February 28, 2025 • 22 mins
In this episode of Talk 204, Superintendent Moulin sits down with Alexis Davis, one of the district’s dedicated Family Liaisons, along with some incredible students from Delaware Ridge Elementary. Together, they dive into the DRE Acts of Kindness Outreach Project, a heartwarming initiative where students across grade levels are giving back to the community in meaningful ways.
From assembling Happy Kits for young patients at Children’s Mercy to creating Heart Healthy Kits for residents of Delaware Highlands Assisted Living, and putting together Infusion Kits for cancer patients, these students are showing what it truly means to be DRE Brave. Listen in as they share why these projects matter, how they’re making a difference, and what kindness means to them.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Welcome to Talk 204, a podcast where we engage with our community, celebrate our successes,
(00:13):
and build meaningful connections.
My name is Rick Mullen, Superintendent of Bonner Springs-Edderville USD 204.
We have an exciting podcast today where we sit down with Alexis Davis, family liaison
for the school district.
In addition, we will be visiting with students from Delaware Ridge Elementary about a kindness
project impacting local organizations.
(00:34):
We will hear directly from our students on the impact this project had not only on them,
but their community.
There are great things happening within our classrooms in USD 204, and students are the
heart and soul of what we do.
(00:58):
So Alexis, this is your second year working in USD 204.
What brought you here, and what's made you stay?
I moved from Cincinnati, Ohio after living there for about eight years, and I was previously
a family therapist in a family preservation program.
(01:20):
So I worked with both children, adolescents, and adults, and I worked very closely with
the family unit and providing the resources as well as the therapeutic interventions.
And so I was already drawn to the family liaison position when I was looking to relocate to
(01:40):
Kansas City, and I was very lucky to have wonderful family here in the Kansas City area.
And so that is what drew me to this area in the first place, but I was even luckier to
have found this role through USD 204.
It is a wonderful way for me to apply all of the different skills and knowledge that
(02:06):
I have accumulated over the last eight years in social work, and continue to show up for
our students and their families as well.
And social work is one of those jobs that is in such high demand that you could go anywhere
you want.
Why did you choose a school district, and what's special about being able to work with
(02:28):
kids in Bonner Springs-Edwardsville School District?
I find it to be incredibly important working with kids to help provide them the skills
and the tools to develop that self-determination for themselves.
And I enjoy the school setting because it already fosters that desire to learn and be
(02:52):
creative and grow.
And so I was drawn to Bonner Springs and Edwardsville's school district because it encompasses such
a wide array of support in the community.
And I was able to learn through my interview process and meeting so many different staff
(03:12):
members throughout my process of coming here how much everybody cares about the kids in
this district.
And social work is so important because at the end of the day our goal is for our kids
to learn at the maximum level.
We want all of our kids to be able to graduate from high school, be able to read, write,
(03:34):
and get a job.
Absolutely.
And if that means college, college.
If it means going to trade school, trade school.
But to get them in a place to learn, we've got to help them through some of their struggles.
And that's what you do.
Absolutely.
And I think it's an important piece to be able to recognize the different backgrounds
and the different experiences of each student in our community and know that that will be
(04:01):
a part of their life forever and helping them learn academically but also learn the different
skills for their future and what that could look like based on their strengths and their
areas of growth.
And I know there are several community outreach programs within the Bonner Springs-Edwardsville
(04:21):
District such as Von Trent, such as the Jerry Lee-Jarrett Life Center.
What's it been like in your experience working with some of those groups?
They are amazing organizations.
I don't think I can speak highly enough about them.
We have been very lucky to work so closely, the social workers, with these organizations
(04:43):
that are so local.
And I think a very important piece to that is how much these organizations care about
the members in their community.
And because of that, they have expanded in the services and resources that they have
to further help the people of Bonner Springs and Edwardsville.
(05:06):
So Alexis, we've got a social worker that splits time between the high school, middle
school, and then we've got two elementary family liaisons.
And it's a great team.
You all three work very well together.
Your area of focus is at Bonner Springs Elementary and Delaware Ridge.
