Talk 122: Recent Episodes
Harlem School District 122
Join Harlem School District's Superintendent Dr. Terrell Yarbrough as he discusses what is happening in and around district 122!
Join Superintendent Dr. Terrell Yarbrough, Board President Michael Sterling, and Vice President Kurt Thompson in this sizzling summer edition of Talk 122. The trio dives into a fun and fiery hot wings challenge, sampling sauces from mild to the scorching Carolina Reaper, all while discussing important school updates.
In this episode, they reflect on the successful transition of the sixth grade to middle school, the exciting progress of the CTE building, and much-needed renovations at the middle school, including upgraded bathrooms. They also share their enthusiasm for upcoming projects like a new staff clinic and expanded educational programs.
Get ready to laugh as the heat rises and the conversation flows, offering a unique mix of informative updates and spicy entertainment. Don’t miss the fun and insightful discussion, and find out how the school leadership is preparing for an exciting new year. Tune in and get a taste of what’s cooking in the district, both in terms of hot wings and hot topics!
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On this compelling episode of Talk 122, Dr. Yarbrough engages in a thought-provoking discussion with the knowledgeable staff members from the YMCA of Rock River Valley, focusing on the crucial topic of nutrition.
First, we speak to Kaela Wolfe, Nutrition Services Director at YMCA & Katie Saeger Nutrition Services Manager YMCA. They discuss serving kids snacks at the Kids Time after-care program planning around what kids might want or not have access to regularly at home. They speak about testing and asking for feedback from all stakeholders. Kaela discusses her time at Olson Park and all the teachers who influenced her. Katie then discusses her experience as a parent at Harlem High School and helping during track practices.
Then, Dr. Yarbourgh sits down with Brent Pentenburg, the CFO of the YMCA Rock River Valley. Brent has been with the Y for over 20 years and served as CFO for more than 6. He talks about the ‘why’ of providing nutrition services to the community and younger kids. Type 2 diabetes in young children is projected to increase by 600% by 2050; Brent discusses how they can be part of the change to prevent that.
In this episode, Dr. Terrell Yarbrough interviews a special guest, Dustin Eckhardt, a mural artist and former Harlem graduate. They discuss Dustin's background, his journey into becoming a mural artist, and his plans to create a mural at Harlem Middle School. Dustin talks about his artistic process, involving research, sketching, and painting, and expresses his enthusiasm for involving students in the project.
The interview emphasizes the impact of art on the community and concludes with an invitation for students to participate in art-related activities.
You can find out more about Dustin at his website https://dustineckhardt.art/
In the latest episode, Dr. Yarbrough talked with two alums from Harlem High School. The first one is Bryana Travieso, who graduated in 2023. They spoke of her work on the documentary "Holmes County," which she started during her junior year. The project involved visiting towns in Mississippi to learn about different cultures and community dynamics.
The second guest was Jailyn Charles, who graduated in 2022 and attended UIC. She majored in English and minored in film & media production. They discussed her writing, her work on a zombie feature film screenplay, and the production of the "Holmes County" documentary. They also talked about her passion for seeing the project's vision come to life and the importance of the project itself. They even discussed driving for 13 hours to film the documentary.
"Holmes County" is still in production and will tell the story of the first black woman to gain the right to vote in Mississippi. The tentative release date for the film is November 2024.
On this final episode of Talk 122 for 2023, Superintendent Yarbrough sits down with two Harlem High School sophomores who are sharing their creativity with the world!
First, we sit down with Kennedie Meyers who just published her second book, “Let’s Walk Instead”. They discuss her writing progress and how she starts writing at a young age. Kennedie talks about how she learned to self-publish on her own and how she got out of writing block with help from a teacher.You can purchase the book on Amazon.com: https://a.co/d/2Rx32bY
Next, we sit down with Mckenna Winters, an aspiring Harlem singer who just signed with a record label in Nashville. Dr. Yarbrough asks about how Mckenna got into singing, her parent’s support, and her father running her social media page. She then discusses her life on and off the stage, her time in Nashville, and about how she had 1 top hit. You can follow Mckenna on her website at: https://mckennafaithwinters.com/
On this Veterans Day episode of Talk 122, Dr. Yarbrough discusses the Harlem Vet Doc Film “Take Your Own Notes” with a Harlem alumni and veteran Melissa Beckford about her experience in the military and at Harlem. Then we take a sneak peak of the film that is being shown at RVC on November 10 and in St. Louis this weekend. We then sit down with Kiara Newman about working on this powerful documentary. They discuss how this student-driven project was made and the impact of the stories.
Melissa Beckford, Harlem alumni Class of ‘97, is a single mother and immigrant who now works for veterans affairs.
