This site requires JavaScript to be enabled. Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings, or upgrade to a modern browser.

Rebecca Ryan & Rhonda Girdley Join Jeremy Wendt To Discuss Their Lifetime Of Shaping Students Minds

Loading player...

Two educators, one incredible legacy. In this episode, Jeremy Wendt sits down with Findlay Elementary Principal Rebecca Ryan and kindergarten teacher Rhonda Girdley, who has been shaping young minds for an astonishing 50 years. Rhonda reflects on her lifelong passion for teaching, the evolution of education, and how teamwork among teachers makes all the difference. Rebecca shares her unexpected path from civil engineering to the classroom and celebrates Rhonda’s dedication and resilience through decades of change. Together, they remind us that education isn’t just about lessons—it’s about helping children grow and succeed.

Listen To The Local Matters Podcast Today!

13 Jan 9AM English United States Society & Culture · Education

Other recent episodes

Clark Adcock Joins Tiffany Anton To Discuss The World Of Auctioneering

What do rodeo arenas, real estate, and running your own business have in common? For Clark Adcock—quite a lot. On this episode, Tiffany Anton sits down with Upper Cumberland native Clark Adcock of Adcock Auctioneer to talk about his unexpected journey into the auction world. From competing on a national…

11 Mar 9AM 32 min

Emma Seagrave Joins Jeremy Wendt To Shine A Light On Women's Sports

Jeremy Wendt sits down with Emma Seagrave, fifth-grade teacher at Prescott South, softball coach, and self-proclaimed pickleball enthusiast. From playing junior college, Division I, and Division II softball to shaping young minds in the math classroom, Emma shares how athletics, mental health, and mentorship all connect in her teaching philosophy…

10 Mar 9AM 33 min

Shelia Jett Joins George Halford As She Shares How Faith, Family, & Mentorship Shaped Her Journey In Education

There’s a story behind every great teacher — and this one stretches from a farm in Avon South Dakota to a classroom right here in Cookeville Tennessee. George sits down with Sheila Jett, longtime North East Elementary teacher and member of the Christian Educators Group, as she shares how faith,…

9 Mar 9AM 32 min

Rocky Dial Joins Ben Rodgers To Discuss What It Takes To Keep A Community Safe

Fire Chief Rocky Dial joins Ben Rodgers to take us inside the front lines of emergency service in Livingston. From staffing challenges and vital EMT training to the high cost of fire apparatus and the importance of mutual aid across the Upper Cumberland, Dial shares what it really takes to…

6 Mar 9AM 32 min

Patrick Abdel And Joy McCameron Join Drs. Mabry & Lee To Discuss The Importance Of Birth Tissue Donation

Drs. Lee and Mabry sit down with VP Patrick AbdelMessih and Joy McCameron from Birth Tissue Donation Services to talk about an incredible way new moms can make a life-changing impact. They share why birth tissue donation is especially important in rural areas like the Upper Cumberland and how it…

5 Mar 9AM 32 min

All episodes