And there's a project you're working on right now, the Acts of Kindness Outreach Project.
(05:28):
Talk a little bit about that and what made you decide to bring that to Delaware Ridge
Elementary?
Absolutely.
Yeah.
So Valentine's Day is traditionally about love.
And so back in 2022, our school counselor, Allison Calvert, had made a decision that
at the elementary level, we bring a little bit of focus to loving one another at school,
(05:53):
as well as in the community.
And so this project started every year on Valentine's Day since 2022.
And its main focus is acts of kindness.
And so that can spread to friendship and the community and just helping others in a multitude
of ways.
(06:13):
And so a way that we've gone about this is through a community service and creative art
projects for both our students and their families.
Each pod hosts an outreach drive for about a week and a half prior to Valentine's Day.
And each pod that raises the donations will go to a different organization.
(06:36):
And so our blue pod at Delaware Ridge is our pre-K class, kindergarten and first grade.
And they make happy kits for Children's Mercy.
Our yellow pod is our second grade and third grade.
And they make heart healthy kits for Delaware Heights Assisted Living Facility.
(07:00):
And our red pod, which is fourth grade and fifth grade, they pack bags for infusion kits
for Providence Medical Cancer Center for those receiving infusions at the cancer center.
Wow, that's amazing.
We've got kids as young as pre-K already working to get back to their community.
Why is it important for students to take part of service projects like this?
(07:24):
It's incredibly important for our students in our district to learn the different facets
of kindness and what that looks like and all of the different ways to spread love and kindness,
whether it's to people that we know, people that we love, as well as people that we don't
know.
(07:45):
And it's a great way to connect with the community that is near us and also being able to understand
the different life circumstances of many different people in the community.
And I think we live in an environment where everybody wants to be accepted, everybody
wants to be appreciated, respected.
(08:05):
And the best way to get respect is to show respect.
Absolutely.
And you're doing that each and every day with the work you do throughout the district.
And in particular, this project, what do you hope students learn from participating in
these outreach efforts?
I think an important lesson to learn for our students and even us adults is to encourage
(08:27):
them to think about others.
And that can be through showing gratitude, encouraging friendship and spreading love,
which is a big piece of the arts and crafts that they will complete during the same day
that they pack the bags to go to the different organizations.
Let's talk a little bit about some of the families.
(08:50):
And when I talk about families, I'm talking about the families of our students at Delaware
Ridge.
What's their reaction been and how they've supported these efforts?
We have had amazing support both within the school and from the community each year when
we have this acts of kindness day.
(09:11):
We receive an abundance of parent volunteers who want to come and help pack the bags or
help with the crafts and teaching the kids within each pod on how they can create the
craft and kind of helping them conceptualize how they can show kindness and love through
(09:34):
the crafts that they're making.
And so we've actually had an amazing amount of parent volunteers who show up to this is
event and help the students.
For the family members or community members who are listening to this podcast today and
want to get involved, what can they do?
The team at Delaware Ridge Elementary School has worked very hard to set up service project,
(09:59):
service learning projects all throughout the year.
And we are able to create many different types of service learning.
And so if family members or community members are interested in helping, they can reach
out to the school and ask to speak to myself, the family liaison or the school's school
(10:22):
counselor.
And this acts of kindness outreach project is so important and it means so much to the
kids.
Talk about the joy that the kids get out of being able to help others.
Our kids really love it.
They get very excited during the donation drive.
They love being able to look at all of the items that have been donated for these different
(10:48):
organizations.
And the day of they get really excited to create pieces of art to share with others.
And so this year we are going to be making puzzle pieces and they get to make a puzzle
piece.
And at the end of it we will have a large scale puzzle hanging up in our school with
(11:09):
all different types of acts of kindness.
And another option is going to be creating a kindness keychain that they can then give
to a peer or a loved one to show that act of kindness.
And so our students get incredibly excited to make these crafts and it be a version of
(11:30):
the care that they have for others and being able to produce that and give it to somebody
as well as packing the bags and seeing how many individuals are receiving these happy
kits, heart healthy kits, and infusion kits and seeing the volume of who it's impacting
I think is so incredible for our kids and they absolutely love it.