Take Your Own Notes features the stories of five women veterans who live in the greater Rockford area. The documentarystrives to demonstrate how these women have made an impact in their families and local communities through active participation, especially with regard to military-related issues. Take Your Own Notes strives to provide an outlet for women who may have experienced or may continue to experience challenges featured in the documentary, which will hopefully cultivate an open dialogue about military-related issues women veterans face on a day-to-day basis.
In the first episode of season 3, we sit down with Ryan Reinecke (Rock Cut), Jerry Harris (HMS), and Dr. Bois (HHS) to discuss the many updates that our buildings are getting! From painted hallways to a new gym to the CTE addition.
On This final episode of season 2 of Talk 122, Dr. Yarbrough sits down with Brent Murray. Brent is the owner of Dairyhäus Ice Cream Shop in Rockton, Illnois. They talk about what it takes to run an ice shop, his work with the Harlem Vet Doc and more!
Dairyhaus - 113 E Main St, Rockton, IL 61072
Order online at https://www.dairyhausrockton.com/
Dr. Yarbrough hosts Talk 122 Podcast featuring Jake Hubert, Director of Secondary Education, and Rebecca Logan, Director of Elementary Education at Harlem school district.
Jake discusses his path to the school district, his passion for telling jokes, and the Career and College pathways at Harlem. He also talks about the upcoming addition at Harlem High School.
Rebecca then joins the conversation and talks about her experience working with elementary kids and the great staff at Harlem.
Tune in to Talk 122 Podcast for more insights into the Harlem school district and the education sector in general.
In this episode of Talk 122, host Dr. Yarbrough talks to Jill Mosher, Director of Food and Nutrition Services. Jill discusses her experience working with the Harlem School District to provide meals to students. She also shares insights from her time in Harlem, providing a unique perspective on the challenges and opportunities of working in food service.
Join Superintendent Dr. Terrell Yarbrough in this episode of Talk 122 as he sits down with Kim Woodkey, a teacher at Ralston, to discuss a supply fundraiser for Ralston's GSA club. Later, Josh Aurand, Chief School Business Official for Harlem, joins the conversation to give a behind-the-scenes look at managing finances for the school district, and to reveal exciting upcoming projects like a new gym, playground equipment and the CTE addition to Harlem High School. Don't miss this insightful and informative episode! Listen now!
We go behind the scenes at Harlem News Network (HNN) Dr. Yarbrough sits down with Tony Garza and Jazmyn Austin (Seniors at HHS) to talk about what it takes to produce content for the show, their favorite story they’ve done and more.
Check out HNNs YouTube channel to see the latest episode! - https://www.youtube.com/@HarlemNewsNetwork
We start off 2023 by going north with educators who attended the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in Alaska. In our first ever triple interview: Julie Crawford (6th grade teacher at Loves Park Elementary), Andrea Cox (6th grade teacher at WillowBrook Middle School and former Harlem Teacher), & Shannon Davidson (Co-Teacher with Julie at Loves Park) discuss attending the event, applying it to their classrooms & Beyond.
The Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, more commonly known as The Iditarod, is an annual long-distance sled dog race run in early March. It travels from Anchorage to Nome, entirely within the US state of Alaska. - Wikipedia
Talk 122 is produced by the Harlem School District in Machesney Park
Podcast #Talk122 #Education #Iditarod
Today, we celebrate our staff and bring in two amazing guests.
Brock Morlan and Caitlin Heidenreich from Marquette discuss their educator journey. Brock discusses his experience as an admin and learning from Lisa Clark. Caitlin was a student at Harlem High when Dr. Terrell Yarbrough was the principal, and she discusses her favorite teacher.,
The Harlem consolidated school district serves the Loves Park, Machesney Park and Roscoe communities in Illinois. To learn more, go to Harlem122.org.
Dr. Yarbrough sits down with transportation director Don West. He discusses the job of transporting students, what it is working for Harlem and the TSA award that Harlem received this year
The Harlem consolidated school district serves the Loves Park, Machesney Park and Roscoe communities in Illinois. To learn more, go to Harlem122.org.
On today's talk, Dr. Yarbrough sits down with Ciara Stahly, the development coordinator for the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois (https://www.cfnil.org/)
They discuss grants & scholarships available to Harlem and local area students.
The Community Foundation of Northern Illinois' mission is to serve as a catalyst for giving in order to attract, preserve, and grow an endowment for the current and future needs of the people of Northern Illinois.
The Harlem consolidated school district serves the Loves Park, Machesney Park and Roscoe communities in Illinois. To learn more, go to Harlem122.org.
In this student led episode, Dr. Yarbrough learns about student voice and what students are thinking at Harlem.
