Ep 212 | Motivating middle schoolers with mentorship?!

SPEAKER_00 1:32

I'm kind of glad you said that because one of the main things that I have written down in my curriculum that I want to make sure that kids know and to learn is that I want them to understand how to make decisions that shape their future. And middle school is that that weird gray middle area where it's like, okay, in elementary school, you're a little child, you know, you're just getting through. Um, middle school, you're trying to find yourself, you know, and and that can be like the very concrete foundation that you build upon.

SPEAKER_01 2:07

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 Itcambe County. You'll meet the real people behind the titles and learn about the amazing resources to support your child's success. Middle school is a transitional time, an awkward time, and an important one. Getting behind academically and socially between sixth and eighth grade can require tremendous course correction effort. But how do you help your child stay on track and mentally grounded when they're parent deaf? My next guest is the Bailey Middle School PE teacher and the founder of a mentorship program for at-risk students. It's called Camp Creating a Meaningful Purpose. And today he's going to share how the program is helping students tap into their motivation and unlock their full potential. Focused on purpose, clearing the way for vision and laying the groundwork for strategy. Cameron Peters. Welcome.

SPEAKER_00 3:11

Wow. That's a great intro. Thank you so much.

SPEAKER_01 3:14

Well, I'm glad you like it. What I couldn't fit in there is that you're also the Bailey Middle School Teacher of the Year and a nominee for the District Teacher of the Year. So seriously, dude, like leave some for the rest of us, please.

SPEAKER_00 3:28

I'll try. I'll try.

SPEAKER_01 3:30

So you're a teacher, a basketball coach, a track coach, and you run a nonprofit through your fraternity. What was going on that made you feel like, you know what? I'm also gonna sign myself up to not just participate in something else, but create it from scratch, submit it to the district for approval, and then run it.

SPEAKER_00 3:51

Man. Well, I'm very solution-based. So whenever I find a problem, I always have to try and find a solution. So I tried to find something that doesn't necessarily feel like a job, but more so came as like a passion, something that I can get up and do every single day that I'm already doing. So that's what made me think of camp. And camp, like you said in the intro, you know, empowers people to unlock their full potential and purpose through mentorship, motivation, and personalized strategies for success. And I base it off of trying to encourage kids to find their why. You know, what is your why? What is your purpose? I want everybody to know that, you know, if you didn't have a why or a purpose, that you wouldn't be here. So sometimes, you know, we need a little extra push or a little extra motivation to try and find that. So that's what made me, you know, found camp.

SPEAKER_01 4:33

So what was the problem that made you think of this as the solution though?

SPEAKER_00 4:38

So in school, um, this is uh, I think my either my sixth or seventh year teaching, you know, they all kind of just run together. But in school, you know, I wear many different hats at Bailey Middle School. But I found myself, you know, doing more than my job description, which I'm pretty sure a lot of educators can kind of relate to. But a lot of students were having issues or trouble, you know, de-escalating themselves or trying to navigate through problems and things that they were having during the school day. And I'm very big on building relationships. So if you don't have a relationship with a child, it's hard to teach them. It's hard to relate to them, it's hard to really get through to them and, you know, teach them anything. So I found myself always being called out of class to either talk to a certain child or, you know, de-escalate a certain situation between a group of kids, and it'll won't even be in my classroom. You know, so it was like I have a walkie on me all the time in school. So we're like, Coach Peters, can you come down and talk to so-and-so, so-and-so?

SPEAKER_01 5:30

So you're getting the bat signal.

SPEAKER_00 5:32

What all the time. All the time. But you know, I take pride in it. It it's definitely very rewarding, but it also goes to show you how big the relationships are, you know, with the child. So if they they're not feeling comfortable talking to their teacher or to a dean or to a principal, by all means, you can come talk to me and we could we could figure it out.

SPEAKER_01 5:50

So there was something that you were doing or a way that you were carrying yourself or something that was the missing ingredient that you were getting plugged into so that you could help make the school an overall more suitable environment for for that growth.

SPEAKER_00 6:06

Right. Cause you know, it's about the success of every child, right?

SPEAKER_01 6:09

Mm-hmm. Exactly. Well, you created the curriculum and then you even got it copyrighted, which I thought was so interesting. What are some of the key lessons in there?

SPEAKER_00 6:17

Man, so we have over 20-something chapters, but some of the key ones that I have in there is like mental and physical health, etiquette, hygiene, manners, respect, de-escalation, even down to job interviews, job applications, learning about credit, checking the savings accounts, all kinds of lessons that you wouldn't necessarily get in a school building.

