they're nervous, and so I would try to get them excited about it, and who wants to get up in the morning when they're nervous and have to worry about what to wear. So I said, "Let's make a t-shirt." And it started with us drawing on a t-shirt, and then we got more fancy and did iron-ons. So I've been doing it for a while. Sometimes they were very plain, and it just said, "Riverton Calculus." And then they got to where the shirts make no sense whatsoever. Every joke we had in class showed up. 

Once I was in the Atlanta airport, and I got in line to get some food between flights. And I was like, "Why is my face on the back of that shirt?’ I think you're familiar with that shirt. And I just did a double take, and I tapped a guy. I said, "Excuse me." And I was like, "Where did you get this shirt?" It was an older gentleman. And he goes, "Oh, I'm from Utah. I just got it at the DI." But what are the odds that I run into that in the Atlanta airport?

Anthony Godfrey:
Wow.

Melissa Brown:
It's, yeah, I don't do it every year, but--

Anthony Godfrey:
That's a level of fame that not many can claim.

Melissa Brown:
I was in the Atlanta airport, and a random stranger was wearing my face on his shirt. I don't know of anyone else that can say that except maybe athletes.

Anthony Godfrey:
Now, I was the recipient of one of these shirts years ago and on a Saturday morning, I happened to be wearing it. I happened to go into Penny Ann's cafe and tell the listeners who I ran into.

Melissa Brown:
Oh, that would be me and my friends having brunch, yes.

Anthony Godfrey:
I could not wait to walk over to the table and show you and your friends that I was actually wearing the calculus class t-shirt. 

Melissa Brown:
I think it should be known that I apologized to your wife for having you wear that t-shirt in public.

Anthony Godfrey:
Hey, that was a Saturday morning breakfast t-shirt, and it was perfect. It was perfect. I've never made a class a t-shirt before, and I thought that was really cool. I thought it was really cool.

Stay with us when we come back more from Melissa Brown on what she loves about teaching math and some of the more interesting interactions she's had with students.

[music]

Never miss an episode of The Supercast by liking and subscribing on your favorite podcasting platform. Find transcripts for this episode and others at supercast.jordandistrict.org.

Break:
Hello, I'm Sandy Riesgraf, Director of Communications for Jordan School District, and we want to invite you to connect with us. So many exciting things are happening in your child's school, your neighbor's school, in every school here, every day. Don't miss out on following the fun or simply staying informed when there's important information we need to share. Join us at jordandistrict.org, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @jordandistrict. We can't wait to connect.

Anthony Godfrey:
I want to go back to something you said about your not being good at math. I think that sometimes if you had to figure out how to get good at something, that really helps you teach others to do the same. Whereas if you're just growing up loving and being great at a particular subject, sometimes it can be harder to put yourself in the mindset of the learner who may not love that subject and may not have that subject come to them naturally. Can you talk to me about how you've been able to relate to students when they've struggled with math?

Melissa Brown:
Yeah, so I have two older siblings, one of which you know.

Anthony Godfrey:
Yes.

Melissa Brown:
The other one, she actually is a rocket scientist. She's an engineer. She works on the rockets.

Anthony Godfrey:
You've told me that.

Melissa Brown:
Right.

Anthony Godfrey:
I mean, rocket science isn't brain surgery, so you know.

Melissa Brown:
It’s not brain surgery is close. And we were close in age. I remember in school she is, you know, still much smarter than I am. That's fine. We have different talents, but I would follow her through classes. And then I would hear from teachers things like, you know, “you're not as smart as your sister.”

Anthony Godfrey:
That is the worst.

Melissa Brown:
Yes. Thank you for telling me that. I knew. Or “you should get your sister to help you with your math.” And I didn't want to be about my sister. And I just didn't get it. And I struggled. I have a lot of experiences that I would not wish on anybody in school math. I struggled a lot, being told I wasn't good enough at it. You know, and I went to college. That was not necessarily in my plan. It ended up happening. And, you know, years go by and then you're like, you know what, I can teach math. And I think the fact that I know exactly what those students are feeling like, never having that light bulb go on in class, not being the kid that can finish in five minutes.

Anthony Godfrey:
Right.

Melissa Brown:
I'm like, that's OK. And I think the kids take me a little more seriously because they're like, well, she had trouble and she can do it now. And I still make mistakes all the time. And I love that they catch them.

Anthony Godfrey:
Yes.

Melissa Brown:
I think it makes me more human to them and them less embarrassed to make mistakes or just try because they're worried it's wrong.

Anthony Godfrey:
It's such an important culture to create in a math classroom in particular, where the answer is right or it's wrong. Focusing on the process, focusing on a connection with students, and making it a place where it is safe to make mistakes and then learn from them.

Melissa Brown:
I agree. I think it's very important that I give a shout-out to my mother who knew that I struggled with math and could cut a grilled cheese sandwich into however many fractions until I understood fractions. So I've had a grilled cheese in sixteenths. 

Anthony Godfrey:
Wow.

Melissa Brown:
That was some fancy cutting on my mother's part.

Anthony Godfrey:
That's a lot of crumbs.

Melissa Brown:
But I learned my fractions. I still don't like them, but I can do my fractions now. So my mom is quite proud of that. Probably just as proud of that as she is that I won this award. 

Anthony Godfrey:
That's an important part that she played. That's wonderful.

Melissa Brown:
She got me through the fractions.

Anthony Godfrey:
I love that. One of the things that you are known for, and I think this is a great compliment, is that you are able to and eager to teach students across the whole range of math preparedness, math interest. You teach those classes at the very lowest levels and at the very highest levels. So AP, BC, calculus, right through to those where you're helping students catch up that may be behind in math. Talk to me about the rewards of teaching a range of students in math classes.

Melissa Brown:
You know, it's funny that you're a new teacher and you kind of get the classes. It's not uncommon. You get the classes nobody wants. And so when I started, I had one of the remedial math classes and it was hard because I didn't connect well with my students that first year and I just wanted them to do the math and they didn't want to do anything. And that's where my mentor came in and showed me some things to do and really was like, listen, just help them learn something. It's OK if you don't get through the whole core. And over the course of the years, I think I learned different skills, used different strategies, mimicked other teachers. And finally, I think I got very frustrated that so many students were just falling through the cracks with math.

Anthony Godfrey:
Yeah.

Melissa Brown:
I finally went to my principal, Carolyn Gough, at the time and I said, “Can I teach this class” And I very clearly remember her going, “Oh, good, it's about time” or something to that effect. But it was that kind of comment that she was like, I've just been waiting for you to figure it out. Like I wanted you to do it, but you had to want to do it. Teaching my lower-level students is more rewarding and much more work than teaching my advanced students.

Anthony Godfrey:
Yeah.

Melissa Brown:
Because I can't just do one thing and they get it. I have to do it 20 different ways and then figure out 10 more ways. And then still, I have three or four that are like, I don't get it. 

Anthony Godfrey:
But the satisfaction that you get from seeing that progress.

Melissa Brown:
I got a new student today. She got through half of the problems we were doing. And she when she said that's easy, I was good for the day. I was like, that was easy. We're done.

Anthony Godfrey:
You take those rewards.

Melissa Brown:
I'll take that. That's fine.

