For Memorial Day, Rachel and John sat down with Mason Farr, Education and Outreach Manager at the National Veterans Memorial and Museum, for a conversation about honoring the stories and sacrifices of those who have served. Together, they explore how the museum takes visitors on a powerful narrative journey through the individual experiences and collective history of Veterans across generations. Tune in to learn how storytelling preserves legacy, strengthens understanding, and how you can get involved in supporting and honoring our nation’s Veterans.

Mason Farr serves as Education & Outreach Manager at the National Veterans Memorial and Museum (NVMM) in Columbus, Ohio where he creates and executes engaging, immersive programs that bring Veteran stories to life for students, educators, and lifelong learners. With an M.A. in Applied History from George Mason University and a professional background spanning civic education, museum leadership, historical research, and military history, he brings deep expertise in curriculum development, exhibit interpretation, and community partnership building. At the NVMM, he leads standards-aligned programming, expands school and nonprofit partnerships, and elevates Veteran voices through interactive workshops, storytelling initiatives, and experiential learning opportunities.

Links to Learn More
https://nationalvmm.org/?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=23490200854&gbraid=0AAAAACydWfKQ0lBzE2VHAatN07jBEXUoU&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI2ef-t7K7kwMViLIDAB0AHjiOEAAYASAAEgJdhvD_BwE

Interested in learning about how you can share your story of service, or that of a loved one's? Check out the NVMM Story Collection here: https://nationalvmm.org/education/nvmm-story-collection/

On this episode of The Conversation, Bethany Bell, Career and Community Resource Coordinator at Columbus City Schools, reflects on how her unique career journey has shaped her perspective and brought a deeper sense of joy and gratitude to the work she does each day. She also shares how she channels that passion into helping students explore possibilities and take meaningful steps toward their own career paths.

Welcome to Season 3 of The Conversation! This season we’re exploring how educators can rediscover joy, cultivate hope, and reconnect with the educational journey. Join us for a season filled with inspiring stories and meaningful insights that celebrate the power of education.

Bethany Bell is in her 21st year of teaching at Columbus City Schools. She has previously served as a high school English teacher and as a mentor for newly hired educators in the Peer Assistance and Review program. As the Career and Community Resource Coordinator at Northland High School, Ms. Bell supports students' career and technical skill attainment and career-focused graduation requirements through the development and expansion of CTE pathways.

On this episode of The Conversation, hosts John and Rachel chat with Marnie Hallet Szymanski, a history teacher at Margaretta High School who attended the 2025 Smithsonian National Education Summit. She’ll share the insights she gained from the conference and how those strategies are transforming learning for her students.

Welcome to Season 3 of The Conversation! This season we’re exploring how educators can rediscover joy, cultivate hope, and reconnect with the educational journey. Join us for a season filled with inspiring stories and meaningful insights that celebrate the power of education.

Marnie Hallet Szymanski is a teacher at Margaretta High School. This is her 27th year in the classroom. She currently teaches 8th grade history, psychology, sociology and AP psychology. She is constantly striving to find creative and fun ways to teach her students. In addition to being a classroom teacher she is also the RE Program Coordinator, social studies department head, 8th grade Washington, D.C, trip advisor, student government advisor, senior class advisor, varsity cross country coach, varsity swim coach and JH track coach.

Contact the Guest: mhallettszymanski@margarettaschooldistrict.com

Links:

Smithsonian Newsletter Sign Up: https://si.us9.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=ef149f26b899566ccc91c2354&id=78ccd8b27a

The Smithsonian Educator Resources: https://www.si.edu/educators

Music:
Aaron Boylan, Marysville Early College High School Student

Spring is right around the corner which means prom season is about to commence! On this episode of The Conversation, John and Rachel sit down with ESC Intervention Specialists, Kathy Meterko and Rachel Junge to talk about the ESC’s Campus-Based Transition Program and their main event—prom! They'll dive into the planning and logistics behind the event, this year’s theme, and why their prom is such a meaningful and hope-filled experience for CBT students, families, and educators alike. Let’s dive in!

This season we’re exploring how educators can rediscover joy, cultivate hope, and reconnect with the educational journey. Join us for a season filled with inspiring stories and meaningful insights that celebrate the power of education.

