A Mentor Saw The Teacher In Me Before I Did

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A lot of people show up to an education conference hunting for a single magic strategy. We show up looking for something better: ideas that actually fit real classrooms and real kids. From sunny Myrtle Beach, South Carolina at the SCABSE 2026 Conference, I sit down with guest Taurus Hugee for a fast, honest conversation about what it means to “heighten education” while keeping it personal and true to who you are as an educator.

Website: spotlight4success.com

Episode Transcript

SPEAKER_00 (00:06):
Welcome to Spotlight for Success by American Book
Company.
I am Devin Pentosi, your host.
We're here in sunny MyrtleBeach, South Carolina at the
Scabsey Conference.
And we're here with our specialguest, Taris Hoogie.
How are you doing?
Hey Taris, thank you for joiningus today.
Thank you for having me.
Yes.

SPEAKER_01 (00:33):
Thank you for having me.

SPEAKER_00 (00:34):
Yes.
Taris, tell me a bit about whatbrings you here to Scabsy.

SPEAKER_01 (00:38):
Mainly trying to find out a little more about
what I can do and differentideas to to heighten what we
call education, but making it apersonal thing so I can add my
influence rightfully.
Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 (00:52):
Okay.
Yes, sir.
That's wonderful.
Are there any specif uh specificuh sessions you're interested
in?
You're like, oh yeah, I want Iwant to find out more about
this.

SPEAKER_01 (01:00):
I'm open.
Yeah.
I'm super open, and uh I just Ijust solidified my uh my
registration so I was able tosee all the different shops or
whatever.
So I hadn't really like siftthrough to see what I wanted to
do or whatever, but it's a lot.

SPEAKER_00 (01:14):
Yeah, there sure is.
It's a lot.
What what brought you intodeciding you were gonna go into
education as a career?

SPEAKER_01 (01:20):
I I can't even blame it all on me.
Um Mr.
Richie, Cedric Richie, he sawsomething in me and um he asked
some questions that solidifiedthat I need to be in education.
So he's like, yo, we need youbecause you actually care, and
that was the main thing.

SPEAKER_00 (01:35):
Oh, that's awesome.
Yes, sir.
Uh can you tell us a bit aboutyour uh other career?
I understand you've been workingin music.

SPEAKER_01 (01:40):
Yeah, I've been working in music, working in
music for roughly 20 some oddyears.
Wow.
Uh to not give praise to anybodyelse's stuff.
I'll say I learned what not todo.
And when I learned it, I learnedyou don't really need a label
per se.
I think they're um they'renecessary when it comes down to
your stuff being in order, butif it's not in order, you can
have a work ethic and get justas much done as a record maker.

(02:02):
But you gotta have a work ethic.

SPEAKER_00 (02:04):
Oh yeah, work ethic is so important.

SPEAKER_01 (02:05):
Yes, sir.

SPEAKER_00 (02:06):
Uh that's great.
Um I understand that you uh bothwrite and sing, is that correct?

SPEAKER_01 (02:11):
Yes, sir.
Um Bluegrass, uh what we callSouthern Souls, soul music, uh
gospel.
I I have a very strong um, Ihave a very strong group of
people around me or whatever, soI have so much when it comes
down to different styles.
So I was able to learn fromevery every color code of life
what it is to express yourself.

SPEAKER_00 (02:32):
Oh, that is so great.
Yeah, man.
I bet you've worked with some uhgreat talents over the ages.

SPEAKER_01 (02:36):
I work with some dope people, man, and uh at the
end of the day, I just think,you know what?
I like I tell my kids, I tellthe kids at school, you are the
dopest.
But you have to add that tosomebody else's dopness to make
it dope.
Oh, okay.

SPEAKER_00 (02:50):
It's all about collaboration, yeah, working
together.

SPEAKER_01 (02:53):
Reciprocation, and it's all good when you can uh
share something that somebody'sgiven.
It's just hard when nobody'sgiving anything.

SPEAKER_00 (02:59):
Yes, yes, you have to give.

SPEAKER_01 (03:00):
You have to, yes, sir.

SPEAKER_00 (03:02):
Uh Cedric, uh, do you have anything you'd like to
share with the Scab C community?

SPEAKER_01 (03:05):
Uh Scab C, I'm here.
Um, my name is Taurus UG.
If I can do anything, uh advice,I uh I mentor kids as well.
However, I mentor with theparents and not kids
individually, and I try to makemyself available.
So, Taurus Uji, I'm at ExcelAcademy, uh a very um strong
community of teachers and uh andstaff that really care about the

(03:27):
kids.
Thank you.
Thank you so much, Taurus.
Great seeing you.
Appreciate you, brother.
Take care.
Yes, sir.
I'll see you again.

SPEAKER_00 (03:33):
Bye bye,