Anthony Godfrey:
Absolutely. Now, this is a rich classroom environment. I think I can safely describe it that way. I remember at one point, this is before it was cool. Everything in your classroom was wrapped in foil, if I recall.

Melissa Brown:
Yeah, I don't like that. I still have an aversion. Operation Tin Man is what we named it.

Anthony Godfrey:
Oh, yeah. Oh, yes. I do see a photo back there with the signatures of those who did it.

Melissa Brown:
Yes.

Anthony Godfrey:
Whoa. And there is photographic evidence. It is as complete as I remember it. That is a lot of aluminum foil.

Melissa Brown:
It's a lot of aluminum foil. And the story only gets better. There is a video on YouTube where they like time-lapse them doing it so you can watch it.

Anthony Godfrey:
Really?

Melissa Brown:
We had a camera set up so when I walked in, it got my reaction. It took me a minute because it had audio. Did I just say what I think? Luckily, I didn't swear. I did. I was like, okay. My mom won't be mad.

That year, we had had a teacher that left the profession and I picked up an extra class because I would do such a thing. And I was teaching a chemistry class, which is not something I enjoy doing, but we did it. So that particular day that I walked in on it, I came in extra early. It was 6, 6.15 in the morning because I had to get through stuff and I didn't have a period off. And I remember when I got here, I didn't understand why my garbage can was outside. And there was like some tape on my door, which I thought was very strange. And so I opened the door and I turned on the light and was immediately blinded. And I was just like, what in the... Every inch of the room was covered in tin foil. We still... I mean, there's still some up there.

Anthony Godfrey:
Every desk individually covered.

Melissa Brown:
Everything in my desk was wrapped. Paperclips.

Anthony Godfrey:
Everything in the desk.

Melissa Brown:
I mean, everything was wrapped. The phone, the keyboard.

Anthony Godfrey:
It was thorough. 

Melissa Brown:
Oh yeah, all the books.

Anthony Godfrey:
I've never seen anything like it. And you just pointed that out. In addition to the framed photo, there are three ceiling tiles that remain, at least three, that remain wrapped in foil.

Melissa Brown:
We tried to take it down years ago, but then the ceiling tile started to fall apart.

Anthony Godfrey:
It deteriorates.

Melissa Brown:
It just holds the ceiling tile.

Anthony Godfrey:
That's perfect. That's perfect.

Melissa Brown:
Yeah. I mean, I did the floor. So needless to say, nothing really got accomplished for me that day. However, I did learn several things. I know what it feels like to be a baked potato because it was in May.

Anthony Godfrey:
Fair. Fair.

Melissa Brown:
So it was very hot with the windows.

Anthony Godfrey:
Wow.

Melissa Brown:
You can write on tin foil and it erases with whiteboard markers so you can...

Anthony Godfrey:
I did not know that. I did not know that.

Melissa Brown:
It comes right off. Just be careful. I cut my hands a few times. That's okay.

Anthony Godfrey:
Wow. Injuries.

Melissa Brown:
Injuries, yeah.

Anthony Godfrey:
Again, risk management doesn't listen to the podcast, so we're okay.

Melissa Brown:
It's in the past.

Anthony Godfrey:
So you've created some incredible memories in math class.

Melissa Brown:
Just a few, yeah.

Anthony Godfrey:
And that's not always the case in math class.

Melissa Brown:
There was a little math in there. In between some things.

Anthony Godfrey:
There's a lot of math. There's a lot of math. But like you said, those relationships shine through, so to speak, with these things happening in class. So tell me, what do you love about teaching math?

Melissa Brown:
That is a good question. I like teaching kids. I happen to be good at math communication with kids. I just like teaching kids. So I don't know it's different for any teacher that enjoys their profession, whatever subject level. I just like teaching the kids and working with the kids.

Anthony Godfrey:
Tell us what's next with the award.

Melissa Brown:
So there's a monetary award, so I'm looking forward to getting some money.

Anthony Godfrey:
And do you remember that number as a math teacher?

Melissa Brown:
It's $10,000.

Anthony Godfrey:
$10,000. Not too shabby.

Melissa Brown:
I'll take that. Not too shabby, yes. And supposedly there's a trip for some recognition to D.C. in the future, so that's coming up.

Anthony Godfrey:
Well, fantastic. We look forward to hearing about that. And once again, congratulations. I've known you for many years, and through all those years, I've known you're a fantastic math teacher, but you're a fantastic teacher of students who connects with people like nobody else. As you've demonstrated over and over, it has a passion for connecting with kids however you have to make that math stick. So I appreciate your creativity, your hard work, and your connection with students. That's a positive impact that's going to last for a very long time. 

Melissa Brown:
I really appreciate that, and I wouldn't be who I am without a lot of help from a lot of different people.

Anthony Godfrey:
Thanks for joining us on another episode of the Supercast. Remember, education is the most important thing you will do today. We'll see you out there.

In 1905 a loaf of bread cost 4 cents, a gallon of milk 29 cents, you could buy a brand-new car for $500, and in 1905, Jordan School District was established.

On this episode of the Supercast, we take you back in time to the earliest days of Jordan School District, from historic classrooms to the first graduating class of five at Bingham High. Join us on a journey 100 years in the making with historian and retired teacher Scott Crump, who authored a book you’re about to hear all about ‘The First 100 Years: A History of Jordan School District.”

The survey to win a copy of the book has closed.


Audio Transcription

Scott Crump:
When Jordan School District turned 100, they asked me to really write a trilogy.

Anthony Godfrey:
So when you see the bus stop at the railroad crossing, that's the result of that tragic accident in the 30s in Jordan School District.

Scott Crump:
We're not going to send it up to the rough Bingham High School.

[Music]

Anthony Godfrey:
Hello and welcome to the Supercast. I'm your host, Superintendent Anthony Godfrey. In 1905, a loaf of bread cost $0.04, a gallon of milk cost $0.29, and you could buy a brand new car for $500, and in 1905, Jordan School District was established.

On this episode of the Supercast, we take you back in time to the earliest days of Jordan School District, from historic classrooms to the first graduating class of five students at Bingham High School. Join us on a journey 100 years in the making with historian and retired teacher Scott Crump, who authored a book you're about to hear all about, "The First 100 Years, A History of Jordan School District." Listen and find out how you can enter to win one of these beloved books.

[Music]

We're here at Bingham High School in the alumni room talking with local historian and former Bingham High School teacher Scott Crump. Thanks for taking time with us.

Scott Crump:
You're welcome.

Anthony Godfrey:
Scott, tell us about some of the projects you've been involved in as a historian over the years.

Scott Crump:
I was a teacher here for 37 years. I taught all at Bingham High School. I taught history and government. Following in the footsteps of my father, he taught at Bingham High School for 36 years. We overlapped a few years. But I love history. I just remember, clear back, when I was in elementary school, the PTA had a history of Copperton and Copperton Elementary that I attended. And I just was so interested in that. Because I knew people who were like the first people to live in Copperton. I loved it so much that when I went to college, I majored in history. And as part of my senior project, everybody had to do a senior writing project of some kind. I chose to write the history of Copperton. So I did a small history of Copperton, which would later become a book. And that was the first history I published back in '78, I think.

