Podcast
Jordan Supercast
Hosted by Jordan Supercast · EN
The Jordan School District Podcast Starring Superintendent Anthony Godfrey
33episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Episode 351: Double Determination to Win as Twin Sisters Coach Riverton Girls Lacrosse Team to State Championship Title
Yesterday00:19:13Tap to summarizeThey are identical twins with an identical goal, getting the very best out of high school athletes on the Riverton High School girls lacrosse team. On this episode of the Supercast, meet identical twin sisters Hannah and Maddie Kelleher who recently led the Riverton High girls lacrosse team to their very first state championship title. It was a hard-fought victory that came down to the wire in overtime. But the winning didn’t stop there, the team had something else to celebrate as Coach Hannah Kelleher was named the 2026 Utah USA Girls Lacrosse Coach of the Year. Audio Transcription Transcription coming soon.
Transcribe →
Episode 350: Riverton High Student Delivers Heartfelt Handwritten Messages to Every Single Schoolmate at RHS
1w ago00:18:18Tap to summarizeHe was on a mission to make sure no one felt alone, left out, or without a friend at Riverton High School. On this episode of the Supercast, find out how Riverton High Student Body President Seth Christensen managed to write and deliver a personal message to every one of his 2300 fellow students, hoping to make them feel seen, loved, and never without a friend to turn to. It was a labor of love that took Seth a year to complete, spreading smiles and happiness throughout the halls of Riverton High. Audio Transcription [MUSIC] Seth Christensen: If someone writes me a letter, it means the world to me. I've saved every single letter I've gotten since I was in eighth grade. I wanted to find some way that I could make every single student here at Riverton feel loved. Anthony Godfrey: How many students do we have here at Riverton? Just let everybody know. Seth Christensen: Well, at the beginning of the year, we had 2,335. Anthony Godfrey: And so you've written over 2,000 cards. Seth Christensen: Yes. [MUSIC] Anthony Godfrey: Hello and welcome to the Supercast. I'm your host, Superintendent Anthony Godfrey. He was on a mission to make sure no one felt alone, left out, or without a friend at Riverton High School. On this episode of the Supercast, find out how Riverton High student body president Seth Christensen managed to write and deliver a personal message to every one of the over 2,000 students at Riverton High, hoping to make them feel seen, loved, and never without a friend to turn to. It was a labor of love that took Seth a year to complete, spreading smiles and happiness throughout the halls of Riverton High. [MUSIC] Anthony Godfrey: We are at Riverton High School today talking with the student body president. Please introduce yourself. Seth Christensen: Hi, yes. My name is Seth Christensen. I'm the SBO president here at Riverton and a senior this year. It's awesome. Anthony Godfrey: Seth, you are on the cusp of graduation. How does it feel to be this close to the end of your public education? Seth Christensen It is crazy. I've had many, many great memories here at Riverton. I owe Riverton so much. I owe Jordan School District so much. It's crazy to think I'm graduating, but a lot of good memories were made here and a lot of good memories are going to stay in those journals. Anthony Godfrey: Well, you've been an incredible leader. It's been really fun to watch, especially this year, the things that you've accomplished and the way that you've lifted your whole school. And that's why we're here today to talk about a particular project that a lot of people have taken interest in. It's the project where you wrote a card for every student in the school. Talk to us about that. Seth Christensen: Yeah, it's been one of the best decisions I've ever made, is taking on this project. I wanted to find some way that I could make every single student here at Riverton feel loved. I knew if I just relied on meeting and saying hi to every single person I saw, yes, it would be good and it'd be great. I do do that, but people are going to fall through the cracks, because obviously I'm not going to have a physical interaction with everyone. So these letters are the next best idea, trying to find some way to get my words of affirmation to these people. Anthony Godfrey: That's really incredible. How many students do we have here at Riverton? Just let everybody know. Seth Christensen: Well, at the beginning of the year, we had 2,335, and then we've had people join throughout the year. Anthony Godfrey: So you've written over 2,000 cards. Seth Christensen: Yes. Anthony Godfrey: Tell me about the process of writing those cards. How much time did that take? You have to pace yourself. And these are handwritten cards, every one of them. Seth Christensen: Yeah, handwritten cards. All of them are personalized. They say something different. It's been awesome, because to write a personalized letter to someone, you can't not know them. So I got a book with all the names in the entire school, all the students. Started going through it, wrote letters to those that I knew. Then once I got through the book once, I now had a list of people at the school that I didn't know. A lot of them were sophomores, so I talked to my sophomore class officers. I'm like, “hey, do you know this person? How would I get to know them? What did they like doing?” and trying to track down each individual student to try to get a personal relationship with them. And it was incredible, because as I started doing that, I just started to get people at Riverton and know them on a much deeper level than I would have before. Anthony Godfrey: Is it hard to get through the hallway now, because you know so many more people than you did at the start of the year? Do you need a special pass to be a little bit late to class, because there are too many people to talk to? Seth Christensen: I wish. That saved me a lot of makeup school. But it's awesome being able to walk in the halls and say hi to each person that's coming by. Be able to call them by name, because I think just that, being able to know someone's name, means a lot to them. It meant a lot to me. This entire project was inspired because the SBO president, when I was a freshman, knew my name. And I didn't even go to the school. I wanted to help people feel that love that he helped me feel. So that's what these letters are inspired from. Anthony Godfrey: Well, it's just an example of how when you do something kind for someone, it does tend to be paid forward, and it does spread. But you have really worked hard to make sure that no one is left out, and that's particularly difficult to do. Like you said, great