Ep 206 | Classroom to coffee shop? Blending in student artwork!

SPEAKER_03 0:00

So I opened up a cafe there and there's a lot of wall space and I want to bring more of the art vibe to that space. And but I decided I wanted to kind of tap into this great resource, which is all the Escambia County art teachers and students, because there's so much amazing artwork being produced around here. And what a cool thing to be able to display it and show it in a venue that wouldn't normally have such a thing. Give it greater exposure.

SPEAKER_04 0:34

Welcome to the Voices United in Education podcast. Each week we showcase the teachers, administrators, and community members who go the extra mile to contribute to the success of every child in Escambia County. You'll meet the real people behind the titles and learn about the amazing resources to support your child's success. They say that necessity is the mother of invention. But what if it's also the birthplace of reinvention? My next guest, Thought Baby, was a product of the love of art and the stress of COVID. She is an Escambia County Public School fifth-grade teacher, turned coffee roaster, and the founder of Ala Prima Coffee. Today, she, along with the district's grant management specialist, will share how she's using this new season in her life to show up for students and teachers in an even bigger way. Painting with broad strokes in art and business, Pensacola locals, Summer Sevi and Monica Willis. Thanks for being here, ladies. Thank you for having us. Thank you. So I want to start with you, Summer. What inspired you to choose education?

SPEAKER_03 1:40

Well, I was in the position years ago where I was living in West Virginia and it was a kind of a rural community. And my daughter was going to middle school. I wasn't crazy about the middle schools there. And so I decided I was going to start homeschooling her. That's when I first, you know, got to practice teaching. You know, I I sunk my teeth into it a little bit and I discovered that I was pretty good at it. And I started to become really passionate about it. We were having a lot of fun. And that's what kind of inspired me to take up teaching as a career.

SPEAKER_04 2:12

Oh, okay. And then Monica, is that how the two of you met when she moved here?

SPEAKER_01 2:16

And yeah, absolutely. So when Summer moved to Pensacola, I was teaching at Helen Cairo, fifth grade, and then Summer came in also on the same grade level. So that was a connection. We we taught together for a little while.

SPEAKER_03 2:28

Okay. Tell me about how you ended up as an art teacher. So I've always been an artist ever since I was a kid. And originally I went to college for fine arts. I was born here. So I'm a Pensacola native. And I went to PSC in the arts department. And then I transferred to UWF. I got a fine arts degree. And I started going into the field of teaching, like I said, and I was in fifth grade alongside Monica. And then eventually I was thinking about getting into teaching art because since I had a college education in fine arts, I was eligible to become an art teacher. So I got that certification. I just took the test and got certified. And then a job opening became available over at Sherwood Elementary. I took that and I became an art teacher there for about five years. And yeah, I mean, I I super, super enjoyed my time there. I learned a lot of things that I took with me and I'm still using to this day.

SPEAKER_04 3:23

And you saw a big benefit of the art in your classroom in ways I think people wouldn't put two and two together with, right? Because it's tempting to see art as something that is a reward for good behavior. But like in your classroom, it helped actually create good behavior.

SPEAKER_03 3:40

Yes. So art traditionally is an outlet of expression. And most of the great artists of the world, they're going through things, hard things.

SPEAKER_04 3:50

Yeah. Adele did not write songs about a happy life. I mean, she had to have a breakup in order to create those hits, after all.

SPEAKER_03 3:58

Yeah. It's a way to get out those feelings and express them. And then you feel better after you're done. And so I would say every artist in existence uses this method. And I use it. It's I'm a painter, I'm an oil painter. And when I'm going through something particularly challenging, that's when I know it's time to paint. Or it could be some great joy that I'm having, something wonderful. But either way, it's how I get it out of me. And then I can carry on for a while before it builds up again and I need to do it again. And the kids that I was teaching in the public school system, some of them were having some pretty considerable challenges, not just in their home life, but it might be at school, it might be with their peers, whatever, all sorts of challenges. And if they didn't have a way to express those feelings, they were manifesting them in really negative ways. They were lashing out, they were getting in fights and getting into things they shouldn't be. And it was because of the anger that they had inside them. And so I started teaching them how to harness those feelings. Think about what is on your mind right now. And let's think about what that might look like on paper or on a canvas. And I would show them how to use the tools. And I would also show them my art and what it meant to me and why I created it. And they were getting inspired by it. And they pretty soon they were creating art that was significant about the things that were going on in their lives. And I noticed that the classroom behavior issues were just fading away. That's incredible.