And after that, then it just gets in your blood. So I was asked to write the history of Riverton, where I eventually would move. So I co-wrote a history of Riverton. And then was asked to write a history of the Bingham Copper Mine that they sell up at the souvenir place. So that's my biggest seller there.

Anthony Godfrey:
Do you ever go up there and secretly autograph a couple of copies? You've got to take a Sharpie into the store and do a little secret autograph there.

Scott Crump:
I could, but I haven't done that yet. But when Jordan School District turned 100, they asked me to really write a trilogy because I wrote the history of Jordan School District and then Jordan High School, then Bingham High School.

Anthony Godfrey:
What's crazy is that Jordan School District's 100-year celebration was now 20 years ago, and I remember it. I remember the logo that went with it, and we're thumbing through the book here that you wrote. It's really quite amazing. And there are some very memorable things that happened throughout the history of Jordan School District. So 120 years later, what are some of the things that you remember from putting this together about Jordan School District?

Scott Crump:
First of all, there was a lot of opposition to forming the Jordan School District because each community, there were about 36 communities that had their own school district. So every community, whether it be Sandy or Herriman or whatever, they had their own school district area, Bingham had its own school district. And the state urged the school districts to consolidate. The reason why is because the small school districts could only afford to do grades 1 through 8.

Now, most people only went to grades 1 through 8, but when you graduated from grammar school in the 1800s, that was basically it. But in the late 1800s, Utah started to have a few high schools like West and East High School or Salt Lake City High School. And so the only way you could afford that kind of education is for many communities to put in tax money to do that. So they were encouraged to do that.

So the state legislature passed a law which said that all of these smaller districts had to consolidate. So we would have the Salt Lake City School District, the Jordan School District, and the Granite School District in Salt Lake County. And that way, they then could use the money from many communities to form the 9 through 12 high school education.

So it took two years, but Jordan District would form in 1905, and then in 1907, they would organize the district's high school, which was Jordan High School. And Granite did the same. They had their district high school, Granite High School. By the next year, it was so inconvenient that people from Bingham didn't want to come down to Sandy every day to go to high school. So they formed Bingham High School in 1908 up in Bingham. So all of our area school district went to Jordan High School except for Bingham and Lark and the Bingham area on the west side.

Anthony Godfrey:
Now, at a certain point, it seems to me that there were only blue-collar mascots at all of the high schools because you had the beat diggers at Jordan, the farmers at Granite, and the miners at Bingham.

Scott Crump:
Exactly, and that's just the way it was for the first years. And clear until 1958, they had the big uproar because Jordan High School was growing so large that it couldn't accommodate all the people from West Jordan, South Jordan, Herriman, and all the east side communities. So the school district proposed that everybody on the west side of the Jordan River go to Bingham High School and everybody on the east side of the Jordan River go to Jordan.

Anthony Godfrey:
So initially, Bingham was only those who were very distant from Jordan High School, and so the boundary expanded. Fascinating. It's very interesting to hear about boundary changes that long ago, but also the legislature getting involved in consolidating districts where most recently in the last 20 years, the law has shifted around dividing school districts, Jordan and now Alpine. So that is a shift.

Scott Crump:
A lot of uproar, especially—well, a lot of the uproar was coming from South Jordan. They were not going to send their kids up to the rough Bingham High School in Copperton.

Anthony Godfrey:
Now, to be fair, things were a little rough around the mine, weren't they?

Scott Crump:
Well, miners can be rough.

Anthony Godfrey:
One of the defining moments in the history of Jordan School District was the tragic incident with the train and the bus from Jordan High School. Can you tell listeners a little bit about that?

Scott Crump:
Yes. This was back in, I think, '39, 1939, and it was pretty overcast and bad weather that day. There was a bus that started in the Riverton-Bluffdale area and crossing the railroad tracks at about 100 south there. The driver did not see the train coming north on the tracks there. The driver stopped. He looked, but the train came and just broadsided the bus and killed, I think it was, 19 students. It was just a horrible, horrible accident. As a result of that accident, they passed national laws to make it required that a bus stops at a railroad crossing.

Anthony Godfrey:
Right. So when you see the bus stop at the railroad crossing and open the door to look, that's the result of that tragic accident in the '30s in Jordan School District.

Scott Crump:
Exactly.

Anthony Godfrey:
Don't go away. Up next, some of the more unique, if not completely strange stories Scott Crump uncovered during his research into the first 100 years of Jordan School District. And stay tuned to find out how you can get your hands on a copy of this important history.

[Music]

Never miss an episode of The Supercast by liking and subscribing on your favorite podcasting platform. Find transcripts for this episode and others at supercast.jordandistrict.org.

[Music]

Break:
Are you looking for a job right now? Looking to work in a fun and supportive environment with great pay and a rewarding career? Jordan School District is hiring. We're currently filling full and part-time positions. You can work and make a difference in young lives and education as a classroom assistant or a substitute teacher. Apply to work in one of our school cafeterias where our lunch staff serves up big smiles with great food every day. We're also looking to hire custodians and bus drivers. In Jordan School District we like to say people come for the job and enjoy the adventure. Apply today at employment.jordandistrict.org

[Music]

Anthony Godfrey:
Now, there was a principal at Bingham High School who actually shot his student at the barber shop. Isn't that right?

Scott Crump:
He did. You read the story.

Anthony Godfrey:
I have read the story. Tell us a little bit about that.

[Laughter]

Scott Crump;
Well, this was around the late teens and there was a principal at Bingham High School and he came home one day and he found a student in bed with his wife. He found the student out at the barber shop. He went and shot him dead.

Anthony Godfrey:
And from what I recall, he would serve no time because he was preserving the sanctity of his home. That was the determination, preserving the sanctity of your home.

Scott Crump:
Exactly.

Anthony Godfrey:
You'll need to read the Bingham history if you want to know more about that story, but it is an interesting one. So that's the formation of Jordan School District. What were some of the big moments through the history of Jordan District up through 2005 when you wrote the history?

Scott Crump:
Well, I would think that one of the big things is in the '60s and '70s just trying to handle all the growth that Jordan School District was growing so fast. The Bingham and Jordan High Schools were formed in 1907 and 1908. There wasn't another high school until Hillcrest in 1962. So you go all those years and you don't have another high school. But then you've got Hillcrest in the '60s and Brighton and all these schools coming online and Bingham moving here in '75. And that's one hard thing for me to believe that this will be the 50th year for Bingham High School here.

Anthony Godfrey:
In this building?

Scott Crump:
In this building.

Anthony Godfrey:
And this is—is this the fourth building that Bingham High School was housed in?

Scott Crump:
This is the fifth.

Anthony Godfrey:
The fifth one?

Scott Crump:
The fifth location. Another fun thing I found was when I was researching the book, in the back I put the eighth grade graduation examination. So if you graduated from high school—

Anthony Godfrey:
Oh. Let's take a look.

Scott Crump:
If you graduated from eighth grade in 1908, this is a partial test that you would take if you wanted to get through your eighth grade diploma.

Anthony Godfrey:
All right. Let's take a look. Name five American inventors. How did the invention of each affect the United States? It's an interesting emphasis on invention. Okay. All right. Let's try some math for those out there. Are you smarter than an eighth grader in 1908? Let's see.