effort saying hi to people and getting to know people, but you have to be very intentional in order to reach the people that you don't get to know just because of your grade level or classes or activities you're involved in. Being deliberate like that and intentional is just really valuable and really impressive. Seth Christensen: Thank you. Anthony Godfrey: Tell me, you said that you wanted to make sure that everyone at Riverton felt loved. Why did you feel that need? Seth Christensen: The students at Riverton High School are the best people I have ever met in my entire life. Truly, they are some of the most inspiring people you will ever see. You know, I've seen people go through such hardships this year, and not only do they go to school with a smile, but they're carrying a weight. My goal is to help people know that not only do I love them, but I'm here to support them. And words can only go so far, but once you have a project like this that's like, "Hey, I'm willing to put in time to write you this letter. If you have an issue, come talk to me. Let's do it." And throughout this year, I've gone to a lot of counselor appointments with different people, helping people, and it's truly been incredible because I have had experiences and opportunities that I wouldn't have had any other way if I didn't get to reach out to them first. For example, I had someone come up to me and say, "Your letter came up the perfect time." Found out that their parents were getting a divorce. And I had someone else who came up and just started crying to my arms, and their sister had died of cancer the week earlier. It's just deep. I think if I didn't do these letters, actually, I don't want to think about it. I want to keep it where it is. Anthony Godfrey: Well, what I love about this is that you created this opportunity. It's not even that someone said, "Hey, you should write a card to everyone in the school." And then you decided whether that was worth your time. You care about the students, every student at Riverton, and you tried to think of a way to reach out and make sure they knew that you loved them. That's pretty incredible. Seth Christensen: Thank you, Dr. Godfrey. And if anyone knows it's you, it's like once you get to know these people, they're pretty easy to care about. They're pretty easy to be able to look them in the eye and ask them how they're doing. It's pretty easy once you understand how truly incredible they are, how blessed we are to even know them. Anthony Godfrey: Well, you're exactly right. And you've heard me say it before. I get a backstage pass in Jordan District. Is that the way I like to say it? And I get to meet lots of incredible people. And they're all incredible in their own way. The more you get to know them, the better you can understand that. This is a lesson that you're going to really benefit from for the rest of your life. But every person who received a card is going to benefit from this in a big way as well. One other thing that I love about it is that you don't have anything to gain from this. It's not like you're the student body president and now you're going to run for Supreme Chancellor and this is really going to help with the votes for you to be Emperor Palpatine or anything. It's like you're finishing your time here and you wanted to make the most of your position. You wanted to make the most of your opportunities. That's probably what I admire the most is that you've been creative about making the most of your time because too many times we look back and think, oh, there's more I could have done. You're going to have lasting friendships and even acquaintances. Aren't acquaintances a wonderful thing? Seth Christensen: They’re awesome. Anthony Godfrey: Someone that you know. But maybe you don't know them deeply, but you know them and you have a connect and you'...
Transcribe →
Episode 349: Learning About “Candy Bomber” Builds Bond Between Students from Berlin and Students at West Hills Middle School
2w ago00:19:40Tap to summarizeThey have been learning together, while thousands of miles apart this year, about the rich history of Air Force Pilot Gail Halvorsen, nicknamed the “Candy Bomber” or “Uncle Wiggly Wings” from his time flying candy drops in Germany during the Berlin Airlift. On this episode of the Supercast, find out what happens when students from Berlin arrive in Utah to join West Hills Middle School students as part of their Colonel Halvorsen history lessons. It all culminated in the bonding of young minds, making chocolate bars, a moving assembly, and inspiring words from Halvorsen’s daughters, words that would make “Uncle Wiggly Wings” proud. Audio Transcription Mark Sanderson: You know, the Candy Bomber was all about from small things, great things come and this event today was a manifestation of that. Daughter: We're just so thrilled that his legacy could continue because of the principles he taught. Lorraine Moore: He had no idea the power of what he started, but he spent the rest of his life sharing that. [Music] Anthony Godfrey: Hello and welcome to the Supercast. I'm your host, Superintendent Anthony Godfrey. They have been learning together, while thousands of miles apart, about the rich history of Air Force pilot, Gail Halvorsen, nicknamed the Candy Bomber or Uncle Wiggly Wings, from his time flying candy drops in Germany during the Berlin airlift. On this episode of the Supercast, find out what happens when students from Berlin arrive in Utah to join West Hills Middle School students as part of their Colonel Halvorsen history lessons. You'll hear about the bonding of young minds, making chocolate bars, an impactful assembly, and the inspiring words from Halvorsen's daughters, words that would make Uncle Wiggly Wings proud. We're talking now with Mark Sanderson, the teacher who put all of this together. What a wonderful event. Introduce yourself and talk about what inspired you to bring everyone together to commemorate Gail Halvorsen today. Mark Sanderson: I'm Mark Sanderson. I teach 8th grade at West Hills Middle School, 8th grade English. The project started really two years ago. I had been doing chocolate projects before that in connection with “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.” But since I wasn't teaching “Charlie,” I thought, "Hey, like, I need something else." But also I had been collaborating with the Aggie Chocolate Factory up at Utah State. And I said, "Hey, like, we've done this a few times. Like, let's do something more ambitious, like something bigger. Like, what about the Candy Bomber?" And they said, "Yeah, he's connected to Utah State. He came here." So they really latched onto the idea and I said, "I'm gonna reach out the Candy Bomber Foundation and make sure they're okay with that. I want