SPEAKER_04 5:27

I that's so different, I think, than how the most of the world sees art. I think because they confuse it with the word craft. Yeah. And so they think like, oh, cute finger painting.

SPEAKER_03 5:38

Well, art, the definition of art is that it's it's an expression that means something to the artist. And so art needs to mean something to really be art. That's what separates it from being a craft. There has to be intention. There's a message. And it might even just be a message to yourself, the artist. But yeah, so the students were really getting into that. They were expressing what they were going through. They were talking about it with each other. And they were also getting to know each other and seeing each other, their problems, their challenges, what was going on at home, what they were going through and struggling with in the classroom. And it helped create a stronger peer bond between them. That's incredible.

SPEAKER_04 6:20

And Monica, this these benefits, they're not just, you know, in summer's magical classroom, right? They because there's grants for art classrooms. So obviously, this is a benefit that is recognized on a higher level.

SPEAKER_01 6:34

Absolutely. So through the grants department, we had the opportunity in 2022, coming off COVID, everything trying to get back to normal, to write a grant that focused on the fine and performing arts throughout the county. So we were able to actually show that department what we like to call a little love through the grants. Fine Arts, unfortunately, does not get the funding that some of our other departments get. So through the grant, we got $2 million and it impacts everything. Our elementaries, middles, highs, and it's made a huge difference. There's probably not a day that goes by that I don't hear from an art teacher or a band instructor or someone just saying how much they appreciate the grant, or I get a whole lot of the, can you buy this through the grant? Or hey, can we go here? Which is wonderful because that's what it's for. I mean, it's to give the kids better experiences, different aspects, just let them have a better experience through our fine arts. Yeah, it's been really amazing. It's I've been able to immerse myself in our fine arts department. And I have met teachers that maybe on the other side of the county. And even though we seem like one big family, I mean, we're so spread out. So we've been able to bring them in and get them in. And a lot through summers, we did a great professional development at her coffee shop. And so Ala Prima, it was really amazing. And we got amazing feedback because, like Summer was saying, the teachers don't ever get that time, like the kids, to connect and kind of say, Hey, this is what I'm doing over here. And perhaps, you know, we can collaborate and we can do something together. So it kind of brought them all centered because they haven't had that a lot. Just no nobody's fault. It's just they kind of are on their own. Sometimes we like to say they're an island. They're the only art teacher at their school in many cases. So, you know, they they're trying their best to figure out what's going to work, what's going to look amazing, how are they going to get to the kids. Like Summer said, not only through the art, but through the behavior. So the grant has allowed us to provide a lot of professional development that those teachers don't typically get.

SPEAKER_04 8:32

Yeah, that's true. Because if you have a great idea, but no funding for said idea, congratulations, you have a great idea. Right, right.

SPEAKER_00 8:40

Yes, exactly.

SPEAKER_04 8:41

Well, the challenges in the classroom weren't the only thing because the next challenge that you faced in this story is COVID, right?

SPEAKER_03 8:49

Yes. COVID hit. I was uh teaching from home uh virtually. I'm also a single mom. I have three kids, and one of them's already moved out of the house, but the other two were in middle and high school, starting high school. And so yeah, I was just struggling financially, emotionally, and I felt like I could do more. And so I had been involved in the coffee business years ago, and I started thinking about ways that I could get back into it and use what I knew. And so I started planning a local specialty coffee roaster. During COVID, I rented out a room in the back of a building downtown. And when I wasn't teaching, I would go there and start roasting coffee and I started developing a brand and getting some wholesale clients. And then when school let back in session in the schools, I went back to teaching in the workplace and I would go into that shop after school and continue working on my branding. And eventually it grew and grew. And I had to start hiring people. And then um I had to make a decision. I was too busy with those two things, teaching and roasting coffee. So I decided to step away from teaching and uh devote myself to the work of coffee. And I opened up a cafe in the front of that building. I basically took over almost the entire building. I opened up a specialty coffee shop in the front, the roastery in the back. Now I have 20 staff members. I don't have to be there anymore. I was just telling Monica that before we walked in.

SPEAKER_01 10:20

She's my role model.