Find the cost of carpeting a room that is 14 feet 6 inches by 16 feet if the carpet is 3/4 of a yard wide and is worth 210 per yard? That's a very practical question.

How about this? 7/20 of a square rod is what part of an acre? 7/20 of a square rod is what part of an acre? Express the answer decimally.

Okay. Go ahead. If you're listening, send me an email with the answer to that question, would you? I'll give you a prize. I buy—oh, yeah. Okay. Let's look at grammar.

Scott Crump:
From memory. Write from memory, at least two verses from some poem you have learned.

Anthony Godfrey:
Now, that one I could do. That what I could do. I could throw out some Frost. I could throw some Edna St. Vincent Millay your way. But I was an English teacher, so that's kind of cheating a bit.

Okay. How about this? What is the value of a tank of oil, which is 8 feet in diameter and 20 feet long—24 feet long if the oil is worth 25 cents per gallon? That's also worth a prize. Email me the answer to that one. That one's worth a prize. Okay.

Scott Crump:
Or you go to the next one and you can see what a Jordan School District contract is.

Anthony Godfrey:
Oh, yeah. Let's look at the contract.

Scott Crump:
And what you'd be doing and having to—

Anthony Godfrey:
You are to reside in the community where you teach and less excused by the board. Wow. Okay.

Scott Crump:
See, that's why we lived in Copperton because when my dad came to teach at Bingham High School, he was supposed to be living in the community where the high school was. Now, one of the problems was that Copperton was a model community that only rented to minors who worked at Kennecott. So the Jordan School District built the apartments there and the two duplexes by them so teachers could live by the high school. And so we lived in one of those Jordan School District duplexes there by the school.

Anthony Godfrey:
I've always admired your work, your passion for teaching, that you're a part of the history of Bingham. You're an integral part of the history of Bingham, and you've been able to be a part of the history of Jordan School District more broadly. And obviously, the cities that make up Jordan School District. So thank you for all those contributions and for continuing to represent Bingham and Jordan so well.

Scott Crump:
It's a pleasure. I think history is a great tool to understanding, and that's what makes it so great. I mean, and being a teacher here, I've been many places, and I've never regretted the fact that I was a teacher, because I know that as a teacher, I made a difference.

Anthony Godfrey:
Well, I've talked with people who felt that impact from you, and I know there are thousands of them.

Scott Crump:
I mean, you have paydays all the time.

Anthony Godfrey:
Yeah.

Scott Crump:
Next week, I'll start working at the legislature.

Anthony Godfrey:
Yeah.

Scott Crump:
And I will have two students who have been elected as state representatives.

Anthony Godfrey:
That's got to be very rewarding as a history teacher to see that your former students are serving there in the legislature.

Scott Crump:
Or other places. I have two students that are teaching here in the social studies department at Bingham High School.

Anthony Godfrey:
Well, thank you for being such a positive influence at Bingham and in Jordan and everywhere you go. Good luck with the legislative session. I've seen you up there in the green coat, helping facilitate things. It was really fun to spot you up there a few years ago. It's an honor knowing you and having worked with you, and I wish you the best. Thanks for talking with us.

Scott Crump:
Thank you, Anthony.

Anthony Godfrey:
Thanks for joining us on another episode of the Supercast. Go to my podcast website at supercast.jordandistrict.org and find episode 281 where you can enter to win a copy of the book. Thanks for joining us on another episode of the Supercast. We'll see you out there.

[Music]

They are key to keeping school spirit alive at home games and away, even on any given day, throughout the halls of Bingham High School.

On this episode of the Supercast, we meet cheer coach Amber Thomas and her talented squad of cheerleaders at Bingham High. Find out what it takes to make it in cheer, and how Ms. Thomas inspires her team to cheer louder and prouder, performing incredible stunts, always being the very best they can be.


Audio Transcription

Amber Thomas:
It's kind of a hard standard because you have to seek perfection. And I don't believe in perfection in like real life.

Anthony Godfrey:
What are some of the myths about cheer?

Amber Thomas:
People misunderstand the athleticism that's required. The good is that now the girls and the boys can say that they're a sport, you know, that's great.

Anthony Godfrey:
Right.

Amber Thomas:
We get to get the trophy that everybody else gets.

[Music]

Anthony Godfrey:
Hello and welcome to the Supercast. I'm your host, Superintendent Anthony Godfrey. They are incredible athletes who are keeping school spirit alive at home games and away and throughout the halls of Bingham High School.

On this episode of the Supercast, we meet cheer coach Amber Thomas and her talented squad of cheerleaders at Bingham High School. Find out what it takes to make it in cheer and how Miss Thomas inspires her team to be at their very best.

[Music]

We're here at Bingham High School talking today with Amber Thomas, cheer coach, instructional coach, and teacher. Thanks for taking a few minutes.

Amber Thomas:
You're welcome. This will be fun.

Anthony Godfrey:
I understand that you just won the first competition of the year.

Amber Thomas:
Yeah, we did just barely. We went to Bountiful High School with both of my teams. JV and Varsity both won their division. So it was a super good start to this season.

Anthony Godfrey:
That's fantastic.

Amber Thomas:
We have our national qualifier on Saturday at Mountain America Expo Center.

Anthony Godfrey:
So once things start, they don't stop.

Amber Thomas:
No, then all your weekends are gone.

Anthony Godfrey:
Well, you know what I love is that years ago I was on the sidelines with you. I don't know if you remember this and I said, "Well, have a great weekend when it starts." And you said, "This is my weekend. This is what I love. This is what I love to do”

Amber Thomas:
Yep, yep. Games and then cheer. That's what we do.

Anthony Godfrey:
So tell me about how the competition is structured. You won this previous competition. You have another one coming up this weekend. January is regionless. Is that right?

Amber Thomas:
Yep, we are going to do region here at Bingham High School.

Anthony Godfrey:
Oh, it's a home-court advantage.

Amber Thomas:
Yeah, we typically don't do region. They have divisionals for cheer, but our principal here at Bingham, Rodney Shaw, encouraged us to do region and we're going to host it on January 8th. So it'll be fun. But we'll do three routines there. So we do our show cheer, which we compete at all the competitions. We're going to do a cheer that includes both of my programs and then a sideline dance, which is a majority of the girls.

Anthony Godfrey:
So tell me about the first type, the show cheer. What does that involve?

Amber Thomas:
That involves elite stunting and tumbling and pyramids and like all the things that are super skilled. It's 70% of our score. And then the cheer is only 15% and then the sideline dance is 15%.

Anthony Godfrey:
So the sideline dance is the same thing that you would be doing in a game?

Amber Thomas:
Yeah, with more finesse.

Anthony Godfrey:
With some enhancements.

Amber Thomas:
Yeah, enhancements are a good way to put it.

Anthony Godfrey:
As you're preparing, let me ask you this. How many of your cheerleaders can do a full?

Amber Thomas:
That's a good question. I think we have on varsity maybe 17 out of our 23 that compete. And then on JV, I think we have five or six.

Anthony Godfrey:
I ask that mostly to show that I know what a full is.

Amber Thomas:
I know, I'm impressed. I'm impressed. And I even have a couple athletes who can do standing fulls.

Anthony Godfrey:
I would love to see a standing fold before we leave today. I'm so impressed with the level of discipline and preparation and really perfection that is required in competition.