(11:54):
And I am so excited about this and as a bonus to the Talk204 listeners we're actually going
to visit with a few of the students who are doing the projects and I can't wait to hear
that.
Our guest today has been Alexis Davis.
Alexis thank you so much for joining us on Talk204 and all the incredible work you're
doing for our kids, our families, and our community.
(12:17):
Thank you Mr. Mullen.
Hey and let's finish with this Alexis.
It's a great day to be brave.
I'm here with Ember McKnight, first grade student at Delaware Ridge Elementary.
(12:37):
Ember thanks for joining the podcast today.
I'm excited to be talking to you.
You're welcome.
Hey Ember I gotta ask you.
You just did a kindness project.
Can you tell me about that?
Yes.
So we did a kindness project for all the homeless kids out there and people that don't have
much as us and it's really sad but at least we get to bring cheer to them.
(13:02):
Can you talk a little bit about the project and what you did?
Oh yeah.
So we made these bags so we did like pop-its, crayons, books, like activity stuff, cards.
That is amazing and I'm glad that you find kindness so important.
(13:23):
What made you decide that this was an important project?
How did you know that this was important?
Well it's important that everybody knows.
Everybody like around us has a safe like environment.
All the kids can have fun with their new stuff and it's really like enough to help a person
in need.
I know that you worked with several of your classmates.
(13:44):
What do you think was the most enjoyable part of this project?
The enjoyable part is that we know.
We know that we can help.
We can help a kid in need, their parents for like raising them and like that's the like
thing about projects.
If you do it for like somebody in need that's how you really know that it's important.
Wow you're making such a difference not only at Delaware Ridge but in our community.
(14:08):
I am so proud of you.
I'd like to ask you a couple of quick questions just about school in general.
So what are you thinking about doing when you grow up?
What do you hope to be when you get older?
I want to be a teacher when I grow up because all my teachers inspired me to be a great
teacher just like them.
That is amazing and I'll tell you what Ember, I'm thinking about pulling out an application
(14:30):
right now so that we can try to hire you when you graduate from college.
Do you think like so you're in first grade, you'll graduate in 11 years, college maybe
four years, so in 15 years you think maybe you can come back to Delaware Ridge and teach
for us?
Yeah of course.
That would be awesome.
Okay so your career goal is to be a teacher.
(14:51):
Let's talk about school right now and what is your favorite thing to learn?
My favorite thing to learn is like digit numbers because right now we're learning about how
like digit numbers work.
So we did actually a quiz today on this game named Coo.
(15:14):
So we did all these questions and there's like a score and it's really fun to learn
about digit numbers.
So I graduated from high school a long time ago and I was also in first grade in this
school district at one time but you're going to have to tell me, I don't even know what
you mean by a digit number.
What does that mean?
(15:35):
A digit number is where like you can add like a number to a digit number.
Like let's say if I have like 15.
Okay.
Add 5 to it.
Now what is that?
Let me, I have to think about that for a second.
So if 5 plus 5, do you have the answer?
(15:55):
What is it?
So if 5 plus 5 equals 10, 15, 15 plus 5.
So let's just say 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20.
Wow that is amazing.
Such good quick math.
That is incredible.
I can't believe in first grade you're already able to do that.
(16:17):
Actually in kindergarten I went to like a loan school, like not a home school, like school
from my age.
Then in kindergarten I started to learn about first grade work and now Ms. Treston is giving
me second grade work and I can do it just fast.
So you're working ahead.
Yeah.
(16:37):
That's amazing.
I got four final questions for you if you have time.
I have time.
Okay.
These four questions are going to be tough.
So you just have to say the first thing that comes to your mind.
Can you do that for me?
Yes.
Ember, what is your favorite school lunch?
My favorite school lunch is like PB and J.
PB and J?
You know what?
(16:57):
I like the PB without the J. But that's just me because I'm kind of picky.
So peanut butter sandwich?
Yeah.
