Stay ConnectedThe CharacterStrong Podcast: Weekly conversations for anyone in education.
CharacterStrong provides an evidence-based, multi-tiered solution to support whole child success. Curricula and trainings that improve behavior, increase safety, and support mental health.
For more information visit our website: characterstrong.com
John Rodney graduated in 2004 from the University of Maine at Farmington with Bachelor of Science degrees in both English and Secondary Education. He began his career teaching at John Burroughs High School where he aided in the implementation of the College Preparatory English classes, working closely with Glendale Community College to ensure students were college ready in the area of English. For the past 9 years, John has been teaching at John Muir Middle School in Burbank, California as a 7th grade English teacher. For the past 4 years, he has also been the ASB/student leadership advisor. His philosophy for the classroom is one of inclusivity. While teaching the skills of reading, writing, punctuation and grammar, he strives to build empathy though the work the students do with their classmates and their interactions through the stories they read and the writing they produce.
Naudia Bosch is the Activities Coordinator, ASB Advisor, and Leadership teacher at North Creek High School (NCHS). She started out as a Special Education teacher in 2005 and in 2012 she had the opportunity to step into student leadership as a co-Activities Coordinator and ASB Advisor at Inglemoor High School. Once she dipped her toes into student leadership, there was no going back. She taught both ASB and Special Education up until this school year. In just their third year of being opened, NCHS has doubled their ASB student enrollment, and now Naudia teaches full-time ASB and Leadership classes. With her background in special education and also being an Air Force veteran, Naudia instills equity, inclusion, service, and sacrifice in every aspect of her teaching. She works diligently with her students to create an ASB program that has servant-leadership at the core, and strives to show all students, staff, and community members that step onto campus that they are valued, cared for and loved.
Brandee Collins is a fourth-grade teacher at Lloyd R. Ferguson Elementary in League City, Texas. She is a wife, a mother, a 25-year veteran teacher, and enjoys reading and staying active.
Kevin Ozar was born and raised in the city of Detroit, a place he deeply loves. He graduated with degrees in History, English and Education from the University of Dayton and has a Masters in Teaching and Learning from Marygrove College. He has been in education for the last 23 years, has taught every grade from 6-12 in content ranging from Drama, AP literature, US History and pretty much everything in between. He currently teaches 8th grade at Farmington STEAM Academy and is a trainer for the Boomerang Project, traveling around the hemisphere helping teachers and students improve the culture of their schools and foster youth leadership. He has spoken in front of more than 15,000 people, collects Air Jordans, and plays basketball despite being both old and slow. Sometimes he has a beard, sometimes he doesn't. He lives in Grosse Pointe, Michigan with his two daughters, his very patient wife, three cats and two fish.
John and Houston celebrate national #SELday! They talk about what SEL is, how CharacterStrong's work is advancing SEL in schools & communities, and Houston shares a story of a district that has creatively implemented the CharacterStrong Curriculum and the impact that it has had.
CharacterStrong Co-Founders John and Houston talk about the changes in our world these last few weeks and they share about some resources & practical tools that can provide hope & inspiration: Virtual Assemblies, the CharacterStrong Virtual Tool Kit, the Whole Child Virtual Summit, and the Kindness Journal.
Lindsey graduated from Stephen F. Austin State University in 2013 with a degree in history and secondary education. She has a master's degree in educational leadership and has been working in education for 8 years. She has taught 8th-grade U.S. History for the past 5 years at Mayde Creek Junior High. In 2015, Lindsey was awarded Campus Teacher of the Year. Just recently, she became a Social Studies Instructional Coach for Mayde Creek Junior High and Cardiff Junior High in Katy ISD. She is a proud wife and mother.
Christine Mazzi is a 16 year old Ugandan-American living in the Bay Area. She is the CEO and founder of The Woman of Color Project (ProjectWOC), an instagram based community organization that strives to inspire and empower young women and girls of color. When she is not Leading Project: WOC she loves to read YA novels, have light-hearted debates, spend time with her family, and rewatch Friends (or any Jubilee youtube video under the sun). Christina was recently named the 2020 MLK Student Humanitarian of the Year in her County and a #icanhelp 2019 Digital For Good Award Recipient. You can find out more at: https://instagram.com/projectwoc
Dawn MacFarland has 20 years of service to military-connected students and families through DoDEA (Department of Defense Education Activity). She began her teaching career in Tucson, Arizona, and has since taught in London, England, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, as well as Hanau and Stuttgart, Germany. Ms. MacFarland teaches language arts and humanities, and her lifelong commitment is dedicated to educating the whole child—mind and heart. Ms. MacFarland's career is cultivated by a mindset that looks beyond typical markers of student success and dives deeper into areas of long-term student development and growth. Her entire concept of teaching revolves around the idea that in education, as in life, leaders need to build relationships, and create climates of security, in order to get the best out of the communities they serve. Ms. MacFarland was a finalist for DoDEA 2020 State Teacher of the Year, and she is the 2020 Europe East Teacher of the Year.
Aaron Hancock has been the Head Coach at Wyoming High School in Cincinnati, Ohio for the last eight seasons. He attended and played D3 football at The College of Mount Saint Joseph in Cincinnati. He has been a Physical Education Teacher at Wyoming High School for the last 19 years. The last four seasons his teams have gone 52-3 and has a career record of 85-14. In eight seasons as a HC, his program has won 6 League Titles, 2 Regional Runner up, 2 Regional Titles and 1 State Title. Prior to becoming the fourth Head Coach in last 64 years at Wyoming High School, he was an assistant coach at Wyoming for eleven seasons. Aaron and his wife, reside in Wyoming with their three boys.
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