Supercast

Julie Beaird:
We're continuing a project where we're making teddy bears to donate to Primary Children's Hospital.

Anthony Godfrey:
So this is a fast-finisher project because they've done their final project. They're diving in and helping out here. That's really cool.

Julie Beaird:
Kids aren't as exposed to sewing as they used to be. I was born in the 70s and my mom made our clothes.

Anthony Godfrey:
Hello and welcome to the Supercast. I'm your host, Superintendent Anthony Godfrey. It is a class at Fort Herriman Middle School which is sewing seeds of success, kindness, and caring for some incredible students.

On this episode of the Supercast, we take you inside a sewing class to experience firsthand some very talented students making teddy bears which will bring comfort to countless children in area hospitals. Find out how this class is teaching life skills and so much more.

We are here with Julie Beaird at Fort Herriman Middle School and we've been meaning to come back for a long time. We were here before for an episode about cosplay and another teacher and the sewing that kids have done to make that possible. But today we're here to talk about a very different project. Tell me a little bit about that.

Julie Beaird:
Okay, well thank you so much for coming back. We love having you. So today a bunch of the kids have finished their final project. So we're continuing a project where we're making teddy bears to donate to Primary Children's Hospital. Just for the kids that when they go to the hospital they’re sick or hurt, and need something to comfort them. So other people donate toys, new toys, and they will accept, as long as it's new, they will accept like the little teddy bears.

So I have a little assembly line going with about seven girls that – they were the fast finishers of their final project. So the boys are great but they aren't as fast as the girls. I have a few that I'd love for you to meet but they're joyfully helping make these bears just because they love to be helpful but also for the kids.

Anthony Godfrey:
So this is a fast finisher project because they've done their final project. They're diving in and helping out here. That's really cool. Now I will say I was also slow in my sewing class in eighth grade but I absolutely loved it. Last time we were here I think I mentioned it to you. I made a golf shirt that I was very proud of with all of the…

Julie Beaird:
Do you still have it?

Anthony Godfrey:
I really meant to look for it. If I find it I'm gonna come show it to you because the thing I remember, and it's funny that I still remember this. Tell me if this is right. It was the the material we had to stretch it as we sewed. I don't remember the name of the material but it was kind of stretchy material.

Julie Beaird:
It’s knit. It’s called knit.

Anthony Godfrey:
It was knit. Yeah so we pulled it and...

Julie Beaird:
It's a challenge to sew on. I'm surprised your teacher even let you try and sew on it.

Anthony Godfrey:
Well, I was very advanced Julie. I mean it was you know.

Julie Beaird:
Eighth grade, wow.

Anthony Godfrey:
There were buttons, there was a collar. It was kind of a big deal.

Julie Beaird:
Kids aren't as exposed to sewing as they used to be. Probably back in your time, my time.

Anthony Godfrey:
The 1900s you can say it.

Julie Beaird:
Yes yes. I was born in the 70s so my mom made our clothes.

Anthony Godfrey:
Yeah.

Julie Beaird:
But by the 80s about 90% of all clothing shipped overseas to me. So it got so much cheaper to just buy clothes in a store like Kmart or something that my mom gave up sewing. So I never really learned till I got to middle school. And then once I got my teaching certificate I realized this is what I really love to do. It's fun to see the little light bulb turn on in their face. Because it is kind of a rare skill it's fun to see them figure it out.

Anthony Godfrey:
Was it during your certification as a teacher that you decided this is really what I want to do.

Julie Beaird:
Yeah.

Anthony Godfrey:
So it kind of lit a spark. And I love seeing this because like you said it is a skill that is fading. Not enough people have the ability to do this.

Julie Beaird:
And it's problem solving at its best. And it's intricate too because it's not what you think. Like right sides together is like sewing 101 but it's not logical to think you turn things inside out.

Anthony Godfrey:
Oh yeah.

Julie Beaird:
You know what I mean.

Anthony Godfrey:
You would think you would align it so that both of the right sides are going the same way instead of facing each other.

Julie Beaird:
Yeah. There's a few things that are just a little bit tricky that help challenge their minds. So I think it's a really fun skill.

Anthony Godfrey:
And the hands on learning isn't something they look forward to in the day I'm sure.

Julie Beaird:
They love it. The seventh graders just beg to sew. And I save it for the end of the quarter because I have I have a new group each quarter because they look forward to it so much. I'm like no you have to wait for that.

Anthony Godfrey:
You have to earn it.

Julie Beaird:
Yeah.

Anthony Godfrey:
You have to earn it. That's really cool. It must be very rewarding to have them come in and start knowing nothing and just see how far and how fast they can advance because I mean as a language arts teacher they all know English. They know how to speak and read and write. And we hope to improve those skills. But you're taking them from zero.

Julie Beaird:
Yeah.

Anthony Godfrey:
Tell me about how that feels.

Julie Beaird:
It feels amazing. Yeah. You totally nailed it because they know nothing. And day one we learned the parts but then they get a so on a paper that has shapes. So they just get to see the way the nail or the needle goes up and down and up and down. And just to get familiar with how a sewing machine works.

And then the next day we learn threading and then the next day we learn sewing scraps and then the next day they get to do a pillow. So by the end of the week or two they have something they created themselves. So it's really awesome.

Anthony Godfrey:
Tell me about the offerings that are available here. So if there's a student who's really interested in sewing they start out in seventh grade with those exploratory classes. So tell me about if you start in seventh grade and you really love sewing. What what's available to you here.

Julie Beaird:
Yeah. So eighth grade I teach all three grades sewing. So seventh is just CCA which is required. And like you said exploratory eighth grade it's an elective. So if they did like it they can sign up for FACS A. We just split it up actually a couple years ago some places in the district still do as one semester class. But we split it up so they can have more time sewing. So Mrs. Grant teaches the B portion of FACS. I teach the A portion. I remember it because B is baking. A is like I always think of the scarlet letter being sewn on the dress.

Anthony Godfrey:
Being sewn on, okay.

Julie Beaird:
They don't know that reference.

Anthony Godfrey:
Nice mnemonic device.

Julie Beaird:
I had to read that in high school.

Anthony Godfrey:
Yeah.

Julie Beaird:
So A is for the sewing. So I get to have them for a whole semester. So we spend a whole month sewing in eighth grade whereas in seventh grade we only do a week or two. And then in ninth grade, this is a ninth grade class. They get to sew the whole semester. So it's it's pretty fun.

Anthony Godfrey:
It's really cool. What are some of the projects that they make besides the bears that we're going to go around and see through the course of a ninth grade year in sewing. What are some of the things that they make.

Julie Beaird:
Yeah. So the bears aren't even something that we do.

Anthony Godfrey:
It's not even part of the curriculum.

Julie Beaird:
Yeah. It's just every year we keep making them because it is a fun fashion finisher project. It's a great donation type thing. We donated to the police department last year. So our resource officer actually we gave them all to him so he could give to families when they go on calls to little kids maybe that are struggling.

Anthony Godfrey:
Yeah, to comfort a child.

Julie Beaird:
Yeah. So we did that last year. But anyway, see this rope that I guess on the podcast you can't see. But this drawstring– not drawstring rope, it's called clothesline. What we used to use for clotheslines before dryers

Anthony Godfrey:
Yeah, I can see that.

Julie Beaird:
We make bowls in here. I learned at a conference. You just sew a zigzag in a circle and you go and go and go and go and go until you have a bowl–

Anthony Godfrey:
–connecting the rope. Oh yeah. That's really cool.

Julie Beaird:
This is one that a student didn't want to take home but I use it for lotion for the kids. He kind of messed it up and it still looked cute. So the rope bowl is a great way to start.

Anthony Godfrey:
Yeah. You would not be able to tell. It starts kind of wider and narrows at the top so it holds things in it well.

Julie Beaird:
Well, he did it narrow at the top but–

Anthony Godfrey:
He's not supposed to? I kind of like the design.

Julie Beaird:
I know! It turned out cute.

Anthony Godfrey:
It turned out. It has a little handle on it.

Julie Beaird:
I know. I tell everyone about him when they're here.

Anthony Godfrey:
Wow.

Julie Beaird:
I’ll have to thank him someday. He'll graduate next year. I’ll have to go—

Anthony Godfrey:
It's such a cool project that even if you mess up it looks cool.

