MHS junior Mariah Norman has been using her voice to stand up for herself and others since her first grade teacher, Mrs. Jarmon, told her that she was a great communicator. A Mason Inclusion Club (MIC) board member, Co-President of the Fashion Club, and member of the track and field team, Mariah is also an Instragram ambassador who works with the platform to medicate the toxicity that can sometimes be found on social media. She plans to pursue Constitutional Law after high school.

Mason Middle School 8th grader Rishika Jeyaprakash founded "Little Helpers" when she was nine. Since that time, the group has performed over 50 service projects, donated more than $5,500 dollars, and provided over 2,000 new toys to the Cincinnati Children’s hospital and thousands of smiles. Rishika is President of the MMS Kiwanis Builders Club, and is excited about starting eighth grade after a year of being a 7th grader on the MI campus during the middle school's renovation. This spirited Comet loves school and serving others, and hopes to practice space medicine in the future.

Rishika's Transcript

Mason Intermediate fifth grader Owen Smith attended nearly every reIMAGINE Mason session last spring. He's excited to explore ways to make our large schools feel small, and appreciates the strong academics and diversity that are key ingredients in Mason.  He shares how Buddy Benches and Hero Dads are two efforts that make a difference for students. Owen hopes to become an animator. 

Owen Smith's Transcription

Katie Lin's professional life hasn't strayed too far from what she always imagined. The Mason Middle School teacher is in her 12th year teaching Mason eighth graders. And, as a 2003 graduate from Mason High School who was inspired by legendary educator Annie Helwig, she hopes she's bringing some of the same self-deprecating humor and love to her students. But personally, as the wife of a Chinese-American man with whom she's raising a two-year old bi-racial child, Katie admits she's learning a lot about what it means to live out inclusive excellence authentically.

Transcript for Katie's podcast.

Mason Intermediate School fifth grade teacher Litty Mathai has a heart for children and their teachers. As a first generation Indian-American, she was inspired by the love of caring educators who saw her as more than a student with limited English, and she pushed back on pressure to go into STEM so that she could become a reflective, risk-taking teacher inspiring a generation of kind, knowledgeable citizens. The mom of two shares the joys of parenting, and the importance of loving on kids.

Transcript for Litty's podcast.

Mason Elementary School third grade teacher Kristen Lazuta makes conscious choices to find joy  in life's small, imperfect moments. The Mason mom of two reflects on her own upbringing as a military family making lots of moves, tells how she's learning through the grief of losing her best friend - her younger brother, and shares what it's like to get the call from school that something hasn't gone quite right for your child.

Transcript for Kristen

Mason Early Childhood Center second grade teacher Soroya Smith makes a conscious choice to stand up to bias - for her four children, for her students, for herself.  As a black child growing up in a predominantly white neighborhood, she felt the duality of being unseen and yet also hyper visible. As an adult, she embraces an identity of being a "box cutter", and is seeing the growth that happens when we stop pursuing perfection.

Transcript

Jonathan Cooper is entering his second year as Mason City Schools Superintendent. The father of four shares how his early learning struggles shaped his perception of himself, how he tried to run away from education, and how he found his calling with the help of people who spoke truth to him.

Mason High School Principal Bobby Dodd is beginning his second year at the helm of Ohio's largest high school. But his journey to Mason (and to education) wasn't a straight shot. Hear about his pivots along the way, and the advice he gives to families about the importance of letting students take time to decide their post-high school options rather than simply defaulting to a four year university.

What's it like to be tapped to lead one of Ohio's largest and highest performing middle schools at the age of 29? Lauren Gentene reflects on her journey from being a student who didn't like "playing school", to growing up the daughter of a rock star educator, to lessons from mentors (including former teachers and students and colleagues), and how her faith guides her.