Season 5 begins with an amazing interview. This interview is only the second time I have had a guest on for a second interview. Why a second one you ask? After 34 years as a teacher and coach in Tallmadge City Schools Mr. Jon Shomo has retired.

Mr. Shomo has certainly cemented himself into the history of Tallmadge High School as both a teacher and coach.

As a coach Mr. Shomo has had quiet the journey. For 9 years he was an assistant coach for the women's softball team. 5 of those years they made it to the state final! He was the very first "official coach" of the women's golf team when it transitioned from a club sport to a varsity sport. He coached basketball for a few years. And he has also spent the last 20 years as the men's golf coach at Tallmadge High School.

Mr. Shomo has viewed his role in the classroom as one of a coach as well. For years Mr. Shomo has been teaching government, US history, economics, and a few other "social studies" classes. There are so many former students who love history because of him, vote because of him, and have gone on to become teachers because of him.

In this interview Mr. Shomo shares with us again who inspired him to become a teacher, and the advice he has for anyone aspiring to become a teacher or beginning their career in any field.

For 34 years Mr. Shomo has impacted lives as a teacher, coach, colleague, mentor, and friend. Help me honor his career by listenting to this episode and learning more about this legend of a teacher.

Mr. Shomo...THANK YOU for your time in the classroom and your time at Tallmadge High School.

Mentioned in the podcast: Roger Howard, Russ Jones, Jim Arbor, Don Duffy, Bill Zirke, Lindsay Cammel, Dave Harris, Ann Peterson, Annie Divac, Mike Hay, Nancy Fluke, Ben Curtis, Jon Karnuth, Mike Srodawa, Darin Hudak, Mark Swindell.

Episode 57 features teacher and coach Brittany Lightel. I have known Brittany and her family for a long time, after all, like so many of our other guests Brittany has grown up in Tallmadge, she went through Tallmadge City Schools, and now she is a teacher at Tallmadge High School. 

Over the past year I have worked a ton with Brittany during the school day. She is one of our intervention specialists and her room is right down the hallway from my office. There isn’t a day that goes by where I don’t stop by her room to listen to her laugh and banter with her students. Her classroom is a room of energy and positivity and it fills my bucket just to swing by and listen to her teach. It's the same energy and positivity that she brings everyday to the softball field as our girls head coach.

As our head coach Brittany has poured her heart and soul into coaching our young women. She coaches softball year round. She is dedicated to her craft. This past season was a dream season for her, our girls, and our school in that our team won the Division 2 state championship.!!

Not only that but Coach Lightel was then recognized as the Greater Akron-Canton High School Sports Awards Female Coach of the Year! 

I thoroughly enjoyed interviewing Coach Lightel. Honestly, it is a long episode. The first half we talk about her role as a teacher, and then the second half we chat about softball. 

I loved every second of it, and I know you will.

This young lady is amazing. 

This is the final episode of season 4. Season 5 of Between2bluedevils will resume in the fall. Until then be sure to check out all of the other episodes and hear more amazing stories.

Thanks for listening.

Now, turn up the volume, prop your feet up, and meet Coach Brittany Lightel.

This is a special one. For the past 20 years I have been a "neighbor" of some kind to Mrs. Dunton. For a few years we shared space in what was called the "cart cave." This was a small room with about 5 or 6 desks, a few filing cabinets, and then a bunch of carts. We teachers who didn't have a classroom called the Cart Cave home. Lisa and I lived there, together, trying desperately to stay organized.

When the new high school opened up she and I were blessed with our own classroom. I was room 1110 and she was room 1111. We were right next to each other.

Every single day Lisa would walk into my room and say "good morning neighbor." I could count on it daily. We shared a love of history, a love of our students, and an appreciation for organized chaos. We would both joke often about how we drew encouragement from the messiness of each others desk, knowing we were both kindred spirits in lack of organization.

Mrs. Dunton loves being a teacher, and she prides herself in caring equally for every single one of her students. In the classroom she spent an extraordinary amount of time holding kids accountable and helping them become the best versions of themselves.

