Community Cares Podcast Ep. 53 - Washoe County School District

executive director here at good Shepard's Clothes Closet and I'm chaplain Chaz Blackburn I have the honor of being the president of this amazing organization and today we have a great guest um we always talk about you know our children or our future and so the people that are working with them uh in the school district and around them it's super important that we have people that truly have the heart for it and so I'm super excited to let this gentleman introduce himself how's it going I'm Dex Thomas I'm a recruiter at was County School District and for many years I was also with volunteer services amongst other departments around I've been in Wasing County School dist for 17 years now wow that's awesome so I I work in hospice as a staff chaplain and we always say hospice years is like times three and so is the school district right that's a long time good for you yeah it's important uh if you this is your first time watching or listening to the community cares podcast we are on Apple podcasts uh Facebook Spotify anywhere you get your podcast Amazon podcast I saw the other day Amazon I guess I didn't know they had podcasts I thought they were into books that's how they started man all over the place all the books they they made all those bookstores go away Sundance B bookstore is going away you see that they're never going to sponsor us if you keep doing I'm sad I'm sad okay I'm honest I don't I don't look for sponsors sponsors look for me oh brother we have no sponsors sponsor I guess is Good Shepherd cuz that's where we're doing it that's true but um if so yeah you just type in community cares podcast and we come up so thank you guys for making that happen thank you for being listeners and viewers and being a part of the conversation if you confused on some of the comments we make with some of our live listeners the place where you can view us live is Facebook on um on Mondays at 5:45 p.m. and then normally shortly sometimes the next day the episode shows up everywhere else so um thank you guys so much for being a part of this thank you for making this happen and if you want to jump in live please comment please be a part of the conversation ask what any questions you would like to ask um or just a shout out and say hi and we'd be happy to say hi back so thank you guys for being a part of this in the community um we normally start with a few events absolutely and the idea is that we're stronger United so we love talking about resources and just events that we can all get out and be a community together so the first one is definitely Dave's favorite my least favorite the rib cook off August 28th I'm a vegetarian oh he's looking at me like why is it your least favorite Dave I was I know it kills me every time I know but we got to highlight the big events no it K you don't like the rib cook off I know you get that fancy table and everything well it's it's all you can eat ribs if you've never done that I'm doing it actually this year for the first time I've only done it one other time and it was the best experience ever the only thing that's is a bummer is that all the barbecue sauces are not labeled so you go through you get all these ribs and all these sauces and then you find one you like when you're back at the table you don't know which sauce it was oh because it's just so many random God so I got we have to figure out a way to like Mark it or something that this was number one Chaz is g to come with his b working on it his binders and his labels all right guys this one is Famous Dave's famous days there go no but it's a great time and um just a great family event there's lots of uh corn on the cob and lots of music and craft fairs and so we just encourage everybody to go out and support that if that's something that you're into yeah being out in the community is always important um even if you're a vegetarian um just being out with people making sure we're having those conversations maybe meeting someone new it it really helps with mental well-being it really does to be able to have just interactions with other human beings uh I say this to Chaz all the time and and um sometimes I'll I'll work from coffee shops intentionally cuz it forces me to be around other people and that's not my natural bent my natural bent is to be around other people but it's important to be around other humans because it it if we wanted to we could all isolate ourselves we really could it's easy to do and it it mentally wears you down as an individual if that's all you're doing is staying at home and um not having those so social interactions I I like to tell people sometimes I'm I'm a forced extrovert that's who I am I've had to force myself to become an extrovert especially for the sake of good she's Clothes Closet and be out in the community and talking with people but I mean for instance the other day I was just working from Lighthouse coffee and my friend uh councilman Christopher dare comes up and gives me an encouraging word and I was like yeah I'm feeling down today and he just sat and talked with me for a while right and then and then right after that councilman Paul Anderson comes in gives me a big hug hey Dave how you doing and so it's like these just being present and being in a local area changed my day from to oh okay I'm encouraged now right because you're around people because you have those opportunities without those opportunities I mean without placing yourself in the situations for the opportunities those opportunities don't happen so I got funny story about that you ready uh oh so later that day was the veteran memorial Gala and so I saw there's Paul and there was um Donald