Huron Forward Podcast

Erik Rodriguez, Interim Public Relations Director for the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe, joins today's podcast as a guest to discuss collaborative community building within a "Working together for our future" framework. As the largest employer in Arenac County, and with a host of ongoing business development expansion projects, the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe is committed to economic development opportunities, collaborative partnerships, and sustainable grant resource donations throughout the region to share their collaborative story and build a better tomorrow for our youth and future generations. This podcast is the second part of a discussion with Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribal leadership that began on Podcast #14 during season 1 (https://www.ags-schools.org/season-1).

Trish Rubin (http://www.trishrubin.com), owner of Trish Rubin LTD, and co-author of BrandED: Tell your story, build relationships, and empower learning, joins today's Podcast as a special guest to discuss why "Brand" matters to schools and communities, and what brand IS and what brand IS not. Discussion centers on identifiable processes of branding typical schools and organizations into remarkably atypical entities. A "+1" model of capacity building reflects the purposeful importance of linking transparent communication and storytelling with new ideas and engaging actions that build stronger relationships.

Casey Mikula, Apptegy's Director of Sales, (www.apptegy.com) joins today's Podcast as a special guest to discuss opportunities to build and scaffold broad, joint communication platforms. Au Gres-Sims was the first school district in the State of Michigan to partner with Apptegy to create a mobile "app" solution for stakeholders and synchronously overhaul the district's website. Although Apptegy "helps school leaders share the story of every student," in reality the designed partnership with Au Gres-Sims has provided the means to share the story of an entire school system, from multiple perspectives, to create a compelling community profile.

Jeff and John are graced with guests from Swartz Creek, Michigan. Adam Zettel, Swartz Creek's City Manager, Ben Mainka, Swartz Creek Community School's Superintendent, and Rodney Hetherton, Assistant Superintendent from Swartz Creek Community Schools, visit the Au Gres-Sims School District campus for a Huron Forward Podcast. A lively discussion ensues about the importance of sharing and celebrating a community's "story" within the context of full transparency, and the need to examine creative communication platforms in order to set the table for a community-wide "communication buffet."

A poignant discussion about identifying and branding "Purple Cows." Reflecting on the article Brewing a remarkable school brand: How to be 'anything but typical' by Trish Rubin (https://www.districtadministration.com/article/brewing-remarkable-school-brand), conversation reviews the steps taken throughout the greater Au Gres area to promote the remarkable and unique qualities of our organizations.

The podcast has a new name, and new look, but same dedicated mission to celebrating and championing the greater Au Gres area and "Huron Forward" region. Listen in to hear about fantastic new constituent communication resources.

Jeff and John put an exclamation point on the end of a dynamic third season of Podcasts by highlighting recent successes, awards, and accomplishments throughout the greater Au Gres region, and unveiling their new name and format for next year's Season 4.

Special guests Dr. Adam Hartley, superintendent of Fenton Area Public Schools, and Rodney Hetherton, assistant superintendent of Swartz Creek Community Schools, join Jeff and John to discuss the concept of creating a culture of learning one day at a time. Representing two of the three acting co-moderators of a unique bi-weekly professional learning project on Twitter called #COLchat, Adam and Rodney share their thoughts about the transcendent impact that mindsets, collaboration, relationships, purpose, and relevancy can have on focused individuals and organizations seeking to become positive deviants.

Jeff and John discuss the diligent, forward-thinking work being done by the Au Gres Area Chamber of Commerce's new volunteer advisory communication sub-committee. Central to the conversation is the focus to build capacity within the Au Gres Area Chamber of Commerce to better ensure sustainability and vitality. Highlighted areas of progress already realized by the sub-committee include; the creation of new mission and vision statements, core value determinations, strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (S.W.O.T.) analyses, prioritized goal assessments, brand marketing redevelopment, and a new website and social media campaign.

Abigail Ertel, the Community Program Lead for Huron Pines, joins Jeff and John to discuss the role Huron Pines plays in promoting sustainable environmental stewardship initiatives while promoting collaborative regionalism throughout Northeast Michigan. A follow-up discussion from the Conservation Fund's Balancing Nature and Commerce in Rural Communities and Landscapes Conference also centers on building capacity and identifying commonalities within communities who make up a diverse "North Bay Region" to effectively amplify a promotional voice and advocacy for regional prosperity.