Julie Beaird:
Yes, it still looks cool. Exactly.

Anthony Godfrey:
Sorry, you said he's graduating this year.

Julie Beaird:
He's a junior this year. So maybe I'll go to his graduation next year.

Anthony Godfrey:
Yeah. Yeah. For sure.

Julie Beaird:
Maybe hold up the bowl or something.

Anthony Godfrey:
There you go. There you go.

Julie Beaird:
He probably won't remember but it has been really useful to have.

Anthony Godfrey:
I could assign myself to speak at his graduation and mention the bowl. You know maybe we'll do that.

Julie Beaird:
He would love that, I bet.

Anthony Godfrey:
Stay with us. When we come back more with the sewing class at Fort Herriman Middle School.

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:
It's giving busy parents a little more peace of mind when it comes to their students getting to and from school. We're talking about Zonar MyView. It's a mobile app meant to enhance the school bus transportation experience for students and their families. The app allows parents to check on their child's school bus location and the estimated time of arrival at the bus stop each day for pickup and drop off.

If you want to join the thousands of parents already using the app, it's easy. All it takes is a few simple steps. First download the Zonar MyView app from the App Store or Google Play. Then visit auxiliaryservices.jordandistrict.org/zonar. That's where you'll find the school access code and directions on how to enter your student's unique ID and learn how to create an alert zone around your child's drop-off and pickup locations.

Let the Zonar MyView app help you stay on top of things knowing when a bus might be running a little late and when to get your kids going or head out to meet them at the bus stop. It's one more way for us to better connect with you.

Anthony Godfrey:
Do you have people come down and say, "I lost a button. Can you help with this repair?" Or bring things from home and say, "Hey, can you help me hem this?"

Julie Beaird:
Yes! Kids are coming in all the time, “Can you fix my hole? Can you do this?" And other teachers too, but mostly it's the kids. I am happy to help because I almost feel like I'm paying it forward.

Anthony Godfrey:
Yeah.

Julie Beaird:
Because before I knew how to sew, I'd go to my neighbor's house. “Will you fix this? Will you help me with these curtains?”

Anthony Godfrey:
Right.

Julie Beaird:
So I didn't get into teaching until I was 40 years old. So I had already been at home with kids for 20, well, 15 years, I guess. Anyway, so I feel like I'm paying it forward by fixing people's stuff.

Anthony Godfrey:
That's really cool. Yeah, that's...

Julie Beaird:
One kid brought me something recently, though, that was all chewed up. It was the bottom of his jeans. And I thought, this is going to be hard. I'm going to need a patch. I said, “I could teach you to do it or you could pay me to do it”. And he's like, “oh, I'm paying you. My dad said it's OK. You just do it.”

Anthony Godfrey:
So he hired you to do it.

Julie Beaird:
Yeah, he hired me.

Anthony Godfrey:
That's awesome. Wow.

Julie Beaird:
I normally wouldn't charge, but that was a tough one.

Anthony Godfrey:
Side hustle.

Julie Beaird:
Yeah.

Anthony Godfrey;
It's almost like being a mechanic, I guess, you know. “Hey, I've got this knock in my engine. Can you help me fix it?” And my pants are torn at the bottom. I need a repair.

Julie Beaird:
People say “Do you go home and sew?” No. Because it's just like a mechanic. Like you wouldn't need a break from your day job.

Anthony Godfrey:
Sure. Sure. So let's go talk to some students and look at this project.

Hi, Lily. How are you?

Lily:
I'm good.

Anthony Godfrey:
And what are you working on right now?

Lily:
I'm actually making a rope with my mom for the Christmas present.

Anthony Godfrey:
OK, cool. And tell me about the process and what stage of the process you're in right now.

Lily:
Well, at the moment I'm just getting it all set up by putting this here and starting to get everything in place.

Anthony Godfrey:
Oh, so you're threading the machine? Oh, wow. It looks like you have done this many times before. You are a pro. You are cranking it out.

Lily:
I actually did this with my grandma over the summer.

Anthony Godfrey:
Oh, really? So you and your grandma have been doing some sewing?

Lily:
Yeah, we did it over the summer.

Anthony Godfrey:
What are some of the things you made?

Lily:
Well, we made clothes for my dolls.

Anthony Godfrey:
You made what?

Lily:
Clothes for my American Girl dolls.

Anthony Godfrey:
Oh, clothes for your American Girl dolls. Very nice. So now you have it all threaded. This is a bobbin, if I'm not mistaken.

Lily:
Yes, I'm going to switch this black now.

Anthony Godfrey:
All right, show me that. So you've got black thread on the bobbin underneath. You’re going to pop that out. Wow, you are fast. It's really good.

Lily:
So this is threaded or else it doesn't work?

Anthony Godfrey:
Thread the needle. Here we go.

Lily:
You take this wheel here and you go in and you just pull it out.

Anthony Godfrey:
Oh, yeah. Okay, you're all set to go. All right. Well, good luck with this project. Let's take a look at it here. Let's see you get started. Okay, I can see the zigzag pattern with the needle there. All right, we're going to head down the track here, but it's great to see you. And good luck. I'm going to come back in a few minutes and see how that bowl is looking.

Lily:
Okay.

Anthony Godfrey:
All right. Hi, Cora tell me what you have here.

Cora:
I am working on the bears that we are sending to the Children's Hospital. So I just finished on selling some of the hearts.

Anthony Godfrey:
So you're putting on the heart and the nose, the eyes. Are the eyes hand stitched?

Cora:
Yes, the eyes are hand stitched.

Anthony Godfrey:
Okay. And then you have a tummy right there as well. Okay, very nice. Looks great. Are these polar bears? They look polar.

Cora:
Just teddy bears in general.

Anthony Godfrey:
Just teddy bears. Okay. So this is the front of the bear.

Cora:
Yes.

Anthony Godfrey:
And this is an assembly line set up.

Cora:
Yeah.

Athony Godfrey:
So is this your responsibility to put all of this on the front of the bear?

Cora:
Now, I think we're all just doing kind of like what is left to do. So I was going to work on putting on the backs.

Anthony Godfrey:
Okay.

Cora:
And then stuffing them.

Anthony Godfrey:
Shall we go do that?

Cora:
Sure.

Anthony Godfrey:
All right. Here are the backs. They've been all cut out and everything ready to go. So we're here at the machine. You're all loaded up. The bobbin has a white thread in it.

Cora:
Yes, it does.

Anthony Godfrey:
So you're set to go. So you're going to lay the back over the–

Cora:
–front of the bear.

Anthony Godfrey:
Over the front of the bear. Right. Because then you have to turn it inside out. Man. Okay. You’re pinning it together. You're doing this quite quickly. Obviously, you're a skilled professional at this point. Very used to the creation of bears. How does it feel to be making these bears knowing that they're headed to help kids at Primary Children's?

Cora:
It makes me really happy to know that we get to help people in need at this time of year, even though sometimes it doesn't feel like we're doing a lot. We're just making tiny bears. It can really brighten people's days when they see them, when kids see them at the hospitals when they're waiting in the emergency room.

Anthony Godfrey:
Absolutely. Something their own that's very, that's unique. Everyone is unique and they get to keep it. All right. Let's see. You're getting started there. And it's a different kind of shape to make. So there's a lot of twists and turns as you make this.

Cora:
There are.

Anthony Godfrey:
Oh. Going at a good pace there. You're farther in than I would have thought. Is that a?

Cora:
It's a 5/8 seam allowance. So it's the usual seam allowance.

Anthony Godfrey:
A 5/8 seam allowance. Take out the pin as you get to that. As you're sewing, tell me what is it like to be in Ms. Beaird's class.

Cora:
It's a really fun class. I love Ms. Beaird. She's a great teacher. She is super fun and just great at teaching what she does. Her assignments are really fun and they don't get boring ever.

Anthony Godfrey:
So is this the class you look forward to during the day?

Cora:
Yeah.

Anthony Godfrey;
You've had it for three years now, right?

Cora:
Yes, I have.

Anthony Godfrey:
Well, that's a pretty good endorsement for any teacher that you want to make sure you have all three years that you're here at Fort Herriman.