Abbott councilman Abbott and there was uh Christopher D councilman D and uh we we were laughing and Paul's like yeah I saw Dave and we just he wanted to take a picture I was like okay and and I and da Donald looks over at me he goes you know he didn't I saw him at the store and he did have you didn't take a picture with him well I only I only that was funny I didn't share that one on social media cuz I was had I had a little double chin so I'm like I'm not going to do that one but you didn't take one with them did you I with Donald no no he knew it cuz I saw I sent it to you though I just sent that picture to you it was on social media cuz I saw it there no you didn't I did not say it on social media unless you did oh well cuz I had a double chin in like you you got to clarify if you don't want me to share a victure no know it's I it's fine would um but I thought it was funny though but it was it was cool to hear that you know he just in a local coffee shop and that Community Support sometimes I feel so bad for our guests cuz we're like having these these meetings mini meetings during the podcast live in front of the public but it's fine it's good well we'll go to our second event now the uh great Areno balloon race from September 6th through September 8th and you got to if you've never done Dom Patrol it's totally worth getting up at 4 4:30 to go out there we have friends coming in town and um that weekend and we're taking them they've one of them has never been to the balloon races before have you ever been I actually um been but I I'm at the college here so I can't and so in college you know we sometimes we're out a little bit late and so for the first like seven years I caught it on accident that's funny that's funny but I have a daughter now she's balloons so now that U I have a kid now and uh she she's into it we've been a few times we're actually talking about going to this one now because my wife hasn't been able to go for qu a a while so hopefully this go around to get the kids and get some other kids out there that'll be cool that'll be really cool yeah um we have we have a little boy on the way so I'm really excited to have him take him to all that my wife never went congrats thank you so much my wife never went when we were dating um she she she's a realen local and she never been so she she like always saw the balloons in the distance and she's like I don't know what that is and I don't think her parents knew either it was It was kind of weird but um if you're listening and I know you do listen I apologize and I I I love you mother-in-law um but uh definitely it was just something she never did and that's that's okay and so I took her to it and she had no clue what it was and saw all the balloons and everything and that first time experience just all those Balloons with the mass Ascension is crazy it's so crazy that feeling of just standing in in the middle of the field with all these balloons in the air it feels like you're in like a big snow globe or something it it it it's a lot of fun if you haven't gone make it happen wake up I know it's the weekend and you don't want to wake up I I don't either but waking up and doing it is such an experience you can nap later and it's completely free because of donors and so that that's cool that people donate to it and make that happen and make it free for the community I like to take Lily on the Friday and D Patrol and then she goes to school and she comes home she goes to bed she goes right to bed immediately she's like I'm done I'm done I'm over this day no it's it's a good time though yeah and our third event um I'll let you represent ah no no no this you you're the co man over here okay so we have the community of life oh jeez you just best me Circle of Life uh the believe event it's our third annual believe event and this is really a near and dear event to my heart um we deal with a lot of grieving people and so the first year that we did this event um it was to announced to the community the commencement of Nevada's first social model hospice guest house project last year we announced we were getting ready to open and this year we get to announce that we're finally open as of June 9th helping the community uh those in the most need and this is a beautiful time of just being together and uh you know we're stronger United uh and this is a time for oh he's going to do didn't work it didn't work it's all about the fireworks baby how does was it thumbs up is that how you did it the fire there it is what the heck that's so weird all right keep going but uh yeah so you know no matter what Walk of Life we are this is a time to come together and whether you've lost someone who's unfortunately completed suicide or overdose maybe Health complications or even died unexpectedly from a car accident um this is a time to be United and honor them with remembrance and to be able to say their name we have picture boards that you can come bring a picture to leave on and we bring them back every year this is an all AG event that cost nothing we we have face painting for the kids plastic ax throwing uh Reno fire department will be there hanging a flag uh we're doing it this year on September 11th and so we're recognizing Fallen First Responders veterans and any Community member of course um but we have some uh great short speakers and then uh uh we're going to have a full color guard from vva um 989 uh as well as we're going to have a opera singer Dave you're going to play some guitar uh we have the national anthem and so it's just a powerful two hours of just being together as a community and grieving together to know that you're not alone you're not crazy it's okay to not be okay and you