SPEAKER_01 6:39

Why do I feel like I need this class?

SPEAKER_00 6:40

Hey, it's okay because I help adults too.

SPEAKER_01 6:43

So it's not just for middle school students?

SPEAKER_00 6:45

Right now, it's you know, it's geared really towards children. However, you know, I'm such a people person, so like I'll help anybody, you know. So if I feel like, you know, there's something that I can share with you that could help you in your everyday life, then I'll spend the time, you know, and definitely talking to you and teaching you if you're open to hearing.

SPEAKER_01 7:02

So, how many people like you are there? Is it just you right now?

SPEAKER_00 7:05

So I have two other people in my business or in this program that I work alongside with. And their names are Jamie Harris and Joshua Brooks. These are two people that I fully trust. When I first got into education, and I just graduated from University of West Florida in 2019, they were the first two people that I met that took me in under their wing and kind of just told me, hey, this is how it works here in, you know, in Escambia County and in the school building. If there's anything that you need, you know, feel free to come, you know, ask. We can sit down, we can go out to eat, we can figure it out. And during the time when I first graduated, I wasn't fully certified. So I was under a temporary cert. So I was still trying to pass my P exam so I can be fully certified as a PE teacher. And that's how I met Joshua Brooks. Brooks kind of gave me all his study guides and flashcards and all that good stuff. And I was like, wow, man, this man really helps. You know, he really cares about me. So I'm like, okay, so if I if I create something that I can pay it for, you know, I'm I'm gonna put him on. And that's why I brought Joshua Brooks in. And then Jamie Harris, that's like my second mom. You know, I'm not from here, so I'm from Jacksonville, Florida. So all my family and friends are back home. And I remember one day at school, you know, I was just very overwhelmed. I mean, she kind of saw that I just wasn't moving how I normally move. And, you know, she pulled me to the side and was just like, hey, you know, I know you're very frustrated. I know you probably don't know me, but you know, I've been paying attention to you and I just really love how you're, you know, you're here for the kids and you know, just allowed me to just talk without any kind of judgment. So I was like, wow, you know, that's kind of like what I do for everybody else. So I'm like, we could definitely work. We can definitely relate. And ever since then we had the the greatest and best relationship.

SPEAKER_01 8:43

Wow, that's incredible. So they are kind of you're duplicating yourself through them, but it's interesting because it's like a circle because they also mentored you in a way that allowed you to even start this.

SPEAKER_00 8:54

Right.

SPEAKER_01 8:55

That's it's like a whole ecosystem. Yeah. That's so cool. I love that.

SPEAKER_00 8:59

Yep, it's very cool.

SPEAKER_01 9:00

So, what qualifies a student to be in camp?

SPEAKER_00 9:02

So it's not necessarily that, you know, they have to be qualified, you know, because you know, I want every child. If I could have every child in camp, I definitely would. But for our first year, our principal, Tara Palaciano, she looked at all the level three and level four students that had level three and level four or levels of referrals. Um, so they've she found all the students that had level three and level four referrals that are like repeat offenders. You know, they're always getting in trouble. Not necessarily meaning that they're bad kids, but they're struggling a little bit. So we started with those two levels, and we had to find a way to where we can pull them out of class for at least 30 minutes where it's not affecting their core classes, but in a way where I can start implementing this program with them to try and help them so that they won't get removed or, you know, get put in ISS or ILR or anything like that. So I I thank Terra Palaciano for allowing me the space and opportunity to be able to try and implement this in the school building, where we're currently working on trying to make an elective class next year. So I thought that's pretty cool.

SPEAKER_01 10:05

Wow. That is that's amazing. Because it does sound a little bit like, you know, life 101.

SPEAKER_00 10:10

Yeah. But therapy in a way. School therapy.

SPEAKER_01 10:14

Well, it's interesting that you mentioned the um de-escalation, because what I'm hearing is executive function. Yeah. You know, because if you know how to you you keep calling it like de-escalate yourself, but I keep thinking of like right self-regulation. Like you can recognize, okay, I'm having I'm having a meltdown. Yeah. Right. Which we all have.

SPEAKER_00 10:35

For sure.

SPEAKER_01 10:35

But when you have the ability to recognize that, you are just more cognizant of how that moment is affecting your future. Exactly. Because if you are totally unregulated and you blow up in the wrong person's face, and it just could like that's why middle school is like so delicate because wrong decisions in middle school can cement in your brain and you will identify with those wrong decisions as personhood. But really, like, okay, all right, kiddo, that was like a moment in time.