SPEAKER_03 10:22

I've never felt like this before. It's pretty amazing. Yeah. But I am there. I'm there pretty much every day. And we support local artists. We hang art on the wall. We let them sell their work. They can come and do meet and greets. We advertise them on social media. And I just opened up a second location and we're doing the same thing over there. That's incredible.

SPEAKER_04 10:44

You know, so many people are afraid to try new things, much less like totally reinvent their lives. How how did you stay possibility-oriented yourself within that process? Because teaching is an ultra, I would say, traditional career path. Usually people in that path are motivated by safety security, normally, right? Um, not freedom and possibilities, you know, on the scale of motivators. What kept you thinking, hey, I I can reinvent this and it's not failure, it's not quitting, it's not abandonment. This is just this is just new.

SPEAKER_03 11:20

Well, you know, it was a real risk. And I knew that going into it, but I felt like I was already struggling pretty hard. Uh a teacher's income, especially a single mom with multiple kids in the house. It's it's honestly, it's nearly impossible unless you have outside help. And I don't want to talk negatively about the school district because I love my work there and I learned so much from them and they've set me up for the success that I'm having now. But it was very difficult on the salary that I was bringing in. And so this was a risk that I knew that if I didn't take, nothing was ever going to change. And so I just decided to like go for it. And I wasn't even going to look back. I was just like, let's see what happens. And if it, if it doesn't work out, then I mean, I can always go back to teaching. You know, there's plenty of positions open. Even if I couldn't find an art position, I would find one somewhere else. And by then I knew enough people within the school district. I figured I I could be able to find out when there were openings and somebody would hopefully hire me. So I was like, if it doesn't work out, I'll just go back to teaching. But let's just let's see if it works out. And boy, did it work out.

SPEAKER_04 12:28

You said you learned a lot as a as a teacher. How have you seen those skills apply in your business life?

SPEAKER_03 12:36

Well, having 20 staff members, I'm realizing that the things that I used to teach my students in the classroom about procedures and systems. This is how we do things. This is how we line up at the door. This is how we throw something away. This is how we put our name on a paper. I'm still teaching those things to my staff because if they're not spoken or written or rehearsed, then they don't happen. Yeah. And after pulling my hair out for a while, I was like, okay, let's I'm gonna reflect back on my teaching days and figure out what worked. And I'm gonna implement that here at Alaprema. And lo and behold, like that was the answer. I love that.

SPEAKER_01 13:16

Yes, it's great. That is great. That's a great, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 13:19

I I was so ignorant when I was, you know, first looking into your story. I have to confess that I thought owning a coffee shop was just edible retail. So I was surprised when you said that in our pre-chat you worked really hard at quote, becoming a really good roaster. So what does it mean to not just be a good, but a really good roaster? So basically, I read all the books, I watched all the videos.

SPEAKER_03 13:46

This sounds like another application of her teacher self. Yes, exactly. Yeah. You've done all the research, right? I attended conferences and I met people in the field and I talked with them. I sampled all the samples, I did all the things. And then you have to basically do about a thousand roasts of coffee before you even know what you're doing. But it's deep diving down a rabbit hole of science, which also I kind of reflected back on my teaching days, you know. Yeah, we did a whole lot of science, right? Heat transfer and conduction and convection, and I'm dealing with all of that when I'm roasting coffee. And so, yeah, I mean, uh it's funny how everything just comes back full circle and touches on things that you've experienced in the past. And I feel like I'm going through that again and again.

SPEAKER_04 14:31

Yeah. And you were uh not only a student of all of those things you just listed, but you had some help from the Studer Institute as well when it came to the business side.

SPEAKER_03 14:41

Yes. So I initially enrolled in the G Beta program, which is kind of a think tank for new small businesses in the region. And they uh they guide you towards like this is how you talk to investors, this is how you talk about your business, these are some of the key vocabulary words you're gonna need to know when going into business, you know. And that really helped propel me because uh I wasn't too sure of myself back then. It helped me get the confidence to be able to talk to people about it and present it. And that helped me find wholesale clients and land them because if you can get in front of somebody and sell something confidently, then you know, you're one step closer to success. So I did that. Right now I'm in the VMS program. So it's basically they select a few local small businesses and they assign a group of mentors to meet with you as often as you want. I try and meet with them about once every month or so. And these are professionals that know something about the type of business that I'm in and can give me some really tailored guidance and I can bring to them my list of problems or things I want to tackle, and they'll sit down and hash it out with me for, you know, a few hours and they check in with me and I can ask them questions. And um, there's some pretty high-profile people on there that it's awesome that I have them on my team.