No jelly for me but you like the jelly.
Okay.
That's cool.
All right.
Favorite game to play at recess in first grade?
Favorite game?
I like dodgeball.
Dodgeball?
Yeah.
How do you do?
(17:18):
Are you pretty good?
I'm actually really good because I played this back in LA so I like know how to kicks
because my grandpa had been teaching me.
So like when the ball is coming to you, just think of it like a water balloon or anything
that you don't like.
And then imagine you have like a ball in your hand that you want to like just squeeze.
(17:45):
I mean just throw, just aim.
I just aim at the person then they're out.
Wow.
That's amazing.
Okay.
What's the most popular cartoon in first grade right now?
What's the most popular show to watch?
I'm thinking like SpongeBob because all my friends like watch it.
You know what my son used to say to me?
What?
(18:06):
He's in a pineapple under the sea.
Right?
Me and my actually grandpa loved that show.
For Christmas I actually got on the SpongeBob plushie.
Oh really?
That's amazing because my son is now a teacher and he used to watch SpongeBob too.
So SpongeBob has been around for a while.
One time he actually took me to Nickelodeon Studios.
(18:26):
Wow.
That's cool.
Sounds like you got a great grandpa.
Yeah.
Okay.
So I have a question, if you had to give one piece of advice to the kindergarten students
at Delaware Ridge, what would it be?
It would be work hard, be honest, and stay true to yourself.
Wow.
(18:47):
That is amazing.
Thank you so much for joining the podcast.
I am so impressed with the work that you're doing and the project was amazing.
So thank you.
(19:08):
I'm here with Dylan Bellum, fifth grade student at Delaware Ridge Elementary.
Dylan, thank you so much for joining the podcast today.
I'm so excited to learn about your kindness project.
What can you tell me about it?
So we collected different items like chapstick, lip balm, and mini soaps and stuff like that
to help with, or to donate to the cancer clinic.
(19:36):
And we were trying to be nice and to help kids in need.
That is amazing that you did that.
What was your favorite thing about the project?
My favorite thing was definitely just being able to help people.
That way people in need can have the stuff that they need.
So Dylan, why is that so important for a student in fifth grade to be able to give back to
(20:01):
their community?
What inspired you to do this and what makes it so important?
It's so important because you can know that it's going to a good place and that other
kids, just like me and you, are having stuff that they need.
Dylan, let's talk a little bit about community service and ways that you're involved.
(20:26):
I know you're doing this kindness project, but you're also part of the student ambassador
group.
Can you tell me what that means to be a student ambassador and what are some cool things you've
been able to do this year?
So as a student ambassador, you get to help around the school a lot and you can do stuff
that some teachers do, like lunch duty.
(20:46):
I understand from talking to some of the staff here that you also got to participate and
help out at Von Trent.
What was that like and what did you do at Von Trent?
So when we went to Von Trent, we brought some of the donations which we gathered and we
helped pack baskets for Thanksgiving.
(21:07):
Wow, that must have been really, really meaningful.
How did that make you feel to be able to participate in that?
It was fun and it kind of made me feel happy.
Okay, what was happy about it?
Tell me about that.
Knowing that other kids and families have the stuff that they need for a good Thanksgiving
dinner.
Dylan, I'm so excited to have you here today on the podcast.
(21:30):
I'm going to ask you four questions and can you just tell me the first thing that comes
to your mind?
First question, what is your favorite school lunch?
Pizza.
Pizza, alright.
Who doesn't love a good pizza?
I thought you were going to say for a second the chicken patty though because that was
always my favorite, the chicken patty.
(21:53):
Second question, what is your favorite thing to do at recess?
Play on the swings.
So you like to play on the swings.
Third thing, what do you hope to do career wise?
So when you grow up and you graduate from high school, what do you hope your job is?
Engineer or YouTuber.
Alright, so you want to be an engineer or a YouTuber.
Did you know that we have a phenomenal engineering program right here in the district?
(22:16):
So when you keep working through middle school and then finally to high school, you get to
take classes that will get you ready for that?