SPEAKER_00 11:10

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 11:10

So I feel like you are helping the kids kind of reorient themselves into reality because it's a confusing time in middle school.

SPEAKER_00 11:19

It's I'm kind of glad you said that because one of the main things that I have written down in my curriculum that I want to make sure that kids know and to learn is that I want them to understand how to make decisions that shape their future. And middle school is that that weird gray middle area where it's like, okay, you're in elementary school, you're a little child, you know, you're just getting through. Middle school, you're trying to find yourself, you know, and and that can be like the very concrete foundation that you build upon. You know, you wouldn't build a building with shaky foundation or it's not gonna last. So that's why I kind of wanted to stay in middle school. You know, I've had offers to try and go to high school, which I used to coach in high school, but I was like, I I think with with the things that I'm trying to do, it's very important that I stay in middle school because you know it's very important to have that that good foundation before they go to high school.

SPEAKER_01 12:08

And they'll remember you forever.

SPEAKER_00 12:09

Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 12:10

You know what I mean?

SPEAKER_00 12:10

That's so rewarding.

SPEAKER_01 12:11

Like they will remember you forever. I think it's so cool that especially like the teacher field, I think has a lot of women. It does. And so to have a man in that field, and boys, oh, I just love them. But it's just so hard for them in that transition. You know, girls have the advantage of you know, language and we naturally seek out others when we have a problem. And boys are trying to figure out is that what I should do? But wait, is that cool? Is that manly? I don't know. And then in walks you, and you're like, hey guys, we're gonna talk about this. I mean, that's such a gift.

SPEAKER_00 12:48

For sure. You know, growing up, I didn't always have the best blueprint or the best example. I had my father in my life, you know, I didn't I grew up in a two-parent household. However, my dad was military. So, you know, he was always, you know, making sure, you know, the bills were paid and everything. All we had all our necessities. But as far as like that emotional connection, we didn't really have the best. So for me, you know, I remember always saying, like, you know, I gotta figure it out. You know, I didn't I didn't always have the blueprint. So I think that also helped drive, you know, the motivation and building this because it's like I can see and I can relate to some of these young men. So it's like, look, I can be your example. You know, that's why I try to carry myself to a high standard and expectation every single day, because whether you believe it or not, they are watching. They're watching or they're soaking it all in. And it's crazy because it's like I'll notice little things like how they wear their shoes or how they come to school dressed or how they have their hair. And I'm like, they're they're low-key copying me. It's kind of funny, but hey, I I can stick with it, man. I can support it.

SPEAKER_01 13:50

So that's so cute. Yeah. Do you have any particular I call them like mini movies, you know, mini movies of that are memories of of students who it just remind you of why you do this?

SPEAKER_00 14:03

Yeah, so I have lots of students that I've interacted with, I've taught, and I've coached. It's funny because I just had like, I think my first class of students graduate last year. So it kind of shows my age, even though I'm not that old. But there's one student that that comes to mind where, you know, he didn't have the best foundation. He jumped around from school to school, from city to city. I don't think he really understood the purpose of school. He was like, uh, it's something that I gotta go to. There my people are making me go to this. I guess I gotta go. Had lots of absences, was hardly ever at school, and I noticed him early. And I'm like, okay, I gotta find a way to get to this kid. So it could be little things like, hey man, you know, I I like your shirt. Or hey, I I I like your shoes. Man, what size shoe do you wear? Oh, we wear the same size. You never know. I might bring you a pair. Or something to get him to be like, hmm, okay, who is this guy? You know. So when I started the program, I was like, I definitely want this kid in my program. But before I could present it to him, I had to build a relationship with him. So every single day, you know, I was knocking at it, you know, always checking in with him, whether it's my planning period or in between classes where I'll say, hey, I'm gonna go run to the front office or something real quick. But I'm peeping my head into his class just to see if he was there. And over time, you know, I built the trust in him. To where now that he's been in the program for the last couple months, you know, he has told people and even people in his family, like the only reason why I come to school is because of camp. So that I could see Coach Peters, I could see Ms. Harris and Coach Brooks. They're really helping me. And now, you know, his attendance has gone up, his grades have gone up. He has a sense of belonging now. So it's like, okay, I I I can do this, you know. So if I can get him, you know, I can get anybody else for sure.