SPEAKER_01 16:02

Hmm. And that kind of goes right back, Meredith, as I'm listening to Summer say that to the mentoring, because you know, we mentor our teachers, we mentor our students. So again, you know, you can see where the mentoring has helped Summer and she mentored many in her past.

SPEAKER_04 16:17

So Monica, you are in my head. I was just about to say that because it was like clicking for me. So you must have seen the sparks above my forehead. I did. Oh, I get it now. Yeah. Because you're leaning into being a student and then leaning in to being a mentor really does. It shows how it reflects in like how you are involved in the community now. Because the difference between a big box chain, anything, especially a coffee shop, though, I think we see it pretty evidently. Oh, yeah, and a small locally owned coffee shop is that community element because you're not just like, hey, thanks to Scambier County Public School. Bye. You know, so talk about how you are now supporting teachers and giving back systematically, just as you started this business systematically, you've got what you're doing now and you've got plans for the future. So unpack them because I find that so exciting.

SPEAKER_03 17:13

Well, Bonica and I are working on a collaboration. Uh Alaprima and the Escambia County School District are going to be community partners. So basically, I opened up this second location and it's in the MC Blanchard building downtown at the county courthouse, where you go to jury duty or you get your marriage license. Yeah, that one's more fun. Let's talk about marriage. So I opened up a cafe there, and there's a lot of wall space, and I want to bring more of the art vibe to that space. And but I decided I wanted to kind of tap into this great resource, which is all the Escambia County art teachers and students, because there's so much amazing artwork being produced around here, and what a cool thing to be able to display it and show it in a venue that wouldn't normally have such a thing. Give it greater exposure. So, Monica, talk to us about what's going on, please.

SPEAKER_01 18:07

So, yeah, so absolutely you were doing so great. I was I was just listening, forgot to jump in. So, yeah, so what we've done, like Summer said, we are collaborating. We're doing it in several ways, actually. So the first thing we did just to kind of kick it off was we did a professional development and we brought all the teachers that are in the grant, not because we left everyone out, but because it's a small space. And they came down and they did a couple projects and then they went back to their schools and we bought the supplies and they did that with the grant with their students. So it all started at Summer's Coffee Shop where they could just sit. We did it on a professional development day, and just to watch them and her environment was so different than if we are doing a sit and get and a training. It's just a different vibe. And for them, like Summer said, it's art. So they're seeing it all over the walls and they're seeing it everywhere. And then kind of where we're headed with it at this point, we are going to at the Blanchard Building, which, and this is a project that we have ongoing right now. I send Summer pictures back and forth when I get them, but talk about everyone being involved. We had George Stone Technical Center. We bought steel from Bell Steel. They actually, their welding department welded a grid, for lack of a better word. They got it all together, then it went to their paint shop, they painted it, glossed it, then from there it went to our facility shop, who Mike Barnes and crew picked it up and got live edge. And so they've framed it in Live Edge to match the decor in Summer's coffee shop. So hopefully in the next two to three weeks, we will have it on her wall, ready to go, and we will display student artwork in the Blancher building in her coffee shop. And the idea that we haven't worked out all the details, but we'll get a rotation. But we'd love to do like a QR code so that when people come in, and this was Summer's idea, you know, put it up, let people see what's going on and maybe donate to that art program so that when the grant is gone and it's no longer there, or possibly it's a it's a school that's not in the grant that needs funding to keep their program going, or they've got, like you said, these wonderful ideas and they don't have the resources to do it. You know, that may be one way that they can can earn money as we go. It also speaks of value. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 20:22

Of like, I feel like, you know, if if there is a still a stuck point in public perception that art is extra, not art is essential, and art is expression and helps with very important mental health attitudes. Right. That if you can help that when people are going to jury duty.

SPEAKER_03 20:41

I was about to say, what about what there's really no better place to talk about this than at the courthouse.

SPEAKER_04 20:47

Yes, exactly. Right. And do you care about your own mental health and others?

SPEAKER_03 20:52

Scan this QR code to contribute today. Yeah, let's fix this problem now. Here we go.