to make sure we're doing it legitimately." I emailed the Candy Bomber Foundation and they were like, "Yeah, totally. Let's do it." And the project has really, to me, the key of the project has been the collaboration. Everybody who's been involved with it has caught the vision of it and has made the project bigger and better. Through the foundation, we were connected with the Gail Halvorsen School in Berlin who also did the project and had their students fly out here today. So to me, it's just been the collaboration that's the big takeaway. Anthony Godfrey: What impact do you see this having on students and on the community? Mark Sanderson Hopefully it'll make projects like this more possible, like easier to do, more common to do. And we can take pride in some of our local heroes and celebrate them at our schools. Anthony Godfrey: Well, I really appreciate the creativity and the drive and the energy that you brought to this. These are the types of experiences that students will never forget. What is the personal impact on you of Gail Halvorsen's story? Mark Sanderson Well, I don't... well, ultimately I'd rather have my students remember the event than necessarily remember me or my name. If they can remember the event, to me, that's the main thing. But for me, you know, the Candy Bomber was all about from small things, great things come. And this event today was a manifestation of that. It started with a small idea and a bunch of other people joined in to make it happen, make it possible. I couldn't have done all this by myself. So I think it's a manifestation of his vision, his belief, his legacy. And hopefully our students will collaborate with others to make big things happen that are positive in our community. Anthony Godfrey: Well, today's activity, in my mind, honors what he did and exponentially extends the influence of his actions. I just really appreciate your providing such a unique and meaningful experience for these students. [band music] Anthony Godfrey: Talking with Lorraine Moore about the Gail Halvorsen Foundation, we're here waiting for the Candy Bomber event to happen. Tell us a little bit about what you do. Lorraine Moore: Wonderful. I appreciate the opportunity at the Candy Bomber Foundation. We're looking to carry on Gayle's legacy of kindness, service, education, and really bringing hope to people that need it because we all do. Anthony Godfrey: I remember that he was very active in the community, loved visiting schools, and I got to meet him when he visited, I think it was, Oquirrh Hills Middle School years ago. Lorraine Moore: Fun. And if you got the opportunity to speak to him for 30 seconds, you had a lifelong friend. Anthony Godfrey: Yes, that's right. Lorraine Moore: He's always like that. Anthony Godfrey: Yes, very friendly. Tell me about the work that your organization does. Lorraine Moore: Absolutely. Well, Gayle always felt that education is the power to create a life, and service is the power to create a life of joy for yourself and for those that you're serving. So we like to combine those two elements, and our programs are values-based STEM programs, not only teaching kids what they can do with science and education, but what good they can do, and helping them to see how important even a little bit of good, even just two sticks of gum or a parachute with a chocolate bar, how much that can do for people. Anthony Godfrey: Well, Gail Halvorsen is an incredible example of making the most of your circumstances and finding opportunities to do good, not just do what you're assigned to do, but to go well beyond that. Lorraine Moore: Way beyond that. He was very likely thought he was gonna get court-martialed for doing it, but he saw a whole generation of children that had never known anything but war, and there was just a light had gone out of their eyes, and he realized, "I can't do a lot, but if I can do a little, I can bring a little bit more light back in those eyes," and he had no idea the power of what he started, but he spent the rest of his life sharing that. Anthony Godfrey: When he did that, I'll bet he had no idea it was going to last a lifetime, and well beyond. For those who may not know, tell the story of Gail Halvorsen and what he did. Lorraine Moore: He grew up here in Utah, so he is a local hero. He was serving in the Berlin airlift as one of the cargo pilots, bringing in food and fuel and all of the supplies that Berlin needed to survive after the war, and when they would unload the planes, the pilots would want to get out, stretch their legs, and him just being a people person, the first thing he loved to do is go talk to the people at the fence of the airport, and usually it was young kids. A group of them there loved meeting the American pilots. He loved that he could help these kids realize that planes flying into their airport didn't mean bombs. It meant someone was here to help, and that meant a lot to him, and so one day he was at the fence and he just really felt inspired. These kids needed a little something more. He reached in his pocket and all he had was two sticks of gum. He thought two sticks of gum and 30 kids, I'm gonna start a riot. He was so worried, yeah, but he just knew he had to do it, so he gave the gum to the kids, and instead of fighting over it, they broke it into the smallest pieces they could break it into, and the kids who didn't get gum smelled the wrapper. Double mint gum. It's become the smell of freedom all over the world, and for them they knew that was the smell of freedom, and they asked him, "Don't give up on us. We can do without food for a while, but if you guys give up on us, we'll lose our freedom, and we'll never get it back," and it just really put a fire in his heart to do more to help these kids, so he told them he'd come back and he'd bring them more candy. He went that night and got everyone's candy bar rations and everyone's handkerchiefs and tied parachutes and made these parachutes with the candy. The kids asked him, "How will we know it's you because there's a hundred planes coming in every hour and we don't know who you are," so he told them he'd wiggle his wings, and that's how he got the name Uncle Wiggly Wings, and so a legend was born. Anthony Godfrey: I didn't know that part. I didn't know that part. That's cool. Lorraine Moore: Yep, he loved that. That was one of his favorite nicknames. Anthony Godfrey: And how many candy runs did he make? Lorraine Moore: I don't know how many runs, but by the time they were done, they had dropped almost 10 million pounds of candy. Anthony Godfrey: Wow. Well, thank you so much for being here, and let's join the ceremony. Lorraine Moore: Yeah. Anthony Godfrey: Stay with us when we come back. We continue to celebrate Gail Halvorsen at West Hills...