Cora:
Yeah. And then we're going to stop it right here so we can--

Anthony Godfrey:
Oh, yeah.

Cora:
--stuff it.

Anthony Godfrey:
I almost-- I didn't even think about the fact that you needed to stop so you could stuff it.

Cora:
Yeah. And then just snip the threads and then you trim it up and sew and then you stuff it and then you're done.

Anthony Godfrey:
All right. That looks awesome. That looks great. So you've got the little red heart and the mouth and– Yeah, that's really cool. Very cute. Well done. And it's soft. It's very soft and nice. Yeah, personalized too. Well done. Thank you very much for letting me watch that. I know the kids are going to love them.

Lily, we're back. We went and visited another student. And I can already see this rope bowl is really taking shape. I love the look of the stitching. I didn't realize how prominent that stitching would be. And the colors on the thread, the rainbow colors of the thread and the zigzag pattern, it looks really cool. I have no doubt your mom's going to love it.

Lily:
I know.

Anthony Godfrey:
It's coming together really well.

Lily:
Yeah, it really is.

Anthony Godfrey:
OK, well, thanks. Merry Christmas. Have fun.

Lily:
Merry Christmas.

Anthony Godfrey:
Thank you again for letting us visit today.

Julie Beaird:
Thank you for coming back.

Anthony Godfrey:
This is such a cool project and such a great class.

Julie Beaird:
Thank you.

Anthony Godfrey:
I love your passion for it and the opportunities for these kids. As I talk with them it's obvious how much they love having your class specifically, but also learning sewing as well. So thank you very much for being here.

Julie Beaird:
Thank you, Mr. Godfrey.

Anthony Godfrey:
So fun to be back.

Julie Beaird:
Yeah, I appreciate it. Thanks for coming.

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.

Sterling Hunt:
It's go, go, go from the time we roll out of bed until late at night.

Evelyn Marler:
For the last couple of years, we've donated $10,000 to Make-A-Wish.

Sterling Hunt:
But you know what, we're doing it to support our community. We're doing it to support the students.

Evelyn Marler:
Around to elementary schools in our district, especially in the Copper Hills community, donating funds from our “PAWS for our Cause” Winter Charities.

Savili Simanu:
And it's just a way for our community and our school to get together too.

Anthony Godfrey:
Hello and welcome to the Supercast. I'm your host, Superintendent Anthony Godfrey. It is one of many December charity fundraisers happening in schools throughout Jordan School District.

On this episode of the Supercast, find out what drives students to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars to help others in need over the holiday season. At Copper Hills High, “PAWS for a Cause” helps students give back throughout the entire year. Join us as we travel with them as they award checks to some of our local elementary schools.

Marianne Johansen:
Ladies and gentlemen, students of the Majestic Elementary, please welcome the Copper Hills Student Body Officers.

>> [APPLAUSE]

Rae Garrison:
We’d like to donate $3,500 to your guys' school.

>> [APPLAUSE]

Marianne Johansen:
Is that awesome or is that awesome?

>> [APPLAUSE]

Marianne Johansen:
$3,500 to Majestic Elementary. That is a big round of applause.

>> [APPLAUSE]

Anthony Godfrey:
We're at Majestic Elementary Arts Academy. We're gonna hop on the bus with all the student government officers from Copper Hills High School and talk with them about “PAWS” for a Cause and what they're doing today, giving out money to those schools in the feeder system and beyond who have some needs just for the school to use in whatever way they need the money during this holiday season.

Emily:
Come on board.

Anthony Godfrey:
We're talking now with three of the officers from Copper Hills that are on the bus going from school to school to provide this great financial support to schools in our district. Introduce yourselves and tell us a little bit about the project.

Zoe Hein:
I'm Zoe Hein and I'm the senior class president.

Savili Simanu:
I'm Savili Simanu, I'm the public relations SBO officer.

Evelyn Marler:
And I'm Evelyn Marler and I'm SBO president and we're going around to elementary schools in our district and especially in the Copper Hills community, donating funds from our “PAWS for a Cause” winter charity.

Anthony Godfrey:
Now for those who don't know, Evie, tell us a little bit about “PAWS for a Cause”. What does that involve?

Evelyn Marler:
Yeah, so it's a charity ran by our student government in our school, Copper Hills. We collect money from our students and just from different charities or from different fundraisers that we do. And we are able to use it throughout that next year to put it right back into our community, providing Christmas and helping with funeral and hospital bills and with people in our community.

Anthony Godfrey:
What are some of the things that are done to raise money? I know there's a ton of creativity in getting people's attention and raising those funds.

Zoe Hein:
One way is we do odd jobs where we go door to door through the month of December and we do chores or simply just get donations.

Anthony Godfrey:
And what are some of the oddest odd jobs that you've heard about people doing? I know there are some interesting things that you get asked to do at homes.

Zoe Hein:
I would say the weirdest one I know is going to the basement to do some laundry.

Anthony Godfrey:
Doing laundry in the basement?

Evelyn Marler:
Yes, I've also wiped some walls.

Anthony Godfrey:
Wiping down walls.

Evelyn Marler:
Yeah, I've wiped some walls.

Anthony Godfrey:
Doing somebody's laundry, you really get to know a person.

Evelyn Marler:
Yeah.

Anthony Godfrey:
Did you feel a deeper connection after doing their laundry in the basement there?

Zoe Hein:
Yes.

Anthony Godfrey:
Okay, how about for you? What are some of the things you remember doing as part of odd jobs?

Savili Simanu:
I've heard someone having to fix someone's dishwasher. I've never-

Anthony Godfrey:
Fixing the dishwasher?

Savili Simanu:
Yeah.

Anthony Godfrey:
I didn't know the highly technical skills involved in odd jobs.

Savili Simanu:
Yeah, we'll do it. We'll do it for you. We'll figure it out.

Evelyn Marlar:
Base level skills. We do what we can.

Anthony Godfrey:
HFAC technician, whatever it takes.

Savili Simanu:
Yeah.

Anthony Godfrey:
Whatever it takes. What does it mean to you to see the response from these students here at Majestic?

Evelyn Marler:
It was super exciting. They seemed really excited. They were super energetic. We were able to go to Majestic first and they had their assembly and the kids were super cute. But it's super awesome to know that we're helping them with the things that they need and they just deserve anything that we can give them.

Anthony Godfrey:
I got to see all those faces lined up there in the gym as they're all lined up watching you guys come in. And what made you want to give the money to schools in the area? What was the decision-making process there?

Zoe Hein:
Discussions, and we had a lot of meetings about how we would spend the money. And we realized this was a need for our community.

Anthony Godfrey:
That's what I love about these fundraisers is that you're so thoughtful and intentional about making sure that you're really talking about where you want that money to go. And that's a big part of the fundraising that you do is making sure that people understand the impact that money will have. What are some things that you have in store this year? I know that that kicks off just after the winter break. So what's scheduled for this year's “PAWS for a Cause”?

Evelyn Marler:
Well, first up we've got our Paws for a Cause assembly just on December 3rd, ran by Zoe, our senior class president. So she's got a lot of things in store there.

Anthony Godfrey:
Any spoilers there that you can give us? No, we got a bus full of people, you can't tell.

Zoe Hein:
[LAUGH] Well, we have just our performances, we have ballroom performing, Madrigals. And we have our 505, we try to raise $500 in five minutes to kickstart the “PAWS for a Cause”.

Anthony Godfrey:
500 in 5, that's awesome. Is that a tradition? Is that something you've done before?

Zoe Hein:
Tradition.

Evelyn Marler:
Yep.

Anthony Godfrey:
And are you able to get there most of the time in five minutes?

Evelyn Marler:
Yeah, it ends up working pretty well. I mean, sometimes the funds go down for the rest of the day because people empty their pockets, but it's okay. We get our goal for that day.

Anthony Godfrey:
Do people come prepared with mad stacks of cash?

Evelyn Marler:
Yeah, I feel like it's a lot of coins too.

Anthony Godfrey:
A lot of coins, okay. Well, as long as you get to $500, however you get there. So after you launch, what are some of the other activities that you have planned?

Savili Simanu::
We have school activities like the Muffin Man. He'll go around each classroom and-

Anthony Godfrey:
The Muffin Man.

