Public Education Matters

Various student voices 0:08
Public education matters. Public education matters. Public education matters.

Scott DiMauro 0:15
This is Public Education Matters, brought to you by the Ohio Education Association.

Katie Olmsted 0:26
Thanks for joining us for this edition of Public Education Matters. I'm Katie Olmsted, and I'm part of the communications team for the Ohio Education Association and the nearly 120,000 teachers, education support professionals, higher ed faculty members and others represented by OEA across the state. OEA also represents future educators, both through the Educator Rising programs for high schoolers and through the Aspiring Educators chapters, currently representing about 1,000 pre-service educators on college campuses across Ohio.Aspiring Educators are college students, undergrad or grad, who are going to school to become educators, whether they're education majors in educator prep programs or are pursuing paths that could lead to becoming a school nurse, a school counselor or any other role in our schools. These AE chapters not only offer opportunities for higher ed students to come together for community and professional development, they also give Aspiring Educators a voice to help shape the future of their chosen profession. And right now, AEs are using their united voice to try to help pass a bill in the Ohio General Assembly that would provide some financial support for student teachers. As things stand right now, trying to do their senior year practicum without any sort of compensation, while they're paying their tuition and all of the other costs associated with a college education can be a real financial barrier that keeps potentially excellent educators out of this profession. We'll get into all of that in just a little bit. But first, I want to introduce you to one of the AEs who is helping to lead the charge on that bill - work that started when she was previously OEA's AE chair, and continues now as she continues to serve as co-president of the nationally recognized Kent Student Education Association, the AE chapter at Kent State University, which is OEA largest AE chapter. Audrey Sargas is a Middle Childhood Education major with concentrations in social studies and language arts, and as she tells us, her decision to become an educator and her decisions about the kind of teacher she hopes to be for her students have been shaped by her past, including a teacher who really touched her life when she was in middle school herself.

Audrey Sargus 2:59
I want to teach middle school, because I had some amazing teachers when I was in middle school. So in sixth grade, I had a teacher. Her name was Mrs. Sunlin, and she taught social studies. She was so, so kind, so sweet, and she made it fun and interactive. And I never had had a teacher do that before. And then I started thinking more about what I wanted to be, and I was like, I want to be like Mrs. Sunlin. So that kind of catalyst into where I am today, going to school to be an educator and making a difference for students.

Katie Olmsted 3:28
Because an educator made such a difference for you. You've mentioned to me that you did not have an easy upbringing. Do you feel comfortable sharing any of that story?

Audrey Sargus 3:36
Yeah. So when I was little, my mom was really, really sick, and that, you know, led to us sometimes having to be like, raised by my grandparents, living at their house because she just couldn't take care of us. And that transformed into them adopting us and being raised by them. When you have a sick parent, sometimes it's hard for them to be the best person for you, and ultimately, she was not the best person for me and my brothers, but my grandparents were, and they gave us an amazing life and made sure we had access to opportunities like going to college and school to make a difference.

Katie Olmsted 4:08
You have also mentioned that when you got that college acceptance letter, that was something. Tell me about that day.

Audrey Sargus 4:14
So college was like a way out for me. It was something I saw as education was a key. It was power. It was something I wanted to do. So once I submitted a lot of applications, I heard back from all of them and was accepted. And Kent State, I was like, Oh my gosh, I love this campus. It's so beautiful. I'm so excited to go here. No one told me it was a 20 minute walk to all my classes and up a hill, but -

Katie Olmsted 4:37
uphill both ways -

Audrey Sargus 4:38
Yes, exactly. But I was really, really, really excited, and it was just like a fresh start to my life, and kind of a piece that I could do anything I wanted with. Like my grandparents didn't go to college. You know, I'm raised by them, so I didn't have anyone to go to who had been to college. So it was kind of like my own piece of myself that I could make into whatever I wanted.