Amber Thomas:
Yeah, it takes a lot.

Anthony Godfrey:
If you're a baseball player, you miss a bunch of pitches, but you finally hit a home run, you had an amazing game.

Amber Thomas:
Right.

Anthony Godfrey:
In cheer, you miss, you bobble, you forget your step, and maybe everything crashes down. Talk to me about how that feels for the cheerleaders and for you.

Amber Thomas:
Yeah, I mean I think that it's kind of a hard standard because you have to seek perfection. And I don't believe in perfect in perfection in like real life.

Anthony Godfrey:
Sure.

Amber Thomas:
So I think that's hard for the girls. So you know we always tell them to try to hit zero, which means we had a clean routine. But even if they don't hit zero it doesn't mean that they didn't do a great job. Like last weekend varsity had one deduction and we still won. I think JV actually had a clean routine. I think that standard is hard because in real life you can fall and get back up and you're good, in cheer you fall and you might get fifth.

Anthony Godfrey:
Right, right. So tell me what are some of the things that you can be marked down for.

Amber Thomas:
Okay.

Anthony Godfrey:
Some of the little things that for those who aren't familiar with competitive cheer, what are some of the things that really will cost you points?

Amber Thomas:
The things that will cost us points is if during tumbling, if a skill touches down so their hands come to the ground they're not supposed to. And then for stunting if they are in the air and they come down or if they bobble. So the stunt, you know when the crowd says like, "Oh”, but they stay up like that would be considered a bobble.

Anthony Godfrey:
I know exactly what you’re talking about.

Amber Thomas:
So if it makes you gasp you should get a deduction for it.

Anthony Godfrey:
Okay, alright. What are some of the things that this team is particularly good at? Why did JV and Varsity both take 1st in this first competition?

Amber Thomas:
Well, I think that they’re a highly skilled group of kids. But I think that their work ethic and really their team camaraderie might be unmatched and I think that that's why they started off successful. I mean every single team in our region is super, super strong. But these girls have a work ethic and they have a drive and I think that they have bars set for them. I don't know if it was by me or the groups before them but they know that they're held to a different standard.

Anthony Godfrey:
Well, you do set a high bar for them. Tell me about expecting a lot of the team. Even as I walked in I can just tell that they want to do what you're asking them to do. You have them wanting to be at their best.

Amber Thomas:
Yeah, they know that I demand a lot and I demand a lot in the classroom as well. Like I check their grades every single day. They don't get to compete if they have an “F” which is not UHSA standard. That's my standard. We don't let them miss practice. Which is hard because they're also kids and have to be with their family. But they are all very committed and that's kind of why they're great.

Anthony Godfrey:
What's the most difficult stunt? What requires the most skill in competition and what do you guys do?

Amber Thomas:
Varsity does the very first of their routine. They do a handstand and a twist at pirouettes and then they toss her to the top. And then in addition to that they have two more elite skills that follow.

On our JV routine, the hard skills are from Preston. He's amazing. So he does individual partner stunts that I haven't seen any other male cheerleader do in the state. So we're hoping that he can continue at the next level because of his athleticism.

Anthony Godfrey:
And what year is he? He's a senior. He's a senior. Okay, this is his year. Yeah, you want to see him do a standing full?

Anthony Godfrey:
I would love to see him do a standing full.

Amber Thomas:
Preston. Let me grab him. Preston. That's his warm-up.

Anthony Godfrey:
Wow. Okay. The warm-up is pretty impressive. Alright, let's see the standing full Preston. Wow. Okay. Not even if I slipped on the ice could I do that. Preston, tell me about what got you in the cheer.

Preston:
It was kind of a really random day. I was leaving school and tryouts were that day. And Jocelyn, she was like, "Hey, you should come to tryouts tonight." So then I was like, "Fine." I filled out the paperwork and then I just showed up.

Anthony Godfrey:
So you're like one of those guys that just shows up at a marathon and runs up with no training in other words. You show up and you have the athleticism to do it.

Preston:
I think so. I did other sports like parkour. So I knew a few basic flips and stuff, but just basic knowledge.

Anthony Godfrey:
What is it like to be coached by Amber?

Preston:
It's awesome. Amber's a great coach. She really is good at teaching you, coaching you individually, helping you with your specific needs and stuff.

Anthony Godfrey:
Well, congratulations on being part of the team. I hope you have a great senior year and nail that competition.

Preston:
Thank you so much.

Anthony Godfrey:
Thank you. And congrats on 1st last week.

Preston:
Thank you.

Anthony Godfrey:
That's awesome.

Preston:
Thank you.

Anthony Godfrey:
Tell me, what are some of the things that people misunderstand about cheer? What are some of the myths about cheer?

Amber Thomas:
I think that people misunderstand the athleticism that's required. Back when I went to school or even before that, it was just a supportive activity to help support a spirit and enthusiasm at events. It went from that into this whole beast of its own, which requires extreme athleticism and precision and all the things.

Anthony Godfrey:
And now UHSAA has sanctioned the sport. This is going to be the third year of competition under UHSAA, is that right?

Amber Thomas:
It will be the third year.

Anthony Godfrey:
What impact has that had on the sport at the high school level?

Amber Thomas:
I mean, I think it's had both good and bad impacts, honestly. The good is that now the girls and the boys can say that they're a sport. That's great. We get to get the trophy that everybody else gets. And I guess in notoriety, but it does put limits of when your season is and how many comps you can go to. You have to fit their funding into what the UHSAA says it should be, which isn't a problem, typically. But there are some different limitations that you have with the things being sanctioned.

[Chanting] [Music]

Anthony Godfrey:
Stay with us. When we come back we talk with members of the cheerleading squad at Bingham High School.

[Music]

Never miss an episode of The Supercast by liking and subscribing on your favorite podcasting platform. Find transcripts for this episode and others at supercast.jordandistrict.org.

[Music]

Break:
It's something all parents need to know in the event of an emergency in one of our schools. Hi, I'm Matt Alvernaz, a former law enforcement officer at Army Ranger, now school safety coordinator for Jordan School District. We're talking about the Standard Response Protocol, or SRP.

Knowing SRP will help to keep everyone safe and informed if there is an emergency in one of our schools or buildings. Standard Response Protocol provides consistent, clear, shared language and actions for all students, staff, first responders, and parents. It is language that can be applied to any emergency situation. The SRP actions now used in all schools statewide are HOLD, SECURE, LOCKDOWN, EVACUATE, and SHELTER. To educate yourself and your children on these actions, visit schoolsafety.jordandistrict.org.

[Music]

Anthony Godfrey:
We're talking now with three of the captains of the cheer team here at Bingham High School. Tell me your name, your grade, and we'll talk a little bit about the program.

Cheer Captain:
Okay, I'm Jensyn Bunkall and I'm a senior.

Cheer Captain:
I'm Joslyn Pedersen, I'm also a senior.

Cheer Captain:
I'm Cami Reynolds, I'm also a senior.

Anthony Godfrey:
Tell me, what is it like to be on Amber Thomas' cheer squad?

Cheer Captain:
It can definitely be difficult at times, but I think that she pushes us to be our very best, and without her our team wouldn't be as good as we are.