SPEAKER_01 20:57

Yes, absolutely. And that's, you know, and the other thing, we've got a lot going on. That's going to be super fun. And then also we're working to our art teachers, as we know, they're always trying to do stuff to earn money, just like you heard Summer say, you know, if you're a teacher and you're trying to earn extra money. So we're working also not only with the kids, but with the teachers to have space in her coffee shops that they can even sell their own work, possibly. And then they've got an extra income. Now, in turn for that, there's a flip side because I'm always asking, you know, hey, this is great, but here's how you're gonna give back. So in return, they're gonna come teach a community course, some type of art lesson for free on summer schedule and offer it to the community. So that's gonna be their way to give back.

SPEAKER_04 21:43

That's so and you guys cooked this up together. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 21:46

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 21:46

How cool is that?

SPEAKER_01 21:47

Yeah, it's really cool.

SPEAKER_04 21:48

That's I just love that. It's so creative, you know, not to overuse art words, but it is. That's fantastic. And you also teach, I think I read roasting classes. Like That the art is not the only thing. That's what I want to do.

SPEAKER_03 22:02

So occasionally I'll teach roasting classes. I teach barista classes to the public and to my clients that purchase my coffee beans for their shops or restaurants. I do that every week. And it's gotten so popular at this point that I've had to hire on some instructors to take over for me, you know, for with all of those with basically everything in my life now. Like it's ramped up so much that I've got to hire help. That's exciting. Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 22:28

Super exciting.

SPEAKER_03 22:29

Does that help include students or teachers? Yes. I have a barista that works for me that is a college student, and she's taking over the instruction of a lot of my barista courses. And then I have another one that's a Montessori teacher. She teaches elementary Montessori. Fun. Yeah, she works for me part-time. That's exciting. And what's the significance of the name ala prima? So ala prima is an Italian phrase and it means at first attempt. It's also a type of oil painting. It's referred to as a laprima painting. And it's when you sit down and you complete an oil painting all in one sitting without letting the layers dry in between applications, like the old masters used to do, and they would spend years on a single painting. But you can certainly hash it out with just wet oil paint, wet on wet is another word for it. It's like you just keep going and not letting it dry. And it, you know, takes a day or two, but you got to work many hours on it nonstop. And so when I was first kind of cooking up this idea, I was an art teacher. And the only time that I could really paint for myself was on the weekends because I had, you know, all weekend to dedicate to hash out these paintings. And I needed coffee to keep me up all night long to work on those paintings and finish them before I started school again. Yeah. And so I decided to try my hand at roasting coffee at home. So I bought a little air popcorn popper off of like Amazon for 20 bucks. And then I ordered a little small bag of raw coffee beans online from an online supplier. And I practiced and and I liked it. I drank it and it kept me up all night. And I finished my paintings and I kept doing that. And over time, I started getting really knowledgeable about roasting. And I got pretty good at it, even on that little air popper. And that's when the idea came to me. And so I started planning out buying a bigger roaster and you know, creating a business out of it. And when I asked myself, like, well, what am I gonna call it? I mean, why not? You know, a la prima coffee roaster. It just made sense.

SPEAKER_04 24:34

Yeah. What I think you told me there's kind of a life allegory too with the ala prima meaning.

SPEAKER_03 24:41

Well, we're all this is all like our first time living, you know. Presumably. I mean, we don't really know. We don't really know. We don't really know. That's true. Yeah, as far back as I can remember, this is my first time. And it's it'll be like that every time, I'm sure. But yeah, it's it's everybody's first time doing everything, I think. It was my parents' first time being parents. Right.

SPEAKER_01 25:03

First time walking in a classroom.

SPEAKER_03 25:05

Yeah. First time being a student, first time experiencing a pandemic. Yes, yes. Taking a leap of faith um and opening a business. It was my first time doing that, quitting my day job to make this really risky move. And yeah, I mean, every day is our first time trying out that day and deciding on whatever moves we're gonna make or path we're gonna take that day. Yeah, I love that.

SPEAKER_04 25:26

Your coffee can be purchased at a lot of places, I noticed. Apple Market and Bailey's are two of them. Where are the shops?

SPEAKER_03 25:33

Like, where are the shops that carry my coffee or where are my shops?

SPEAKER_04 25:37

Where are your shops that we can like go into?

