Education With An Edge

Melissa Roth, M.A. is a Credentialing Manager for Aureus Medical Group. She leads the amazing teams that ensure medical professionals have the proper work history, education, credentials, and a clear background prior to being allowed to work in facilities across the Country. Currently, she is representing her community through participation in the Mrs. Nebraska Pageant. Melissa’s platform focus for 2021-2022 is PMDD (Premenstrual dysphoric disorder) awareness and educating women on tracking their cycles.

A Hurrdat Media Production. Hurrdat Media is a digital media and commercial video production company based in Omaha, NE. Find more podcasts on the Hurrdat Media Network and learn more about our other services today on HurrdatMedia.com.

Lee Perez is a 5th-8th grade English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher at Alice Buffett Magnet Middle School in Omaha, Nebraska. Perez holds an Associate of Arts degree from Mid-Plains Community College and a Bachelors of Science Degree in Secondary Education from the University of Nebraska at Omaha. He holds two teaching endorsements: grades 7-12 Social Sciences and PK-12 ESL. Perez has taught for 15 years in the very diverse urban Omaha Public Schools district. He started his career at Marrs Magnet Middle School, teaching 7th grade World Studies for the Dual Language program for 12 years. He has spent the last three years teaching ESL at Alice Buffett Magnet Middle School. Perez also coaches boys’ Cross-Country and Track and Field at Buffett. Perez has received several recognitions for his efforts as a teacher. He received the 2021 Award for Teaching Excellence through the Nebraska State Education Association and was also named a Cox Communication Omaha area Education Hero. He is also a part of the Commissioners of Education’s Teacher Advisory Committee, the Hispanic/Chicano representative for the Ethnic Minority Affairs Committee, and a member of the National Education Association’s Teachers of color cohort. Perez is passionate about multilingual education, culturally responsive teaching pedagogy, and being an advocate for more English Learner training and awareness for all teachers. Perez also believes in diversifying the teaching workforce in Nebraska and nationwide by recruiting and retaining more teachers of color.
Perez began his teaching career in 2008 at Marrs Magnet Middle School in Omaha, where he taught the 7th grade World Studies-Dual Language Program until 2019. He then moved to Alice Buffett Magnet Middle School, where he teaches 5-8th grade English as a Second Language.
In addition to his classroom experience, Perez is an active member in the community belonging to many organizations, including the Ethnic Minority Affairs Committee, the Omaha Education Association Metro Board, the Nebraska State Education Association, and the English Learner Curriculum Pathway Committee for Omaha Public Schools. Perez has also been honored with several teaching awards and featured in several publications for his work as a teacher.
In the classroom, Perez has unique challenges teaching English Language Learners. He takes a comprehensive approach to reach his students by combining culturally responsive teaching and language learning engagement strategies. In doing this, Perez teaches his students a new language and a new culture while celebrating their backgrounds and cultures in the classroom.
"It is important to embrace diversity. We should acknowledge that being different is special, and these differences should be showcased during learning," Perez said in his application. "Good teaching isn't always about effective lesson planning, data, assessments, or observations with administrators. It’s about empowering our students to strive to be the best versions of themselves socially, emotionally, intellectually, and academically."
Perez said his message to teachers is to be kind, culturally aware, and tolerant and that kindness should be our new 'pandemic.'
Perez has been a teacher for 13 years and earned a bachelor’s degree in Secondary Education at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Perez will participate in the National Teacher of the Year competition later this year.

A Hurrdat Media Production. Hurrdat Media is a digital media and commercial video production company based in Omaha, NE. Find more podcasts on the Hurrdat Media Network and learn more about our other services today on HurrdatMedia.com.

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Miss Nebraska USA 2020, turned Entrepreneur Megan Swanson's lives to help women unlock their unique identity, trailblaze on the path of their calling, and take their power back so that they can win in every sphere of life. An Expert Pageant Interview Coach, Well-Decorated Singer, and Keynote Speaker, Megan passionately shows people that they were created to influence the world around them.

A Hurrdat Media Production. Hurrdat Media is a digital media and commercial video production company based in Omaha, NE. Find more podcasts on the Hurrdat Media Network and learn more about our other services today on HurrdatMedia.com.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A Nebraska native, Kellie graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, obtaining a Bachelor's of Journalism degree with an emphasis in Broadcast, English, and Communications. She moved to Omaha immediately after college and worked in television news for several years before deciding to pursue a career in which she could be in charge of her success. Enter real estate!
Kellie has been licensed in the State of Nebraska and a member of both the Omaha and Lincoln realtor boards since 2011. She loves this business because it connects her with people! Seeing their smiles, hearing their joy in selling their home, or buying something new are just moments that never leave you, Kellie says.
She started her team at Nebraska Realty in 2019. Keystone Group was a brainchild Kellie had been working on for a while, and it finally came to fruition with her partner Jeff Perdue, a good friend she has known since their greek life days in college. They are proud to be one of Nebraska Realty's top small teams and have even bigger goals ahead!
Her life outside of work revolves around her husband, John, and her two stepsons. Their fingers are crossed for a baby Wieczorek sometime soon too! They have three four-footed members of their family: Maddie Blackshirt, their lab-mastiff, Mocha Frost, their Bordeaux mastiff, and Brutus Berringer, an English setter puppy!
Outside of the trap team and high school hockey, most of their family time is spent at Husker games!
"We absolutely bleed scarlet and cream in our home! So much so that I host an off-the-cuff social media talk show, Big Red Gets Real, every Friday with a friend of mine."
Otherwise, you'll find Kellie on the boat, out on the town with friends, relaxing with family, or in the gym.
She feels very passionate about health and wellness, not just for herself but for anyone needing a change.
"We only have one life, and our health is our greatest gift. It has changed my life, and I am determined to pay it forward."
Kellie loves her home in the Good Life. There is No Place Like Nebraska!

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Michael Young is a Father, Community Focused Advocate, and Candidate for Legislative District 18. He founded his consulting company, Technology Consulting Solutions in 2008 and opened Rooted Synergy Art Gallery in 2021. Michael continues to grow as a highly motivated, entrepreneurial technology professional with extensive experience as a customer-focused leader. With a focus on business analytics and process improvement, he has developed an outstanding ability to translate business needs into technical solutions that dramatically improve efficiency, productivity, and profitability. As an elected and appointed official, board member of non-profits in the community and advocate for policy that is equitable for diversity and inclusion.

His passion is to "leave it better than he found it."--

A Hurrdat Media Production. Hurrdat Media is a digital media and commercial video production company based in Omaha, NE. Find more podcasts on the Hurrdat Media Network and learn more about our other services today on HurrdatMedia.com.