Katie Olmsted 4:59
And on one hand, it's an amazing opportunity to write your own story. But on the other hand, you don't have that familial support. You can't be like, well, when you were at school... What do your grandparents say about what you're doing?

Audrey Sargus 5:12
Well, I think at first, because I did a career at Tech, so I was in teaching professions in high school, I think at first they were kind of scared, because I am kind of small. And they were like, can she do this? Like, is this the best profession for her? Like, is she strong enough? But after they saw me and like, were able to hear how I spoke about it, and like, what I wanted to do with an education, I think they were like, yeah, she can do it. And that led to me finding out that I actually have a past a family who are educators. And, like my grandma, her dad was an educator. She has brothers who are educators. So that was something I didn't know, and it was cool to find that out. Once they were like, yeah, she could do this, they let me know that little piece of information. So I was like, okay, like, I come from a history of people who are making a difference.

Katie Olmsted 5:55
And you, instead of just going to campus and being like, Okay, I'll take the ride and I'll figure this out, immediately have decided you want to make even bigger difference by being your chapter president? What does that look like? And why did you want to do that? Why are you stepping into these roles?

Audrey Sargus 6:11
Yeah, so I think it was just a place to kind of find friends, at first in community on campus, because I do commute, and then it kind of grew way, way more. And I realized that I love planning events. I love talking to people, networking, doing one on one, so you'd get to know people, especially in my area, at Kent and that spiraled into me accepting the President's position. And I just love to work. Like I'm not a sit at home, like do nothing. I love to be busy. And so that was a piece of it, too. And just knowing that, like, every decision I make is impacting the students at my college and Aspiring Educators, was something that was important to me, because you don't want someone who you know you don't trust or maybe won't make the best decisions for you. And so I was really excited to go into that role, knowing that I could make a difference for people in my community and people exactly like me.

Katie Olmsted 7:00
What difference does it make to have an Aspiring Educators chapter on campus?

Audrey Sargus 7:05
It definitely offers a community piece. You know, sometimes students just go to class and they don't talk to anybody. So there was that. It's a social hour. We have, like cookies, fun snacks, depending on the chapter. So that's a big piece. And then for me, professional development, being able to offer students something that their professors might not be offering them, or they might not be getting out of their classes. And, you know, seeing them grow, you know, as a person, but also, like on a professional level, and making sure that they are well equipped to get a job within education and be prepared to kind of face the realities of what education is today.

Katie Olmsted 7:41
What are the -- This is that $64,000 question - What are the realities of education today? I mean, we know that a lot of young people are not choosing education as a profession because of the realities of this. Why a) does that not stop you? And B) what are you getting into? What does this look like?

Audrey Sargus 7:59
I don't think - It doesn't stop me, because I just know, you know, a student might have a negative behavior, but they're not a bad student, and everyone's deserving of love. And if you can make your classroom a place where students want to be and feel, you know, safe and welcome, then the teaching comes next. So that was always a piece for me of like, just make them feel welcomed, and then focus on your craft. And I mean, education today, there's so many things like textbook costs, curriculum what is happening in schools, school safety, student teaching costs. There's so many things affecting educators. But I think it always you know, connecting it back to your 'why' and why you're going into education is why people do end up staying.

Katie Olmsted 8:42
I mean, educators are passionate. They're passionate about doing good. They're passionate about changing students lives. With your own childhood experiences, how does that change how you approach the children, the students that you will be impacting in the future?

Audrey Sargus 8:58
Yeah, I think it is just coming from a place of patience and understanding, because I know what it is like to be a kid who might act out or, you know, like I have siblings who have struggled through school as well. So, you know, seeing that piece and seeing how teachers have treated them and how they felt at home, and just knowing like how I treat a student today in my classroom impacts like what they leave with and who they are after they leave my classroom. So just being very patient with students, loving, understanding. Maybe giving them that extra day or, you know, they put their head down for five minutes, you know, that's not going to hurt me. So just kind of giving them grace in a place that sometimes doesn't give them that.

