What does it take to truly reach young people — not just as a teacher, but as a mentor?

In the first episode of Built by Educators, hosts Mike Williams and Kaley Clavell sit down with Sean Barts, founder of Team Truth 919, for an honest conversation about mentoring students, building trust, and helping young people develop the life skills they'll carry long after they leave the classroom.

Sean shares his experience working with students in and out of school, why relationships are the foundation of every meaningful learning experience, and how educators and community leaders can work together to support the students who need it most.

Topics covered in this episode:

• Why mentoring matters for student development and school culture

• Building authentic trust with students who've learned not to trust adults

• The role of community organizations in supporting K-12 education

• Teaching life skills alongside academics — communication, accountability, and resilience

• How educators can partner with community mentors for student success

Built by Educators is a CollabED podcast. Learn more at bbepodcast.org