SPEAKER_03 25:39

You mentioned the courthouse. Where's the other one? So the main flagship location is at 532 West Garden Street, which is it is on the corner of Garden and Coil. It is kind of across the street diagonal from Everman's Grocery, and we're right next door to uh Colby Ichibon. It's the old car wash location. If you're an old pentacle person, you'll recall the car wash. Well, they've renovated it and it's beautiful inside now. You wouldn't know it was a car wash. That's the original flagship a la prima location. It's got an art gallery inside, a full specialty coffee, espresso bar. You can get lunch there, you can get breakfast, pastries, and we have a drive-thru. That is the coolest. I can't wait to visit.

SPEAKER_01 26:25

Yeah, you've got to go. It is an it's just a great experience. It's so fun. The first day I went to meet Summer, I called her and texted her and said, Hey, I've got this idea. You know, I'm gonna come down. And so I walked in and I was just amazed. It was so neat. I I think I spent all the time looking at the walls and all the different art before I even ordered. So yeah.

SPEAKER_03 26:44

Well, it's funny because you know, when I decided to open that place, I didn't have a lot of capital. And so I was like, How am I gonna do this? I gotta pull this off somehow with what I got. And I had inherited a lot of furniture from my grandparents and from my parents, and I had this garage full of antique furniture, and I had a lot of paintings all over my walls because I'm a painter. And so I was just looking around and I'm like, well, I think I think I think I got most of it. Yeah. So I just kind of I spent like a good month or so dragging furniture into my SUV and then hauling it over to the shop.

SPEAKER_01 27:20

She has a really cool bike hanging. Yeah, I love that.

SPEAKER_04 27:23

I love that you're like authentically hipster. You know what I mean?

SPEAKER_03 27:27

Like this didn't come in your franchise packet. Right. It was not thought out. I was just using what I had, you know. That's so cool. Yeah, and then we have had pieces that have been donated to us. The bike, for example, was donated by my boyfriend Ben. It was his childhood bike. And when we met, I was just setting up the cafe. I hadn't opened the doors yet, but I was dragging pieces of furniture in. And he came in to look at it, the space, and he said, Hey, I have something that I think needs to be in here.

SPEAKER_01 27:54

Yeah, and it's it is a piece that you just go in and think, oh, how neat. And then when you hear the story behind it and the meaning behind it, you know, that's the great thing when you walk through Summer's whole coffee shop. There's meaning behind everything. And when you start talking to her, you know, there's a reason it's all there. And I think that's different from, like you said, a box store, you know, a big box. It's it's very different box.

SPEAKER_03 28:14

The whole idea behind art, you know, that it all has a meaning. Everything has a meaning. Everything we do has a meaning. Yeah. It's intentional.

SPEAKER_04 28:20

Well, there's there's but there's an extra layer here, I think, that we need to make sure we give credit here for to both of you, because there's an extra layer of meaning and an extra layer of intention because you could very easily and justifiably be like, Well, I made it. I didn't die, no one starved to death. You know what I mean? And but you're not, you're like, okay, immediately, what's next? How can I, how can I weave my love for teaching, my passion for student success into what I'm doing, my passion for teacher wellness and you know, my own wellness into all of this. You know, you made the moves and you're here, but you're you're not sitting still. And for that, I think I think we all thank you. Oh, absolutely. I have no intention of sitting still. Well, thank you, ladies.

SPEAKER_01 29:11

She travels all the time. And I think we would be remiss for Summer not to share the news she got last night because it again, it kind of ties into everything she's done. Summer, tell us about your daughter.

SPEAKER_03 29:22

Oh, so my daughter, she is a senior at PHS. She's dual enrolled at PSC and she's an incredible photography and art student. Well, we were gonna go over to the hall center because she had a piece of art that was hanging uh in the show, and she called me yesterday and she was like, Hey, what change of plans? We need to go to PSC because I just got an email that like they're giving me a scholarship or something, and I gotta go accept the award if I want it, but they didn't tell me what it was, and so I was like, Okay, so we we showed up over there, she got the best scholarship. She got an amazing academic excellence scholarship that was unanimously agreed upon by all the art faculty, and she had to stand up, she like just about cried, you know. It was beautiful, she got the most awesome scholarship of the night, and yeah, I'm just so proud of her.

SPEAKER_01 30:14

Oh, that's so the single mom who raised these three kids did everything at the same time. It kind of came full circle with her her daughter, so that's really neat.

SPEAKER_04 30:24

It did. Wow, what a great way to end this. Thank you, ladies. Thank you. Thanks for listening. Be sure to subscribe and share. Voices United in Education is a production of Escandie County Public Schools.