Katie Olmsted 9:39
Do you ever imagine yourself in the future being someone's who, like you mentioned the 'who' of who made you want to be a teacher. Do you imagine that as like this is my role?

Audrey Sargus 9:49
I hope so. I hope there is a student, or, you know, students who do see me as that, and do see me as someone who gives them grace and makes the class fun, or a place that they know, like, okay, I can sit back and just read right now and take a second to relax, and then I can go back to my course load. So yeah, I hope so.

Katie Olmsted 10:11
Fast forward five years from now. What will you be doing? What do you think the world will look like? No easy questions here today.

Audrey Sargus 10:19
I hope it's amazing and just really supportive of educators and the people that are creating, you know, those who go into our workforce and make a difference outside of education. I hope to be in a role that I love, in a place that I love, where I can make a difference and teach and educate students and make sure that they are leaving knowledgeable. Maybe I'll have my masters. Maybe, hopefully, I'll be married. I've been with my boyfriend for over six years now.

Katie Olmsted 10:46
Hint. Hint. The ring has been picked out.

Audrey Sargus 10:49
Officially on the podcast: Please. But yeah, I just hope I'm in a place where I'm happy and you just feel secure and like I'm where I'm meant to be.

Katie Olmsted 10:59
I couldn't end it on a better note than that. Audrey, thank you for your time, and thank you for your advocacy for all of the other Aspiring Educators. Um - When I say I couldn't end it on a note better than that, I am actually going to go back to one thing: Tell me a little bit about what your experience was like as the AE Chair.

Audrey Sargus 11:19
Yeah, it was amazing. You're given so many opportunities. Like I couldn't even list on both hands how many opportunities you have. You get to meet amazing people, network. You get this opportunity to be on podcasts, meet new people. You get to grow in a way that you didn't expect to. When I first was asked to do this, I didn't really know what I was signing up for, honestly. And now I'm so glad that I said yes to the ask, and I, you know, grew and gained different positions, gained different perspectives. You get to learn a lot about the people around you, while also making a difference. So from an AE perspective, it is great to grow on a personal level and professionally. But it might look different for a typical teacher, but for me, that was a big, big thing that I loved about being the chair.

Katie Olmsted 12:06
And you get to bring your voice and your experience and help -

Audrey Sargus 12:09
exactly

Katie Olmsted 12:10
- influence the decisions that are made around you. That's got to feel pretty good.

Audrey Sargus 12:15
Yes, it is very, very exciting to do that and work with like a team of like-minded people who want to bring out that voice and want to make sure that AE is heard in all different types of spaces. This is really important for us.

Katie Olmsted 12:27
Because at the end of the day, when our AEs are supported, our educators are supported, our students are supported, and everybody is better, everybody wins.

Audrey Sargus 12:36
Exactly.

Katie Olmsted 12:36
Well, Audrey Sargus, thank you so much for your time.

Audrey Sargus 12:41
Thank you!

Katie Olmsted 12:45
Now, as we mentioned earlier in this episode, one of the spaces Audrey is working to make sure AE voices are heard right now is the Ohio Statehouse. Earlier this year, Representative Sean Patrick Brennan introduced House Bill 563, which would provide some financial support for student teachers during that senior year practicum period of the educator prep programs at Ohio's colleges and universities. It is really important that Ohio's lawmakers hear from educators about how this issue has affected them. If you want to share your story or your perspective, there's a link to a form in the show notes for this episode. We will not have a new podcast episode next week because of the Thanksgiving break, but we will be right back at it the first Thursday in December, hearing from the 2025 Ohio Teacher of the Year. Just a few years ago, she was so burnt out, she was wondering how she could continue to teach at all, but then she found her passion again. We'll tell you how and how she's helping other educators rekindle their own love of teaching next time, because in Ohio, public education matters.

Transcribed by https://otter.ai