Her life outside of the classroom is intriquing. As you hear about it you will agree with me in that it would make an amazing Hallmark movie.

I will miss seeing Mrs. Dunton in the hallways of THS. Our school will not be the same without her, and it is certainly better because of her.

I hope you enjoy this episode as she and I reflect back on an amazing career, and conversate about an exciting future.

Mrs. Dunton, THANK YOU for your commitment to Tallmadge High School. We all wish you only the best in your repurposed life.

Episode 55 features Mr. Ken Subak, who at one time had a career with the FBI and now works as the Six District Compact Work Study Coordinator at Tallmadge High school.

His story is fascinating. About 12 years ago I found out Ken had worked for the FBI and we struck up a conversation about his many experiences working in Washington D.C. I then invited Ken in to speak to my Psychology students about criminals, FBI cases, and the role of psychology in that field. Every semester after he would present the students and I would walk away amazed at the stories he told, and the cases he had been involved in. He has been a part of history.

Equally fascinating is his passion project that he shares with his wife. The two of them are extensively involved in advocating for the deaf/blind community. He and his wife began a non profit and have been diligently working towards creating more access and opportunity for this community. Click here to access their website and see the amazing things they are doing.

During his day job Ken represents our students within the Six District Compact making sure they gain the experience needed to be successful in the next chapter of their life.

His bio is amazing. Check this out:

Check out the trailer for the Subak's documentary: I'm So Amazing

Josh Gambow is a school counselor at Tallmadge Elementary and the Tallmadge high school men’s tennis coach and he is our next guest on #between2bluedevils. He and I sat down not long ago and had a fantastic conversation. Before this conversation I knew very little about this young man. After this interview I couldn’t wait to share him out with all of you. 

He is awesome.

I reached out to a few people familiar with Josh and asked about him.

TES assistant principal Nicole Koyan had this to say about Mr. Gambow…

“I could not do my job without him at Tallmadge Elementary. He is always available, always willing to help out in whatever capacity is needed. He’s an advocate for students and staff alike and has helped us create and nurture the caring and supportive school culture we have at Tallmadge Elementary.”

Later in this interview Josh and I chat about the power of being a coach. He loves coaching. Listen to what one of his tennis players had to say about Coach Gambow. Kevin Bender said this…

"I admire coach Gambow in how much work he puts in on and off the court, how much he helps the team, how he helps us build up new skills to help us win, and how he treats us like his own students even after he leaves his main job. All of these inspire me to be just like him and learn new ways to help others, either with tennis or out in the real world. Coach, Thank you so much for your time." 

In our interview Josh mentions his colleague, Lianna Dauberman. Her story is amazing and she shared it on episode 46 (click here to listen). The two of them are amazing advocates for our elementary students, and they make an incredible team.

Follow Josh on Twitter at: @MrGambow

It is my honor to introduce Josh Gambow to you. He has an incredible story. He is another reminder that everyone has a story, including you, that is worth being shared.

Season 4: Episode 53: Laurie Regallis: Athletic Trainer

Stories are the purpose of #Between2BlueDevils. The theme of the podcast is “everyone has a story worth being told.” This could not resonate more than it does after this episode. Sitting down with Laurie was such a pleasure. 

It is always interesting to interview an individual who see’s how the puzzle pieces of life come together. Generally this is an awareness that comes with age and experience, but in her case, this wisdom has come at an early age.

Laurie cherishes her role as a mother and wife. You will hear the passion in her voice as she shares the story of how she and her husband, Jason, knew each other in the early years of their life…drifted…and then were brought back together. 

Passion and love will scream loudly as she shares with us all about her daughter, her adventure as a mom, and how parenthood has caused her to embrace “childlike wonder.”

It was our conversation about being curious like a child that really impacted me during this part of the episode. So often we lose childlike curiosity. Laurie and I chat about that, where it goes, and how do we recapture that quality.

When not being wife and mom Laurie is busy taking care of hundreds of athletes as our athletic trainer. She shares with us all about her love of sports, her love of serving others, and her love of being on the sideline of whichever sport might be in season.

