Find Your Spark

In this episode, hosts Brooke and Chad sit down to talk about what mentorship really means to them and why it matters so much, both in life and in their work with SPARK. They dig into the different forms a mentor can take: a teacher, a boss, an older sibling, or someone who never fits neatly into any of those categories at all. Sometimes the most influential mentors show up in the most unlikely places.

Brooke and Chad share who their own biggest mentors have been and how those relationships shaped the people they are today. They talk about how mentors move in and out of our lives at different stages, showing up exactly when we need guidance and stepping back once we've found our footing. A good mentor doesn't hand you the answers. Instead, they point you in the right direction and help you realize the confidence and strength that was already inside you.

The conversation also turns local, with Brooke and Chad reflecting on SPARK Mentoring Programs and what it looks like to be a mentor in this community every day. At the heart of it all is presence: showing up, staying connected, and letting someone know they're not navigating things alone.

Tune in for an honest, heartfelt conversation about the people who guide us, and how each of us has the power to do the same for someone else.

This week, we're doing something a little different and a lot more personal. Brooke and Nicole are celebrating their August birthdays in true Leo fashion. In this episode, the two co-hosts reflect on what it means to be born in the sign of the lion: natural leaders, fiercely loyal, endlessly passionate about the people they serve and an almost stubborn refusal to give up on those they believe in.

But no birthday is complete without a little reflection. This conversation goes somewhere real - Brooke and Nicole open up about how much they've each grown professionally and personally since starting at SPARK in their younger years. They each share something they would share with their younger selves - the advice they needed before they had the words for it, and the kind of love that comes from living it.

Whether you're a fellow Leo, a late-summer birthday twin, or just someone who loves watching people grow into who they were always meant to be - this one's for you.

In honor of National Non-Profit Day on August 17, Chad sits down with special guest Nicole Wilson, SPARK's Special Initiatives Manager, for a conversation about the heart behind nonprofit work. Nicole has been with SPARK for a decade, spending those years leading community initiatives and gaining a firsthand understanding of what it takes to serve others well.

Together, Chad and Nicole dig into why nonprofit work deserves recognition, from the everyday dedication behind the scenes to the lasting impact felt by the communities SPARK serves. It's a heartfelt look at what keeps people committed to this work year after year, and why days like this one matter.

Whether you're part of the nonprofit world yourself or simply curious about what drives it, this episode offers a genuine, insider perspective worth hearing.

Want to be part of the impact? Support The SPARK Initiative today: https://www.thesparkinitiative.com/ways-to-give

In this episode, Shawn hands over the mic for a rapid-fire Q&A with Carter Reece, one of Brooke's kiddos, age 14. Rather than the usual format, Shawn lets Carter take the floor, asking him about the issues he sees today, the struggles young people face, and opinions he doesn't often get asked to share.

It's a rare chance to hear directly from a young voice on topics that shape his generation. Educators, social workers, program directors, community advocates, and those working in systems of care will come away with a fresh, honest look at how a young man is thinking through the world around him.

In honor of International Day of Friendship, Brooke welcomes her work and real-life best friend Ashley Hunt to the podcast for a heartfelt celebration of the bond they share. Brooke arrives with a surprise she has been working on for an entire year: a gift called "30 Reasons Why You're My Bestie." Listen in as she reads excerpts aloud to Ashley for the very first time, and stay for the laughter, tears, and honest conversation as the two unpack the perfectly balanced relationship they have built both in and out of the office. This episode is a beautiful reminder of what it looks like when friendship flows from a place of connection, presence, and genuine appreciation for one another.

This week, Chad sits down with Afreen Gootee, a thought leader in trauma-informed care, retired educator, and founder of Thoughtful Minds Consulting. Afreen brings decades of experience in education and training to an honest conversation about what it truly means to see and support the people around us.

Together, they explore her journey through the classroom, her work as a trainer, and the passions driving her today, including her advocacy for cultural awareness and the power of building genuine connections with people whose backgrounds and perspectives differ from our own. Afreen reminds us that understanding one another isn't just a professional skill, it's a human one.

Tune in for a conversation full of warmth, wisdom, and practical insight for anyone working in education, systems of care, or their own community.

What if the worry you carry every day isn't actually protecting you? This week, Chad sits down with special guest Ashley Hunt to explore a powerful passage from Mavis Karn's book It's That Simple: A User's Manual for Human Beings. Together, they unpack how worried thinking so often becomes a habit, one we convince ourselves is keeping catastrophe at bay. In reality, that constant mental rehearsal of what could go wrong only makes life heavier and more anxiety filled. The truth? Most of what we worry about never comes to pass. Tune in for a conversation that just might help you loosen your grip on worry and rediscover the peace of mind that's been there all along.

This weekend, America turned 250. On this episode of Find Your SPARK Podcast, Chad takes a moment to reflect on what that really means.

The conversation starts where it should: freedom. Not just fireworks and cookouts, but the freedom to make our own choices, live our own lives, and decide who we want to become. What does freedom mean to you, personally?

Chad celebrates the freedom we enjoy as Americans while also digging into the responsibility that comes with it. Freedom was never free. Generations before us sacrificed, fought, and built so that we could have what we have today. Honoring them means more than remembering. It means living with intention and using our freedom well.

Tune in for a conversation that will leave you feeling grateful, grounded, and ready to carry the spirit of Independence Day forward with a little more meaning.

Happy 250th, America!

Chad hits pause this week, and he's inviting you to do the same. In a lighthearted reflection on summer, he speaks directly to the students and educators SPARK serves and reminds us all that rest isn't something you earn, it's something you need. Summer is the perfect time to recharge, and this episode is your permission slip to do exactly that.

History gives us perspective. It reminds us that change is possible, that progress takes courage, and that the work is never truly finished.

In this episode, Chad reflects on what Juneteenth means beyond the holiday itself. Freedom is at the heart of this day, but freedom looks different depending on who you are and where you come from. What does freedom mean to you? What does opportunity look like in your life right now? What does equality still need to look like?

Juneteenth invites us to sit with those questions honestly. To honor the lessons left by those who came before us. To look at how other people's experiences differ from our own. And to ask ourselves what we are doing, right now, to create opportunities for the generations that come after us.

This is not just a day to celebrate. It is a day to reflect, to learn, and to look forward with intention.