Philanthropy

Jared Taylor: Welcome to the American Classroom Podcast, where we discuss the role of education and building a civil society. I'm Jared Taylor, and I'm joined today with a special guest to talk about how to make a larger impact in education with Carolyn Jess. So let's get started.

Carolyn Jess: Thank you, Jared. It's an honor to be here and it's an honor to be talking about funding schools, philanthropically, not just waiting on government funds.

So I welcome today's conversation.

Jared Taylor: This conversation is very needed. It could be the game changer in the K 12 space. And so we're going to unpack this a little bit. Cause there's so many people that want to make a big difference in education and they don't totally know how and why. And anyways, we're going to, we're going to go down that road today.

So thank you for being here.

Carolyn Jess: Joyful. Thank you. My background is in education, business development and marketing. So I've worked in business development, general manager of some media companies and also as a teacher. So I feel really blessed to be able to bring to a K to 12 space all of that knowledge and to better our schools and to better the educational outcomes for our children and for America.

Jared Taylor: It's a big deal, right? These are the formative years of young people. Somebody else called it. If you want to change the future of your country. You change the classroom.

Carolyn Jess: Exactly. In fact, you raise a really good point of the workable cognitive hours that a child is awake every single day. The school has your child, our children, for the majority of those hours.

So if you're talking about creating the culture, the strength and character of a young person so that they can become a meaningful contributor to today's world and tomorrow's future in America, then it starts in the schools. And this is why good character building is so important. And that's why Heritage Academy schools are so successful.

They take what our founding fathers and our founding mothers wanted for our society, for the American people. And they exemplify that behavior and they have it for a full raising of a generation of children. So not just ad hoc today, tomorrow, some kind of field trip to a museum to tell them what their democratic process is.

This is about a daily transformation so that they believe. In good character education and being good people, good citizens.

Jared Taylor: And if you don't think that's an important mission, then watch the news tonight.

Carolyn Jess: Exactly. On any given day, you can find out and look, America is in crisis. And that's why we need to start to fund schools and philanthropy is the only way to do it because governments have lost their way.

They have been putting education on a funding roller coaster for the last 20 years. So if we want to be able to change what is happening in government. We need to change the leaders of tomorrow. And that means building good character, educated children that know what the founding fathers and the mothers that built our nation, what they wanted in the true essence of the nature of government.

Jared Taylor: And why wouldn't we, they created the most free and prosperous society. And if you want to perpetuate those free and prosperous environments and conditions. You need to do what they did, right?

Carolyn Jess: Exactly, and you need to know what they did.

Jared Taylor: You need to know what they did, right?

Carolyn Jess: You know how many kids get bored? They go to school, and you come home, and tell me if this sounds familiar. How was your day at school today? Boring. Listen, we're changing that. We have been changing that at Heritage Academy schools for the last 30 years with proven success in building strong character and kids that are saying, I love my school.

If you ask my daughters what their job is. They'll say to you, and they're in school, they'll say to you, Mom, you always say, we need to listen, learn, and have fun. How many kids today think that school is just their babysitter? Now that's got to change. We are entitled to be treated with respect and to give respect to one another.

And that means if you respect yourself, then you're going to choose to educate yourself. So it's interesting. I got the opportunity to go back into the classroom in the last I know I was, you couldn't, I was fun. What I found. What I found was terrific. I was at Paul Revere Academy. This school is dynamic. It's innovative.

They have students that are experiencing foster care. They have students that would normally get lost in the mainstream. These are kids that later in life possibly will become homeless because they can't get a job. Desperate, destitute, maybe on drugs. And look how many of us across America drive past half a dozen meth zombies everywhere we go.

It's a shame. It's terrible. And yet these kids are vulnerable. So we have this innovative location, Paul Revere Academy. It's located on the EVIT campus. And for those of you that don't know what EVIT campus is, it's a trade school. So these kids need a high school diploma and they need to be able to have a trade.

And they also need some good character building, some people that back them. So I got a chance to teach and it was terrific. I opened both the U S government class with our year twelves and our tens that we're studying American history. But can I say, I started the classes with how many of you think that respect Is a right. How many of you think that it's earned? Now, how many do you think we're on each side?