Transcribe →
Episode 348: Mountain Ridge High Student Has Defining Moment, Crowned Utah Miss Amazing Teen
3w ago00:17:09Tap to summarizeShe is a high school student determined to pursue her dreams, and never let a disability get in the way of her drive to success. On this episode of the Supercast, meet Mountain Ridge High School junior Linda Boequi who was recently crowned Utah Miss Amazing Teen 2026. Hear how finding success in the competition is helping Linda and others explore their passions, in and outside of school, with pride, purpose, and power. Audio Transcription Transcription coming soon.
Transcribe →
Episode 347: More Than One Kind Act a Day Gets Daybreak Elementary National Kind School Designation
4w ago00:20:25Tap to summarizeThey are spreading kindness and enhancing a positive culture at Daybreak Elementary School. The school even celebrates student kindness with a big parade through the happy halls of Daybreak once a month. On this episode of the Supercast, find out how Isaac Broadbent, school counselor at Daybreak and a former Daybreak student himself, has stepped in, revamping school wide expectations, and together with the support of teachers, is making kindness rule number one. The work has earned Daybreak a national Kind School designation. Audio Transcription Isaac Broadbent: Through this program, Teach Kind, we were able to go through each grade and teach a variety of lessons centered on kindness and how that looks like, how that sounds like, and how that feels, and the impact it can have. Student: I think kindness is important because it makes people feel noticed and wanted, and it just makes people feel like they're proud. [Music] Anthony Godfrey: Hello and welcome to the Supercast. I'm your host, Superintendent Anthony Godfrey. They are spreading kindness and enhancing a positive culture at Daybreak Elementary School. The school even celebrates student kindness with a big parade through the happy halls of Daybreak once a month. On this episode of the Supercast, find out how Isaac Broadbent, school counselor at Daybreak and a former Daybreak student himself, has stepped in revamping schoolwide expectations and, together with the support of teachers, is making kindness rule number one. The work has earned Daybreak a national Kind School designation. [Music] Anthony Godfrey: We are at Daybreak talking with the school counselor, Isaac Broadbent, about a kindness initiative that's been happening here at the school. But first, talk to us a little bit about yourself. Isaac Broadbent: My name is Isaac. I am a school counselor here and I've been a school counselor for about three or four years. I started here, and then I stayed because it's so amazing. And, fun fact, I actually used to attend the school when it was first built. Anthony Godfrey: And what grade did you... How old were you when you came? Isaac Broadbent: Fifth and sixth grade. So, when it first opened up, they pulled us from Rose Creek to help populate it a little bit because Daybreak wasn't as built out as it was back then. Anthony Godfrey: Right. Yeah. Isaac Broadbent: And so, I was a student here and there were some familiar faces that were around as well. Anthony Godfrey: Some of the teachers are still here that were there when you were in fifth grade. Isaac Broadbent: Correct. Yep, correct. There's actually, I think, four. Yeah. Four of them. So, it was kind of cool to have a full circle where I was a student. And then, lo and behold, I'm working here with some familiar faces from back then. Anthony Godfrey: And how has the school changed? First of all, it seems a lot smaller now, right? Isaac Broadbent: It's a lot smaller. I remember this was a gigantic place when I was a student. Anthony Godfrey: That's right. That's right. Isaac Broadbent: But no, it's really great because obviously I'm biased. I really like this school because I used to go here. And it's great to be able to help it become a better place because the whole reason why we kind of want to focus on kindness is that in our MTSS meetings and leadership meetings, we were realizing that there's just a lot of meanness going on. Every school has their bullying instances, but there's just a lot of overall just meanness, just one-off jabs and things like that. Anthony Godfrey: Yeah. Isaac Broadbent: And so, through a process, we revamped our entire school system with our big three rules and number one is being kind. And we really tried to push that as much as we could. And so, with this year particularly, we doubled down on kindness and through this program, Teach Kind, we were able to go through each grade and teach a multiple, I guess I should say, a variety of lessons centered on kindness and how that looks like, how that sounds like, and how that feels, and the impact it can have. And then we were able to wrap it all up with a huge school-wide initiative that included snowflakes, actually. Anthony Godfrey: Tell me about the snowflakes. Isaac Broadbent: Yeah. So, as part of this program and this designation, we had to, after we focused everything on kindness throughout the school year, we had to wrap it up with a school-wide project. And that project was, each student was able to get cutouts of a snowflake, and they would write down what they did as an act of kindness for someone else. And then I would periodically go by week after week and collect those and then hang them in a main hallway that we have. Anthony Godfrey: So, these how large are the snowflakes? About the size of the palm of your hand? Isaac Broadbent: Yeah, exactly. Anthony Godfrey: Okay. Isaac Broadbent:And