Host Joy Walczak from Kent ISD speaks with Mandy Bernal, PBIS Coordinator, Mill Creek Middle School, Comstock Park, Comstock Park Mill Creek Middle School students, and Krista Harmon, Workforce Development Consultant, Kent ISD.
Full Transcript:
Joy Walczak (JW): Welcome to the Your Dream Is Our Dream podcast where we celebrate student success one dream at a time. And today, we're celebrating many dreams with students from Comstock Park.I'd love to have them each introduce themselves and also their leader here today at Maranda's Beautiful U event. Let's start with their leader.
Mandy Bernal (MB): Hi, my name is Mandy and I am the PBIS coordinator at Mill Creek School in Comstock Park.
JW: And you brought several students today. Why don't you each introduce yourself?
Students: My name is Sophia and I'm in seventh grade.My name is Dakota and I'm in seventh grade.My name is Lila and I'm in seventh grade.My name is Olivia and I'm in seventh grade.
JW: We also have another special guest with us and it's Krista Harmon, our Workforce Development Consultant for Kent ISD. Krista, why don't you say hello as well?
Krista Harmon (KH):Good morning. I'm so glad to be here with these girls.
JW: We are here celebrating student success and also finding out what makes our students beautiful at Maranda's Beautiful U event, which is very exciting.I'd love to start out by having each of you share what you might be dreaming of for your own future. Why don't you give us a shout out now?
S: When I get older, I want to join the police force.
JW: Fantastic. How about you?
S: When I'm older, I hope to be on Broadway.
JW: On Broadway. What a great dream. And you?
S: I would love to be a marine biologist.
JW: Fantastic.
S: I would love to be a vet.
JW: These are all wonderful dreams and aspirations. And as a coordinator for your program, how are you helping students, even at this middle school age group,start to realize what pathways they have for their dreams?
MB: Just bringing them to events like this that we have here today so they believe in themselves and know that they are capable of doing anything and pursuing their dreamsand just building confidence.
JW: This is about building confidence and making sure our students understand that they're beautiful from the inside out.Is there something happening at school that you feel is helping you to make your dreams come true, even at this early age?
S: Being able to be included in my school and try to make a difference, even if it's small.
JW: All differences are big, so thank you for doing that. How about you? Do you have a teacher or someone else who inspires you to go ahead and achieve your dreams on Broadway?
S: My teacher, Mr. Thompson, who runs an after-school drama club.
JW: Fantastic. And are you currently in plays?
S: We will be doing one next year, that I know of.
JW: Fantastic. It's good to get out there and actually give yourself an opportunity to do something you've never tried before.Is there something happening in your school that inspires you to get on your path of marine biology?
S: I feel like for me, just being able to be in all the groups and social with people and I know my teacher, Mr. Borland, really helps me in my future.
JW: Great. And what kinds of groups are you part of that are helping you in your dreams?
S: Like, I do band for one, and then I was in girls group, and I constantly help out whenever I can, whenever I have free time. I know I help out Miss B in the office.
JW: That's great work. Keep helping. How about you? Are there things happening in education that are helping you to make your dreams come true or maybe in your future in education that you hope will make your dreams come true?
S: I would say my friends are pretty encouraging.Not, but not really.
JW: So. Friendships are so important and they really help you um solidify what you want to be when you grow up and also just the kind of people you want to be.Krista, what kinds of pathways can you share with our middle school students for helping them take their next steps?
KH: At this age, it's so great just to explore, whether it's volunteering at a local organization or doing summer camps where you're just exposed to new opportunities and experiences, because we really don't know what we don't know, right? So, the more we can get involved and read about things and engage with people, the more we can learn. And that's just the best part of being a seventh grader is just to explore.
JW: I'm glad you're all here starting that exploration today. Would you like to share with us um why you think it's important for us to even ask our students this young what they're dreaming about?
KH: I think it's really important that we start young. They need to believe in themselves and be able to come to programs like this to empower them and give them strength and courage to know to continue, push on and join those clubs, participate in all the extracurricular things and especially before they even get to high school so they're prepared and confident.
JW: Fantastic. Would you like to share maybe a word of encouragement to your fellow students or even students who are younger than you who might be needing a boost of confidence to encourage their own dreams?
S: Your weaknesses make you stronger.
JW: What a great piece of advice. How about you? Do you have something you might like to share with the next generation of Broadway stars?
S: It might get easier, but if you don't get a role, that's okay.You can try for next time.
JW: Keep trying, absolutely. How about you? Is there something you'd like to share with your peers or even maybe younger siblings or cousins who are just getting started on what those ideas might be?
S: I guess just enjoy the experiences and you can forgive, but you don't have to forget.
JW: Absolutely. How about you? Is there something you'd like to share?
S: Confidence is key.
JW: Fantastic.So I think since we're here at today's Beautiful U event, for Maranda, why don't we all say on the count of three, we are beautiful together. Can we do that? All right, here we go. One, two, three.
All: We are beautiful!
JW: Fantastic. Thank you so much for dreaming big. We'd like to thank everyone also for listening to our podcast today.If you'd like to hear more podcasts in the Your Dream Is Our Dream series, go to KentISD.org. The Your Dream Is Our Dream podcast is presented by Kent ISD in partnership withWGVU.
