What if students could try on a career before deciding their future?

In this episode of the Public School Podcast, Sara Hornick and Bobbi Schaefbauer sit down with Colleen Bsharah, senior career development consultant with Sanford Health and a new Rapid City Public School Foundation board member, to talk about Aspire by Sanford and the opportunities it is creating for local students.

From job shadowing and hands-on healthcare activities to high school internships where students become actual Sanford Health employees, Aspire is helping students discover what working in healthcare really looks like. And that means far more than becoming a doctor or nurse. Students are being introduced to careers in radiology, physical therapy, laboratory work, anesthesia, human resources, marketing and many other areas they may never have considered.

Colleen also explains why career exploration should begin long before college, how Sanford is tailoring programs for students from kindergarten through high school, and why discovering what you don't want to do can be just as valuable as discovering what you do.

Plus, Colleen talks about joining the Rapid City Public School Foundation board, the teacher who made a lasting impact on her, her love of square school pizza and why investing in public education is really an investment in the future of the entire Rapid City community.

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Rapid City Area Schools Chief Financial and Operations Officer Coy Sasse joins Sara Hornick and Bobbi Schaefbauer to break down the proposed $107 million school bond and answer some of the biggest questions surrounding it. What exactly would the money pay for? Why can’t the district use the money it already has? Where does lottery money actually go? How could the bond affect property taxes, and what happens if it doesn’t pass?

Coy explains the projects included in the proposal, from HVAC and safety upgrades to a new elementary school and renovations at existing schools. He also discusses how bond dollars would be monitored, the district’s long-term facilities plan and why Rapid City’s continued growth is part of the conversation.

It’s a numbers-heavy topic without the numbers-heavy headache, giving listeners information they can use to better understand the proposal before heading to the polls Nov. 3.

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Rapid City Area Schools Teacher of the Year Katey Swank thought she had it all figured out when she walked into her first classroom. By the end of day one, she was sitting in a tiny chair trying not to cry.

Then someone showed up for her.

Twenty years later, Katey shares how that simple act of support helped shape the teacher, mentor and colleague she would become. From the educators who helped her find her footing to the students who discovered they could help each other grow, Katey reflects on why collaboration is about much more than meetings, committees or programs.

It’s about people.

In this special episode of the Public School Podcast, Katey shares a powerful message about belonging, teacher retention, community and the relationships that keep educators going when the work gets hard. And she leaves all of us with one question worth carrying into the school year: Who will you show up for?

Photo Credit: Jesse Brown Nelson, BHFCU’s School Support Drive

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