we had hundreds of them. Anthony Godfrey: Larger than actual size. Isaac Broadbent: Large, exactly. Yep. And we wanted to kind of have that visual effect so everyone in the school could see how kindness was falling over. Anthony Godfrey: Some things were snowballing. Isaac Broadbent: Exactly. And that's a good way to put it. Anthony Godfrey: Nice. Isaac Broadbent: And so, we had hundreds of those, right, get submitted throughout that time window, and they were all out there on display for a while. And then we were able to submit for the Kindness designation and luckily, we were able to get that award. Anthony Godfrey: What organization gave the award? Isaac Broadbent: Oh, yes. It's the Teach Kind program. And so, it's a national program and we were able to get nominated as a Teach Kind school, one out of 32 in the nation. Anthony Godfrey: Wow. Isaac Broadbent: And so, it was really cool. Anthony Godfrey: That's fantastic to have that designation. That's wonderful. So, what are some of the other things that you did with students to help motivate them and not just motivate, but to highlight the great things that they were doing to focus on kindness? Isaac Broadbent: Yeah, absolutely. So, what I would do is I would go in and push into every class, every grade level, and have different presentations and lessons based on kindness. Anthony Godfrey: So, it's not just, "Hey, everybody, be kind," but it's, "This is what kindness looks like. These are some specific things you can do to be kind and some things you can avoid in order to be kind." Isaac Broadbent: Yes, exactly. We did a deep dive. I even, with one of those lessons, shared the science behind kindness and the psychology that goes into that because it's the only thing in this world that doubles when you share it. And there's nothing else that does that in the economy, in the world, nothing like that. Anthony Godfrey: Wow. Isaac Broadbent: We just really focused in on that. And since it was such a high priority, we had a lot of momentum going. And so, we had a lot of those students being kind and then filling out those snowflakes. And since we had so much momentum, we decided to keep it going even though the submission deadline had passed and we were waiting to see if we got the award or not. We moved forward with this kindness initiative with the challenge of looking for kindness or writing it down and sending that to those individuals who are being exceptional. Anthony Godfrey: Now, I've heard about a kindness parade. Is that right? Isaac Broadbent: Yes. Yeah, so we have, yeah. Anthony Godfrey: Explain that to the folks. Isaac Broadbent: Absolutely. Yes. So, that's actually one of the things that we revamped at our school with our leadership team is we have something called an MVP parade. And so, a teacher gets to nominate an MVP for the month who has shown exceptional kindness and looking out for others. Since then, we've actually modified it to match up with different elements of A Portrait of a Graduate to be aligned with the District. Anthony Godfrey: Yeah, I love to hear that. Isaac Broadbent: And so, yeah, we've kind of modified it since then but initially, we were just focusing on kindness. And so, for a couple of the parades, it was just only kindness, who has been a leader and outstanding in kindness. And then, on the first Friday of the month, we would call all the families together of the MVP kids and they would re-line the halls of the school as well as the rest of the school and the students. And then, we would get them all together, we'd line them up in the office and then we would make a lap around the entire school while everyone's just cheering them on. Anthony Godfrey: Wow. Isaac Broadbent: For a good like 10, 15 solid minutes just like a huge spotlight on them. Anthony Godfrey: Great. So, the MVPs walk through all the halls, one from each class, with the entire school cheering them on. Isaac Broadbent: Yes. Lots of clapping, lots of cheering. Everyone's chanting, "MVP, MVP." So, it's really wonderful to have that spotlight on the students. Anthony Godfrey: Yeah. I don't remember being cheered by 600 people in elementary school. That's got to be quite a good feeling and I love that this reaches students from five years old to 12 years old. This is a wide range, so you really have to adapt your kindness lesson to the classroom you're visiting. I...
Transcribe →Episode 346: CTE Internships Give Students Priceless Professional Workplace Experience
Apr 2300:19:37Tap to summarizeThey are getting top notch on-the-job training by industry professionals while still in high school. On this episode of the Supercast, hear from some high school students themselves about all the benefits of internships offered in Career and Technical Education or CTE. Find out how internships allow juniors and seniors to have fun doing what they love, while exploring career paths, building professional networks, gaining industry-recognized skills, and earning high school credit. Audio Transcription Transcription coming soon.
Transcribe →
Episode 345: How “Pony Races” Track Progress in Standardized Science Testing
Apr 1600:17:27Tap to summarizeElementary schools in Jordan School District are giving each other a run for their money in the second annual “Pony Races.” On this episode of the Supercast, hear how two incredible science specialists came up with the idea of “pony races” to track RISE standardized testing progress and make science exciting and fun for students and staff. It’s turning out to be a win-win for everyone. Audio Transcription Transcription coming soon.
