Spotlight 4 Success

Send us Fan Mail Kari Damron gives her testimonial about her experience with ABC products.  Website: spotlight4success.com

Send us Fan Mail The energy of OKSTE buzzes in the background as we sit down with fifth grade ELA teacher Kari Damron from Sayre Elementary, and the conversation goes straight to the heart of classroom life. Kari paints a vivid picture of a pivotal year where kids step toward middle school, and ELA becomes the spine that supports both academic skills and character. She shares how a dependable “pur...

Send us Fan Mail What if the best classroom is just down the road? We sit with Rebecca Barefoot from the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources to reveal how a million-dollar Field Trip Fund is sending students to museums, aquariums, state parks, historic sites, and the zoo—with an application that’s simple, fast, and designed for real school schedules. Website: spotlight4succ...

Send us Fan Mail Middle school isn’t the hallway between “cute” and “chaos”—it’s the proving ground where students decide who they’re becoming. We sit down with Anna Crooke, a veteran educator and board member for the North Carolina Middle Level Educators, to unpack why the middle years carry outsized impact and how a conference like NCMLE fuels real classroom change. From her roots in a family of...

Send us Fan Mail If you’ve ever wondered how a single moment can reroute a life, Joe Pizzo’s story will stick with you. We caught up in sunny Charlotte at NCMLE, where Joe and his colleague Ken Pasic submitted six session ideas—and were shocked when all six were accepted. That win set the stage for a wide‑ranging talk about what really moves the needle for middle‑level learners: hearing great lang...

Send us Fan Mail A spark in a science lab. A brave ask for help in a lunchroom. A reminder from a keynote to keep planting seeds even when the harvest feels far away. This conversation from NCMLE in Charlotte brings the heartbeat of school to the surface as we sit down with eighth-grade science teacher and AVID educator Erin Burton and assistant principal Michelle Posley Lee from Southeastern Rand...

Send us Fan Mail What if your classroom AI refused to write the paper—and taught students how to think instead? We sit down with Brittany Ordu from TrekAI at the Gacis conference in Athens, Georgia to unpack a teacher-built, student-centered platform that puts privacy, safety, and authentic learning first. Rather than handing out answers, TrekAI prompts learners to explore themes, gather evidence,...

Send us Fan Mail Angie Alexander gives her testimonial about her experience with ABC products.  Website: spotlight4success.com 

Send us Fan Mail Policy shifts don’t raise scores—people and routines do. From a busy hallway in Lexington, we sit down with Principal Angie Alexander of Ferristown Middle School to unpack how Kentucky’s new accountability pathway and the push for “vibrant learning” translate into daily wins for real students. Angie shares a grounded playbook: align resources to standards, make math engagement vis...

Send us Fan Mail A partly cloudy day in Lexington turned bright when we met Leigh Allison from Garrison Elementary—a teacher facing her first year with an ELL student and embracing the challenge with heart and strategy. Lee opens up about the early spark that led her into teaching (yes, stuffed-animal classrooms), the power of feeling known at school, and why belonging is the foundation for any re...

Send us Fan Mail Leigh Allison shares her testimony about how ABC products have impacted her students.  Website: spotlight4success.com 

Send us Fan Mail Ever wonder what flips the switch from “I don’t get it” to “I can explain it”? We sit down with educator and leader Miranda Stockton in a bustling corridor at the Continuous Improvement Conference in Lexington, Kentucky, to trace how a college love for chemistry became a mission to make learning tangible. Miranda shares the moments that changed her practice—watching students light...

Send us Fan Mail Miranda Stockton gives her testimonial about ABC Products.  Website: spotlight4success.com 

Send us Fan Mail What drives someone to leave a successful business career and dive into the challenging world of education? Dr. Karen Phillips, Assistant Principal at Houston County Schools, joins host Devin Pintozzi at the 2025 Gale Conference to share her remarkable journey of transformation and purpose. Website: spotlight4success.com

Send us Fan Mail The specialist, who manages technology and state testing at their school, reveals how ABC resources have transformed their testing outcomes. "I know we've seen great success in our test scores over using the resources and stuff over the last couple of years," they explain, offering a refreshingly candid assessment of what's actually working in the classroom. As...

Send us Fan Mail Ever wondered how educational tools and programs are evaluated to ensure they actually work? Dr. Rachel Schechter, founder of UXD Research, pulls back the curtain on this fascinating process during her conversation with Devin Pintozzi on Spotlight for Success. Organizations: https://lxdresearch.com/decoding-research-review-organizations.  How to get certified: https://lxdresearch....

Send us Fan Mail What happens when a teacher returns to their own high school as an educator? Meet Janie Olivarri, who transformed from Pleasanton High School graduate to dedicated instructor with 26 years of experience in the same hallways where she once studied. Website: Spotlight 4 Success

Send us Fan Mail Ever wonder what drives someone to become a teacher in our technology-driven world? Krystin Pavey's story begins with stuffed animals as her first students at age three, and now she's at the forefront of educational technology integration at Dawes Intermediate School in Mobile County. Website: spotlight4success.com

Send us Fan Mail How does a school transform from "satisfactory" to "good" in just four years? Sheldon Thomas, Jamaica's Principal of the Year for 2025, joins us from the ASCD ISTE Conference in San Antonio to share his remarkable leadership journey at Ferncourt High School. Website: spotlight4success.com

Send us Fan Mail Ever wonder what happens when a lifelong educator with 18 years of principal experience decides to tackle the education system's biggest challenges? Dr. Zanthia "Dr. Z" Reddish brings her vibrant personality and practical expertise to this episode, sharing her mission to transform how we support educators across America. Website: spotlight4success.com

Send us Fan Mail A chance encounter on a train to Delhi changed everything for Manpreet Kaur. When a fellow passenger asked why she wasn't pursuing her dream of creating an educational platform for children, she made the bold decision to quit her job and return to her small hometown in Punjab, India. That decisive moment in 2017 sparked the creation of The Learner's Pathway, a comprehens...

Send us Fan Mail Discovering the heart of education through the eyes of a seasoned teacher turned instructional coach—that's what awaits you in this enlightening conversation with Amber DiSilvio from Northeast Elementary School in Clarksville, Tennessee. Website: spotlight4success.com

Send us Fan Mail What happens when a dedicated classroom teacher decides to expand her impact through educational technology? Stephanie Ranieri's story offers a compelling glimpse into the evolving landscape of education careers and the diverse paths educators can take to influence learning. Website: spotlight4success.com

Send us Fan Mail What happens when passionate educators break free from traditional systems to create the schools they've always envisioned? Terra Gallagher's journey from frustrated parent and teacher to founder of the thriving Field of Vision Academy in Arizona reveals the transformative power of educational innovation. Website: spotlight4success.com

Send us Fan Mail Born to teach. That's the phrase that comes to mind when listening to Tanara Livingston's remarkable story. Speaking from the bustling ASCD, ISTE conference in San Antonio, this Title I facilitator from Mobile County Training Middle School reveals she began her teaching career at just ten years old—running a paid tutoring program for younger children in her neighborhood....