Savili Simanu:
Yeah, and he'll-

Anthony Godfrey:
Do you know the Muffin Man?

Savili Simanu:
Yeah, I do. He lives on Grizzly Way.

Zoe Hein:
On Grizzly Way, yes.

Anthony Godfrey:
Yes, very good. What does the Muffin Man do?

Savili Simanu:
He'll come to each class and you can buy a muffin for $1.50. And yeah, and then there's Grizzly Got Talent, where anyone can sign up and show their talent for the school and our after-school activity. So there's just so many things like spirit nights where we can all spend money there. And we'll all go partially to the business we work with and to ”PAWS for a Cause”.

Anthony Godfrey:
So the spirit nights are where you partner with a restaurant.

Savili Simanu:
Yeah, we've partnered with Costa Vida.

Anthony Godfrey:
Okay.

Savili Simanu:
Yeah, a lot of places.

Anthony Godfrey:
And so they've partnered with profits from that night when people go eat there, go to “PAWS for a Cause”.

Savili Simanu:
Yes, and it's just a way for our community and our school to get together too, so.

Anthony Godfrey:
Well, I love the partnerships that you create. It's really activating the community and pulling them into it because it's just another example of how you can't do it alone. You just need to make sure you connect with people and help them understand.

Anthony Godfrey:
Well, we've talked our way to Columbia Elementary. The bus just stopped and we've got a couple of dozen student government officers here ready to give out another check. It's really exciting to see this and it's a great way to kick off this fundraising season.

Student:
So we are some cheerleaders in the mascots from Copper Hills High School. I'm the student body officer, vice president. This is the president right here. But today we decided to do something special for your school. So we do this winter charity event called “PAWS for a Cause” where we just get back to the community. And this year we decided to donate $3,500 to your school for just really any of the needs that you guys need.

>> [APPLAUSE]

Keith Klein:
First of all, we can always use money. And I have four things that just popped into my head that we can use this money for. We're super excited and super thankful, grateful, and surprised. So thank you so much for coming across Bangerter and helping us out. That's awesome.

Evelyn Marler:
Glad to help.

Keith Klein:
Thank you.

Evelyn Marler:
Thank you guys.

>> [APPLAUSE] [MUSIC]

Anthony Godfrey:
Stay with us. When we come back we'll hear madrigals from Copper Hills High School performing some holiday favorites.

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:
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

Anthony Godfrey:
What are you most looking forward to for “PAWS for a Cause” this year?

Evelyn Marler:
I'm most looking forward to, I really enjoyed our Make a Wish. We donated, for the last couple of years, we've donated $10,000 to Make a Wish. And we get to have a kid assigned to us that we get to grant their wish. It's really awesome to meet them, get to know them, and help them with something that they really want, they really deserve.

Anthony Godfrey:
So it becomes really personal to make that direct connection. It's not abstract, there's a kid you get to know.

Evelyn Marler:
Yeah.

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

Savili Simanu:
I would say the same, the Make a Wish. Our public relations officer, we keep in contact with them. And it's a way, I think we have a girl this year, and it's a way we can help accomplish her wish.

Anthony Godfrey:
Do you know what her wish is?

Savili Simanu:
She wants to go to Japan, but yeah.

Anthony Godfrey:
Okay, cool.

Savili Simanu:
It should be fun.

Anthony Godfrey:
Yeah.

Zoe Hein:
I think mine would be Sub for a Santa, where we get to go shopping personally and pick out, it could be coats or shoes, but for kids in our community.

Anthony Godfrey:
Wonderful, a lot of great things happening. Thank you for making this possible and for focusing on our schools. As someone who works with the schools, I know how big the need is. So it makes a huge impact. And to see you guys there, it's a great example to these elementary students. So you have, now I was there with you at Majestic Elementary Arts Academy for stop number one. How many more schools are we going through today?

Evelyn Marler:
We've got nine more today, so.

Anthony Godfrey:
You've got a full bus of people who have been very quiet for this interview.

Evelyn Marler:
Yeah, we've got our whole student government crew here along with cheerleaders.

Anthony Godfrey:
Cheerleaders, mascots, you've got the whole gang.

Evelyn Marler:
The whole gang.

Anthony Godfrey:
Plus some key staff from the high school–

Evelyn Marler:
Principal Garrison and Hunt, yeah.

Anthony Godfrey:
–from the high school faculty at Copper Hills, our principal. Let's talk with Principal Garrison here. Tell us a little bit about what this means to you as a school leader to see students stepping up like this.

Rae Garrison:
I'm amazed. Last year was my first year at Copper Hills and I was blown away with the amount of work the students put into this from start to finish. And then also a piece I really like is that it is year-round. It's a year-round effort. The students hear about needs in our community and we're able to tap into the funds raised to help our own community. So I thought that was really cool to see not only money going to charities like Make-A-Wish, but also being able to respond to more immediate needs. And it just so happened that this year we had some funds left, so we thought it might be really cool to kick things off by going and supporting our feeder elementary schools who might not have the same opportunity to fundraise the way these high school kids are able to do. But I tell you, they work their tails off to get the funds.

Anthony Godfrey:
Yeah, it's a ton of work. You can see it in their eyes, the lack of sleep by the end of December when they've been working so hard. We've got Emily at the helm driving us from school to school. Let's throw the mic over the seat there after she takes this left-hand turn. Emily, what does it feel like to get to be a part of this and get him from school to school for such an important day?

Emily:
No, it's really cool. It's fun to be a part of it and I always love, anytime there's anything going on in the schools, I love to be a part of it. But to see these kids giving away and hearing what they've done all year just to keep this up is pretty remarkable and I feel special to be here.

Anthony Godfrey:
From an assistant principal point of view, Sterling, what does it look like in December at Copper Hills High School?

Sterling Hunt:
It's go, go, go from the time we roll out of bed until late at night. And so it's, but we're doing it to support our community. We're doing it to support the students. There's never a boring day at Copper Hills High. I mean, here it is Monday morning and I'm riding around town on a bus, giving away what, $35,000 to deserving schools. It's awesome.

Anthony Godfrey:
It's a beautiful day. Well, thank you everybody for what you're doing to make this possible. Thank you guys for talking with me. Good luck for this “PAWS for a Cause”. I know it's a lot of time and effort, but obviously worth it and such a big impact. So thank you very much.

Evelyn Marler:
Glad to help.

Savili Simanu:
Thank you.

Copper Hills Madrigals singing “Winter Wonderland”

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

Baylee Zuniga:
We wanted to create an environment where it's okay to talk about money and it's not the stigma around money.

Elizabeth Anderson:
Our hope is we're trying to reach out to the community and find times that we can go teach other people not just at our school about investing and empowering women and giving them confidence to invest and manage their money.

Kaylee Arsenault:
Targeted towards girls but it's everybody. We want to educate everybody in money.

Anthony Godfrey:
Hello and welcome to the Supercast. I'm your host, Superintendent Anthony Godfrey. On this episode of the Supercast, meet the young women behind the first ever “Girls Investing Club” at Herriman High and hear how their investment in the club is growing in ways they never imagined.

We're here at Herriman High talking about the “Girls Investing Club”. Introduce yourselves.

Elizabeth Anderson:
Hi, I'm Elizabeth Anderson and I'm a senior.

Kaylee Arsenault:
I'm Kaylee Arsenault. I'm also a senior.

Baylee Zuniga:
I'm Baylee Zuniga and I'm a junior.

Anthony Godfrey:
So you are the legacy you’rer the pipeline for future leadership for Girls Investing Club.

Students:
Yes.

Anthony Godfrey:
Tell me, how did this get started? What was the impetus for starting a Girls Investing Club?

Elizabeth Anderson:
Well, actually we're all members of DECA, an international business organization. As part of DECA, we've been able to become a part of the business program at our school and learn a lot about business and finance. While competing at actually the International DECA Competition last year, we really kind of started coming up with an idea and like a desire for an idea for this year's project, I guess, for DECA. Me and Kaylee both went to ICDC last year and we really wanted to win. And neither of us finaled. It was a little bit of a letdown and we're kind of like, you know, we have got to come up with the most banger project on the planet to crush DECA next year. As we were looking into the needs in our community that we can maybe fill with this project, we found that there's a serious lack of financial education and investing abilities for women. Women just like aren't as confident as men when it comes to investing. We really wanted to make a difference in that. We wanted to change it. We found that like 70 percent of finance professionals are men. Like that doesn't make sense, especially because we also, as we were researching for this project, we learned that women actually tend to perform better than men in finance. They just say something about the way their minds work, makes them perform better in finance in general. And in investing, they tend to get 1.3% better returns than men annually in investing. So we want to just even the playing field, make sure that women had just as much confidence as men in finance.