Transcribe →Episode 344: The Gold Standard of School Counseling: Meet Mountain Creek Middle School’s Nationally Recognized Team
Apr 900:23:33Tap to summarizeThey work tirelessly to give students every opportunity to find success in and outside of the classroom. On this episode of the Supercast, meet the amazing counseling team at Mountain Creek Middle School, recently recognized as an American School Counselor Model Program. It is a prestigious national recognition that is not easy to come by and only given to the best of the best in comprehensive school counseling programs around the country. Audio Transcription Transcription coming soon.
Transcribe →Episode 343: Teacher by Day, Women’s Tackle Football Player by Night
Apr 100:16:56Tap to summarizeShe is a teacher by day and plays defensive line for the Utah Falconz at night and on weekends. On this episode of the Supercast, meet West Jordan High School business and financial literacy teacher Makayla Brown who has a passion for playing women’s tackle football in the premier semi-pro league. Hear how this teacher balances her time in the classroom with her love for being on the football field taking on teams from all over the country, part of the Women’s National Football Conference. Audio Transcription Makayla Brown: When I heard about the Falconz, I moved to Utah and this is my fourth season with the Falconz and it's a lot of fun. It's a great sport, great community. I honestly think the mental aspect is sometimes harder than the physical, but it's definitely taught me resilience, how to problem-solve, how to navigate challenging situations, and I feel like sports can be implemented in many walks of life. [Music] Anthony Godfrey: Hello and welcome to the Supercast. I'm your host, Superintendent Anthony Godfrey. She is a teacher by day and plays defensive line for the Utah Falconz at night and on weekends. On this episode of the Supercast, meet West Jordan High School Business and Financial Literacy teacher, Makayla Brown, who happens to have a passion for playing women's tackle football in the Premier Semi-Pro League. Hear how this teacher balances her time in the classroom with her love for being on the football field, taking on teams from all over the country as part of the Women's National Football Conference. [Music] Anthony Godfrey: We are here at West Jordan High School talking with a teacher who also happens to be on the Utah Falconz football team. Introduce yourself and tell us a little bit about your involvement in the team. Makayla Brown: Hi, I'm Makayla and I'm a teacher here at West Jordan High School. This is my first year here. I play for the Utah Falconz. I've played defensive end, middle linebacker, and a little bit of offensive guard. This is my fourth season with the Falconz and it's a lot of fun. It's a great sport, great community, great team. They've really become my family. Anthony Godfrey: And to clarify, you go by Mack, and the Falconz go by Falconz with a Z at the end. So let's just clarify all that. Is that right? Makayla Brown: That's right. That's correct. Anthony Godfrey: Mack, tell us about, for those who are not football fanatics, tell me about the responsibilities in the positions that you play on the Falconz. Makayla Brown: Yeah, so defensive end, your job is containing that outside edge. Also looking for the quarterback, the possibility that you could hopefully sack the quarterback, that's one of the main positions there. Middle linebacker, you're protecting that middle field, watching for runs, and shutting down those, making big defensive stops when possible. Anthony Godfrey: And tell me, what do you love most about playing for the Utah Falconz? Makayla Brown: I would say what I love most is just the community that it brings. I moved here from Virginia, and I didn't have any family or friends here. And within one practice, I made a whole family of over 30 girls that support me, and we just have each other's backs, and it's just become like a really big family, and we're just all super involved. I think also just being able to continue my athletic career. I played softball in college, and after that I was just wanting to do something else. When I heard about the Falconz, I moved to Utah and it's been a blast. Anthony Godfrey: So did you move to Utah to play on the Falconz? Makayla Brown: I did, yes. Anthony Godfrey: Wow, that's awesome. Tell me about that. How did you find out about the Falconz, and that's a big leap. I've lived here for a long time, so it's really interesting to think that you'd say, "Alright, I'm going to move, I'm going to do this." Makayla Brown: Yeah, it was definitely a big leap for sure. I found out about it. A girl I played softball with in college. I happened to see one of her Facebook posts one day, and she had posted that she was on this women's professional tackle team, and I instantly sent her a message and asked like, "How do I join? I would love to be a part of it." And she told me to come to Utah and come to tryouts, and so over the summer I applied for jobs and luckily landed a job here with Jordan School District. I moved out here in August and I tried out in October and made the team and I've been with the team ever since. Anthony Godfrey: Wow, that's awesome. So was that your first football tryout when you came out here to try out for the team, or had you played football before? Makayla Brown: It was my first official tryout. In high school, I played like powder puff or flag football but nothing super formal so that was like the first. Anthony Godfrey: And not tackling taking people to the ground either? Makayla Brown: Yeah, no that was completely brand new. Definitely a steep learning curve. I had a lot to learn. It was very humbling at times, but yeah, brand new, brand new sport essentially. Anthony Godfrey: I think that's really cool that you moved out here for that, and learned about it through a softball connect. Tell me about your team. What's the season? How many games? Where do you travel to? And I read on the website it's semi-professional, so what exactly does that mean? Makayla Brown: So our season runs typically from the first of April through the end of May is our regular season. We play six games. Three of those are home games, which this season is located at Judge Memorial High School in Salt Lake City, and then we play three away games. Our away games this year are in Portland, Oregon and then we also are traveling to San Diego and then also Los Angeles for our games this season. Anthony Godfrey: So that's exciting. And are those