No, I did not know that.
That's exciting.
So I can't wait for you to be able to explore some of that over the next couple of years.
And the fourth and final question, what is your favorite thing about Delaware Ridge Elementary?
Teachers and friends.
(22:36):
Teachers and friends, that's awesome.
Dylan, thank you so much for being on the podcast today.
As always, it's a great day to be brave.
Welcome to Talk 204, a podcast where we engage with our community, celebrate our successes,
(00:13):
and build meaningful connections.
My name is Rick Mullen, Superintendent of Bonner Springs-Edderville USD 204.
We have an exciting podcast today where we sit down with Alexis Davis, family liaison
for the school district.
In addition, we will be visiting with students from Delaware Ridge Elementary about a kindness
project impacting local organizations.
(00:34):
We will hear directly from our students on the impact this project had not only on them,
but their community.
There are great things happening within our classrooms in USD 204, and students are the
heart and soul of what we do.
(00:58):
So Alexis, this is your second year working in USD 204.
What brought you here, and what's made you stay?
I moved from Cincinnati, Ohio after living there for about eight years, and I was previously
a family therapist in a family preservation program.
(01:20):
So I worked with both children, adolescents, and adults, and I worked very closely with
the family unit and providing the resources as well as the therapeutic interventions.
And so I was already drawn to the family liaison position when I was looking to relocate to
(01:40):
Kansas City, and I was very lucky to have wonderful family here in the Kansas City area.
And so that is what drew me to this area in the first place, but I was even luckier to
have found this role through USD 204.
It is a wonderful way for me to apply all of the different skills and knowledge that
(02:06):
I have accumulated over the last eight years in social work, and continue to show up for
our students and their families as well.
And social work is one of those jobs that is in such high demand that you could go anywhere
you want.
Why did you choose a school district, and what's special about being able to work with
(02:28):
kids in Bonner Springs-Edwardsville School District?
I find it to be incredibly important working with kids to help provide them the skills
and the tools to develop that self-determination for themselves.
And I enjoy the school setting because it already fosters that desire to learn and be
(02:52):
creative and grow.
And so I was drawn to Bonner Springs and Edwardsville's school district because it encompasses such
a wide array of support in the community.
And I was able to learn through my interview process and meeting so many different staff
(03:12):
members throughout my process of coming here how much everybody cares about the kids in
this district.
And social work is so important because at the end of the day our goal is for our kids
to learn at the maximum level.
We want all of our kids to be able to graduate from high school, be able to read, write,
(03:34):
and get a job.
Absolutely.
And if that means college, college.
If it means going to trade school, trade school.
But to get them in a place to learn, we've got to help them through some of their struggles.
And that's what you do.
Absolutely.
And I think it's an important piece to be able to recognize the different backgrounds
and the different experiences of each student in our community and know that that will be
(04:01):
a part of their life forever and helping them learn academically but also learn the different
skills for their future and what that could look like based on their strengths and their
areas of growth.
And I know there are several community outreach programs within the Bonner Springs-Edwardsville
(04:21):
District such as Von Trent, such as the Jerry Lee-Jarrett Life Center.
What's it been like in your experience working with some of those groups?
They are amazing organizations.
I don't think I can speak highly enough about them.
We have been very lucky to work so closely, the social workers, with these organizations
(04:43):
that are so local.
And I think a very important piece to that is how much these organizations care about
the members in their community.
And because of that, they have expanded in the services and resources that they have
to further help the people of Bonner Springs and Edwardsville.
(05:06):
So Alexis, we've got a social worker that splits time between the high school, middle
school, and then we've got two elementary family liaisons.
And it's a great team.
You all three work very well together.
Your area of focus is at Bonner Springs Elementary and Delaware Ridge.
And there's a project you're working on right now, the Acts of Kindness Outreach Project.
(05:28):
Talk a little bit about that and what made you decide to bring that to Delaware Ridge
Elementary?
Absolutely.
Yeah.
So Valentine's Day is traditionally about love.
