#Between2BlueDevils

Season 5 begins with an amazing interview. This interview is only the second time I have had a guest on for a second interview. Why a second one you ask? After 34 years as a teacher and coach in Tallmadge City Schools Mr. Jon Shomo has retired. Mr. Shomo has certainly cemented himself into the history of Tallmadge High School as both a teacher and coach. As a coach Mr. Shomo has had quiet the jour...

Episode 57 features teacher and coach Brittany Lightel . I have known Brittany and her family for a long time, after all, like so many of our other guests Brittany has grown up in Tallmadge, she went through Tallmadge City Schools, and now she is a teacher at Tallmadge High School.  Over the past year I have worked a ton with Brittany during the school day. She is one of our intervention specialis...

This is a special one. For the past 20 years I have been a "neighbor" of some kind to Mrs. Dunton. For a few years we shared space in what was called the "cart cave." This was a small room with about 5 or 6 desks, a few filing cabinets, and then a bunch of carts. We teachers who didn't have a classroom called the Cart Cave home. Lisa and I lived there, together, trying desp...

Episode 55 features Mr. Ken Subak, who at one time had a career with the FBI and now works as the Six District Compact Work Study Coordinator at Tallmadge High school. His story is fascinating. About 12 years ago I found out Ken had worked for the FBI and we struck up a conversation about his many experiences working in Washington D.C. I then invited Ken in to speak to my Psychology students about...

Josh Gambow is a school counselor at Tallmadge Elementary and the Tallmadge high school men’s tennis coach and he is our next guest on #between2bluedevils. He and I sat down not long ago and had a fantastic conversation. Before this conversation I knew very little about this young man. After this interview I couldn’t wait to share him out with all of you.  He is awesome. I reached out to a few peo...

Season 4: Episode 53: Laurie Regallis : Athletic Trainer Stories are the purpose of #Between2BlueDevils. The theme of the podcast is “everyone has a story worth being told.” This could not resonate more than it does after this episode. Sitting down with Laurie was such a pleasure.  It is always interesting to interview an individual who see’s how the puzzle pieces of life come together. Generally...

“Anne, go in there and MAKE IT COUNT!” These were the final words that Mrs. Knutty heard before she entered the interview room to sit down and interview for a teaching position at Dunbar Elementary. It had been a dream of Mrs. Knutty to return to her home city and impact lives like she had been impacted as a child. Almost immediately after the interview Mrs. Knutty found out she had been hired and...

“Find the Universal.” When Mrs. Gallagher and I chatted about this “mantra” of hers it deeply moved me. Honestly, I have thought about it all week. As our ELL teacher (English Language Learner) she works daily with students from all over the world. In the three buildings that make up Tallmadge City Schools there are over 9 languages other than English being spoken. These are the young people that...

Mr. Mark Treen is the head principal at Tallmadge High School. After 17 years at Stow High School, serving as an educator and assistant principal this past summer Mr. Treen became the next principal of Tallmadge High School.  Mr. Treen wears many different hats summarized in how he describes himself during the interview: "At the core I am a leader, educator, husband, father but really just a...

Episode 49 was an absolute blast to record. I had the honor of sitting down with THS alumnus Tony Anzaldi and talking life, and career choices. Tony is another member of the unique fraternity of THS alumni who have now come back to Tallmadge City Schools to serve as teachers. Tony is in his 5th year of teaching, and it is his 4th year at Tallmadge Elementary. He teaches science and math in a 4th g...

This episode of #Between2BlueDevils features Tallmadge resident/business owner, and THS assistant soccer coach Dr. Serif Krkic. To most of us he is known as Dr. K. Dr. K's story is an amazing story. He begins sharing what it was like to grow up in Bosnia during the Bosnian War. You have got to listen to what it was like moving to the United States in 2001...without knowing how to speak English! In...

Welcome to Season 4 of #Between2BlueDevils ! To launch this new season I am actually going back to an interview from last April. Not gonna lie, in the chaos of wrapping up last school year I kind of forgot about this interview. It wasn't until a few days ago that Madame Metzger and I were chatting and she asked me whatever happened to her interview with me. My response..."We haven't recorded and I...

