Elk Grove High's Collab Lab launches podcast series

Everybody has a story to tell.

That's the premise behind "We Are EG," a new podcast produced by the Elk Grove Collab Lab.

The podcast came together over the last year through the efforts of Linda Ashida, Teaching and Learning facilitator for District 214, and Rachel Barry, Elk Grove math teacher and instructional learning coach.

"By sharing individual stories, we get the shared experience of our community, celebrating our diversity and making connections at the same time," says Linda Ashida. "This wonderful tapestry of stories reflects our shared humanity."

The podcast, launched on Sept. 19, and the first episode, "You Made Me a Better Teacher," featured English teacher Rita Thompson recounting the story of how working with a student struggling with reading changed her life.

The podcast series has also featured a student from Syria who talked about how Elk Grove High School and the District 214 Newcomer Center not only taught her English in the 10 months since arriving, but has inspired her to continue her education beyond high school.

"By teachers getting to know the true stories of their students, they can build better relationships," Barry said. "Our population is very diverse, and an understanding of our students' stories helps foster a better learning environment."

Upcoming episodes will feature a student who found his calling in filmmaking, another student who overcame tragedy to inspire and help others, and immigrant students trying to live the American dream. The podcast will also feature teachers and community members.

Although the podcast tells the stories of those people connected in one way or another to Elk Grove High School, Bruce Janu, Elk Grove social studies teacher and one of the creators of the podcast, points out that the podcast goes beyond the walls of the high school.

"Through the stories of staff, students and community," he says, "we connect to each other across cultural lines, school boundaries, state boundaries and so forth. Our hope is that we see a commonality, regardless of where we are from."

Episodes of "We Are EG" are released twice a month and can be accessed via iTunes, Stitcher, or any podcast service. More information can be found at http://www.weareeg.org.