SPEAKER_01 15:45

I love that.

unknown 15:46

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 15:47

Earlier you mentioned that having a why is really important for the kids. And I I could see how it would be important for, I don't know, I think business people, when I think of why, I think of like, okay, you're gonna start a business, cool. You gotta start with your why.

SPEAKER_00 16:01

For sure.

SPEAKER_01 16:02

But why, why is it important for middle schoolers to be connected to that?

SPEAKER_00 16:08

Yeah. So like I said earlier, I'm a firm believer that, you know, everybody has a purpose and has a why. And your why needs to fuel your passion. So if you don't know why you're doing something, I feel like it's it's hard for you to fully commit, you know, and fully be all in with whatever you're doing. And it just kind of makes me think about coaching and sports and stuff like that. But, you know, going outside of that, I know there's some educators that or just even people at their jobs that say, well, you know, I come here so I can pay the bills, you know. But does that necessarily mean that you're putting your best foot forward? Are you really giving it your all? And I think that's very important with kids because kids can tell if you have a good heart or not. They could tell if you truly care about them or if you're just here just to do your job, you know, and to clock in and leave right when the school day is over. Which is why, you know, for me, I have my hands in so many different things. Like my whole life revolves around kids. That's why I have this program. I, you know, I have my regular day job at the school. I have my nonprofit organization, mentorship program called Pisco Akap League through my fraternity, Cap Alphasai. I also coach and train outside of school. I'm always showing up to events, sports games, recitals, all kinds of stuff, just to show that like I care about you as an individual. You know, I want you to be your absolute best self. So any way that I can do that, I'm always gonna be here to show. I mean, sometimes, you know, kids just don't have that support outside of school, and that's not their fault, you know. So if I can be that person for them, you know, we're slowly making the world, you know, a better place.

SPEAKER_01 17:39

You know, it's not dramatic to say that. You know, I learned that kids process data in a literal way, which is why it's important that, you know, some of their media that they consume be, you know, monitored or whatever. For sure. And so if they at a young age see that, oh, no one cares and you know, I can't be in control of my actions, there is a likelihood that they could become cemented in those thoughts and think that that is a permanent reality. So by you and your your team showing up for them, then they know it's that's not necessarily the reality, but it it can be what you shape of it, you know?

SPEAKER_00 18:18

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 18:19

I wanted to ask you about when you're working with middle schoolers, because in my limited conversations with middle schoolers, I can't say I've had a lot, but in my limited conversations with them, I find that they struggle with what I call hearing their own voice. They parrot the things around them and then they wait for reaction. And it's and I'm wondering if you see that, and if so, like how do you help them s hear their own voice?

SPEAKER_00 18:46

Man, so the first thing that I think about and is some of the lessons that I kind of teach, especially in our young, our young ladies, they watch a lot of reality TV and they think that's how you're supposed to solve your problems. Lord help us. How that's you're supposed to talk to people, and it's like, look, that's TV. You know, they do that for you know the views and the reactions and stuff like that. But this is how the real world works. So let's try that again. You know, sometimes kids will come up to me and I can tell they just have had a day, and they're like, lots of energy, but they approach me the wrong way, and I'll be like, Whoa. First off, hello, how are you doing? How's your day? You know, this is how you greet people. Even if you're you're upset or you're bothered, you know, my mom used to always teach me you don't get a second chance to make a good first impression. It's not that you're trying to impress me, because I know exactly who you are by this time. However, sometimes I'll tell them, let's go back out to the gym and let's try that again with some different energy. So I always try to model the behavior that I want them to see. And sometimes I'll say, Okay, hey, repeat after me. You know, hello, my name is XYZ. These are the things that I like to do. This is how I would like to be spoken to, and these are the things that I like and I don't like. You know, I I feel like it's it's up to you to be an advocate for yourself. You know. One thing that I always teach my students is that, you know, who's in charge of you? You are. So if you can't voice some of the things that may be concerning you, how are you expecting someone else to perceive you and be able to to understand and talk to you? And it's hard for some students, especially in middle school. It is very hard. But that's what I'm here for to help them navigate through that and to learn how to how to speak and how to do that. You know, so all in all, you know, I try to model the behavior and and the vocab that I want them to be able to do for sure.

SPEAKER_01 20:32

So do you feel like there's a connection between their outward presentation of self and hearing their own voice? Because that's where I see the the challenge is for example, I there was this 13-year-old girl that I was mentoring, and I would say, Well, what's important for you in a friend? And she was like, I don't know.