Anthony Godfrey:
ICDC? What competition is that?

Elizabeth Anderson:
That is the International Career Development Conference is what it stands for. And so we were there. It's like the international competition that we were competing at.

Anthony Godfrey:
And are you bringing this project back for competition this year?

Elizabeth Anderson:
Yes. That's our hope is that we take the “Girls Investing Club”, we write a paper about it, and we go present at the Utah State DECA competition and then qualify for ICDC again and take our team of three there.

Anthony Godfrey:
I like your chances.

Baylee Zuniga:
Yes. I was just going to say we also wanted to foster a community here. We wanted to create an environment where it's okay to talk about money, and it's not this stigma around money where we just don't want to talk about investment and, you know, making more money. You know, just different things like that. We wanted to just get people, especially girls, more confident in money and just in themselves as well.

Anthony Godfrey:
Love it.

Kaylee Arsenault:
Especially just because when you're in high school, yes, there's financial literacy classes and they help, but most of the time you turn 18 years old, you graduate, and you're either going to college and you don't know what to do. Like a lot of kids don't even know how to do taxes. And we want, like, and another thing is we want to help the people who don't know how to do that stuff and their parents don't know how to do that stuff either, like help them know what to do in high school so they know what they're doing for the rest of their lives.

Anthony Godfrey:
This is fantastic. How was this received once you had this concept and you put it out there?

Baylee Zuniga:
I think originally it was not a shock, but it was just people just kind of went, “oh, that's not what I've seen before in the past”.  And especially when you see a title with the club, or a club with the title “Girls Investing Club”, we got a lot of, “oh, it's for girls. You know, not for me. It's not for me, kind of like a girly club.” But it's, no, it's targeted towards girls, but it's everybody. We want to educate everybody in money. And our first social was pretty decent. We got some people there, and it was actually a really good turnout. But there was still a little bit of, what is this club? And then by the second social, people were like, this is cool. I want more of this. And so just, we're excited for our next one today.

Anthony Godfrey:
It's unique, and it's really exciting. You've had a lot of interesting speakers, I understand. Tell me some of the people that you've had come in and speak to the group.

Baylee Zuniga:
So our first speaker, her name was Anne Marie McDonald. She's one of the most successful businesswomen in Utah. She knows her stuff. And she came and talked to us about our first social. Our first social was kind of a little hectic at first, but we did a mini class, and we introduced the club.

Anthony Godfrey:
She's the one who worked with Gab.

Baylee Zuniga:
Yeah, Gab Phones, yes.

Anthony Godfrey:
She's impressive.

Baylee Zuniga:
Yeah, she's in Kaylee's ward, and so we had that connection. We've been getting speakers who connect with, who we know in our lives, who would be good at teaching. And so we just get speakers like that, that we know would teach good at the clubs.

Anthony Godfrey:
This is so cool. So, what are some of the things that you have learned through DECA? First of all, I know the DECA program at Herriman is very strong. It's so cool that the Herriman DECA program creates other programs that are offshoots of the DECA program, like the “Girls Investing Club”. So tell me, what are some of the things through DECA and the “Girls Investing Club” that you have learned about finance, about money that you didn't know before that you think can impact your life long term?

Elizabeth Anderson:
There's so much. Honestly, before high school, I never, ever, like I told my whole family, like I would not do business. Even though the rest of my family like did business, I'm like, this is so not my thing. I got involved in DECA, and all of a sudden, I like, because I didn't think I would do anything business related, I hadn't learned anything about finance or investing. But I got involved in DECA and realized that it's actually super duper interesting. And honestly, I think that's something that we're also trying to teach our girls with the “Girls Investing Club” is that it is interesting. But then, junior year, once I had already kind of fallen in love with business, I took a finance 1050 class with Mr. Kammerman, and I was able to learn what investing is, that there are different types. But previously, I legit only knew about stocks. Like I, investing is the stock market. That was kind of my mindset. And then I realized in finance 1050, I learned about that. I learned about real estate. I learned about taxes and just all sorts of money stuff. And I found it very interesting, but it also kind of scared me in a way, because I realized that I didn't know anything about finance before, and I wanted to learn more. So...

Anthony Godfrey:
When you're entering a field that you're not familiar with, those are kind of the phases that you go through. I'm interested. I'm learning a lot. I'm terrified at how much I still don't know.

Elizabeth Anderson:
Yes. And so this club is definitely a way to continue what I learned in Finance 1050, and to pursue the love for business and finance that I found in DECA.

Anthony Godfrey:
I watched this TikTok account, this investing TikTok account, from a guy who retired and used to… And it's fascinating. Even in 60 seconds, he tells me stuff that I've been researching, looking into. So there's a lot to explore. And anyway, I'm always blown away by the new acronyms that I learned from others. It's so exciting to hear the three of you talk about finance this way. Anyone who thinks that high school is a narrow experience these days, it is not. And you have broadened the high school experience, not just for yourselves, but for a lot of other students. And I think this goes well beyond finance as I talk with you. It has to do with confidence and saying, "Hey, you know what? There's a broader world out there that if I understand it better, I'm going to make a better life for myself and my family."

Stay with us when we come back more with the students behind the “Girls Investing Club”.

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:
We've talked about a lot of different ways to invest, but let's talk about stocks. Does everyone have a stock tip for the people listening?

Elizabeth Anderson:
Honestly, what we've been telling our girls in the club is not that there's a specific go-to stock, but think about the things that you already like in life. Think about what brand you're wearing, what brand of stuff you just used, and then research that because I think investing can be a lot more fun and interesting if you choose investments that you already are involved with the company in some way. Our teacher, Mr. Kammerman, has a nice rundown of how the stock market is doing on this TV of his in his classroom every day.

Anthony Godfrey:
This is like the big TV on The Today Show, showing all of the politics and the percentage of blue states and red states.

Elizabeth Anderson:
This is another thing that we can turn to know what to invest in. We can look at the trends of the different businesses that we're interested in, look at choose a business we like and then see how it's doing on this board and research to ourselves. I don't know, there's not really one go-to stock. The stock market changes so much.

Baylee Zuniga:
Yeah, I would add to that and just say since it's so unpredictable and stuff can happen, you never know, it's just important to diversify and like maybe don't invest everything in the stock market. Do some real estate and maybe even some CDs, you know, just different things like that where you're not, you know, totally screwed over if the stock market crashes.

Kaylee Arsenault:
I would say always have a backup plan. Like don't invest all your money in one company that may or may not do good. And you also always want to research, research, research, research before you put your money into anything. And so if you put your money into a company that becomes a liability, and goes downhill, you're losing money yourself. And so that's my tip.

Anthony Godfrey:
Investing involves inherent risk. Results may vary on individual accounts. You know, I'm really excited to hear that you are doing this now. There's the old saying, "When's the best time to plant a tree?" 20 years ago. "When's the second best time to plant a tree?" Right now. But you are doing it as a student in high school. You're looking at investing. What advice do you have for others and what are you focused on yourself at this stage of your life?

Baylee Zuniga:
I honestly think parents need to teach their kids more about it early on, at an early-on age, because I started learning about money and stuff at the age of 10 and managing my money and splitting it up. We split it up in four categories. Spend, give, invest, and save. And so, super simple for kids to learn how to do that. I just think it's kind of a stereotype. "No, I want my kid not to worry about the money aspect of life." "I want them to stay innocent. They can get a job when they're 16. But I don't want them to worry about that stuff." You're setting your kid up for failure. Not for failure, but just like you want your kid to be prepared in life.

Anthony Godfrey:
So your advice is start now. Start now, personally. Start now with your kids. Just make sure that you engage, because there's a lot to be learned and a lot to be gained.