Jared Taylor: 50, 50, maybe.

Carolyn Jess: Most of them thought that you had to earn respect. So then I said, okay, great example. All right. You're over here. And I'm pointing to a lovely scholar and I said to her, you're not really listening. I'm not picking on you, but it's the fact you're not really listening. You're chatting to one of your friends.

I can see that you have an earbud in your ear. So tell me this, that's not showing respect to me, to me. That's not showing respect to the other people in the classroom. So based on what everybody here is saying, I then no longer need to show you respect. So I could just sit at the front of the classroom and get on my phone and listen to music and chat to my friends.

How about we just, how about I just do that? Yeah. Who agrees with me doing that? No one. They shouted the house down and said, no, you're the teacher. You're supposed to teach. And I said, I deserve respect because it is my right, not because you had to earn it. So we all need to give it to each other.

So then the kids are like what does that mean? What does that mean? So then I said to them, what would George Washington do? Do you know they put their hands up because they knew what he would do? Now you tell me how many other classrooms in America have year 12 students. I know the life and history and the character of George Washington well enough to be able to say, it's 2023 and this is what George would do.

Be like George. Be like George. Exactly. He's the gold standard of being an American. How could it get any better? In fact, he's a great example for these kids because he didn't graduate from high school. He didn't have a formal education. So then we start to talk about his characteristics. Did he have to choose to educate himself hands up?

Yes, he did. Yeah, you bet. Did he have to choose to be a good person? Yes, he did. Did he have to get out there and get life experience for himself to earn his own money? Yes, he did, because he was, I think he was third in line. There was no money coming down the chain.

Jared Taylor: He was a tradesman too.

Carolyn Jess: Exactly. Exactly. A surveyor. These kids knew that. They relate to him. They know. And so when you talk about philanthropy, what's going on at Paul Revere Academy is unique, innovative, and it takes a certain recipe. And Heritage Academy schools have it. Is it funded well? We do a great job, but how about we make it amazing?

Let's keep it going.

Jared Taylor: We can take it to another level.

Carolyn Jess: That's exactly right.

Jared Taylor: And you can take it to another level where the donor gets some tremendous benefits as well. That's the game changer. Because a lot of people think that giving is just tin cupping, right? And a lot of times that's what nonprofits make it out to be.

And it can be, because certainly people want to give to places that are in need, but we're changing that discussion, right? We're giving to places because it's a good investment in some places, literally a good investment where you do get a return. Sometimes it's in money and other times it's in other ways, building on a couple things there.

Cause you talked about EVIT let me just mention that. That is the gold standard in career technical education, probably in the Southwest. That is, I think I have 70 programs. It's about 60, 65 acres.

Carolyn Jess: It's amazing. Tremendous. The campus is amazing. And our scholars, when you start to ask, what are you doing?

Oh, I'm in cosmetology. Oh, what are you doing? I'm in computer design. Oh, what are you doing? Oh, I'm doing coding. Oh, what are you doing? I'm doing metalwork. What are you doing? I'm in construction and they're all my students. In my class, they are amazing and they are excited about their future.

Jared Taylor: And they're doing it hands on day to day. And we're teaching them how to be great Americans, heroes.

Carolyn Jess: Exactly. In fact, we are creating stability in their lives. So let's talk about what philanthropy does and what we're looking for. So all kids need structure, stability. They need a framework. What's happening in our charter schools and in particular, what's been done very well for almost 30 years at Heritage Academy schools is the academic rigor combined with good character, good role models.

So we're changing the me society. That's lost its way. And we're relearning what it's like to be someone like George Washington, where you're in charge of your education, but you have stability. So for the K to 12 space, you mentioned, tin cupping. Yes, there's, name for any given school. And they'll have a fun run, a jingle jangle, maybe

They're a hoot, you can color your hair and that's good. That's one level. Exactly. But what we're talking about here for Heritage Academy schools and for Paul Revere Academy is I'm asking for our philanthropic relationship. So stay with us. Not for one hit wonders, not for this year's budget. I'm asking you to help us raise a generation. I almost get goosebumps when I think about it. Stay with us. For four years, Paul Revere, excuse me, for Paul Revere Academy, stay with us for seven years to raise the K through eight.