same teams coming to play you? Makayla Brown: So we actually have three different teams coming to play us. This year we're playing Kansas City which will be for the first time. We've never played them in a regular season game. We will also be playing the Seattle Majestics and then Las Vegas as well. Anthony Godfrey: And is the league growing? Are there more and more teams and more and more opportunities to play? Makayla Brown: Yes absolutely. Just in the last year we've added two new teams. We've added the Golden State Storm which is based out of Sacramento, California, and then also the Jersey Shore Waves, which is in New Jersey. Anthony Godfrey: If someone wants to catch a home game, is there a home game in May? Makayla Brown: There is. There are two home games in May, and actually I was able to talk with our general manager over our team and anyone in Jordan District. If they bring their badge they can get into a game for free to honor teachers and give back to the community. That's something we really pride ourselves in as community involvement and giving back to as many people as we can. Anthony Godfrey: Outstanding. Well we'll put that in the show notes but we'll also email that out to employees and make sure that they all know to come. And you play those at Judge Memorial, is that right? Makayla Brown: Yes sir. Yep Judge Memorial all of our games are at 6 p.m. and so we play in the evening which is nice it's not as hot. Anthony Godfrey: Okay great, and tell me about the rules is it is it similar to NFL or how does it vary? Makayla Brown: Yeah, great question that's a question we get asked quite a bit. We follow NCAA guidelines so very similar to college football. The only difference we have is instead of a pick six it's a pick nine, so if we're able to intercept and run it for like run it back, it actually counts for nine points instead of six. Anthony Godfrey: Pick nine? Is the scoring the same otherwise? Makayla Brown: Yes sir, the scoring is the same completely otherwise that's just one little I guess perk or bonus we have. Anthony Godfrey: The pick nine I'm gonna declare right now that the NFL and the NCAA need to start the pick nine. I like that. That's there ought to be a bonus if you can if you can intercept the ball and take it all the way back. I like that a lot, okay great. Well, let's all go out in May and let's see a couple of pick nines. Are they, are they are they happening for the Falconz this season? Have there been any pick nines yet? Makayla Brown: I sure hope so. We've had two preseason scrimmages and we've done really well so hopefully a pick nine is in our future for sure. Anthony Godfrey: Alright we're gonna watch for that, we're gonna watch for that. Is it the same number of players on the field at the same time same positions all of that's the same? Makayla Brown: Yes everything's the same we have 11 players on each side of the ball all other rules apply so yeah everything's pretty much the same as in NCAA college. Anthony Godfrey: Okay tell me about your quarterback. Makayla Brown: Yeah so our quarterback, we have a new quarterback this year, her name's Sarah she is a rookie to our team. In the past, played flag football but this is her first year playing tackle and she's done a phenomenal job, not only on the field but also like as a teammate uplifting others and being a real leader for our team. Anthony Godfrey: How about your coaching staff? Is it coach Rasmussen that's your head coach? Makayla Brown: Yes Coach Rick, Coach Rick Rasmussen. He is our head coach this y...
Transcribe →
Episode 342: Community Volunteers, The Secret to Celebrating JSD “Outstanding Educators”
Mar 2600:16:41Tap to summarizeThey are the quiet, but fiercely passionate force behind celebrating 68 Outstanding Educators in Jordan School District every year. On this episode of the Supercast, meet the caring community volunteers who are part of the Jordan Education Foundation, making it possible to recognize and reward teachers who rise to the top. Teachers in every one of our schools, who are often brought to tears when total strangers show up to thank them for their tireless work in the classroom. Audio Transcription [MUSIC] Jenna Miller: Being a part of this Bus Day, going around to different schools and celebrating outstanding educators means a lot. You actually get to learn about what these outstanding educators are doing in their classroom, the impact they're having. Laura Klarman: We saw the mayors involved, they would come to their local schools. I love seeing again that community support is so important. [MUSIC] Anthony Godfrey: Hello and welcome to the Supercast. I'm your host, Superintendent Anthony Godfrey. They are the quiet but fiercely passionate force behind celebrating 68 Outstanding Educators in Jordan School District every year. On this episode of the Supercast, meet the caring community volunteers who are part of the Jordan Education Foundation, the group that makes it possible to recognize and reward teachers who rise to the top. They reward teachers in every one of our schools, teachers who are often brought to tears when total strangers show up to thank them for their tireless work in the classroom. [MUSIC] Anthony Godfrey: We are on the bus today celebrating Outstanding Educators with the Jordan Education Foundation. We're talking now with Jordan Education Foundation President Jenna Miller. Jenna, thanks for taking a few minutes with us. Jenna Miller: So glad to be here, so glad to be on the bus today. Anthony Godfrey: So for those who do not know what Bus Day is or even Outstanding Educator Awards, would you please describe what this program and what this day is all about? Jenna Miller: Yes, I would love to. So the Jordan Education Foundation, each year we have the opportunity to recognize outstanding educators in every school in our District. There's one day in particular where we join together and ride on the yellow school bus as a [Jordan Education] Foundation Board with a great driver. We have the chance to visit the top 12 or 14 teachers that were nominated for Outstanding Educator for the entire District. Anthony Godfrey: There's an award for an educator at every one of our 68 schools and for 14 of them, they receive $1,000 and an invitation to the banquet. It's just for every educator, this just means the world. All of them get a sign for their yard and a sign for the school so that everyone knows what an amazing educator they are, along with a lot of other really cool prizes. So the Foundation does an incredible job of putting together