Elizabeth Anderson:
And I think it's also important that you not only start learning about it now, but you start practicing investing. One thing that I didn't really fully realize until I started doing this club is that you really don't have to actually be 18 to invest. As Baylee mentioned, you get your parents involved. You can always go buy a CD that your parents also sign their name on so that you can start investing when you're younger. So I think that's a great way to practice. But also, we practice in our club each week. We have what's called a "MarketWatch game" where it's this simulation that follows the actual stock market. So you're given fake money that you can invest in real stocks that will follow the trends of the stock market. And you can see how things kind of work with that. And so I think along with learning, starting now learning, start practicing now as well. That's kind of what we're trying to do with girls investing, is we want people to know what stocks are and know how to use them, not just know that they exist.

Kaylee Arsenault:
Yeah, one thing I'm going to do specifically, I think, is today we're actually learning about mutual funds. And the person teaching it was kind of giving us a rundown of it. And she was telling us that if you spend like $200 on AirPods now, it's $200 AirPods, whatever. But if you invest in any mutual fund, it can grow to like $36,000 by the time you retire. And that's just by $200 now. So it's just by spending money in a place where I will have much more of it when I retire versus on a pair of AirPods, I want to invest in my future. And I want to be able to not necessarily like delay gratification almost, not instant. And just kind of be responsible.

Anthony Godfrey:
Yeah, it's a great perspective. It makes those AirPods seem pretty expensive.

Kaylee Arsenault:
Yeah, it does.

Anthony Godfrey:
What else do you have planned for the year? What's coming up?

Elizabeth Anderson:
Other things we have going on this year, we are going to continue having our club meetings and trying to get good speakers and incentives for people to come. We actually had Crumbl Cookies sponsor part of our meeting last time they gave us free cookies for the girls, which is really fun. So we look forward to trying to partner with more businesses in the future. We're also working with Pura Vida bracelets through Give Me Beauty. And they are donating bracelets that say “Girls Investing” for our club so that we can really unify. So we can really unify people and make it like a community, not just an event in a club. But then beyond that, we're really trying to take our club past just club meetings. The way that we hope to do this is by going to middle schools and other schools in the area, as well as by going to things like the YWCA and places in our community. Our hope is we're trying to reach out to the community and find times that we can go teach other people, not just at our school, about investing and empowering women and giving them confidence to invest and manage their money.

Anthony Godfrey:
I love the way that you are connecting with students, thinking about middle schools, connecting to businesses in the broader community, and bringing those individuals in that can really inspire. There's nothing like seeing someone who's had success so you can set your goals and aspire to that and say, "You know what? This is really something I can do." Thank you so much. Thank you for doing this. I'm so impressed. And I'm excited to watch where this goes. Thank you for spending the time today. We'll let you get to this event today that you have.

Students:
Sounds good. Thank you so much.

Anthony Godfrey:
Thanks for investing your time listening to another episode of the Supercast. Remember, education is the most important thing you will do today. We'll see you out there.

Anthony Godfrey:
What year did you have Mrs. Crane as your 4th grade teacher?

Tina Price:
1989 to 90.

Anthony Godfrey:
If anyone questions that teachers have a lasting impact, this is the answer.

Tina Price:
Yes, they do.

Anthony Godfrey:
The decision to be so intentional about making your classroom a happy place is paying off for another set of students, for all of these other teachers who came for your class.

Hello and welcome to the Supercast. I'm your host, Superintendent Anthony Godfrey. It is a story many years in the making, one that led a caring teacher to be reunited with the students she had once taught and inspired.

On this episode of the Supercast, we head to Rosamond Elementary. That's where you will find 4th grade teacher Janet Crane, now working side by side at school with one of her former students. It's a story that proves the love and encouragement of a kind teacher can lead students on the path to great success in life and in future careers.

We're here with two teachers at Rosamond Elementary School and I'm going to let them tell you why we're here. Introduce yourself, who you are now, and who you were then.

Janet Crane:
My name is Janet Crane and I've been teaching at Rosamond Elementary for quite a few years with a stint at Riverton Elementary and Elk Meadows, but I came back to Rosamond. I have taught 4th grade for a long time and Mrs. Price was one of my favorite 4th graders many years ago. It was funny to come back to Rosamond and have her being a 1st grade teacher and her telling me that I made a big impact on her life.

Tina Price:
I'm Tina Price. Back then I was Tina Green and I've been at Rosamond for a long time too now. I started kindergarten at Rosamond. I think the first year opened and then in 4th grade, I had Mrs. Crane as my 4th grade teacher.

Anthony Godfrey:
What year did you have Mrs. Crane as your 4th grade teacher?

Tina Price:
1989 to 1990.

Anthony Godfrey:
Back in the 1900s.

Tina Price:
Back clear in the 1900s.

Janet Crane:
Woah!

Tina Price:
Oregon Trail and all of that.

Anthony Godfrey:
Wow, yeah Oregon Trail. That was awesome.

Janet Crane:
Oh, that was fun.

Tine Price:
Apple computers.

Anthony Godfrey:
So 1989, 1990 is when you had her class.

Tina Price:
Yes.

Anthony Godfrey:
If anyone questions that teachers have a lasting impact, this is the answer. Yes, they do.

Tina Price:
Yes, they do.

Anthony Godfrey:
Tell me about being in her class in 1989.

Tina Price:
I just felt loved and seen. She was happy to be there every day. I knew she was happy to be there every day because she just put that vibe out there. So when I think back about school and a happy place, it's 4th grade.

Anthony Godfrey:
Do you remember some of the activities that you did besides the Oregon Trail?

Tina Price:
Yes. We did a whole class reading of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and we read the whole book. She would hide golden tickets in our chapter books. So when we would get a chapter book we'd never know if we'd open it up and find a golden ticket. At the end of the book she did a drawing and that was the first time I've ever, or the last time I've ever won anything and I won the giant-size chocolate bar.

Anthony Godfrey:
Wow.

Tina Price:
And so I've kind of stolen that idea and I took it to first grade with me for a little bit.

Anthony Godfrey:
So you spent those late nights cutting out those golden tickets. Well done. That made a big difference.

Janet Crane:
It did obviously.

Anthony Godfrey:
What do you remember about having her in your 4th grade class?

Janet Crane:
She was kind of quiet, but she was always so happy, smiley, happy. Kids really liked her. She was quiet and I tried to go to those kids that are a little bit quiet and try to draw them out a little bit. One of my important things is I've always tried to make my classroom a happy place so that the kids know that I love my job. I love being here. I love you. This is what I want to do for my career and I've just always tried to convey that with the kids. Besides Tina, I've had some other people that are working in the district right now who have told me that the reason that they're teachers is because I had a big influence on their lives and that's what they wanted to do.

Anthony Godfrey:
Well, thank you for all the great recruits.

Tina Price:
Yes.

Janet Crane:
They are some great teachers, I'll tell you.

Anthony Godfrey:
They should put that on their resume that they had you for 4th grade.

Tina Price:
Right at the top of the list.

Anthony Godfrey:
Have you taught 4th grade the whole time?

Janet Crane:
No, I've taught second grade. I started teaching second grade at Riverton Elementary and taught second, a third-4th split. And then when this school opened, when Rosamond opened, I started teaching 4th grade.

Anthony Godfrey:
So you can do it all basically. When you started talking about her, it felt a little bit like a parent-teacher conference where you still remember very well just what she was like in class. Does that sound right to you?

Tina Price:
Yes. I still have my parent-teacher conference folder from 4th grade. Just my work and, yeah. I don't have it from any others, just my 4th grade.

Anthony Godfrey:
So 4th grade was, you can't overstate what an impact she had on you in 4th grade.

Tina Price:
No, I cannot.

Stay with us. When we come back more with these two teachers with a unique bond at Rosamond Elementary.

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:
In Jordan School District, we like to support students in and outside the classroom along with their families. That's where the Jordan Family Education Center comes in, offering support services and a wide variety of classes for students and their families, free of charge. You can take a class called Blues Busters for children feeling sad or worried. Just Breathe is a class that helps students reduce stress. Or how about a class that supports parents in helping their children make and keep good friends. There are also support groups and free counseling, all provided by Jordan School District school psychologists, counselors, and school psychology interns. To find out how you can benefit from free family support services offered by the Jordan Family Education Center, call 801-565-7442 or visit guidance.jordandistrict.org.

