Join Nishi Langhorne & Kathleen Otal as we listen to Evie Ifantides' inspiring story. Evie is an ESOL Technology Specialist for Fairfax County Public Schools. Evie shares her challenging journey, starting with her time in Constantinople as a child, moving to Athens for some time and then immigrating to the United States after 7th grade. Evie shares powerful stories and insights like "it takes a village to raise a child," "you have to be kind and smart in this life," and "you give what you get out of life."

Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes so you know when our next episode is released and leave a review because your feedback counts!

Follow Evie on Twitter @eifantides

Podcast website:

http://invitationstolearn.com/

Twitter: @MrsLanghorne @KathleenOtal

Email: [email protected]

Join Kathleen Otal as she interviews her Invitations to Listen co-host, Nishi Langhorne, Educational Specialist for Technology Integration for FCPS. Nishi shares her story of growing up in Pennsylvania as the child of parents who immigrated from India. Hear how Nishi’s teachers taught her the power of literature and writing, how she shared that power with her students as an English teacher, and how her mother’s selflessness and determination inspire her every day. Nishi believes strongly in the responsibility of the English teacher to share marginalized voices, and the power of a story to bring people together.

Show Notes: The Art of Gathering by Priya Parker: https://www.amazon.com/Art-Gathering-How-Meet-Matters/dp/1594634920

Podcast website:

http://invitationstolearn.com/

Twitter: @MrsLanghorne @KathleenOtal

Email: [email protected]

Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes so you know when our next episode is released and leave a review because your feedback counts!

Podcast website:

http://invitationstolearn.com/

Twitter: @MrsLanghorne @KathleenOtal

Email: [email protected]

Join Nishi Langhorne & Kathleen Otal, co-hosts of Invitations to Listen, as we interview ESOL resource teacher for FCPS, Manny Gomez Portillo. Manny shares his inspirational story of growing up in El Salvador and immigrating to the United States at a young age. He details his journey through FCPS public schools both as a student and teacher, to China to teach, and now to obtain his doctorate in Educational Leadership. Manny embraces change as a tool for personal and professional development and embodies the "power of yet" and the philosophy, "Carpe Diem."

Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes so you know when our next episode is released and leave a review because your feedback counts!

Follow Manny on Twitter @mjgomez9

Podcast website:

http://invitationstolearn.com/

Twitter: @MrsLanghorne @KathleenOtal

Email: [email protected]

This episode features Ann Wong, Associate Principal at Robinson Secondary School. Ann shares the story of her parents who immigrated from China, her experience winning the Milken Educator Award, and her journey from FCPS Biology Teacher to Associate Principal. You will hear how Ann’s fifth grade teacher gave her a “second chance” that changed her life, how her teachers inspired her to focus on her strengths, and how her former teachers continue to inspire her every day.

Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes so you know when our next episode is released and leave a review because your feedback counts!

Follow Ann Wong on Twitter @ms_a_wong

Podcast website:

http://invitationstolearn.com/

Twitter: @MrsLanghorne @KathleenOtal

Email: [email protected]

Join Nishi Langhorne and Kathleen Otal as we interview Seth LeBlanc, English and Creative Writing teacher at McLean HS. He shares the experiences of coming out, meeting his now husband, and discovering his love of teaching English. Some nuggets of wisdom from our conversation: time heals most wounds, literature is a tool for personal growth, celebrate small successes, and in the words of Seth's grandmother, "love always wins."

Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes so you know when our next episode is released and leave a review because your feedback counts!

Podcast website:

http://invitationstolearn.com/

Twitter: @MrsLanghorne @KathleenOtal

Email: [email protected]

Join Nishi Langhorne and Kathleen Otal, co-hosts of the podcast Invitations to Listen, as we interview Lynn Jimmo, fourth grade teacher at Union Mill Elementary. Lynn shares her experiences growing up in a multicultural military family, how being authentic and honest has helped her as a teacher, and how she balanced two jobs while raising her daughters and getting her Masters degree.

Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes so you know when our next episode is released and leave a review because your feedback counts!

Podcast website:

http://invitationstolearn.com/

Twitter: @MrsLanghorne @KathleenOtal

Email: [email protected]

Join Nishi Langhorne & Kathleen Otal as we engage in a conversation with Sarah Eqab, ESOL specialist and educator in FCPS. Sarah shares her story as a bicultural FCPS graduate. She emphasizes the importance of embracing identity, following passion, and giving people the benefit of the doubt.

Follow Sarah on Twitter @EqabEsol

Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes so you know when our next episode is released and leave a review because your feedback counts!

Podcast website:

http://invitationstolearn.com/

Twitter: @MrsLanghorne @KathleenOtal

Email: [email protected]

Join Nishi Langhorne and Kathleen Otal, co-hosts of the podcast Invitations to Listen, as we interview Dr. George Hewan, Assistant Principal at Woodson High School. In this interview, George shares his experiences immigrating from Jamaica to the United States as a child, how athletics helped to shape his ability to develop a strong work ethic, and the importance of using “Island Time” while pursuing one’s goals.

Join Nishi Langhorne and Kathleen Otal, co-hosts of the new podcast Invitations to Listen, as we have an engaging and inspiring conversation with Summer Johnson and Kelley Brown, married FCPS educators who share powerful insights they've gained from their life experiences. We discuss, among many other topics, the importance of following your passion, cultivating curiosity, and recognizing the genius of every child.

Follow Summer Johnson @scholarcation

Follow Kelley Brown @kelleyjbrown1

Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes so you know when our next episode is released and leave a review because your feedback counts!

Podcast website:

http://invitationstolearn.com/

Twitter: @MrsLanghorne @KathleenOtal

Email: [email protected]

Join Kathleen Otal and Nishi Langhorne, co-hosts of the new podcast Invitations to Listen, as we interview our first guest, Dr. Beverly Parker-Lewis, a school psychologist at McLean High School. In this interview, Dr. Parker-Lewis shares powerful details, stories, and lessons from her life. She shares her experiences in segregated schools, her educational journey which culminated in her PhD, and many valuable lessons she's learned throughout her 71 years of life.

Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes so you know when our next episode is released and leave a review because your feedback counts!

Podcast website:

http://invitationstolearn.com/

Twitter: @MrsLanghorne @KathleenOtal

Email: [email protected]

Show Notes:

Black History Boot Camp: https://www.girltrek.org/invitation_to_black_history_bootcamp