A few months ago I emailed out a Google Form to our entire district asking if anyone wanted to sit down and share their stories with me for the podcast. Lianna was one of the first to respond. She said she had a story and that it needed to be told. So we set up a date for the interview. Now, I have heard a lot of stories but what I walked into was one I really didn't expect.  Prepare yourself...

Way back in the day I had the honor of having Dustin in class. He and I share a passion for basketball. When I say that Dustin loves basketball, I mean HE LOVES BASKETBALL. His story is amazing. How does one go from riding the bench, to playing college basketball, to owning your own European basketball team? Listen and find out!!! His story is an inspiration. Pursue what you are passionate about n...

This is the first time I have had a guest on for the second time. Mrs. Whitman first made an appearance in season 1 episode 5. Her story is amazing and I highly recommend listening to that episode to hear all about it. Fun fact...Mrs. Whitman's season 1 interview is the second most popular episode of the podcast!! But this interview is a special one because, after 32 years in the classroom, Mrs. W...

Episode 43 is the very first episode where I get the chance to sit down and interview a published author! Jeff Swindell is many things: proud husband and father, wiser older brother to Mark Swindell, die hard KISS fan, and so much more! And...he is a PUBLISHED AUTHOR. I was first introduced to our guest last year when he subbed in our building. If you are in the world of education you know that go...

Episode 42 features Mr. Alan Miller, 4th grade educator at Tallmadge Elementary School. Alan is a passionate educator, committed soccer coach, and reflective thinker. You are going to love this episode. Be sure to subscribe to the podcast so you don't miss an episode. 

For episode 41 I sit down with the new principal of Tallmadge Elementary School Mr. Adam Booth. Up until this interview I had heard so many good things about this newest member of Tallmadge City School System. As a matter of fact shortly before the interview I sent out a request to a bunch of educators from TES and asked their thoughts on their new administrator. It was amazing how many of th...

For this episode of #between2bluedevils I have the joy of sitting down with an educator who seems to be involved in everything! Mrs. Julie Headrick is a life long resident of Tallmadge. She grew up in Tallmadge City Schools and her dream was to come back to her alma mater as a teacher. Right out of college she was fortunate enough to be brought in to replace her mentor in the classroom. Wait until...

Kicking off the New Year I sit down with Mr. David Hungerford, Tallmadge High School Language Arts and Speech teacher. This educator has a story! He has been in the world of education for over 20 years. 7 years ago he made his way to Tallmadge High School and our school hasn't been the same since. Immediately upon his arrival in Tallmadge he was determined to get as involved as he possibly could i...

This week I sit down with two sisters who LOVE Tallmadge and LOVE teaching. As you listen to Ms. Nina DiFalco and Ms. JoAnna DiFalco you will quickly pick up on their passion for teaching, their passion for their coaching, and especially their passion for their family. Trust me when I tell you that you will laugh a lot as you listen to these two feed off of each other. You will also feel yourself...

This episode I sit down with two leaders of the THS senior class. Ana Crangle and Ashton Bell both have amazing stories to tell. As you listen you will be moved by the wisdom that these young women drop.  After listening to this interview be sure to follow our school newspaper, The Devils Tale, on Twitter: The Devils Tale And be sure to subscribe to their podcast where they feature the storie...

There is nothing better in the life of a teacher than when a former student reaches out to share their life with you. Grant did just that not long ago and then he agreed to hop on the podcast and share with the listeners what he is doing. What a great interview hearing all about what Grant is passionate about...technology, Camp Fitch, hockey, and so much more. Grant is a 2009 graduate of Tallmadge...

The first episode of Season 3 features one of my most favorite people in Tallmadge, Mrs. Arene Staszak. Mrs. Staszak is a wife, mother, math teacher, coach, and musician. If she isn't in the classroom, then she is most likely in the hallway planning another event for our students. If she isn't in the hallway she is most likely on a softball field somewhere. And if you cannot find her on a field th...

They came rushing into class one morning and hijacked the podcast. I, your host, was forcibly sat down to be interviewed, and it turned out to be a blast! Okay, I wasn't forced, but I turned over the reins to two amazing students, Esther and Chandni, and answered all of their questions. I enjoyed sharing bits and pieces of my story with these two, and as an extension, with you. My story has some i...