Anthony Godfrey:
What are your favorite parts of being on the cheer team?

Cheer Captain:
I really like the girls on it, and I feel like we've all just become such one family. We're so close to each other, and that's what I like most.

Cheer Captain:
I love going out on the floor and performing. I think just being out on the floor and performing is so much fun. I think doing it as a team makes it even better because we're so close.

Cheer Captain:
I love going to nationals with all of them because it's more of a fun experience as a high schooler, alone without parents.

Anthony Godfrey:
When are Nationals this year?

Cheer Captain:
February.

Anthony Godfrey:
February. And you've already won your first competition. Congratulations on that.

Cheer Captains:
Thank you so much.

Anthony Godfrey:
Why do you think you have such a great start already?

Cheer Captain:
This year, I think our team's super close, and I think it helps us a lot. We all enjoy being with each other, and I think it helps us become closer as a team to do better. I also think our coaches have a huge impact.

Cheer Captain:
I think this year they're pushing really hard for us to be able to do really good, and I think that helps a lot for sure.

Cheer Captain:
I also think everyone's more confident with each other and believe in each other, so it's like encouraging to others.

Anthony Godfrey:
What are some things that you did growing up to prepare to be part of Cheer here at Bingham?

Cheer Captain:
I cheered when I was little and just pushing myself to make it on the team.

Cheer Captain:
Yeah, I also did All-Star Cheer before I came here for two years, and that's where I learned to start, and a lot of tumbling stuff too.

Cheer Captain:
I actually did dance most of my life, but before I tried out, I talked to some of the girls on the team and stunted with them, and then asked them what I needed to do to get more onto the team and what I needed to do to get prepared for it.

Anthony Godfrey:
What made you want to switch from dance to cheer?

Cheer Captain:
I did cheer when I was seven, and I think cheer would have been more fun to get more involved with the school.

Anthony Godfrey:
You all make a huge impact on the school, and I can't wait to see how things go in the region and state. I really like your chances. You guys are awesome, so thank you.

Cheer Captains:
Thank you so much.

Anthony Godfrey:
We're talking now with three of the freshmen on the Bingham squad. Introduce yourself and tell me what middle school you go to.

Freshman:
So my name is Oakley Headrick, and I go to Elk Ridge Middle School.

Freshman:
My name's Anni Headrick and I go to Elk Ridge Middle School.

Freshman:
Hi, I'm Sadie, and I go to Sojo.

Anthony Godfrey:
Tell me, what is it like to be a freshman on such an elite team here at Bingham?

Freshman:
It's kind of intimidating, not going to lie.

Freshman:
I really like it because it's like I don't really ever have to go to school. I have four classes, and I'm just going to come here, so it's fun.

Freshman:
Yeah, I love it so much. It's just like such a cool experience to go to the high school and as a freshman, you know?

Anthony Godfrey:
What do you love most about being part of cheer?

Freshman:
Probably just seeing the environment, all the friends, and the competitions, the games, everything.

Freshman:
I like the experience that you get being on it and the environment of the school and just how it's just so fun.

Freshman:
Yeah, like the twins said, the environment's awesome.

Anthony Godfrey:
I thought you guys looked alike. No, I'm just kidding. What was it that you did to prepare to be part of cheer here at Bingham? You've grown up doing tumbling dance. Where did you start?

Freshman:
I did dance for, I think, 11 years, and then I was like, "You know what? I want to change."

Freshman:
So I did cheer, and I had a mental block when I was trying out. One day I was like, "You know what? I'm going to do my standing tuck because I want this so bad." It just seemed so fun when I was growing up. I just did it, and I was like, "Wow!"

Anthony Godfrey:
And it worked in tryouts. Describe again what you were trying to do that you were hung up on before.

Freshman:
I got a mental block at All-Star Cheer, and I just couldn't do any backwards tumbling. It was so scary for me. I couldn't get myself to do it. I kept on putting in the hours, and I just one day just did it.

Anthony Godfrey:
And has being part of Bingham Cheer helped you overcome that as well?

Freshman:
Yes. I'm fully recovered now.

Anthony Godfrey:
And that's way in the past.

Freshman:
I had seven years of All-Star Cheer. Actually eight, I think. Eight seasons of All-Star Cheer.

Freshman:
And then we went down basically every day and just tumbled.

Freshman:
Whatever we could do in our basement, we did every day to prepare to get here.

Anthony Godfrey:
Congratulations on your win this last weekend, and good luck on the weekend coming up.

Freshmen:
Thank you.

Anthony Godfrey:
Thanks for joining us on another episode of the Supercast. Remember, education is the most important thing you will do today. We'll see you out there.

(upbeat music)

They are students learning to be crime fighters on the web and a wide expanse of the internet world.

On this episode of the Supercast, we take you to JATC North where students are enrolled in a brand-new cybersecurity course. Find out how they are learning things like digital forensics which can take them down career paths as digital detectives, working at local businesses, in education, or exploring opportunities at the Department of Defense.


Audio Transcription

Anthony Godfrey:
When you are working on cyber security issues, do you kind of imagine an enemy like someone who's trying to get in.

Levi Hansen:
Yeah, it's a bit like that. It's kind of like a Tower Defense game where I'm like setting up my defenses for enemies coming in.

Mark Ogden:
The students are learning how to do hacking so that then they know how to better protect against that.

Khanon Curtis:
They're my favorite classes I have that I'm taking. And especially even out of school and after class, I love to do things that we do in this class.

[Music]

Anthony Godfrey:
Hello and welcome to the Supercast. I'm your host, Superintendent Anthony Godfrey. They are students learning to fight crime on the web and make it a safer place for everyone.

On this episode of the Supercast, we take you inside a classroom at JATC North, where students are enrolled in a brand new cyber security course. Find out how they are learning things like digital forensics, which can take them down career paths as digital detectives, working at local businesses, in education, and even exploring opportunities with the Department of Defense.

[Music]

We're at JATC North today talking with Mark Ogden about the cyber security program here at JATC. Thanks for talking with us.

Mark Ogden:
Yeah, my pleasure. I'm excited for you guys to come and learn about what we're doing here.

Anthony Godfrey:
Tell us about this program. It's pretty new and I believe you're pretty new.

Mark Ogden:
Yeah, this is the first year of the program. I worked out in industry in doing cyber security, designing solutions for companies all around the world, and decided to switch into teaching four years ago, right in the middle of the pandemic. I taught at Hidden Valley for four years in their engineering and computer science departments and then it's my first year here at the JATC and I love it. It's great.

The cyber security program, it's really an umbrella that encompasses a lot of things. So we talk about installing operating systems, patching them, building computer networks, as well as firewalls, and all the solutions to try to keep organizations safe.

Anthony Godfrey:
So this is the hub. It kind of smells electronic in here with the server fan. So we've got a couple of students here as well. Tell us your names and what drew you to the program.

Khanon Curtis:
I'm Khanon Curtis and I came to this program because my dad is a cybersecurity engineer and I wanted to learn more about his job to see if it would be a career pathway for me.

Anthony Godfrey:
And what do you think about it so far?

Khanon Curtis:
I love it. It's one of my favorite things to do and I look forward to coming here every day.

Anthony Godfrey:
That's awesome. How about you?

