Your Dream is Our Dream: Celebrating Student Success: Recent Episodes
WGVU STAFF
Your Dream is Our Dream: Celebrating Student Success brings you conversations with students and educators that ignite and inspire dreams. Students from all levels of education share in their own words how learning connects them to achieving their goals and exploring their ambitions.This podcast series is hosted and produced by Kent ISD Communications Specialists Joy Walczak and Nate Gimby and the team at WGVU Public Media.Kent ISD is proud to partner with WGVU in showcasing student success and how teaching and learning help make dreams come true.
Billie still has their first purple tool kit, a gift from their dad who helped inspire dreams of becoming a carpenter and designing and building things of lasting beauty. Billie was one of the first to graduate from West Michigan Construction Institute, a learning lab for tomorrow’s workforce, while completing their high school education at CA Frost in Grand Rapids Public Schools
With an interest in healthcare and a love of STEM learning, East Kentwood 12th grader Sifa Mulebinge took a chance on a summer experience to help solve real-world problems and gain college credit between high school semesters at BAMF Health
When Charlie Vonk created a course called Video Tech Time, he didn’t know he would be inspiring a career that would lead one of his middle school students to join the Olympic broadcast team, not once but twice. Jon Greenhoe’s dream is taking him to Paris this summer
In middle school, Eric Sorensen built himself a computer. By graduation, he completed the Networking & Cyber Security program at Kent Career Tech Center earning an unprecedented 21 certifications and more than 50 credits toward an Associate Degree in IT from Grand Rapids Community College through Launch U. For this Forest Hills Northern grad’s future, the cyber sky has no limit
Their dreams are as different as they are, ambitions to become police officers, trauma surgeons, psychologists and to travel the world. It can all start with education and the confidence that comes with a belief in being beautiful
Host Joy Walczak speaks to Caledonia High 11th grader Logan Reimbold, Director of esports at Aquinas College, Will Wolf, and Director of Workforce Development at Kent ISD Ryan Graham.
Host Joy Walczak speaks with Miriam Ijor-Amachree, GED and CTE Adult Education graduate and Marty Marquardt, GED Instructor, Kent ISD Adult Education
As they inch closer to graduation, three high school students share their career ambitions and the efforts of educators and school staff to empower them to reach for their dreams.
Their dreams are as diverse as their backgrounds and experiences, but one thing scholars in Kent ISD’s Student Leadership Community have in common is that their educational experiences are helping them reach their goals beyond high school
When she’s not in school or studying, you may find Rubi Esquival-Estaban in the kitchen trying out a new recipe or baking a favorite treat for her family. The Grand Rapids UPrep senior is gathering all the ingredients to make her dream of opening her own bakery one day a reality
Dreams start early for kindergarteners in Rosi Corl’s Central Elementary kindergarten classroom in Grandville. See a gallery of the Dream Drawings young students created as they describe their hopes for the future.
When Clara stepped into the 3D Animation & Game Design program at Kent Career Tech Center, she wasn’t quite sure what to expect. Now in her second year, she has her sights on a career in this area where she can express herself artistically while mastering high-end technology used in a growing economic sector.
Before they finish high school, Abby and Cole will complete their Associate Degrees at GRCC and have a top five finish at a NASA competition under their belts. They’re both getting a jump start on their education and careers at no cost by taking part in a program called Launch U.
When Brady Bowers heard the word “quadrilateral” he knew he was headed to Washington. Bowers won the Greater Grand Rapids Spelling Bee setting him up for a spot on stage at the Scripps National Spelling Bee in June, an achievement made possible with support found at school
When Angel moved from Puerto Rico to Michigan, he had no idea what opportunities awaited him. After entering Kent ISD’s Empower U program at Goodwill Industries his entry into meaningful employment and increased independence began
Lessons in agriscience and farming grew into a hydroponic and microgreen business for a busy Lowell High School senior with the help of his teacher and FFA advisor
Just a year ago, Luz Hernandez was in a coma, intubated and clinging to life. As her recovery from COVID began in 2022, she vowed to return to school to continue learning English after losing some of her language skills to her bout with deadly virus
Joel Perez hasn’t had a typical high school experience until now. As he navigates advanced placement classes, football practice and his role as a student leader, he’s focusing on a future in front of the classroom
Madi Storey is intent on giving back. Inspired by others who aspire to hold office, defend the disadvantaged and assume roles in improving lives, she is learning to lead
As a fifth grader, Bishop Cobbs has big dreams of being a professional athlete, but after a summer coding class, he’s adding video game designer to his ambitions
Jordan Holliday is on track to become a police officer with some training and an internship under his belt before he finishes high school
Elyzabeth Martinez has completed the Kent Career Tech Center EMT Program and is now a Life EMS Ambulance Responder
Layla Strong knows her way around an automobile from balancing tires to doing an all-point maintenance check to making sure the exterior is show-room ready. And her dream is to do even more.
Emine Gulbahar is an English as a Second Language student and part of a new program. Hollin De La Cruz is a program navigator for Kent ISD Adult Education. Emine and Hollin are our guests on this edition of Your Dream is Our Dream.
Milo Wilder, 3rd-grade scholar at Gladiola Elementary School in Wyoming, shares his dream on today's Your Dream is Our Dream podcast. Principal Cheryl Corpus also joins the conversation with host Joy Walczak.