know there's power in our stories and for the community to be able to share a few minutes about their story and and their loved ones and what what took place it's powerful dude when you told me the events on September 11th I was like whoa that is awesome that is awesome it's the first year the we started in August and it was so hot we're like we got to do it a little bit later oh yeah um and then we we were like you know what why not do it on September 11th to honor all different categories So Co and that is really cool I had lost my mom back in 2021 and if I had have known something like this existed especially during that year I definitely would have been as one of the first that first year parts of my life and I didn't I felt alone at that time I had to find people to talk to and and get around and and find my My Tribe I guess you can say and and talk it out and and come to peace with everything but um that's that's a really good event well thank you for sharing that I mean we only have one mom and one dad you know and that that's a tough loss but yeah to be able to come we have people that lost individuals or loved ones 20 years ago I mean so it's a huge Community event and and the other part I'll just end uh with is that we have a bunch of tables with resources and I love that free Resources with free grief support groups from different organizations and so it not only you know brings everybody together but it gives them resources to walk away with to also gain that extra support um we are going to have uh Emma White join us this year uh be I'm on the state of Nevada task force for uh Suicide Prevention awareness and we are going to be um honoring that since it's in September and Emma White's going to say a few words and so it's just a bunch of different levels of just Community Support together and it's powerful so yeah know I thought the event last year was amazing um I I shared the story last week but our our president um our president at the time Kim Thompson her parents were a part they were one of the couple the the founding one of the founding couples right yeah one of the founding couples there were two couples that started Good Shepherd 28 years ago and um she still struggles with the loss of her dad a couple years ago I think it was like almost seven or eight years ago now but um she she came to that event and teared up and was able to get something off her chest just having that open Forum to be able to grieve with other people and just have have that conversation cuz the reality is it's like we talked about earlier if you don't put yourself in those situations where you're around other human beings it's so easy to not do anything yeah it like it really is to isolate and not talk about it and let it Fester up and I can't tell you how many times I received donations here at good Shepard's Clothes Closet of of people who have lost a l one they said I love what you guys do I love that you give it away for free this is they would want MH to happen with my clothing and so um for that to be an option in the community for us doing that and have that opportunity to have the strength to be able to go to something like the believe event or donate to good Shepherd's Clothes Closet or um or just be a part of or just sit in a coffee shop and run into friends just to have the The Bravery the strength The Willpower that is so hard to come by sometimes um is so important to living in community being in community and not isolating yourself I agree it's powerful we're right in front of the believe sign downtown Reno and you know we we do that on purpose because we believe we're stronger United We believe We can support each other through this and we believe that our stories matter and so it's it's exciting it's really cool all right all right so um we are at that Mark now where we want to hear all about why why are you here and I just want to say our cliche saying that we always say it's uh be the change that you want to see in the world and again you know working in the school district which you're a recruiter for that is somewhere you can make change and support children absolutely it's one of the reasons why I've been with was County School District for this long um I went to college originally to be an accountant and marketing I want to take on Corporate America way I want to Big the suit in a big time I want I want to be active and so um I was like really excited in college and three years in started taking some internships for counting and wasn't going for me I took one Psych ology class as an elective and it changed my how I looked at everything from that point on I literally stopped doing um focusing on Corporate America I was like that's not going to be the route for me I need to find something different although I was almost completed so I wanted to go go further and and and do something so I got out of college graduated I love college and then I decided like all right we got to work I managed the Foot Locker and I started doing all these back in the day Foot Locker that's awesome Foot Locker old park that's I didn't do Parkland I was on the the little something in the camera Corner crazy yeah and my buddy was in there and so it it was like I was making decent money and managing but it still didn't feel like I was giving enough I didn't and um um like I mentioned my mom earlier she always taught you know just give be of service and I didn't feel fulfilled at all I decided to did a part-time uh I was working in foster care actually I found my way to foster care and I was like I want to be a therapist one day I wanted to go back to school and I feel like that's I can give back but it was too much right so then what St stuck with