Stay with us for 14 years and raise that whole generation K through 14, consistent funding with a good relationship. And what's in it for you? What do they get back? First of all, could you imagine being able to get terrific videos that you can play on your socials with your branded corporation, foundation, and it's our scholars that help to make it.

So you can walk through this STEM area and just say, look at our facilities and look at the joy. Kids will come home and instead of saying, how was your day? Boring. Instead, they're saying, oh my goodness, we got to use the bunsen burners today. We had the exhaust fumes going. And then, so and so turned this type of paper into a blue flame and then another one had the orange flame.

And then the other one had the purple flame. You can tell mine is, I love it. I love it. And that's what I want our kids to get. And I want my kids where English is a second language, their first year migrants. I want them to also be able to speak, I know how to read in English, and I can speak it well, and I understand it.

And now I'm going to become a doctor, a teacher. I'm going to become a scientist, or I'm going to be a construction worker, or I'm going to be an electrician. Part of our society. Meaningful.

We're the melting pot. That's how the US started. The Great American Melting Pot. Do you remember those little cartoons when we were kids?

All the different nations are coming in and we are a beautiful, strong nation for the future. Right now we've got some problems. We have a big crisis on our hands when it is taught, when we start to talk about the economy and inflation. And we're talking about why we need to fund schools?

A great example is Arizona right now, we're one of the lowest. In fact, we're low, equal low with Utah and Idaho. Our students receive less than $9,000 per student. Places like New York. They're getting $19,000 and more. And some might want to argue if you throw money at it, it doesn't necessarily change test results.

Okay. So a test on any one given day, that's a two or three hour test. You're going to grade the child's educational journey based on that one test and then attach funding to it? That's why that's getting scrapped, right? Because a childhood is about a journey of learning. It's about immersive learning.

Kids learn through not just textbooks and writing, they also learn by being excited about what they're learning, innovation, and our teachers here at Heritage Academy and also at Paul Revere, they're amazing. They're often industry experts that have come out of that career.

Like one of us, one of our teachers is a geologist. He worked in the mines, worked out in the real world, and then he decided he wanted to become a teacher. Oh, what joy.

Jared Taylor: And do you know what his students say about his class? It rocks.

Carolyn Jess: Ba dum bump that's right. Can I tell you about a success story?

We have a terrific young man, so let me just preface this with Heritage Academy Schools following three A's, so just understand. We are AAA, the triple A's, the best of the best, because we take in academics, we take in athletics, and we support the arts. And we make sure that our scholars have triple A opportunities every year level, every campus, every day.

So one of our students, a footballer, year 12. And for graduation, he needed to take one more athletic course. And the only thing that would fit in with his really rigorous schedule. So he had all these different, high level classes that he was taking, a gorgeous young African American fellow. And this young student was told the only thing that's going to fit is dance.

Yeah, you can imagine. A 17 year old footballer, and muffles And he had no intention of ever really taking down. He took the class and he found his calling. He is today a graduate of performing arts and is teaching dance at Heritage Academy Schools. And he is a joy. I went to visit that campus this week.

And you should see, the kids just love him. He's out there, he's combining contemporary, ballet and hip hop. And it's all in this one great little, all the kids, boys and girls, like you, you could not fit another kid in that class. They are so excited to take his class and he performs and competes privately.

Now talk about an American hero.

Jared Taylor: He's changing lives.

Carolyn Jess: Exactly. Exactly.

Jared Taylor: He's all about the future.

Carolyn Jess: So I think that's worth funding. I think it's worth saying, I don't want to just fund you this year. I want to make a big difference and what's in it for you. Okay. So stay with us. Raise a generation. Sign up for four years, sign up for seven years, sign up for 14 years consistently so that you can help us stop that yo funding. Delaware. Oh my goodness. The schools in Delaware, 12% funding cut. Could you imagine? We're a charter school. If we get a hit like that what do we have to cut?