First up, Jeremy Matinez talks about changes and his favorite teacher. Then he discusses the importance of students speaking up Then Jack Erickson stops by to talk about student voice and equity in our schools
Did anyone make the ESPN basket? Find out!
The Harlem consolidated school district serves the Loves Park, Machesney Park and Roscoe communities in Illinois. To learn more, go to Harlem122.org.
In this episode of Talk 122 we talk about Harlem bowling tradition! Dr. Yarbrough discusses with students and coaches about the sport,
First up: Jermarrion Simmons, a senior at Harlem High School, sits down about how he got into bowling, winning in Florida and his titles. Jermarrion then talks about what it takes to bowl and how he locks in. Then he discusses the moment he became a bowler (It took 5 years!). He then imparts the advice that made him better. Dr. Y then asks how he thinks of his legacy. Did he make his basket?
Then Dr. Y listens to Haille Kerr & Braden Schuld (Seniors at Harlem High School) while they speak on how they got into bowling (from bumpers to hitting the center lane). They have been bowling from a very young age. They discuss growing up with Harlem bowling, their favorite players and being part of the winning teams. "Always keep practicing!" Then Dr. Yarbrough quizzes them about the athletic director's bowling career. Where will they be in five years?
The coaches stop by (Nick Whitmire & Jim Heathscott) to discuss what makes Harlem bowling historic!
Jim Heathscott, Girl's bowling coach, talks about their parents (they are not related) and growing up in bowling. Then Nick Whitmire, Boy's bowling coach, talks about tradition and helping students improve. Then they discuss their respective programs.
The Harlem consolidated school district serves the Loves Park, Machesney Park and Roscoe communities in Illinois. To learn more, go to Harlem122.org.
On this episode of Talk 122, Dr. Yarbrough spotlights three amazing staff members.
Michael Valentine (Assistant Principal at Machesney) sits down and discusses his 7 years in Harlem. They discuss the old H9 campus and about the transition to Harlem High School building. Michael then discusses transitioning from secondary to elementary and ketchup packets. Then he reveals a special talent and his favorite person in the district.
Then Jennifer Curless (Associate Principal at HMS) stops by to talk about her 20th year in education including her time teaching in Chicago, Teaching at HMS, and then her return to Harlem. She explains working at Harlem Middle, listening to students, her experience of being a foreign exchange student and her favorite candy! They then share advice for students for starting middle school and communication. Who is her favorite person in the district?
For our last guest, Drew Colclasure (Fourth Grade Teacher at Loves Park) stops by to teach us how to say his name (Mr. C for short), The other Mr. C (Sorry to fans of the Browns) and working with students. He mentions his time with Lisa Clark and how it led to his teaching career. Then he reveals his favorite movie, being a comedian, & Playing D&D at Loves Park. He then gives us a set of his comedy standup. Then they discuss where to find Beanie Babies (Hidden Treasures) and how he merges being a teacher and a comedian. Who is his favorite person in the district?
The Harlem consolidated school district serves the Loves Park, Machesney Park, and Roscoe communities in Illinois. To learn more, go to Harlem122.org.
Starting off the 2022-2023 school year, Dr. Yarbrough discuss Orange & Black night at Harlem High School on August 19, 2022.
Our first guest is Robert Moynihan, head football coach for Harlem. He discusses this year’s football teams from middle school to varsity, equipment shortages, and him need to try the pork chop sandwich from the concession stand.
Next, we sit down with Harlem High’s principal Jeremy Bois! We check out his new orange Jordans and discuss the upcoming school year and Orange & Black Night.
We are excited for another season of Talk 122! Please like, share and subscribe to hear about things happening around district 122.
The Harlem consolidated school district serves the Loves Park, Machesney Park and Roscoe communities in Illinois. To learn more, go to Harlem122.org.
For our last podcast of the 2021-2022 school year, we speak to Tommy Meeks, President of ICRG (Inner City Reconstruction Group) and Founder of Rockford Juneteenth Celebrations. We talk about his work in the community, his time at Harlem, and the upcoming Juneteenth holiday (June 19)
The Rockford Juneteenth Celebration was founded by Tommy Meeks. It's a celebration for all races commemorating the day the slaves were freed in the south. Find out more about the event at https://www.juneteenth1865.com/ or visit their Facebook page
Thank you for listening/watching and have a great summer!
On This episode of Talk 122, Dr. Terrell Yarbrough sits down with former Harlem SuperintendentJulie Morris to discuss life after the superintendency, what she misses about Harlem and legacy.