was County School District I I did after school program being able to work up helping kids um play sports to start off and work on a computer and teach them how to find their favorite recipe and take it home to their parents and see them come back super excited and uh they they wanted to call me like teacher like no I'm not Dex so they call me teacher Dex I like it teach that's from now on that's what I'll be calling in the title you got to put teacher de School Joyce says uh that's cool um that we're doing what we're doing and I think she commented that during the uh believe event uh segment that we were talking about so I just want to shout out that we got that comment absolutely and and um so with the school distric I've been working at in trying to figure out how to can give back I jump around different departments haven't worked in foster care um I was around a lot of finding youth that weren't in school trying to bring them back and seeing what's wrong providing wraparound services to help support um through that work it led me to human resources and now I'm able to actually recruit and bring people in I find tons of people just like me um and that's what's unique about R recruitments people who are degrees and all this work experience needs fill but don't feel fulfilled or don't feel they want to they're giving proper like come over to the school district let me you you'll be able to get you impact the entire Community immediately and so now we're uh on a recruitment Trail and we just went through teachers and now we're looking for parent educators are teacher assistant and age get in the classroom and really help one-on-one with the kids if you can be and a monst other positions I tell people w the time like I have a gentleman who told me he didn't want to he wants to give back and helps and support kids but don't really want to work around children and I kind of laugh but then you know you can go and be lighting and he wanted to volunteer and so he changed like a theater uh lighting the entire and changed it out so now the kids came back to next serve the kids and and do it so there's different ways to give back there's people come in paint murals clean grounds paint on yards um help out the custodians with the yard stuff and other times it's field days they come in and do volunteer help out that way so with the school district it's all about really like you said earlier a being around other people giving back um I'm an introvert at heart so what you're saying everything I'm right with you and that's what people laugh like how you an introvert you're a recruiter I was like I need to be around people when I'm not around with people guess what I'm doing yeah oh yeah but you do have to be out and get around others um in any aspect no matter what you're doing so we're made that way we we got to be around people and so seriously so if people are listening to this and they're interested in finding out more on how to get involved with was County School District um as an employee or as a volunteer where can they go I go to was schools.net careers that's our main careers page um and when you go to the careers under the there's a department tab also so for careers for employment if you want to volunteer and just give back or maybe uh look into certain areas before you look into a certain time of employment I recommend volunteering in those area spaces and the same with watch schools.net um look at the Department volunteer services there's an application everything right there uh Nicole Basquez has runs that program good friend of mine and she's able to um process you and get you in and if and ink want to be hired afterwards she sends me a quick text message and you'll see me soon that's cool that's very cool yeah no it's uh it's great and getting involved in the school district getting involved with the the future of Reno Sparks seriously is is really important and probably really fulfilling for sure haven't been um working for was County school for 17 years and first starting off in a after school program uh part-time after school after my main job I see a lot of those students I helped at that time in the community now working or or doing other things so it's really cool coming it's every time they come back and a lot of them call me dad or some kids teacher dad so my daughter's always looking around like who's calling you Dad and why they calling you a teacher like your wife your wife's like raising her eyebrow you know Dad she got used to it but at first it was kind of weird she looking at you have like six seven kids what's going on I have no kids I swear so it's a it was um it's it's good it's really good get back and be around yeah absolutely and it's um and I'm it's good to hear I mean it's hard sometimes to find a job that is rewarding fulfills you as a human being absolutely and and also provides for your family like that balance is is really crucial but um a lot of people can do that through the wasow County School District then you can absolutely there's um people uh talk about how they want to be able like you just said provide for their family and be fulfilling and there's there's positions that are um kind of entry level positions but there's also ways to work your way up through that professional growth with internally and also you get to like find out your likes and passions and you'll be surprised how many people would like a position within watch County school that didn't know exist you didn't need a ton of schooling for what you need is passion and heart and and be able to be able to be trainable and be able open to working with kids and taking Direction and sometimes it's it's really just that simple it's not as