As our conversation unfolded about her role as AT you could see her love of her profession in her eyes and hear it in her voice. What jumped out at me was how much she values relationships. She takes pride in knowing each athlete on a personal level and building trust with them. This affirms her calling. She is doing what she does to change lives. After all, it was through an athletic trainer that her life was changed as well.

It is always intriguing to hear how one becomes who they are. When I hear about the role that someone in a school played in a person’s life I get really excited. For Laurie it was her AT, Rudy, who had such and impact on her that she wanted to be come an AT just like her. Her AT was more than someone who helped with her injuries…she was a second mom, a friend, a therapist, and a mentor. 

The power of relationship.

Like her mentor Rudy, Laurie demonstrates the power of positive relationships in her everyday life. She keeps her door open for every student who needs help, in any way she can provide it.

You are going to be inspired by this young lady and her story. There is so much more than what I have written here.

Enjoy this episode and please share it out. It is being released on what is the final day of Athletic Trainer Appreciation Month. We appreciate Laurie and all of trainers out there who help our young athletes each and everyday.

You can follow Laurie on the following social media platforms (click the links):

Twitter

“Anne, go in there and MAKE IT COUNT!”

These were the final words that Mrs. Knutty heard before she entered the interview room to sit down and interview for a teaching position at Dunbar Elementary. It had been a dream of Mrs. Knutty to return to her home city and impact lives like she had been impacted as a child.

Almost immediately after the interview Mrs. Knutty found out she had been hired and thus began 33 years of pouring into little Blue Devils lives. For the past 32 years Anne has taught only 3rd grade.

Her story is almost story book…return to your hometown, get a job, reconnect with one of your classmates, marry that classmate, give birth to two incredible children, and impacting the lives of kids on a daily basis.

But the details that fill in the gaps between each of these chapters help you and I, the listeners, see why Mrs. Knutty is such an influential and special teacher.

I can’t wait for you to hear her story. Think about what it might be like to be in her classroom. Think about her words of wisdom where she encourages her students, aspiring educators, and our listeners to:

Build each other up…

Encourage one another…

Let others know the good you see in them, and all around…

So, grab a cup of Crimson Cup Coffee, turn up the headphones, and enjoy this interview with the incredible Anne Knutty.

Past guests mentioned in the podcast:

Between2BlueDevils Interviews:

Tony Anzaldi

Nina DiFalco

Mentions in this episode:

Teach Better: Info about Teach Better 2023!

Livia Chan: Atomic Interactions

Justin Sua: Increase Your Impact: Hunt The Good

“Find the Universal.” When Mrs. Gallagher and I chatted about this “mantra” of hers it deeply moved me. Honestly, I have thought about it all week. As our ELL teacher (English Language Learner) she works daily with students from all over the world. In the three buildings that make up Tallmadge City Schools there are over 9 languages other than English being spoken. These are the young people that Mrs. Gallagher works with on a daily basis helping them learn and adjust to the daily demands of being a student in America.

Her journey into education, and especially her journey to becoming an EL teacher is fascinating. What she does now wasn’t her first, second, or even third career.

Her journey through life encompasses time as a mother, grandmother, artist, college professor, poet, editor, author, and so much more. She describes herself as being curious and creative, both attributes modeled by her mother. Her writings, teaching, and stories certainly give evidence to these characteristics.

Below you will find links to much of her work. She has a gift with words and a passion for poetry and art. She is also extremely passionate for her students. She combines her passion for both words and her students in her class and she teaches her students to describe to the world who they are and and to share their personal stories.

I had the pleasure of sitting in on a recent professional development session where she and 6 of her Nepalis students enlightened our educators with strategies and stories of life as an international student at TCS. Their stories moved me. Much like our guest on episode 48, Serif Krkic, many of these young women were placed in the classroom without understanding English. One young lady, her poem linked below, shared with spoken and written word how she came over as a refugee, like Serif. Her poem is inspiring. Please listen to it, as she reads it in her own voice:

Finding Myself

By the time our conversation ended, as you will hear, Ms. Gallagher made it clear that she is passionate about her stories, her family, her art, and especially her students. She demonstrates and lives out the very same characteristics her students have taught her…

Adaptability.