SPEAKER_00 20:52

I get that a lot.

SPEAKER_01 20:53

And then sh she would just ha give some weird answer, or I would say, you know, this this thing happened out there in the world. What's your like when I say that, what what feeling comes up for you? Yeah. And she'd be like, It's fine.

SPEAKER_00 21:07

Yeah, they've never been asked those kind of questions. And I'm the same way. So for me, I have to process, you know, and sometimes my processing takes longer than it needs to, or would I the time that I have. And I think that's what a lot of middle schoolers are are going through right now, or it's like you'll ask them a very in-depth question, and they're like, um, I don't know. But those are the kind of questions I want to ask them. You know, I want to challenge them. And sometimes I'll say, I don't need an answer right now. You know, I want you to think about that. And I'm gonna come back tomorrow and we'll see what we what we got. And then we can work off that. Does that answer your your question? Yeah, it does.

SPEAKER_01 21:45

Yeah, it sounds like that you're in the process with them. Right. That you're not giving because to me, I'm like, oh, Cam has like a secret formula. Like, I don't know. Tell me what it is, Cam. But it sounds like what you're saying is you're sitting in the question with them. Right. You're like, yeah, we don't know. Crazy, right?

SPEAKER_00 22:04

But we could figure it out together though. And we're here. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 22:07

And I actually really like that because that's not the answer that I would uh one of your goals with Camp is to help kids identify strategies for success. You know, you talked about mindset, we talked about how you present yourself. I love that as an adult with a fully developed brain, you know, I have I still have a hard time imagining middle schoolers who envision money and success, anything other than through the lens of like Mr. Beast on YouTube. Right. You know, and am I just being cynical in thinking? No.

SPEAKER_00 22:41

Yeah. So first thing that comes to mind when you say that is like a lot of my young men, they feel like the only way out is if they become a professional athlete or something like that. And it's like, no, one of the lessons I have is, you know, trade schools. School is also not for everybody. You know, that's that's the stigma that you have to graduate, that you have to go to college to be successful. That is just one avenue that you could take. So of course I'm going to encourage you to finish school, get your degree. You know, if you would like to go to college, here are the things that I can help you with to get that and to attain those goals. However, if you can't do that, here is some alternatives. I think when you give kids options, it's like, okay, well, that helps them find themselves as well. So they're like, okay, I know I may not be able to do that, but I can do this, you know. So I'm gonna give it my all in this and see where it could take me. I think into Today's time, you know, there a lot of kids are so focused on social media and YouTube, like Mr. Beast and stuff like that. And but that's very rare, you know. Not saying that you can't attain it, because I feel like you can attain anything in this world if you put your mind to it and you work hard. But we also got to be realistic, and that's another thing about me. Um, all my students know that I'm very transparent and I'm very real with them. And so sometimes they're gonna hear some things that they may not want to hear, but it's coming from a good place, it's coming from love, and that's why it's very big to build the relationships because if you don't have the relationship with the child, but then you're telling them some real stuff, they're closed off. You lost them, you know. So I won't really open that door until I know for sure that I've gotten to a point where I might be able to say some things for the betterment of themselves without them taking it personal. And then now, you know, they're they're closed off and they got the walls up because now I gotta break that wall back down. And that's just time that I may not get to have, you know, with them.

SPEAKER_01 24:27

So mentorship is completely key.

SPEAKER_00 24:29

Big time. Big time.

SPEAKER_01 24:31

What do you hope is next for camp?

SPEAKER_00 24:34

Man, so I love that question because my mind is always, you know, trying to evolve and just trying to elevate. My end goal is to hope that, you know, camp gets so big that I can end up having a building here in the city where it's like your one-stop shop, you know, where it's open to all kids. They can come in, they can get their lessons. Whether it's, hey, I got a job interview today, I don't have a suit, or I don't have a dress, or I don't have dress shoes or a belt. Can I come in and borrow this so that I, you know, I can be ready for my interview? Hey, I'm struggling with, you know, this certain skill in my sport. You know, can I come in and work with you one-on-one on this? I want to grow it to where it's not just me. You know, I find like-minded individuals that truly have the passion and working with kids because working with kids can be very overwhelming sometimes. But somebody that I know that, you know, I can trust, they can come in and they can do exactly what is needed. And it's bigger than themselves. So I want camp to grow not just in the city of Pensacola, but you know, worldwide. That that would be a dream come true for me. But we can start off with Pensacola, you know.

SPEAKER_01 25:39

I think that's a solid start.