complicated is I'm you don't have to be a principal you don't have to be the superintendent you know there's so many other positions I'm looking for plumbers and Painters too like right there's a little bit of everything that we have amazing yeah and there's a lot of schools out there so over 100 so I mean and there's there's more going up absolutely I actually didn't know this till recently I had a conversation with Beth Smith and some other um board trustees but I I I learned that we're one of the largest financially budgeted school districts in the nation is that correct that's pretty fairly large a lot of places look at these large areas and in metropolitan areas and they don't realize those school districts are broken down to many smaller ones in that same large capacity watch it's to cover it all we go from GAC to Incline all over here like we're a little bit everywhere so really I mean this is for all Northern Nevada in within the school district but there's a lot of opportunities not just here in Reno and Sparks absolutely absolutely there's tons all over um I we try to I try to uh describe because a lot of people who move here now especially you know you know there a lot of people moving in town um they're like well how can it's like Vegas right I was like nothing like Vegas we're not as close as you think yeah it's completely World different but um we are fairly large as far as the school district and what we grounds we cover as well so uh why should someone volunteer with was County School District I tell people to volunteer only because one um like getting around kids and youth even if you're in a in a in a bad mental space I'd say go help and um talk to kids like sometimes you're at home like you not doing much um and sitting down and not around people go and help out a kid and watch them smile and teach them something it will change you um internally and then as far as volunteering um people who have a lot of knowledge and wealth and um to give and I like to look at volunteering as especially Kinders just providing that information and spreading around I know a couple friends of mine who had uh a lot of information I always told them when they just didn't do anything with it and they volunteer with us and they were able to go into some schools start some programs teach some kids it's it's a chess club it was like two kids at first at the end of the school year it was like 40 kids in there all learning how to play something like chess and chess is an amazing game right and they were able to um teach them that and so from there they be they started their own little uh uh organization that go around now all Northern AB teaching chesses and that started with some 17year old kids and now it's volunteers I love that and that's and that's that's the key is is volunteering your time I mean if you're retired and you're looking for something to do or if you're watching this and you're like I just want to be involved in the future because if if we're not investing in the future um we're failing the future children are definitely future I hear a lot of people talk about kids and talk about future and and and um speak of hopelessness and I don't I just like if you truly felt that way um then do something do something do something do something if you if that's truly what's on your heart and in inside of you do something about it right don't just complain it's easy it's easy to complain it's easy it is easy it's easy to just say oh I can't do anything about it absolutely it's about being part of the solution it's easy to point out a problem but to be a part of that solution and what's the onboarding process look like because I know there's some people who are like I want to volunteer but I don't have a lot of time you know how do you have a minimum hours that you people volunteer or what's that look like absolutely not we like to take the volunteer take from their perspective and their time they're willing to give and start there so they have an application process there is a background trick that goes along with that application and from there we at and at that time when you're going to volunteer so say if you went to volunteer services department and you had no idea where you went to volunteer they can help guide you in that process but to say you went to a school or department they would say we have this available or you say I want to volunteer I have five hours a week I can give what can I do and a lot of times people um the school will figure it out um um like something simple as like lunch duty and people like I don't want to just do that that's not like you don't understand you one you're helping those kids play I go out there and play some games kick a ball throw a ball whatever you can but the teachers you give the teachers a a break a break to go like go in and eat a lunch sometimes cuz a lot of teachers will sacrifice that on their own they will say you know what I could go sit in this break room or I can be out here with my students um just because they know that's their that's their class and they put so much effort to them um volunteers sometimes come in and sayy I'll take a I'll take just 20 minutes so you can go sit down and relax for yourself and and we'll come here and play some games and Overlook some students so the volunteer or um work for the was County School District do you what what are some requirements to volunteer honestly you just OB was can't have a criminal cor criminal corre nothing on your record for the last five years um five five to 10 years and depends on how that is and that's pretty much it far the employment side is real similar um 18 years of we got to be 18 on the unemployment side in most situations