Levi Hansen:
I'm Levi Hansen and I came here because I have a general interest in technology and I just wanted to get into cyber security and learn more about computers and hopefully find a career in it eventually.

Anthony Godfrey:
So as you've explored it this year and started to learn more, is it indeed a career that you still want to pursue?

Levi Hansen:
100%.

Anthony Godfrey:
Awesome. That's great. I already feel safer. So tell us about some of the classes that are involved in the cyber security program.

Mark Ogden:
Yeah. So we start off with just a basic intro to IT. We have a really great focus in our district with computer science and coding and things like that. But on this side we're more hardware-focused, operating system-focused. It's a really great class for somebody that loves technology but maybe isn't as into coding. It's nice if you have that background but we're more about the hardware side of things, building things, updating things. So we do networking and then we move into the security side of things, configuring systems and keeping networks safe.

Anthony Godfrey:
We've already heard a little bit about this but tell me what are some of the interests or talents that a student might have that would draw them to this program.

Mark Ogden:
So if you like to take stuff apart and figure out how it works or you like to solve puzzles and really just focus in and solve problems, those are great skills to have in here. It's not as much technology. Like when I was in high school I didn't really have any interest in computers but I loved solving problems. And so when I started my career I started actually with Murray School District in their IT department, pulling cable and managing their systems. And then I went out to industry before coming back into teaching. We'll teach you everything you need to know about it but you need to have a passion for problem-solving and you like to just get in and figure stuff out.

Anthony Godfrey:
What are some of the skills that students leave with, problem-solving obviously and being able to put things together. But if they're talking to an employer what kind of certifications or skills do they come away with once they finish the cybersecurity program?

Mark Ogden:
We have a really big focus on preparing students so that they can get a job right out of high school or go into a cybersecurity program at a college. And so some of the big skills we focus on is, first thing is cabling, getting all the computers and everything connected. So in our class one of the first things we do is we came in here and nothing was set up. The students had to pull all the cable, get it terminated, get connected into the network, and set up their computers.

Anthony Godfrey:
There’s a lot of cable. There’s a lot of cable for anyone listening. It's hanging from the ceiling, it's everywhere, every color.

Mark Ogden:
Yeah, so that's the first thing. That's how I started too was pulling cable, terminating it. Back in those days we were running internet connections to all of the classrooms and so they could start there just with a company pulling cable, terminating it all the way up to building servers, installing operating systems. We focus on CompTIA certifications in here. So we start with Tech Plus, which feeds into Network Plus and then Security Plus. And if they can make it all the way through that process, they can easily get a job out of high school making $60,000 to $100,000.

Anthony Godfrey:
That sounds fantastic. So what types of jobs would they be applying for?

Mark Ogden:
So a lot of the jobs would be probably starting off doing basic support help desk type of work where people call in, they need help with their computers, you work for a company, fixing computers, working with their users, and then work their way up into network administration, network engineering, or system administration, system engineering, building servers, and managing those. All the way up to being like a security specialist where you're doing training for your users, you're implementing systems to protect the network, you're doing penetration testing to see and find holes in systems so that you can plug those and try to keep everybody safe.

Anthony Godfrey:
We do pen tests as a district, maybe we should have your students do pen tests.

Mark Ogden:
That would be super cool. We have a lot of students that are really interested in becoming pen testers. Yeah.

Anthony Godfrey:
Good, good. That's outstanding. And let me ask you this, when you are this good with computers and taking them apart and putting them together and understanding how they work, is that kind of like being a mechanic in your neighborhood where everyone says, "Oh, I know who to call. I know who can help me with my computer."

Mark Ogden:
It definitely can be. Yeah, it could be a good side hustle or even just, yeah, if people know you know how to fix computers, you're very popular.

Anthony Godfrey:
A friend of mine has a similar set of skills and he has a t-shirt that says, "No, I cannot fix your computer."

Mark Ogden:
Yeah, right.

Anthony Godfrey:
These are skills that will come in handy, not just for employment, but making friends and influencing people for sure.

Mark Ogden:
Yeah, and a lot of these students already have experience with that. They're already being contacted by parents, grandparents, and everybody else to fix their stuff. They generally come in pretty well-versed in that stuff.

Anthony Godfrey:
That's awesome. I should have brought my laptop in.

Mark Ogden:
Right, yeah.

Anthony Godfrey:
So, tell me some of the skills that you've learned since coming into the program.

Khanon Curtis:
I have learned a lot about operating systems and how they work and a lot about hardware, especially, putting together computers, what each parts do, how they work. Also, one of my favorite things that I've learned about is networking. I love learning about how the IP addresses work, how they are distributed. Mac addresses, how they're applied to each different computer and each different device. I just love this class overall and I'm so grateful to be a part of it.

Anthony Godfrey:
Your dad must be pretty excited that you like the class as much as you do.

Khanon Curtis:
Yeah, he definitely is.

Anthony Godfrey:
Tell me about some of the things you've learned.

Levi Hansen:
I mean, pretty much the same stuff. I have expanded a lot into learning how to navigate things like Windows and set up all those settings and get them secure for a network and everything like that for an office and whatnot, especially through CyberPatriot.

Mark Ogden:
It's a national competition that the students are doing. They send us images of different computers, Windows Server, Windows Desktop, as well as different Linux distributions. Those have security holes in them that the students need to find and close up and do the updates. So yeah, we've competed in two rounds. We just did the state round. These guys ended up in the top ten for the state their first year. I'm super proud of them. They did a great job and have worked really hard at that.

Anthony Godfrey:
Outstanding. And that's called the CyberPatriot?

Mark Ogden:
CyberPatriot, yeah. It's a national competition that's run by the Department of Defense to help kind of scout for students, but give them the opportunity to learn the skills as well.

Levi Hansen:
I've just learned a lot through CyberPatriot and that's where a lot of my general skill I've gained so far in this class has come from. Just messing around with that and getting images completed through all their challenges and solving all the security issues that they have.

Anthony Godfrey:
So when you are working on cybersecurity issues, do you kind of imagine an enemy like someone who's trying to get in? Is it a little bit of a chess game thinking about, okay, how are they thinking and how can I outsmart them?

Levi Hansen:
Yeah, yeah, it's a bit like that. It's kind of like a Tower Defense game where I'm like setting up my defenses for enemies coming in, I have to plug up all the holes and get all my defenses secured and ready to defend against all the attackers.

Anthony Godfrey:
So there's a little game theory to it to really think about how they might be trying to get around what you set up.

Levi Hansen:
Yeah, pretty much.

Anthony Godfrey:
Have you been talking with your dad about some of the problems that you encounter and that you have in competition?

Khanon Curtis:
Yeah, I actually ask him a lot about it. For instance, when we get the images, we have training rounds and if I can't figure something out in the training round, I'll ask him about it, and a lot of the time he explains to me what I need to do and how to fix it and it helps me in the actual state competitions and rounds and stuff.

Anthony Godfrey:
That's awesome. So you guys won which competition, what level of competition just now? You’re top 10? You’re top 10 in the state? Is that right?

Mark Ogden:
Yeah, actually I think it's top five. I just looked at it before we left and I misspoke. Yeah, they're top five in the state and they're at the top of their division. So there are different divisions and not only are they top of their division, which is kind of the first-year division, but they ended up ahead of several schools that are at higher divisions as well.

