Dr. Hector Maestre Is Fully Invested — The Life Of A High School Principal

How The SEE Alliance Is Uplifting Young Voices And Occassionally Going Viral

SEE Alliance Founder, Zander Moricz, and Orange County Organizing Coordinator, Koulson Fry, join Eddie and Steph to inspire us all and talk about the work of the SEE Alliance (Social Equity Through Education Alliance) (9:54). Zander opens the episode by talking about how the SEE Alliance originated and grew during COVID by mobilizing quickly and providing local civics education and information about school board organizing to students (11:52). The group evolved while the “Don’t Say Gay” bill moved through the Florida legislature in 2022 (14:44). Initially composed only of young people, the SEE Alliance made an intentional decision to become a youth-led multi-generational organization (21:50). As it grew, its leaders recognized the importance of working beyond individual campaigns or candidates and that young people yearned for a year round group and infrastructure that was working towards a positive vision. (27:00). They also recognized that having fun while doing the work is essential to the group’s sustainability and recruitment (30:50). Zander and Koulson talk about how the SEE Alliance focuses on school board organizing and participating in public comment (37:45) and the success of bottom up organizing (46:35). The group discusses how young people are navigating the political space today and how political conversations happen differently now than in the past (56:40). Zander opens up about the evolving nature of his relationship with social media (1:08:00) and his feelings about being described as an influencer and content creator. Koulson and Zander end the episode sharing how you can connect with SEE Alliance and be a part of this incredible movement.  * See Alliance website: https://www.seeourpower.org/ [https://www.seeourpower.org/] * Zander Moricz [https://www.instagram.com/zandermoricz/?hl=en] * Extracurricular Podcast [https://www.instagram.com/extracurricular_podcast/] * Stephanie Vanos [https://www.instagram.com/votevanos/] * Eddie Geller [https://www.instagram.com/gellered/]

Angie Gallo Explains What A School Board Chair Does And Why She's Running For It With Listening Ears

Eddie and Steph welcome Orange County School Board Member and current Candidate for School Board Chair, Angie Gallo, to the pod (18:32). Angie talks about how she first became engaged in public education advocacy and how she had to advocate against a bill she had spent two years pushing for (politics is complex!). The group then discusses how public education has evolved since Covid and theorizes the origin of those changes (30:04). Angie shares why she decided to make the move from advocacy to running for office in 2018 (35:48) and why, after serving two terms, she is running for School Board Chair (41:55). They end the show talking about how Angie recharges and she offers some advice to Eddie (52:30). * Support Angie: https://www.voteangiegallo.com/ [https://www.voteangiegallo.com/] * Angie Gallo (Instagram) [https://www.instagram.com/voteAngieGallo] * Extracurricular Podcast [https://www.instagram.com/extracurricular_podcast/] * Stephanie Vanos [https://www.instagram.com/votevanos/] * Eddie Geller [https://www.instagram.com/gellered/]

Unpacking The Supreme Court’s Latest Immigration Rulings And Why Felipe Sousa-Lazaballet Leads With Hope and Purpose

Eddie and Steph welcome Felipe Sousa-Lazaballet to the pod! Felipe talks about his work as the Executive Director at Hope Community Center and what drew him to helping immigrants navigate life in Central Florida (12:43). He then unpacks two Supreme Court decisions from this week relating to immigration issues (Mullin v. Al Otro Lado and Mullin v. Doe)(17:04). He shares his very personal reaction to attacks on immigrants (28:00) and what he is hearing from people on the ground as he knocks doors and leads the Hope Center (32:12). Steph and Felipe discuss how immigration policy has impacted OCPS students (35:42). Felipe then talks about his candidacy (43:46), the impacts of attacks on immigrants here in Florida (52:55) and his priorities once he is elected as State Representative (59:55). * Support Felipe: https://www.felipeforflorida.com/ [https://www.felipeforflorida.com/] * Felipe Sousa-Lazaballet (Instagram) [https://www.instagram.com/felipeforflorida?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw%3D%3D] * Extracurricular Podcast [https://www.instagram.com/extracurricular_podcast/] * Stephanie Vanos [https://www.instagram.com/votevanos/] * Eddie Geller [https://www.instagram.com/gellered/]

Dr. Hector Maestre Is Fully Invested — The Life Of A High School Principal

Eddie and Steph recognize and reflect upon ten years since the Pulse tragedy here in Orlando. They then discuss Equal Ground’s excellent tour stop in Orlando and the overwhelming number of audience questions relating to public schools and public education.   The guest this week is Dr. Hector Maestre, a wonderful human and OCPS graduate who also happens to be the principal at Boone High School. Like Steph, he was on the podcast unofficially and not in his professional capacity as an OCPS employee. Dr. Maestre begins by sharing his journey to becoming a teacher and then principal (16:17) and why the Class of 2026 is a special one to him (25:28). He discusses how he helps students who are struggling (29:31) and the importance of building relationships (35:16). He shares what a day in his life might look like (38:32) along with some misconceptions about his job (44:09). We learn how he manages the power of being a principal (51:04) and how he responds to the climate surrounding public education right now (55:18). Dr. Maestre then dismisses the notion that the purpose of school is to prepare students to become workers, and reiterates that his goal is to prepare students to be responsible, civically engaged, impactful people in the real world (1:02:01). They then talk about how OCPS can better support all schools (1:06:24) and how he responds to and works with concerned parents (1:08:36). Finally, Dr. Maestre shares he rests and recharges (1:11:28).  * Dr. Hector Maestre [https://www.instagram.com/aquaguard21?igsh=MTU0dWxhNHo0cDF1bg==] * Extracurricular Podcast [https://www.instagram.com/extracurricular_podcast/] * Stephanie Vanos [https://www.instagram.com/votevanos/] * Eddie Geller [https://www.instagram.com/gellered/]

How Florida’s 2026 Property Tax Ballot Initiative Will Devastate Local Government And Send Even More Power To Tallahassee

It’s June, graduations are (nearly!) done, and Steph and Eddie are back to the work of podding. They begin the show talking about fundraisers, bittersweet improv shows, and the AT&T corporation. This week, they welcome Jason Garcia of Seeking Rents back to the podcast. Jason starts out by giving an overview of the opaque budget process in Tallahassee and then a primer on how devastating the new property tax ballot initiative could end up being if it is passed (13:46). Next they walk through some of the items that made it through this year’s budget and how it speaks to the broken/corrupt nature of our state legislature (36:05). They also touch the slow degradation of higher education in the state of Florida and how a bipartisan consensus on protecting our top universities has seemingly gone by the wayside (53:07). Finally, Jason fires off a couple of book recommendations and explains how he isn’t recharging but he really should (1:03:01). * Seeking Rents [https://jasongarcia.substack.com/p/coming-soon] * Extracurricular Podcast [https://www.instagram.com/extracurricular_podcast/] * Stephanie Vanos [https://www.instagram.com/votevanos/] * Eddie Geller [https://www.instagram.com/gellered/]