And so back in 2022, our school counselor, Allison Calvert, had made a decision that
at the elementary level, we bring a little bit of focus to loving one another at school,
(05:53):
as well as in the community.
And so this project started every year on Valentine's Day since 2022.
And its main focus is acts of kindness.
And so that can spread to friendship and the community and just helping others in a multitude
of ways.
(06:13):
And so a way that we've gone about this is through a community service and creative art
projects for both our students and their families.
Each pod hosts an outreach drive for about a week and a half prior to Valentine's Day.
And each pod that raises the donations will go to a different organization.
(06:36):
And so our blue pod at Delaware Ridge is our pre-K class, kindergarten and first grade.
And they make happy kits for Children's Mercy.
Our yellow pod is our second grade and third grade.
And they make heart healthy kits for Delaware Heights Assisted Living Facility.
(07:00):
And our red pod, which is fourth grade and fifth grade, they pack bags for infusion kits
for Providence Medical Cancer Center for those receiving infusions at the cancer center.
Wow, that's amazing.
We've got kids as young as pre-K already working to get back to their community.
Why is it important for students to take part of service projects like this?
(07:24):
It's incredibly important for our students in our district to learn the different facets
of kindness and what that looks like and all of the different ways to spread love and kindness,
whether it's to people that we know, people that we love, as well as people that we don't
know.
(07:45):
And it's a great way to connect with the community that is near us and also being able to understand
the different life circumstances of many different people in the community.
And I think we live in an environment where everybody wants to be accepted, everybody
wants to be appreciated, respected.
(08:05):
And the best way to get respect is to show respect.
Absolutely.
And you're doing that each and every day with the work you do throughout the district.
And in particular, this project, what do you hope students learn from participating in
these outreach efforts?
I think an important lesson to learn for our students and even us adults is to encourage
(08:27):
them to think about others.
And that can be through showing gratitude, encouraging friendship and spreading love,
which is a big piece of the arts and crafts that they will complete during the same day
that they pack the bags to go to the different organizations.
Let's talk a little bit about some of the families.
(08:50):
And when I talk about families, I'm talking about the families of our students at Delaware
Ridge.
What's their reaction been and how they've supported these efforts?
We have had amazing support both within the school and from the community each year when
we have this acts of kindness day.
(09:11):
We receive an abundance of parent volunteers who want to come and help pack the bags or
help with the crafts and teaching the kids within each pod on how they can create the
craft and kind of helping them conceptualize how they can show kindness and love through
(09:34):
the crafts that they're making.
And so we've actually had an amazing amount of parent volunteers who show up to this is
event and help the students.
For the family members or community members who are listening to this podcast today and
want to get involved, what can they do?
The team at Delaware Ridge Elementary School has worked very hard to set up service project,
(09:59):
service learning projects all throughout the year.
And we are able to create many different types of service learning.
And so if family members or community members are interested in helping, they can reach
out to the school and ask to speak to myself, the family liaison or the school's school
(10:22):
counselor.
And this acts of kindness outreach project is so important and it means so much to the
kids.
Talk about the joy that the kids get out of being able to help others.
Our kids really love it.
They get very excited during the donation drive.
They love being able to look at all of the items that have been donated for these different
(10:48):
organizations.
And the day of they get really excited to create pieces of art to share with others.
And so this year we are going to be making puzzle pieces and they get to make a puzzle
piece.
And at the end of it we will have a large scale puzzle hanging up in our school with
(11:09):
all different types of acts of kindness.
And another option is going to be creating a kindness keychain that they can then give
to a peer or a loved one to show that act of kindness.
And so our students get incredibly excited to make these crafts and it be a version of
(11:30):
the care that they have for others and being able to produce that and give it to somebody
as well as packing the bags and seeing how many individuals are receiving these happy
kits, heart healthy kits, and infusion kits and seeing the volume of who it's impacting
I think is so incredible for our kids and they absolutely love it.
(11:54):
And I am so excited about this and as a bonus to the Talk204 listeners we're actually going
to visit with a few of the students who are doing the projects and I can't wait to hear
that.
Our guest today has been Alexis Davis.
