Unmuted Education Podcast

House District 35 Republican candidate Christopher Driesang joins the Unmuted crew for a wide-ranging conversation about education, local control and the future of representation in Natrona County.

Drawing from his experience as an educator and Director of Student Support Services for Natrona County Schools, Christopher discusses how decisions made by the Wyoming Legislature affect teachers, students and local school districts. The conversation covers school funding recalibration, teacher raises, literacy mandates, charter schools and the challenges of applying statewide policies to communities with very different needs.

The discussion also explores:

• The balance between state authority and local control
• Property taxes and protecting longtime Wyoming homeowners
• Campaign spending and whether average citizens can still afford to run for office
• Government transparency and misinformation
• How elected officials should communicate with their constituents
• The role of nonprofits in supporting Wyoming youth
• Why young people may feel disconnected from the political process
• What being a Republican means to Christopher

Christopher also explains how he would approach disagreement, listen to both the majority and minority, and remain accessible to the people of House District 35.

Unmuted does not endorse candidates. These conversations are intended to give voters an opportunity to hear directly from the people seeking to represent them.

Representative Julie Jarvis joins Unmuted to talk about her re-election campaign, the realities of serving in Wyoming’s citizen legislature, and why transparency has become the cornerstone of her campaign.

From campaign misinformation and constituent surveys to water rights, AI data centers, education, and healthcare, this conversation dives into the issues facing Wyoming and why Julie believes voters deserve to see exactly how their elected officials vote.

We also discuss:
• House Bill 80 and helping seniors renew their REAL IDs
• Why she publishes her voting record
• The challenges of campaigning while working full-time
• The future of Wyoming politics

At the end of the episode, she receives a new campaign slogan from the Unmuted crew:
“Julie Jarvis – The Republican That Comes With Receipts.”

In this episode of Unmuted, Coebie and Derek begin a new conversation about the principles that shape healthy parenting. Drawing from nearly 50 years of combined experience in education, along with their own experiences as fathers, they explore how children learn far more from what adults model than from what adults say.

They discuss parental humility, emotional regulation, apologizing after mistakes, and recognizing when exhaustion, stress, or frustration is being projected onto children. They also examine the difference between supporting children through difficult emotions and trying to protect them from every disappointment, consequence, or uncomfortable experience.

No parent handles every moment perfectly. What matters is being willing to reflect, take responsibility, repair mistakes, and show children how to navigate difficult moments with honesty, calm, strength, and grace.

Unmuted is officially back.

In this special season two preview, Kobe, Derek, and Seth reconnect to share what they have been working on and what listeners can expect from the new season. Seth gives an emotional update on the grand opening of the Casper Youth Hub, a free creative space where young people ages 12 to 20 can explore art, gaming, media, technology, 3D printing, and other hands-on interests.

The group also previews a more focused format for season two, with shorter episodes centered on parenting, education, mental health, cancer survivor stories, politics, community leadership, and conversations with local guests.

Season two begins August 3, with Kobe and Derek opening the season through a series of honest conversations about parenting, raising teenagers, building character, and navigating family life without a manual.

In this episode, Coebie, Seth, and Derek sit down with longtime educator and author Grover Swick to talk about what it really means to inspire students, build learning communities, and help kids believe in their own growth. Grover shares stories from more than three decades in education, including the teachers, family members, and students who shaped his philosophy.

The conversation explores how athletics, reading, math, technology, Love and Logic, and creative problem-solving can all become tools for reaching kids where they are. Grover reflects on the difference between teaching and coaching, why “practice equals growth and growth equals success,” and how schools can lose sight of the natural curiosity children bring into the world.

Together, they discuss the dangers of top-down systems, the power of modeling instead of lecturing, and the need to rebuild education around trust, inspiration, freedom, and community. Grover also shares the heart behind his upcoming book, Practice Equals Growth and Growth Equals Success, and offers encouragement for teachers who feel burned out but still believe in the spark of learning.

A thoughtful and energizing conversation for educators, parents, and anyone who cares about helping kids grow.