SPEAKER_00 25:40

Heck yeah.

SPEAKER_01 25:41

Tell people where that they can stay in touch with all of the growth and all of the things. And also if there are maybe someone who works for Escambie County Public Schools that may want to incorporate this curriculum into their school, like how can it how can people do that?

SPEAKER_00 25:57

Yeah, for sure. Well, the curriculum is copyrighted. You know, I'm waiting for a few more things to come in to where maybe possibly I could maybe sell it to, you know, other schools or other organizations where they can implement it there. But for right now, we do have an Instagram page at camp.lc, so c a mp.lc. I try to keep everything updated, whether it's merch, future events, seminars, or anything that I may be having, or guest appearances that I might be having where they can kind of learn more about it. We did just have a sixth grade expo over at Bailey Middle School where I got to have a table there. So that was pretty cool. I'm working on, you know, getting a website up. I'm just trying to get more data and more things so that, you know, when I do drop it, you know, I have everything there so people aren't wondering or asking too many questions. But yeah, for right now, you know, you can follow me on Instagram. And then in the near future, as we continue to grow, we'll have a website. And I'm pretty sure you see lots of merch going around town where I have I've sold shirts, hoodies, I have layers, I have wristbands, and they all have a story to them as to why, you know, I created that. A lot of people think camp is just like a like a clothing brand, but it's really not a clothing brand. While I was like trying to develop my curriculum, me being a PE teacher, a lot of kids weren't dressing out. So I I love fashion, I love shoes, I love clothes. So a lot of kids were always complimenting me on my clothes and my outfits. So I remember asking a child one day, and this was like three years ago, I was like, hey, so if I, you know, create a shirt, would y'all like buy it and wear it? I'm like, heck yeah. So I was like, hmm, okay, I can do something with this. So I'm like, I know my end goal is to have a mentorship program. So I was like, let me design a logo. I'm gonna say it's my brand, I'm gonna stamp it on a shirt, and I'm gonna give it out. And I started doing that, and kids were putting my shirts on, and they were dressing out and receiving better grades in my class. So I'm like, okay, I gotta try and do some more with this. So I created wristbands, wristbands that had like motivational sayings and stuff on them, like got purpose or like what is your why? And I correlated that obviously with my my mentorship program that nobody really knew about at the time that I was creating on the back end. So I started selling those and they started buying those. That turned into hoodies because a lot of kids, it's funny because in PE, they don't check the weather app. They don't check the weather app. So it'll be super cold, but they're coming in short-sleeve shirts and shorts. And I'm like, it's very cold outside. We're gonna be outside. So I'm like, okay, let me figure out something to do with this. So I created hoodies that had, you know, sayings on them, like faith, blessed on the arms, you know, where they could see it. And then it had, you know, what is your why on the back or got purpose on the front. So that turned into hoodies. So a lot of people were like, Well, yeah, I love your clothing brand. And I just kind of had to keep my mouth shit, like, oh, okay, well, thanks. You know, it's not really a clothing brand, but y'all gonna see what it's really about soon. So when I finally dropped the curriculum, and it came right on time because that's when I got nominated for teacher of the year at Bailey Middle School. And I just finished writing the curriculum and I was like, okay, this is such divine timing. So as soon as I finished it, you know, I didn't think I was gonna go really beyond being teacher of the year at Bailey Middle School. So when I got the invite to see if I wanted to go run for top 10, I was like, huh, you know, that's very time consuming. I don't really have a lot of time, but why not? You know, I'm always pushing my students to, you know, to push themselves beyond their limits, you know. So I'm like, I gotta lead by example, so let's just go for it. So, you know, I did all the requirements and everything that you had to do, and I got nominated for top 10. So I was like, okay, wow, this is pretty cool. So I'm like, all right, it didn't stop there. I had to do some more interviews and some papers and stuff like that, and I got nominated for top five. And I was like, okay, so now we might actually be on to something. You know, so this is actually affecting people, and people are actually loving it. So I'm just, I'm just gonna continue to keep shooting for the stars, um, continue to keep building, elevating, and you know, hopefully everything works out. We'll see where it goes.

SPEAKER_01 30:00

I think you're giving the kids at Bailey something very big to be proud of. Thank you for sharing it.

SPEAKER_00 30:06

Yeah, well, thank you. I appreciate it.

SPEAKER_01 30:09

Thanks for listening. Be sure to subscribe and share. Voices United in Education is a production of the Scambia County Public Schools.