Anthony Godfrey:
You already spoke once about the golden ticket idea that you are now using from when you were a 4th grader. You'll hear speakers sometimes who talk about teacher professional development, and they say your initial professional development is the 13 years that you spend in public school because you've seen people teach. You've been watching people teach all day for most of the year, every year, the entire time that you're growing up. So you pick up some ideas and some ways of doing things. Can you remember some other ideas that you are still using and things that impact you from that 4th grade class?

Tina Price:
We sang a lot of songs, the Desperado. I remember that still. During our free time she would let us trade things in our pencil boxes. And I don't know if that matched anything in the curriculum or not, but I just remember she built a community in our classroom, and we just all felt like we were supposed to be there with her. And just always happy. If she was having a bad day, we would never know, because she just was happy that we were there. She was our person that we could just, “oh, she wants me here.” And so I've tried to remember that with my own students, that I'm here to make them happy. It doesn't matter what happened to me before school. I'm here to be happy for them.

Anthony Godfrey:
The decision to be so intentional about making your classroom a happy place is paying off for another set of students, for all of these other teachers who came through your class every year. So obviously for many, many years you've understood the power that you have as a teacher to really set the climate, set the tone for that classroom.

Janet Crane:
For some kids this is probably some of the only places that they get warm fuzzies. And a smile. The kids have just really changed over the years. And some years the kids are really needy, and some years they're not as needy. But I've just always wanted them to feel like they can come to me and know that they're going to find a warm, happy face.

Anthony Godfrey:
Could you tell what an impact you were having on her at the time?

Janet Crane:
I couldn't.

Anthony Godfrey:
Well, that's the answer I was guessing you were going to say, because you don't always get to experience that in the moment. She's quiet, you're trying to draw her out, you're giving your best for every student. But they don't stand in front of you one day and say, "You know what, I think I'll be a teacher one day, and these are the things that I'll take away from your class."

Janet Crane:
I don't think I even learned that until I came back here. I didn't know that I'd had such an impact on her. Until I came back to Rosamond.

Tina Price:
For subbing. It was amazing.

Anthony Godfrey:
She was subbing? Tell me about that.

Tina Price:
So I think it was my first or second year, and it was just everything kind of put into place to get hired at Rosamond. When I graduated from college, there was a hiring freeze in the district, and so I wasn't getting any phone calls. And then in July, I got a phone call to interview at Rosamond, and I was like, "Oh, that would be neat. It's my school." So I came and I interviewed, and I got the job. Janet wasn't here at the time, but I was in the faculty room one day at lunch, and she walked through, and I just got tears in my eyes and just was speechless for a minute. I jumped up and she probably had no idea who I was as an adult. I said, "You are why I'm here. This is amazing. I get to see you." I was so excited, and I told her who I was, and that she had been my 4th-grade teacher, and all of my papers, my passwords, which I’ll change now. But why do you want to be a teacher, and who was your favorite teacher? And it was about Mrs. Crane, because she was both of my answers. Then she came to work at the school, and I got to work with my idol every day since then. It's amazing.

Anthony Godfrey:
That's fantastic.

Tina Price:
Yeah.

Janet Crane:
It's a great job.

Anthony Godfrey:
What do you think is the secret to creating a happy classroom?

Janet Crane:
Letting the outside world, whatever's happened to you or whatever, flat tire, weird things happen on the way to school, just going into my room and just being warm and happy and making them feel like I know that they're there. I try to make at a point to connect with every one of my students during the day. Whether it's a question or just a tap on the shoulder to say, "Hi, I'm glad you're here today," I let them know that I am truly glad that they're here. This is a great job, and I'm truly lucky that I found what I feel is my calling.

Anthony Godfrey:
That you set the world aside, your own stresses aside, to create a happy classroom. And I think what that does is it allows the students to do the same thing.

Janet Crane:
I think so too.

Tina Price:
I've made it a point that she's had my daughters, and next year she'll have my son. So she was my daughter's 4th-grade teacher, and she had my daughter, my oldest daughter, Aspen during COVID.

Anthony Godfrey:
Oh, you've got a picture here. Let's take a look. Wow.

Tina Price:
So this was 2019, and then when we went into lockdown, Mrs. Crane was a presence in our home every day on Zoom, and we all got to crowd around the computer. Aspen felt cheated but loved the entire time because she didn't get – she had to leave Mrs. Crane in March and didn't get all the end-of-year experiences, but Mrs. Crane made sure that they found ways to still celebrate 4th grade, and she showed up every day on Zoom.

Anthony Godfrey:
Well, that picture with Mrs. Crane, she's smiling. That's a wide, happy smile, and that is not just for the camera. That's because she's by you.

Tina Price:
And then my younger daughter had her in 4th grade as well.

Anthony Godfrey:
What's your younger daughter's name?

Tina Price:
Addie.

Anthony Godfrey:
So there's Addie with Mrs. Crane.

Tina Price:
Yeah.

Anthony Godfrey:
That’s awesome.

Tina Price:
It was a great year for her too, and Addie is a quiet girl in class, but she -- and I asked the girls, I said, "What is your favorite thing about Mrs. Crane?" And they said the same thing. She loved us. She was happy to be there.

Anthony Godfrey:
It makes such a big difference. Wow. I love that. Let’s see these.

Tina Price:
And then these are back in 1989.

Anthony Godfrey:
Wow. How about that.

Tina Price:
And again, the only pictures I have of me in school --

Anthony Godfrey:
Let me just say, in 1989, the fact that you have a picture of you with your teacher that's candid, taken by a camera, meant that you were really intentional, like, "I need a picture with Mrs. Crane." Wow. Look at that. That is so cool. Oh, and the blackboard. Look at the blackboard and chalk.

Janet Crane:
Yeah, and they just barely took that orange carpet down.

Tina Price:
We just -- in the kindergarten room I had a tiny little piece left that I might have kept, a little scrap of --

Anthony Godfrey:
Hey, the orange wall carpet, it's important that you have that.

Janet Crane:
Yeah, the chalkboard is like that's so long gone.

Anthony Godfrey:
Well, that is a fantastic picture. I absolutely love that. And I love that you have it. And also that you still have all your 4th-grade work and parent-teacher conference information.

Tina Price:
All the Utah counties.

Anthony Godfrey:
Yeah. Yeah, wow. Well, thank you for being such an impactful and positive educator for so long. And thank you for choosing to follow in that same path and to be that same positive light for the students in your class.

Tina Price:
Thank you. It's amazing. And it's just fate that I got to work with the person who inspired me to be here and still does every day.

Janet Crane:
One of the nice things is I have my friends that say, so when are you going to really stop teaching? And I'm like, I don't know. I really feel like still there's somebody out there I still need to reach. If it's just one child or a classroom of children, if there's one child whose life I need to touch. And you can always tell if you have. That's why I'm here. And I know when -- in the next couple of years, maybe.

Anthony Godfrey:
Well, you just let me know what I can do to put that date farther into the distance.

Janet Crane:
So this is the place I need to be. And I need to be there for somebody. I need to be somebody's 4th-grade teacher and have them have a good year.

Anthony Godfrey:
Thank you both for everything you do and for taking time today.

Tina Price:
Thank you very much.

Janet Crane:
Thank you for talking to us.

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.

Jordan Clarkson:
I've been in their situation, I've been in their shoes, I'm able to turn around and give back.

Coach Mike Clarkson:
Well, we're very blessed to be able to give back to the community, and this community in particular because he's an active member of the Utah Jazz. Jordan has always been very generous with his time, with his resources, and his heart.

Anthony Godfrey:
Hello and welcome to the Supercast. I'm your host, Superintendent Anthony Godfrey. He is a Utah Jazz star known for his scoring ability and dynamic style of play. He's also known for his kindness and generosity in the community.

On this episode of the Supercast, we talk with Jordan Clarkson to hear first-hand why giving back is so important, especially this holiday season. Listen as we catch up with Clarkson and his family at Heartland Elementary School, where he was providing 250 Thanksgiving meals to West Jordan families in need. Families who are grateful for the gift and the chance to meet a Jazz superstar.