In this episode, Coebie and Derek sit down with Alicia Bynum, owner of Sweetgrass Acupuncture in Casper, Wyoming, for a wide-ranging conversation about acupuncture, Chinese medicine, herbs, intuition, and whole-person wellness. Alicia shares her journey from graphic design and marketing into acupuncture, the personal experiences that led her toward holistic care, and how traditional Chinese medicine views the body through meridians, organs, emotions, seasons, and energy.

The conversation explores the difference between acupuncture and dry needling, how stress and environment affect the nervous system, why Wyoming wind might be wearing out your liver, and how food, herbs, and seasonal living can support health. They also dig into the tension between Western medicine and alternative care, the importance of asking better questions, and why healing often requires looking beyond symptoms to the whole person.

A thoughtful, funny, and curious conversation about what it means to care for the body, trust your intuition, and use every tool available on the path to wellness.

Cathy Holman and Brandy Sorensen return to share the powerful story behind Wyoming’s HB 8 and HB 9, two new laws aimed at protecting children from stalking and grooming. They walk through the emotional, exhausting, and unexpected journey from committee hearings to unanimous votes, the governor’s signature, and the real impact these laws are already having for Wyoming families. This episode is a look at advocacy, persistence, and what can happen when everyday citizens refuse to let broken laws stay broken.

In this episode, we sit down with longtime Natrona County educator Doreen McGlade to trace the origins of the district’s compact and the trust-based, consensus-driven process it was meant to protect. From its roots in the turmoil of 1999 to today’s concerns over school closures, broken communication, and missing stakeholder voices, this conversation asks a hard question: what happens when a system designed to bring people to the table stops being used? Alongside Dirk Andrews and others, we explore what the compact originally meant, why it mattered, and what it could take to rebuild trust for students, staff, and the community

In this special episode, we sit down with Grant Gelt, best known as Bertram from The Sandlot, for a fun and heartfelt conversation about the lasting legacy of the film, lifelong friendships with the cast, and how that childhood classic has grown into something bigger than baseball. Grant shares the story behind Play Forever, a nonprofit founded by members of The Sandlot cast that helps remove barriers keeping kids out of youth sports. We also talk about Celebrities for a Cause and Grant’s upcoming trip to Wyoming for a weekend of golf, softball, community events, and fundraising. If you love The Sandlot, believe in the power of sports, or just want to hear a great conversation about nostalgia, purpose, and giving back, this is an episode you won’t want to miss. Play Forever says it works to remove obstacles and equip young athletes with the support they need to participate in sports, and Celebrities for a Cause lists its 2026 Wyoming events for August 6–9. 

Websites mentioned in the episode

Play Forever: playforever.org 

Celebrities for a Cause: celebritiesforacausewyo.org  

In this episode, we welcome Terri, owner of Alpenglow Natural Living in Casper, Wyoming, to talk about her journey from education into natural healing and herbal wellness. Terri shares how personal experiences with her children’s health, family healing stories, and her own recovery from a serious injury led her deeper into natural medicine and eventually to taking over one of Casper’s long-standing wellness businesses.

We talk about the roots of herbal healing, the difference between treating symptoms and finding the source, and why so many people are looking for more natural options for pain relief, immune support, detox, and everyday wellness. Terri also shares practical insight into culinary herbs, teas, tinctures, natural cleaning products, and the value of returning to simple habits that support long-term health.

This conversation is a reminder that there are many paths to wellness, and that small, intentional choices can make a big difference.

Show Notes

In this episode:

• Terri shares her path from education to owning Alpenglow Natural Living

• The history of Alpenglow and its long-standing place in Casper

• How natural healing became part of her life and family story

• Common reasons people seek herbal and natural wellness support

• The importance of identifying the root cause of pain

• Culinary herbs and everyday ingredients that support wellness

• Natural approaches to reducing toxins in the home

• Why simple habits still matter for long-term health

Featured Business:

Alpenglow Natural Living

Casper, Wyoming

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