Alexis thank you so much for joining us on Talk204 and all the incredible work you're
doing for our kids, our families, and our community.
(12:17):
Thank you Mr. Mullen.
Hey and let's finish with this Alexis.
It's a great day to be brave.
I'm here with Ember McKnight, first grade student at Delaware Ridge Elementary.
(12:37):
Ember thanks for joining the podcast today.
I'm excited to be talking to you.
You're welcome.
Hey Ember I gotta ask you.
You just did a kindness project.
Can you tell me about that?
Yes.
So we did a kindness project for all the homeless kids out there and people that don't have
much as us and it's really sad but at least we get to bring cheer to them.
(13:02):
Can you talk a little bit about the project and what you did?
Oh yeah.
So we made these bags so we did like pop-its, crayons, books, like activity stuff, cards.
That is amazing and I'm glad that you find kindness so important.
(13:23):
What made you decide that this was an important project?
How did you know that this was important?
Well it's important that everybody knows.
Everybody like around us has a safe like environment.
All the kids can have fun with their new stuff and it's really like enough to help a person
in need.
I know that you worked with several of your classmates.
(13:44):
What do you think was the most enjoyable part of this project?
The enjoyable part is that we know.
We know that we can help.
We can help a kid in need, their parents for like raising them and like that's the like
thing about projects.
If you do it for like somebody in need that's how you really know that it's important.
Wow you're making such a difference not only at Delaware Ridge but in our community.
(14:08):
I am so proud of you.
I'd like to ask you a couple of quick questions just about school in general.
So what are you thinking about doing when you grow up?
What do you hope to be when you get older?
I want to be a teacher when I grow up because all my teachers inspired me to be a great
teacher just like them.
That is amazing and I'll tell you what Ember, I'm thinking about pulling out an application
(14:30):
right now so that we can try to hire you when you graduate from college.
Do you think like so you're in first grade, you'll graduate in 11 years, college maybe
four years, so in 15 years you think maybe you can come back to Delaware Ridge and teach
for us?
Yeah of course.
That would be awesome.
Okay so your career goal is to be a teacher.
(14:51):
Let's talk about school right now and what is your favorite thing to learn?
My favorite thing to learn is like digit numbers because right now we're learning about how
like digit numbers work.
So we did actually a quiz today on this game named Coo.
(15:14):
So we did all these questions and there's like a score and it's really fun to learn
about digit numbers.
So I graduated from high school a long time ago and I was also in first grade in this
school district at one time but you're going to have to tell me, I don't even know what
you mean by a digit number.
What does that mean?
(15:35):
A digit number is where like you can add like a number to a digit number.
Like let's say if I have like 15.
Okay.
Add 5 to it.
Now what is that?
Let me, I have to think about that for a second.
So if 5 plus 5, do you have the answer?
(15:55):
What is it?
So if 5 plus 5 equals 10, 15, 15 plus 5.
So let's just say 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20.
Wow that is amazing.
Such good quick math.
That is incredible.
I can't believe in first grade you're already able to do that.
(16:17):
Actually in kindergarten I went to like a loan school, like not a home school, like school
from my age.
Then in kindergarten I started to learn about first grade work and now Ms. Treston is giving
me second grade work and I can do it just fast.
So you're working ahead.
Yeah.
(16:37):
That's amazing.
I got four final questions for you if you have time.
I have time.
Okay.
These four questions are going to be tough.
So you just have to say the first thing that comes to your mind.
Can you do that for me?
Yes.
Ember, what is your favorite school lunch?
My favorite school lunch is like PB and J.
PB and J?
You know what?
(16:57):
I like the PB without the J. But that's just me because I'm kind of picky.
So peanut butter sandwich?
Yeah.
No jelly for me but you like the jelly.
Okay.
That's cool.
All right.
Favorite game to play at recess in first grade?
Favorite game?
I like dodgeball.
Dodgeball?
Yeah.
How do you do?
(17:18):
Are you pretty good?
I'm actually really good because I played this back in LA so I like know how to kicks
because my grandpa had been teaching me.