a really fun package for every teacher. You've done this for a long time. Talk to me about the impact of giving these awards. Jenna Miller: Well, it's always a pleasure to be able to go out and visit all 68 schools every year to see the things that they are doing, to recognize Outstanding Educators. As a Foundation, we have the chance to read nominations that principals and staff and students and parents and peers put together. So, we actually get to learn about what these Outstanding Educators are doing in their classroom, the impact they're having with their school and with students in terms of their testing and the impact that they're having each and every year through their nominations. Anthony Godfrey: We get to see the families come, families are invited to supporting their teachers, talk about that. Jenna Miller: Yes, this is the best. So all of these visits are kept as a surprise. But the principal reaches out to family members to let them know that this special award will be given and they coordinate with family to make it a large surprise. People fly in from out of state. There's family members, friends, sisters, cousins, as well as their peers in the school. It makes the party even better to have the people that you love there to celebrate you. Anthony Godfrey: It's really an amazing experience to be able to see a teacher honored in this way. And there's no way it can happen without the Foundation. So we really can't thank you enough for your leadership and for all the work that the Foundation Board members do and our sponsors do to make these awards possible. Jenna Miller: Yes, we are so grateful for our sponsors, for the community support that we receive from businesses and individuals that want to support Outstanding Educators in our District. And it does impact our schools and our District overall, and we're grateful for this opportunity. Anthony Godfrey: : It's a huge morale boost, not just for those getting the award, but it feels good to be in a District that has this community support and the Foundation really provides that in a way that I don't think anyone else in this state benefits from. So we're really thrilled to have you and to have the Foundation be so involved in who we are as a District. Jenna Miller: Well, thank you. Yes, we have four staff and 32 volunteer community members that give up their time, their talents, their treasure to all support educators and students in our District. Anthony Godfrey: Any moments or stories from this year in particular that stand out for you? Jenna Miller: Well, one of the things that we love, especially on Bus Day, is to get to recognize our Principal of the Year. And that's something we got to do today at Aspen Elementary School. Principal Susie Williams, who has had amazing impact on this school, but also the community that her school resides in. Susie does a great job and it was such a privilege and honor to recognize her as the Principal of the Year. Anthony Godfrey: Thanks for everything you're doing. Jenna Miller: Thank you. [APPLAUSE] Male Voice: We are here to recognize Ms. Heckman as Copper Hills Outstanding Educator of the Year. [APPLAUSE] Female Voice: It was really powerful enough to just go and do that for a lot of people, appreciate all the hard work you do. Sorry. Male Voice: So we are really fortunate to work with a great group of people. Look at all the people that are here to support you today. But we get nice donations from the community to help support our educators. They want us to let you know that you're loved and appreciated. Anthony Godfrey: We're talking now with Ryan Gregerson, the newest member of the Jordan Education Foundation Board. Introduce yourself and tell us what it's been like to jump in right before teacher awards like this. Ryan Gregerson: It was like the best timing ever. So I'm an attorney in town, have a law firm in South Jordan. I grew up in Jordan School District going to all the schools in Jordan School District and also the son of an educator. My dad was an elementary school teacher for 40 plus years. My mom was a lunch lady. My sister's a teacher. So education's super important to me, and it was just such an honor to be on the Board. And the best time ever to start being on the Board and get to see all these amazing educators getting these awards. Anthony Godfrey: Yeah, it's so fun and it means a lot to have members of the community come back and you have a ton of education connections. We have a connection as well. You were my student in middle school many years ago. Ryan Gregerson: Yes, indeed. Anthony Godfrey: And a very memorable one in all the right ways. Ryan Gregerson: Yeah, it was great. Honestly, we talk and I tell everybody this even when Dr. Godfrey's not here, but in eighth grade and ninth grade, he was the favorite teacher. Everybody loved being in his class. He was the cool teacher, had a band that he played in. Had him for English in eighth grade, French in ninth grade. Great memories of last year of being a middle school up in Copperton.Anthony Godfrey: Yeah. Ryan Gregerson: That had ever existed and then we got to open up West Hills Middle School, which was also super fun. Anthony Godfrey: We shut it down together. Ryan Gregerson: We did, we did. Anthony Godfrey: Talk to me about how you have felt as you have seen and been a part of honoring these teachers at various schools. Ryan Gregerson: What's been really special for me is it's in part, I always kind of see it like it's also my dad. Because he sacrificed a lot to be a teacher and to raise our family and to do all the things that he did for his students. So seeing these same sacrifices be recognized by amazing teachers, inspiring kids, is just so personally special to me to see that recognition happening and to be inspired by them. Anthony Godfrey: Well, it means a lot to have you on the Foundation Board. We love that you're part of it. What would you say to those who are thinking about being involved either through a donation or by serving on the Board? Ryan Gregerson: I mean, there's so many things that are great about what the Foundation does. With the South Valley Chamber last year, we had the opportunity to do a fundraiser to be able to provide more for the pantry packs. It was something I didn't even know existed that through the school district and the Foundation, that students who don't have sometimes a meal over the weekend or over a holiday, that there's something that actually can be done to help give these meals to them. That there are actually students in this D...
Transcribe →