Coach Mike Clarkson:
I just want to say on behalf of the Clarkson family, Jordan, and the JC Cares Foundation, thank you for volunteering to help us. Our family is committed to always giving back. We've done it before Jordan made it to the league. It will never stop. Hopefully, we'll be ingrained in our sons and they'll continue to do it as we pass on. But again, I'd like to thank you all. It means a lot. You may not think it means a lot, but it means a lot to those that need help. And that's what we're all here to do. I really appreciate you guys and the time that you guys commit to do that because time is the most valuable asset that we have being human beings.

Anthony Godfrey:
We're talking with Coach Mike Clarkson, who is associated with JC Cares and is here to help organize this effort. Your son Jordan is on his way. Tell me about this event here today.

Coach Mike Clarkson:
Well, we're very blessed to be able to give back to the community and this community in particular because he's an active member of the Utah Jazz. Jordan has always been very generous with his time, with his resources, and his heart. We really appreciate the opportunity to work with this school district and to be able to touch families that might not be touched and have a nice holiday. It's very important at Thanksgiving that we do give thanks. But it's more important also that we reach out to those in need and those that can really benefit from our generosity.

Anthony Godfrey:
You just gave a stirring pep talk for the volunteers here and letting them know the importance of what they're doing for the community here. What does it mean to you to see this level of support?

Coach Mike Clarkson:
Well, having grown up impoverished, in Washington, DC as a young man, I didn't get the support that I see my son willing to go out and provide an opportunity to provide for others. It's heartwarming to me because I know anyone can turn their back on you. Very few people are willing to help you. And in life when you're able to find someone or some organization or entity that will help and assist you, that goes a long way in your life in inspiring you and to give you some sense of hope and belief that good is out there in the world.

Anthony Godfrey:
Well, the foundation was here last year.

Coach Mike Clarkson:
Yes, sir.

Anthony Godfrey:
All of you were here doing the same thing and it's built a lot of momentum, very successful, and we're excited to see what happens this year as well.

Coach Mike Clarkson:
Yes, sir.

Anthony Godfrey:
What impact do you hope this has on the families who come today and get to meet you and your family and receive this meal?

Coach Mike Clarkson:
The biggest thing is to understand that people care. That's what it's called, JC Cares. It's always this time of year when people struggle, families struggle, and they feel a sense of hopelessness. And we hope that the little that we do for them can inspire them to go out and not only better themselves, but to at one point in time turn around and give back to society. Because everything is about hope and if you're not inspired to achieve, what do you have?

Anthony Godfrey:
I think that's exactly the word for it. It inspires people and says, "Hey, wait a minute. There are people who care. There are people here supporting me. So maybe I can do some things I didn't think I could do on my own."

Coach Mike Clarkson:
Yes, sir. And I think I get so much joy out of looking at someone's face when they know somebody cares about them. That's something that Jordan has been able to understand. We've preached that for many years, but to see your child grow up and to have the opportunity he has, and to now regurgitate and to go out and exercise and practice what you taught them, it's nothing more rewarding than that, sir.

Anthony Godfrey:
That's wonderful. That's beautiful because it's not automatic.

Coach Mike Clarkson:
Correct.

Anthony Godfrey:
It's not automatic that you're successful and now you do this sort of thing. And to see Jordan, like you said, living out the things you taught him as a child, that's got to be a thrill.

Coach Mike Clarkson:
Yes, yes. That warms my heart more than anything because I always say, "It's not about what you have, but as God says, are you a good steward with what you have?" And Jordan has learned about the value and the importance of being a good steward.

Anthony Godfrey:
Well, we're so grateful to have him here today, and to have you and our community helping support this. So thank you very much.

Coach Mike Clarkson:
Thank you for the opportunity.

Anthony Godfrey:
And happy Thanksgiving to you.

Coach Mike Clarkson:
Same to you and all the families out there, sir.

Anthony Godfrey:
Thank you. Take care.

Stay with us. When we come back, we'll talk with Jordan Clarkson about why he gives back and what his plans are for Thanksgiving.

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:
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

Anthony Godfrey:
We're here with Jordan Clarkson for the JC Cares event. Tell me a little bit about why this is so important to you.

Jordan Clarkson:
Just for us to give back for all the kids. I've been in their situation. I've been in their shoes. For our family, I'm blessed to be in this position now that I'm able to turn around and give back some. I'm here. I was in their place. We're here now.

Anthony Godfrey:
I was able to talk with your parents and it sounds like they had a real emphasis on making sure that as a family, you always give back. Tell me about the impact your parents have had on you in putting this together.

Jordan Clarkson:
They run my whole foundation. I think they feel in a sense that we are blessed. I'm one of one. We all sat there as kids and family and fought together through tough times and whatever it was. This is one of those situations that we've all been through and we're just here to give a helping hand. Some people when we were growing up didn't reach out and have that impact on us.

Anthony Godfrey:
How do you hope people feel coming out of this as they come, get to meet you and your family and people in the community, and come away with a meal? What impact do you hope that has on them?

Jordan Clarkson:
Just smiles. That's it. Just great joy. That's all we ask for. Keep continuing to have good vibes. That's all we're trying to spread and that's the joy we want.

Anthony Godfrey:
Thank you very much. Thanks for doing it here at Heartland and for helping support so many people and supporting the community at large. Tell me, do you at least get Thanksgiving off? Did Coach give you the day off?

Jordan Clarkson:
I don't know. Maybe me, but just because.

Anthony Godfrey:
With the injury?

Jordan Clarkson:
Yeah, yeah.

Anthony Godfrey:
You'd rather be on the court.

Jordan Clarkson:
Yeah, exactly. I'm the biggest cook, so I'm going to be working no matter what.

Anthony Godfrey:
You're the biggest cook?

Jordan Clarkson:
Yeah.

Anthony Godfrey:
What's your specialty dish?

Jordan Clarkson:
My specialty is I really cook steak and brisket. I'm good at doing it.

Anthony Godfrey:
Steak? Wow.

Jordan Clarkson:
And brisket and I fry turkey, man. I go in there, I sit outside. My thing in the garage.

Anthony Godfrey:
So you got the three meats going?

Jordan Clarkson:
Yeah.

Anthony Godfrey:
All from you, huh?

Jordan Clarkson:
All from me, yeah.

Anthony Godfrey:
Oh, that's awesome. Well, congratulations on your career. Thank you so much for making us a part of your day today.

We're here today talking with two of the people associated with the JC Cares Foundation. Introduce yourself and tell us a little bit about what's happening today.

Ken:
Hey, my name is Ken. I help manage Jordan and his day-to-day and some of the give back initiatives that we do with Team Clarkson and his JC Cares Foundation.

Janie Clarkson:
Janie Clarkson, basically what I do is help him out with all his philanthropic, you know, making sure that, you know, we get back to the community and to be here to support in everything that he does.

Anthony Godfrey:
Tell me about Jordan growing up. Did you know that he was going to be someone who would be associated with helping others out and making sure that they had the support they needed?

Janie Clarkson:
Yes, because we've always made sure that, you know, he gives back, not just him and himself, but the family to being part of that as well. It's big in our family to make sure that we look out for other people and for them to do well and to be also successful in life.

Anthony Godfrey:
It's wonderful to have you all here today and to have the support for the community. Tell us about what's happening today. Families are coming in that are in need and receiving a meal for Thanksgiving.

Ken:
Yeah, we're excited about it. This is our third year doing it in Utah, our second year doing it here at this location. They're able to come in and get everything, not just the turkey, they're able to get the fixings to go along with it. A full meal, you know, from start to finish. I feel like that's really important because having a turkey just by itself, you know, doesn't feel like Thanksgiving, but having all the sides, like that's what makes it.

Anthony Godfrey:
It's the full meal, but it's also a chance to connect with Jordan, with you, with the family and feel a part of the community. And last but not least, Santa's on the way out the door. You get to stop by and see Santa.

Ken:
You get to stop by and see Santa. I think, you know, it's a small part of our day to give back and I feel like it makes a huge impact for the families that come in and get to receive. You know, who knows what they're going through. We all get to go back home. We have our families. Some people aren't as fortunate, you know, so it means a lot.

Anthony Godfrey:
Well, we appreciate the chance to be part of it and to house this here today. I know that there are people benefiting from around the community. So thank you very much for doing that.

Janie Clarkson:
Thank you for supporting him.

Ken:
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.

(Music)