Hospitality.

Resiliency.

Most of all, the ability to “find the universal” in all people. I walked away from this interview better. I walked away wanting to find the universal and make others feel wanted, seen, and heard.

There is a lot to be learned from Kathleen’s story, and so much to be learned from the incredible students she works with daily.

Enjoy episode 51 and be sure to share this episode with a friend.

Click the links below to learn more about Ms. Gallagher:

Take the Q70 to the F Train? -poem written by Ms. Gallagher

Pushcart Poetry nominee in 2012 for a poem in her book “I See Things are Falling”

Edited and wrote forward to Eternal Snow

Mr. Mark Treen is the head principal at Tallmadge High School. After 17 years at Stow High School, serving as an educator and assistant principal this past summer Mr. Treen became the next principal of Tallmadge High School. 

Mr. Treen wears many different hats summarized in how he describes himself during the interview:

"At the core I am a leader, educator, husband, father but really just a person who shows up with the hard hat, and lunch pale and go to work."

Mark knew at an early age he wanted to be a teacher. As a student at Springfield High School he was heavily influenced by his teachers, especially his band teacher, Mr. Ernie Cole and teacher, Mr. Don Wallace. These two men poured into Mark and laid out for him a "blue print on how to be successful."

Mr. Treen graduated from Kent State University with a BS in Ed in 2006 and then pursued his Masters in Organizational Leadership at Cleveland State, finishing in 2011.

Fun fact, Mark is an Eagle Scout!

Mark and his wife, along with their two children live in Green, Ohio.

You can follow Mark on his journey as principal on Twitter by clicking here: https://twitter.com/marktreen

Episode 49 was an absolute blast to record. I had the honor of sitting down with THS alumnus Tony Anzaldi and talking life, and career choices. Tony is another member of the unique fraternity of THS alumni who have now come back to Tallmadge City Schools to serve as teachers.

Tony is in his 5th year of teaching, and it is his 4th year at Tallmadge Elementary. He teaches science and math in a 4th grade classroom. It is in that classroom where Tony truly shines. He is an amazing teacher and mentor to the children not only in the classroom, but in the school as well.

So many parts of our conversation resonated with me and I could write on and on about those parts. I definitely want to highlight the part of our conversation that centered on having a growth mindset. Years ago my then superintendent Dr. Jeff Ferguson put a book called Mindset in my mailbox. It was written by a psychologist named Carol Dweck. Little did I know that his simple gesture of gifting a book to me would radically change my teaching and my philosophy of teaching. Not only that, but it my personal mindset shifted so dramatically that I will never be the same. You can only imagine the excitement I felt with Tony started talking about the concept of a growth mindset and how he spends countless hours teaching his little ones how to embrace this and become better from it.

As our conversation continued you can hear the excitement and passion in Tony’s voice. It is clear that he is called to this profession and that he loves serving our community and our kids.

Four individuals Mr. Anzaldi highlights as having an impact in his life are Mr. Knutty, Mr. Slivka, Mrs. Conley, and Mrs. Knutty. Four extraordinary human beings whose lives are centered on helping others. After hearing about the influence they have played in his life you will come to realize that no gesture, small or large, is ever wasted and that it can have an eternal impact on an individual.

Mr. Anzaldi is a proud husband to Ally. They have been married for 3 years. They have a retriever named Dolly who keeps them busy and active.

Honestly, I cannot wait for you to hear this episode so stop reading, grab some Crimson Cup coffee, and listen to this amazing young mans story. You will be impressed, moved, and just as excited as I am to hear and share his story.

Please share this episode with your friends and family. Tallmadge is so blessed to have this young man, and so many other incredible educators, in our school system changing lives.

And, as always, please remember that everyone has a story worth being told, even you.

Books mentioned in this episode:

Mindset: Carol Dweck

Man's Search For Meaning: Viktor Frankl

Grit: Angela Duckworth