Our Guests

Rachel Junge is an Intervention Specialist in the CBT program. She has taught at WINGS for 19 years. Her favorite part of prom is seeing the prom develop from sketches on paper to the finished product and spending the evening with current and former students at the dance.

Kathy Meterko is an Intervention Specialist and is in her 19th year of the CBT program. She and Rachel taught together at WINGS for 11 of those years and now she leads the Step class at OSU. Her favorite part of prom is the week of prom because she likes seeing all of the decorations come together, feeling the excitement build, and then enjoying the night with her current and former students.

Contact the Guests

rachel.junge@escco.org

kathleen.meterko@escco.org

On this episode of The Conversation, hosts John and Rachel sit down with Olentangy Local Schools English teachers Andrea Vescelius and Hannah Rust to explore how their practice of not grading reshaped mindsets and renewed hope for both students and educators.

Welcome to Season 3 of The Conversation! This season we’re exploring how educators can rediscover joy, cultivate hope, and reconnect with the educational journey. Join us for a season filled with inspiring stories and meaningful insights that celebrate the power of education.

Contact the Guests:

Andrea_Vescelius@olsd.us

Hannah_Rust@olsd.us

Welcome to Season 3 of The Conversation! This season we’re exploring how educators can rediscover joy, cultivate hope, and reconnect with the educational journey. Join us for a season filled with inspiring stories and meaningful insights that celebrate the power of education.

On this episode of The Conversation, hosts John and Rachel sit down with Adam Philpott, a science teacher from Pickerington Local Schools. Adam shares how his externship aboard a research vessel reignited his passion for teaching.

Adam Philpott is an Environmental Science Teacher at Pickerington High School North. He graduated with a Master's in Science Education from the Ohio State University. He’s a dad to 5 kids and outdoor enthusiast. He’s a huge believer in having students learn about the natural world by being in it, because as Gandalf says: "The world is not in your books and maps, it's out there."

On this episode of “The Conversation”, John and Rachel sit down with Andreya Veintimilla, Design Research Lead at Smart Columbus, to explore the world of human-centered design. Together, they discuss how this approach shapes project development, the importance of designing with people in mind, and how it drives innovation within communities.

This episode of “The Conversation” is a continuation of our series “Emerging Technologies”. This series aims to highlight new technologies that are transforming our everyday lives and local communities.

Andreya Veintimilla is a designer and human-centered urban development leader. Her approach to design is grounded in research and systems thinking to connect innovation initiatives to organizational and community goals. She has over 10 years of experience designing and delivering collaborative solutions across public, non-profit, and private sectors including product and service innovation, digital transformation, architecture, and urban planning. Currently, Andreya is the Design Research Lead at Smart Columbus where she leads design initiatives from discovery through implementation phases across an evolving portfolio of community innovation projects. Andreya is passionate about co-designing equitable and sustainable urban futures

Links Andreya Veintimilla Recommends to Learn More:

Connectcentralohio.com/digitalskillshub

Franklincountydigitalequity.org

On this episode of "The Conversation", John and Rachel chat with Ted Angel at the National Advanced Air Mobility Center of Excellence (NAAMCE). Together they'll dive into the next transportation revolution: flying cars!

Ted Angel is the Director of Aerospace Affairs for the Dayton Development Coalition. He is charged with executing Aerospace and Defense strategy in the Dayton Region. Prior to his role as the Director of Aerospace Affairs, he was the Senior Enlisted Leader for the Agile Combat Support Directorate, Air Force Life-cycle Management Center and Chief, Acquisitions and Sustainment for the Aircrew Flight Equipment career field. He advised program executive officers and senior materiel leaders on enlisted matters and lifesaving aircrew flight equipment programs. Before his tenure at the Coalition, Ted spent 27 and half years in the United States Air Force, serving in every major leadership role including Aircrew Flight Equipment Superintendent, Squadron Superintendent, Command Manager and Senior Enlisted Leader. Ted was born in Texas and raised in the Warren, Ohio area. Ted received his B.A. from American Military University in International Relations and has completed all Senior Enlisted Military education, including the Joint Special Operations Forces Senior Enlisted Academy (JSOFSEA). Ted is an active volunteer in his community in his spare time and he and his wife Adina have three adult children and reside in the Dayton Region.

NAAMCE