Anthony Godfrey:
Stay with us. When we come back we explore some of the projects students have undertaken as part of their cybersecurity course at JATC North.

Never miss an episode of the Supercast by liking and subscribing on your favorite podcasting platform. Find transcripts for this episode and others at supercast.jordandistrict.org.

Break:
Does your student want to become a veterinarian, commercial pilot, programmer? Maybe they want to make a difference as a dental assistant. These are just some of the programs offered as part of Career and Technical Education, CTE in Jordan School District. CTE provides the technical skills needed to prepare students for future employment or a successful transition to post-secondary education. Career and Technical Education provides work-based learning opportunities. We partner with industry experts to offer apprenticeships and internships with students working in the real world at real jobs while going to school. The CTE experience starts in our elementary schools with the Kids' Marketplace and grows through middle and high school. To explore all CTE has to offer in Jordan School District visit cte.jordandistrict.org today and let's get your child started on the pathway to a profession.

Anthony Godfrey:
Alright, can we take a look at some of what you've been doing here?

Levi Hansen:
Yeah, I have to get signed in. Alright. We have a station, we have like four computers, we have four people for station or table. The wire's a bit of a mess, but I assume we'll fix it at some point.

Mark Ogden:
Yeah. That'll be one of their challenges I'll throw at them is I'll come in and cut their wires and make them figure out what's wrong and fix it.

Anthony Godfrey:
That's gotta be fun for you to create the problems that they then get to solve.

Mark Ogden:
Yeah, it's a lot of fun.

Anthony Godfrey:
Alright, Levi, talk me through what we've got here.

Levi Hansen:
Alright, so for our class, our internet might not connect for a little bit. We've been doing what are called capture the flags where essentially there's a secret text, a line of text that we have to find in a file or through some other program that we have to get through. And we just have to follow certain steps to get that flag and then input it in and we get points. They don't really do much, but they're just fun little challenges that teach us how to navigate through files or execute programs or alter programs and files or exploit the web through inspect element and stuff.

Mark Ogden:
The students are through these capture the flag events. The students are learning how to do hacking skills or hacking actions so that then they know how to better protect against that in their future jobs and as well as their life. So they're having to exploit web pages and servers and different things so that then they can kind of see more of the inner workings of these systems.

Anthony Godfrey:
Is it hard for you to be online and not notice all of the security shortfalls in particular websites?

Mark Ogden:
Yeah, it definitely opens your eyes to it. You see that stuff that people just don't normally notice.

Anthony Godfrey:
Yeah, yeah. Okay, let's take a look at this.

Levi Hansen:
So for instance–

Anthony Godfrey:
You're looking for a flag.

Levi Hansen:
Yes, so there's this challenge on PicoCTF called Web Decode. And so when I start the instance, I go to the website and they just have this little website like, "Ha, you're looking for a flag." So I have to right click and go to inspect.

Anthony Godfrey:
And this picture here taunts you.

Levi Hansen:
Yeah, they're taunting me the whole time about finding these flags.

Anthony Godfrey:
And so you hop in and this code means absolutely nothing to me.

Levi Hansen:
This is basic HTML and so you just have your...

Anthony Godfrey:
It hurts when I say I don't understand it and then you say it's basic. Okay, go on.

Levi Hansen:
I just mean it's not a super weird thing.

Anthony Godfrey:
Yeah, I understand. I'm just teasing.

Levi Hansen:
Yeah. And so basically you just start searching...

Anthony Godfrey:
All right, let's go through the basics, yes.

Levi Hansen:
...through all these little things. And so if I go down to...I believe it was properties. I can start looking through the code and look at…certain parts. So like here I found the styling part of the code. And if I'm just searching through I can see they leave little comments about certain parts of the code. Like this part styles the homepage. And so if he keeps going through eventually I might find something that has part of a flag or the fact that they fit in itself inside of here.

Anthony Godfrey:
I see.

Levi Hansen:
And so I just keep going through these little pages and searching for any hints or parts of the flag.

Anthony Godfrey:
Is part of the cyber patriot competition timed? So you're working under pressure.

Levi Hansen:
Yeah, we get about four hours during actual rounds to work as a team to get things done. And so we do have quite a bit of time but it's not like an infinite time to get it all done.

Anthony Godfrey:
And is there a lot of teamwork involved?

Levi Hansen:
Partially, yeah. There's a lot of helping each other out with certain problems but mostly it's you figuring out your own image that you're running.

Anthony Godfrey:
Doing your part of that.

Levi Hansen:
Yeah.

Anthony Godfrey:
Fascinating. Very interesting. And somehow that guy smiling just is all… It's all the worst that he's just smiling at you while you try to find the flag.

Levi Hansen:
Yeah, it's evil.

Anthony Godfrey:
How about you, Khanon? Show me what you've been working on.

Khanon Curtis:
I have been working on creating my own password manager. That is…

Anthony Godfrey:
Oh. Kind of like LastPass.

Khanon Curtis:
Yeah, exactly. Except I hopefully won't get a data breach.

Anthony Godfrey:
Touche. Are you listening LastPass? He's taking it to the next level.

Khanon Curtis:
I'm building my password manager using Python, Rust, and SQLite.

Anthony Godfrey:
Is Pascal involved at all?

Khanon Curtis:
I'm not sure what that is.

Anthony Godfrey:
I'm just kidding. That's a computer language from the 1980s.

Khanon Curtis:
Oh, awesome.

Anthony Godfrey:
I just thought I'd throw something out there, you know?

Khanon Curtis:
Yeah, I actually haven't heard of that.

Anthony Godfrey:
Okay, perfect. I don't think you're going to need to know Pascal.

Khanon Curtis:
I sure hope not.

Anthony Godfrey:
I don't need to know it either. Okay, so tell me about your password manager. You told me the programs that you're using to create it. What's going to make yours different from the others that exist right now?

Khanon Curtis:
So my password manager is going to… It's localized on your device. It's not in the cloud. So if you shut down the password manager, it won't be running. You can't go to the link that has your information in it.

Anthony Godfrey:
I see. I'm very impressed not only with what you are both doing, but also with the passion that you bring to it. What's it like having Mr. Ogden as a teacher?

Levi Hansen:
He's my favorite teacher I've ever had, honestly. He's great at what he does. He helps us a lot. His management of the classroom is great. I love him, honestly.

Khanon Curtis:
I totally feel the same way about Mr. Ogden. He's 100% my favorite teacher. As I said earlier, I look forward to coming to his classes. They're my favorite classes I have that I'm taking. And especially even out of school and after class, I love to do things that we do in this class like Hack the Box or PicoCTF. He's just so encouraging.

Anthony Godfrey:
Well, you're lucky to have a teacher like Mr. Ogden, and you're lucky to have found what you love to do. And you're even luckier that everyone needs your help in this world. Computers are everywhere, and you are going to be essential wherever you go. So thank you very much for spending the time and for being such a great part of JATC.

Khanon Curtis:
Thank you.

Levi Hansen:
Thank you.

Anthony Godfrey:
Thanks for joining us on another episode of the Supercast. Remember, education is the most important thing you'll do today. We'll see you out there.

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