So like when the ball is coming to you, just think of it like a water balloon or anything
that you don't like.
And then imagine you have like a ball in your hand that you want to like just squeeze.
(17:45):
I mean just throw, just aim.
I just aim at the person then they're out.
Wow.
That's amazing.
Okay.
What's the most popular cartoon in first grade right now?
What's the most popular show to watch?
I'm thinking like SpongeBob because all my friends like watch it.
You know what my son used to say to me?
What?
(18:06):
He's in a pineapple under the sea.
Right?
Me and my actually grandpa loved that show.
For Christmas I actually got on the SpongeBob plushie.
Oh really?
That's amazing because my son is now a teacher and he used to watch SpongeBob too.
So SpongeBob has been around for a while.
One time he actually took me to Nickelodeon Studios.
(18:26):
Wow.
That's cool.
Sounds like you got a great grandpa.
Yeah.
Okay.
So I have a question, if you had to give one piece of advice to the kindergarten students
at Delaware Ridge, what would it be?
It would be work hard, be honest, and stay true to yourself.
Wow.
(18:47):
That is amazing.
Thank you so much for joining the podcast.
I am so impressed with the work that you're doing and the project was amazing.
So thank you.
(19:08):
I'm here with Dylan Bellum, fifth grade student at Delaware Ridge Elementary.
Dylan, thank you so much for joining the podcast today.
I'm so excited to learn about your kindness project.
What can you tell me about it?
So we collected different items like chapstick, lip balm, and mini soaps and stuff like that
to help with, or to donate to the cancer clinic.
(19:36):
And we were trying to be nice and to help kids in need.
That is amazing that you did that.
What was your favorite thing about the project?
My favorite thing was definitely just being able to help people.
That way people in need can have the stuff that they need.
So Dylan, why is that so important for a student in fifth grade to be able to give back to
(20:01):
their community?
What inspired you to do this and what makes it so important?
It's so important because you can know that it's going to a good place and that other
kids, just like me and you, are having stuff that they need.
Dylan, let's talk a little bit about community service and ways that you're involved.
(20:26):
I know you're doing this kindness project, but you're also part of the student ambassador
group.
Can you tell me what that means to be a student ambassador and what are some cool things you've
been able to do this year?
So as a student ambassador, you get to help around the school a lot and you can do stuff
that some teachers do, like lunch duty.
(20:46):
I understand from talking to some of the staff here that you also got to participate and
help out at Von Trent.
What was that like and what did you do at Von Trent?
So when we went to Von Trent, we brought some of the donations which we gathered and we
helped pack baskets for Thanksgiving.
(21:07):
Wow, that must have been really, really meaningful.
How did that make you feel to be able to participate in that?
It was fun and it kind of made me feel happy.
Okay, what was happy about it?
Tell me about that.
Knowing that other kids and families have the stuff that they need for a good Thanksgiving
dinner.
Dylan, I'm so excited to have you here today on the podcast.
(21:30):
I'm going to ask you four questions and can you just tell me the first thing that comes
to your mind?
First question, what is your favorite school lunch?
Pizza.
Pizza, alright.
Who doesn't love a good pizza?
I thought you were going to say for a second the chicken patty though because that was
always my favorite, the chicken patty.
(21:53):
Second question, what is your favorite thing to do at recess?
Play on the swings.
So you like to play on the swings.
Third thing, what do you hope to do career wise?
So when you grow up and you graduate from high school, what do you hope your job is?
Engineer or YouTuber.
Alright, so you want to be an engineer or a YouTuber.
Did you know that we have a phenomenal engineering program right here in the district?
(22:16):
So when you keep working through middle school and then finally to high school, you get to
take classes that will get you ready for that?
No, I did not know that.
That's exciting.
So I can't wait for you to be able to explore some of that over the next couple of years.
And the fourth and final question, what is your favorite thing about Delaware Ridge Elementary?
Teachers and friends.
(22:36):
Teachers and friends, that's awesome.
Dylan, thank you so much for being on the podcast today.
As always, it's a great day to be brave.
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