Anna Tykwinski, a 3rd-grade teacher at Westside Elementary School in West Fargo, North Dakota, is the recipient of our October 2026 Honored National Teaching Award. She was nominated for this award by the mom of her student, Dax. Joining Anna in this episode are Dax and Dax's mom, Jamie.

You'll hear about:

- Anna Tykwinski's journey to becoming a teacher.

- The impact Anna has had on Dax and his family.

- Anna's dedication to creating strong, meaningful relationships with her students.

- How Anna has supported Dax in transitioning from spending most of his day in the special education classroom to the general education classroom.

You'll also hear from JJ Abrams, an American producer and filmmaker known for his work in action, drama, and science fiction. He shares about a teacher who left an incredible impact on their journey in our segment "Teachers Who Inspired".

Links Mentioned:

- Read more about Anna Tykwinski's story: https://www.honored.org/honoree/anna-tykwinski

- Nominate a teacher for our Honored National Teaching Award: https://www.honored.org/nominate/

- Read the incredible nomination for Anna: https://www.honored.org/nominees/anna-tykwinski

- Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/honored/

- Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@honoredteachers

- Follow us on X: https://x.com/honored/

- Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Honored.org/

- Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/honored.org

Episode Music Credits:

- Music by DanaMusic: https://pixabay.com/users/danamusic-31920663/

- Music by AudioCoffee: https://www.audiocoffee.net/

- Teachers Who Inspired Segment: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pmZ4_I_mgo

Osi Imeokparia, the CEO of Kode With Klossy, joins us for an organizational spotlight podcast episode. Kode With Klossy is a 501c3 nonprofit focused on closing the gender equity gap in tech.

Technology has been the through line in Osi's multi-sector career across for-profit, nonprofit, philanthropic, and political organizations. Before joining Kode With Klossy, Osi worked in philanthropy as a Vice President of Technology and Head of Justice & Opportunity at the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI). Prior to CZI, Osi was the Chief Product Officer for the Hillary for America presidential campaign from launch to election day. Before pursuing philanthropic and nonprofit work, Osi spent 15+ years as a product leader in startup, mid-size, and large for-profit software organizations. While at Google, Osi spent almost a decade working on ad technology. At eBay, she worked on seller and trust & safety products for the marketplace, and she began her career at a venture-backed collaboration software startup.

You'll hear about:

- Kode With Klossy's mission and initiatives.

- Kode With Klossy's continuous support programs for young women and gender expansive youth ages 13 to 26.

- The importance of community building when it comes to encouraging young people and minorities to experience the STEM field.

- How Kode With Klossy teaches their scholars to be responsible, empowered builders and users of tech.

- The incredible success of Kode With Klossy's programs.

Links Mentioned:

- Read the Episode Transcript: https://www.honored.org/honoree/kode-with-klossy

- Learn more about Kode With Klossy: https://www.kodewithklossy.com/

- Follow Kode With Klossy on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kodewithklossy/?hl=en

- Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/honored/

- Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@honoredteachers

- Follow us on X: https://x.com/honored/

- Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Honored.org/

- Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/honored.org

Episode Music Credits:

- Music by DanaMusic: https://pixabay.com/users/danamusic-31920663/

- Music by AudioCoffee: https://www.audiocoffee.net/

In celebration of National Coding Week in September, we have partnered with Kode With Klossy to honor an incredible Computer Science teacher. Kode With Klossy creates learning experiences and opportunities for young women and gender expansive youth. Their programs ignite a spark that fuels their scholars’ agency to pursue their passions in a tech-driven world.

Madeline Gerena Franco, a high school Computer Science teacher at Whitney M. Young Magnet High School in Chicago, Illinois, is the recipient of our September 2026 Honored National Teaching Award. To help share the impact of Mrs. Franco’s teaching, we will also hear from students, Joey and Logan.

You'll hear about:

- Mrs. Franco's journey to becoming a teacher.

- The impact Mrs. Franco has had on her students.

- Mrs. Franco's dedication to creating an engaging, interactive classroom environment.

- Mrs. Franco's passion for being a Hispanic, female role model in STEM.

You'll also hear from Osi Imeokparia, who is the CEO of Kode With Klossy. She shares about a teacher who left an incredible impact on her journey in our segment "Teachers Who Inspired".

Osi Imeokparia is the CEO of Kode With Klossy, a 501c3 nonprofit focused on closing the gender equity gap in tech. Technology has been the through line in Osi's multi-sector career across for-profit, nonprofit, philanthropic, and political organizations. Before joining Kode With Klossy, Osi worked in philanthropy as a Vice President of Technology and Head of Justice & Opportunity at the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI). Prior to CZI, Osi was the Chief Product Officer for the Hillary for America presidential campaign from launch to election day. Before pursuing philanthropic and nonprofit work, Osi spent 15+ years as a product leader in startup, mid-size, and large for-profit software organizations.

Links Mentioned:

- Read more about Madeline's story: https://www.honored.org/honoree/madeline-gerena-franco

- Nominate a teacher for our Honored National Teaching Award: https://www.honored.org/nominate/

- Read the incredible nomination for Madeline: https://www.honored.org/nominees/madeline-gerena-franco/

- Learn more about Kode With Klossy: https://www.kodewithklossy.com/

- Follow Kode With Klossy on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kodewithklossy/?hl=en

- Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/honored/

- Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@honoredteachers

- Follow us on X: https://x.com/honored/

- Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Honored.org/

- Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/honored.org

Episode Music Credits:

- Music by DanaMusic: https://pixabay.com/users/danamusic-31920663/

- Music by AudioCoffee: https://www.audiocoffee.net/