On this episode, we spotlight Battle Ground Public Schools alum Katie Bauer, who proves that success can start at any age. She shares her journey from working at Detroit Pizza at age 16—a job that provided her with valuable work-based learning credits—to becoming a part-owner of the restaurant, which recently opened a second location in Camas. Katie also talks about achieving personal goals like owning two homes and hiring other students, continuing the cycle of mentorship. Later, we hear from Laura Fiksdal and Russ Kallwick of Chartwells, the district's new nutrition services provider. They discuss how they serve thousands of students daily and use innovative programs—from letting students vote on menu items to holding a cooking competition for fourth-graders—to teach kids about nutrition and introduce them to new foods and cultures.

In today's episode, we get to have a great conversation about the significant role that nurses play in all the schools in our district. I think you're going to be surprised and impressed by everything a school nurse is responsible for in the modern public school environment. We also take a minute to hear about a project Zac French has been working on with the Battle Ground Parks Department.

In today's episode, Denny and I sit down with Travis Blankenship and Chelsea Ward from the district's Family and Community Resource Center. We talk about the many services that are offered to students who are homeless or in foster care in the district, as well as some of the why and how of what they do.