there's a few after school program situational things that may be able to depending on the age and what school you're at kind of deal um otherwise long you have a clean record no criminal history last five five to 10 years depending on the position you're going for and that's pretty much all you need I tell people like bus drivers for one I like to bring up a lot cuz I recruit it for for so long but people I talk about being a bu I don't have a CDL and I don't have and they just all what they don't have and like calm down all you need is a license and a clean driving record that's it be 21 years of age and we we we'll train you for the CDL we'll pay for that and and put you through that process and um once people hear that kind of oh really and they like well you pay only $14 an hour like actually it's like 26 now it's pretty good that's great so and you can't leave Dave sorry are you guys hir work at a nonprofit and it's rough sometimes I'm just joking Chaz and the board treats me very well and I'm I'm very blessed be doing what I'm doing thank you um but uh yeah I think that's great and if you have time if you're in the community and and you you want to be active and invest in the future if and that's a great Point like if your outlook on life is that everything is going to the dogs right and and the future is it screwed up and all sorts of things then do something about it be a part of the solution I'm I'm I'm all for putting out the errors or the mishaps and the confusion here but if if you're also willing to take the next step and actually come in and and help solve and come in turn then let's do that because no one's perfect no we're not not but if you think it's that that really bad come help out come do something let's talk about it yeah if you if you believe that but but the reality is too with that um with investing in the future um and you it sounds like you've already experienced this but with investing in the future it it creates hope in yourself a lot of times because you get to see that hey I invested in one kid and that one kid remembered I was teacher deck and ser and and now they're in that next phase of life and I was able to be a small part of that and what a neat thing to teach those kids to volunteer by your actions and I always tell my volunteers in hospice this there there's something so powerful about you know the children or the families seeing a volunteer who's not being paid just the presence of that makes a huge impact it does it does a lot um I had started off volunteering in the community at first and that's what really start triggering me while I was in school and just giving back and coming to the school district going this way I went but it was initial started with giving back seeing some of the kids who I I've seen other adults call hopeless and I was like that's a child how can a child be hopeless that's I think that's impossible POS there's too much time now there's so much hope in that in every child absolutely like absolutely and it just takes people to choose to invest in them amen that's the key you can't you can't um grow a plant without watering it right so um I are you just call our our communities children oh my gosh dear Lord just um so one last time where can people get involved with you uh was schools.net class careers um you go to that web page you'll see I'm Dex Thomas my information is right there on that page teacher Dex teacher Dex send me an email and I can guide you anywhere in the district to get you to where you want to be it's volunteer I really hope people call hey what's up teacher de I'd like to speak with teacher Dex please if someone calls and says I'm G to die l oh you you watch the community cares podcast huh that's funny hey uh well thank you so much for being here I really appreciate thanks for what you do too sorry I just want to say thank you cuz you started out volunteering and now you've earned your way up and but you're still involved and impacting um people who are impacting children so thank you thank you thank you I do appreciate that and thanks for the invite it was a I was always wanted to jump on something like this really cool just randomly talking about who knows how it goes and laugh a little bit I I like it it's fun okay next segment is politics so thank you guys so much for being a part if you want to learn more about good sheard's cloes closet and want to get involved uh please visit uh get clo.org what was that it's been a Lu just giv get clo.org and um all the information is there and um there's always three ways you can be involved we always need uh Financial donations we operate off of people just like you that's how we stay open it's how we keep the lights on is individual donations um and then second is volunteering time you can always volunteer time and third is you can bring your gently used jeans that you want to donate here to good sheeper and we'll give it away for free to the people that need it most and beyond that too just make sure to share like subscribe we're all over the place um just be a part of what we're doing listen engage and um be a part of these organizations we're bringing on and that we're able to be better together in the community through that just by you being involved absolutely well we thank you guys for watching are you going to do the tagline be the change that you want to see in the world what are you talking about oh you're the we need you to join us that is not it dude go ahead you finish this out I love you guys we we help over 700 people a month no matter what we're asking you to come alongside and help one all right guys thank you so much we'll see you next week thank you for being here Dex [Music] oh [Music]