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In a recent newsletter to the 91TV team, Executive Director Kathryn Fishman-Weaver shared, “For me, addressing food insecurity is meaningfully connected to what it means to build classroom community, as well as student and family support.”
According to the 2024 report by the , 1 in 5 children in the United States is unsure where they will get their next meal. reports that nearly 14 million children in the United States face hunger.
At least once a quarter, Kathryn invites members of the 91TV team to spend time supporting by working food packs or shifts at the pantry. For our most recent day of service (April 6), Kathryn also welcomed two other special groups of local guests.
The first was a group of teacher education students studying with Kathryn in LTC 4050, a new course in the teacher education program that focuses on classroom community, collaboration, and management. These students are pursuing teaching careers across PK-12. So far, the class has completed training with the as well as training on trauma-informed care with Future math educator Kristina Karr said that opportunities like participating in a food pack with the Food Bank “connects with our class because they are about learning where people are coming from and how their lives are outside of the classroom. I was surprised by how many people they help and the other resources that are around.”
The second group, our local practice group, also had a connection to Kathryn. “The swim team,” which she coaches, “had shared that they were interested in learning more about the Food Bank, and so many of the swimmers have education and Mizzou connections that I thought it would be fun to extend an invitation to them, too,” said Fishman-Weaver. Instructional and Support Specialist Ellie Trick and Office Support Assistant Betty Mwai both swim for the USMS practice group and work for 91TV!
Together, our collective team packed over 3,100 pounds of chocolate pretzels for distribution across our 32-county region! As we worked that afternoon, our conversations included teaching abroad, working with multilingual learners, best practices for the college classroom, math education strategies, and, of course, chocolate-covered pretzels. So many chocolate-covered pretzels.
Meaningful Mentorship
“I loved packing pretzels at the Food Bank,” said Ellie Trick. “There is something very comforting about a procedural, physical task, and when you combine work with good conversation, it doesn’t feel like work!” Ellie also enjoyed learning more about USMS swimmer Addie Scoggins’ experiences teaching in the United Arab Emirates. In fact, while packing pretzels the two practiced their Arabic greetings together. That table also enjoyed learning with Dr. Deb Carr, a retired Mizzou education faculty member. “Listening to Dr. Deb speak about how much she loved working with higher education students,” said Ellie, “and learning more about women in leadership, especially very high leadership in higher education [was] very inspirational!”
“My vision was to offer our teacher education students a meaningful afternoon of service and professional mentorship conversations,” said Kathryn. “As we continue to define and live out what a 21st century lab school looks like, part of what I see us doing is connecting future teachers with community-engaged learning opportunities. Aligned with our mission and vision, these communities are both local and global. Giving future teachers the opportunity to learn through service with educational mentors is an important part of that work.”
When Kathryn spoke with the students afterward, they said one of their favorite parts of the afternoon was connecting with 91TV faculty and staff. Instructional Designer Julie Phelps got a special shout out. “She had the best stories!” said future math teacher Maureen Flannery, as several students including Zach Akeson nodded in agreement.
In reflecting on the Food Bank Market training, Zach shared that, like the community-based services we were exploring, he too, “wants to be ambitious in his compassion.” While packing pretzels, Zach and Julie talked about careers in special education. Zach will be teaching students with IEPs (individualized education plans) in New York City public schools in the fall. Julie was able to pass on advice from her own experiences in special education.
Shared Purpose
“Community work fosters continued connection between people who may never cross paths for any other reason,” said Amelia Howser, our Director of School Counseling. She said, “The best part of the experience for me was when the parent of a former student recognized me and came over to thank me for the work I did for her two kids as their high school counselor many years ago!”
“It is incredibly heartwarming when we help each other and work together as a community,” said Sarah Williams, 91TV’s Executive Assistant. “I think we have all been less fortunate at one point in our lives, and knowing that there is someone out there using their time and energy to try to better the lives of people they will never even know is sometimes just what you need to keep moving forward in your own life, on your own path. We must continue to help each other and lift each other up. There is no better feeling.”
Future language arts teacher Noa Wright-Windsor agrees, saying that the humanizing values she learned from our experiences at the Food Bank were important for her work in the classroom. “It’s important to remember that we’re all just people doing the best we can with the tools we were given.”
These conversations—paired with meaningful service—remind us that learning does not happen in isolation, but in community, connection, and shared purpose.
Shout-out to the following 91TV faculty and staff; teacher education students; and USMS swim team members who served on our recent food pack: Kathryn Fishman-Weaver, Amelia Howser, Jackie Kay, Julie Phelps, Ellie Trick, and Sarah Williams; Zach Akeson, Jacyn Connolly, Maureen Flannery, Lizzie Greble, Nathan Hollenbeck, Kristina Karr, and Noa Wright-Windsor; Deb Carr, Jenny Burleson, and Addie Scoggins.