Then we talk to Erin Anderson, principal at Parker Center, about early education, their family fun fair and the upcoming kindergarten screening event on June 1,2, 7
Learn more about the event here
Learn more about Harlem at Harlem122.org
In this episode, Dr. Yarbrough sits down with Nicholas Stange, a teacher at Harlem High School & Talk 122 Editor, about how the veteran project came to be and the impact on the students and veterans.
2022 Harlem Veteran Project Gala is Saturday, May 21st, 2022 at 4:00pm in the Harlem High School Auditorium. Learn more on their Facebook page.
The Harlem Veteran Project interviews, documents, and records American Veterans from World War Two and on.
Learn more about Harlem at Harlem122.org
April is Financial Literacy Month. In this episode of Talk 122, Dr. Yarbrough sits down with Ali Munoz from Rock Valley Credit Union to discuss how students can learn about money, credit and more!
Learn more about services and programs available at Rock Valley Credit Union on their website.
Make sure to share Talk 122 on social media and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.
Spotify users can watch our podcast! Just search Talk 122 and see who makes the shot at the end of the episode.
Learn more about Harlem122.org
In this episode, we sit down with Chris Noble & Emily Breakfield, Instructional Tech Specialist for the district. We deep dive into what tools we are using in the classroom, teaching teachers and more
Dr. Yarbrough sits down and discusses education in 2021-2022, overcoming obstacles, and more with Michael Sterling, Harlem School Board President
Learn more about Harlem School District 122 at Harlem122.org
On this episode of Talk 122, Dr. Terrell Yarbrough sits down with Carol Johnson, a former teacher and events coordinator. They discuss about her time at Harlem, having Harlem pride, and the Harlem Scholarships available.
Then Alex Gary stops by and discusses the district’s alumni network, teaching in the Harlem District, and our career pathways.
To end the episode, we interview Jake The Barber, a 2017 graduate about learning, following your passion, and cutting hair. – Find him online at Booksy.com
In this episode of Talk 122 superintendent Yarbrough sits down with Jason Lubben, Teacher and head athletic trainer at Harlem High School. They discuss the partnership between Athletico and the district, coming back for injuries, and how students can join the athletic training program.
Then Rebecca Hoffmann, Athletic Director at Harlem discuss the amazing current athletes, the people and work that go into the athletic department. Then she discusses her vision of the future of Harlem Athletics.
Harlem’s Equity Journey
Kaitlyn Hardy, a senior at Harlem High School, discusses being part of Multi-Cultural Student Union (MSU) and giving every student a voice. We then discuss our equity work impacting young and older students.
Then Kasie Kosinski, assistant principal at Windsor Elementary stops by to discuss being a parent on how the equity work is important to her.
To round out the episode, we speak with Kyra Newnam about teaching African American history and learning along with her students.
Learn more at Harlem122.org and make to sure rate us wherever you get your podcasts
In this special sit-down interview, Superintendent Dr. Terrell Yarbrough discusses leadership, partnerships and representation with Rock Valley College president Dr. Howard Spearman.
Find out more about RVC by visiting Rockvalleycollege.edu.
Please rate Talk 122 and share to anyone interested what is going on in the hallways of district 122 that serves Machesney Park, Loves Park & Roscoe
Find even more at Harlem122.org
Alumni of Harlem has a new home – Subscribe to our Alumni Newsletter here.
On This episode, we discuss music and the upcoming playoff game performance with Timothy Perian, Marching band director at Harlem High School. Then we talk to Jeremy Toledo about becoming the vocal director and the future of music at Harlem.
Find more at Harlem122.org
On this episode, Dr. Terrell Yarbrough interviews Kevin Polky, Founder & Executive Director of KP Counseling about stress during the pandemic. We then speak to Diana Disch, Wellness Coordinator for Harlem, about how to stay healthy and practice self-care. Then Rock Cut Elementary principal Ryan Reinecke discusses about mindfulness and balance. To finish, Brenda Estrada – a 4th grade HOLA teacher at Rock Cut, discusses teaching and finding what you can control in 2021.
Find out more about the Harlem School District at Harlem122.org.
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We discuss homecoming with Alaina Mach, student council advisor at HHS. Then Brooke Decho, a senior at HHS, talks about learning and thriving during the pandemic. Then Bill Dredge discusses his 46 years of teaching and coaching at Harlem.
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In our first episode, Dr. Terrell Yarbrough sits down to discuss what Talk 122 is all about! We then interview Jason Blume & Michael Stanley from the Equity and Community Engagement department of Harlem.
Harlem School District No. 122, commonly called Harlem Consolidated School District, is a unit school district in eastern Winnebago County, Illinois. It is headquartered in Machesney Park and covers most of Loves Park, Machesney Park, and southern Roscoe, Illinois.