What if education could prepare every young person not just for schoolwork, but for a life of impact and purpose? That is the question at the forefront of a new seven-episode Animas High School podcast called “Beyond the Bell.”
The series, which was released in late August, “explores how schools, families, and communities can best nurture critical thinking, emotional intelligence, and civic responsibility to prepare the next generation to lead meaningful, impactful, purposeful, fulfilling and satisfying lives,” according to a news release by the school.
The podcast covers topics like navigating tech and AI in education, how schools can foster well-being and emotional health in students, and how to set up students for job and life success once they leave school.
Guests include a range of experts and local names in education, like Mountain Middle School Executive Director Shane Voss, Boys and Girls Club of the Southern Ute Indian Tribe Chief Executive Officer Bruce LeClaire, former Durango High School teacher and state Rep. Barbara McLachlan, and several key voices from AHS and Fort Lewis College.
The idea for the podcast came from AHS Board Treasurer Greg Phillips, who co-hosted the podcast with Fort Lewis College Assistant Professor of Sociology and Political Science Michael Rendon.
Rendon, who has a history with radio work and deals in many of the same topics covered in the podcast in his college-level teaching, said taking on the role of podcast co-host felt natural.
“I teach in political science and sociology at the college, so all of the topics that they wanted to talk about, my colleagues and I have been talking about as well,” he said. “I kind of knew the basics on all of these (topics), and I liked all of the people that were involved in it, and I felt like I had the skill set. It was kind of a no-brainer.”
Rendon said educators from around the city have been listening, including colleagues from FLC.
“I send it out to my colleagues in my department, and then I'll be walking down the hall, and someone will say, ‘Oh, I just listened to that one (episode) the other day,’” Rendon said.
Phillips, along with Drew Semel of Illuminarts Photography, who also works in the art department at AHS, managed the tech side of getting the podcast together. It took about two months over the summer to record and edit the series.
Aspen Machicek, one of Semel’s former students at the high school, also contributed to the production side of the project before heading off to college.
Semel said the AHS and broader Durango community was instrumental in getting the podcast on its feet.
“It’s really just amazing the way that our community showed up,” Semel said. “Most everybody we connected with about this project (responded with) a, ‘Yes, how can I help?’ And that was from people being guests to people listening to rough cuts and giving us notes.”
Phillips said the podcast guests were top-notch.
“We reached out to folks that we thought would best be able to articulate some of these thoughts, and we got some sharp people in this community,” he said.
Voss, who lent his educational expertise to episode three, “Living in a Digital World,” said it was an honor to be featured. He lauded the creators on the podcast’s inclusion of so many different educators and experts.
“I (think) that one of the best parts of the podcast series is hearing from all different age groups, and all different types of schools, from college settings to high school settings to elementary and middle school,” he said.
How to listen
To stream the podcast and access episode descriptions, visit www.animashighschool.com/beyond-the-bell-podcast
Phillips said feedback has been hugely positive.
“Everyone who listens to it (who) we've spoken with or heard from really found (the episodes) to be engaging and thought-provoking,” he said. “I think that what we came up with has resonated well with people.”
While the podcast is anchored in AHS, it’s meant to appeal to a wide audience of parents, educators, youth development professionals and community leaders, said AHS Interim Director of Enrollment and Community Outreach Libby Cowles.
“Our hope is that these conversations feel timely, relevant and important to anyone who cares about young people and our future,” she said.
epond@durangoherald.com