What if we had to cut the dance program? So we don't want to do that. You're back in winners. What is a winning strategy? We head out to the public, to people, and we say, spread the word. Support Heritage Academy Schools, Paul Revere Academy, help us raise a generation, and we're going to raise the flag.

We're going to say, we're making green Americans over here.

Jared Taylor: Some of this is just very simple logic too. Arizona has a big mining industry. And EVIT some of the other heritage schools, they have other people in career technical ed, they can get to know some of these classrooms through some of their contributions and I know the Heritage Schools would love to get their information out for future employment.

Carolyn Jess: Exactly. We're looking for partners. We're looking for business partners that want to come in and they want to help to provide for our scholars and then what do they get? A future excellent employee. So we need jobs for our graduates. They need good employees. So what can you do?

First of all, say yes. Say yes to raise a generation, sign up and partner with us. Stay on for four, seven or 14 years or more. And what's in it for you, we're going to make some amazing videos that you can play on your corporate websites and play at your boards and your different events to be able to brag and say, look what we're doing.

We are building strong character in our workforce, strong Americans. The next thing that you can look at is how about naming rights to a building? Maybe you help with facilities, maybe you help like at Paul Revere campus and you say yes, let's get a food truck there every single day, let's just take food worries off the table, let's make no obstacles for those students, they've already had a pretty tough life, let's make sure that they have a good life.

A prosperous life that it's not just about who you're related to or what somebody did for you. It's about somebody who made sure that I could make it. So let's make that happen. K through 12 space is changing and we're going to be game changers and we're asking you to raise a generation, partner with us.

Yes, you could be helping at the jingle jangles. But we want somebody to stay with us and we want the list to be big and we want you to be proud of us.

Jared Taylor: And a lot of people want to do more than burrito night, right? Or things like that. Those are super fun as well, but people want to make big structural systemic changes as well.

And when you have a system that's already set up that they can invest in, their money's just going to go further. It's going to go to the results that you really want if you really for your foundation or your family office or whatever investment money that you're talking about. And whether you're looking at it from the corporate side you know that you're getting pressure to do a double bottom line strategy, which is to make a good profit, but also do good in society.

And the fact is, when you can do good in society and create a job pipeline for you, that's a triple bottom line strategy, right? It's just smart business, right?

Carolyn Jess: That's exactly right. That's smart business. So I'm saying so. any corporation, mining corporation, trust, foundation, and amazing individuals.

Join us, help us raise a generation. What are you going to help with? You're going to help with learning innovation. We want our kids to say, my day was amazing. I love my school. We want these kids to say, I'm proud to be an American and I'm proud to be like George Washington.

Jared Taylor: And that's a big deal. We need that. We don't need young people that are burning cities down or looting shopping centers. Feel bad for whatever circumstance they came from. But the students at Heritage Academy, they're not those students, right? You're going to invest in the future heroes. That doesn't look at the education system as just some big entitlement caretaking program, right? They prioritize education and learning. They're grateful. And they're ready to go serve.

It's a selfless environment, not what have you done for me lately? What are you going to teach me today? How are you going to entertain me, teacher? Oh, and then I'm just here to make money.

Carolyn Jess: I'm just filling in today.

Jared Taylor: That's all school is for is to make money. No, it's not. There's a higher purpose, right? Which is to build good people because good people create good businesses, they create amazing innovations, they create the future.

Carolyn Jess: That's exactly right. And they need, our scholars need to know that we back them.

So they know Heritage Academy Schools, Paul Revere Academy, we have the success formula. It's proven. We've been going for almost 30 years. So I can name that many success stories again and again. So now we're saying we need more Heritage Academies. We need more locations like Paul Revere Academy.

If you want to help solve America's problems, then let's start with raising our youth. Let's raise a generation with outstanding character and amazing education that they owned, just like George Washington. Where they say, I wanna learn, I'm here today and I wanna learn. And you can go on to say, I did that.

Jared Taylor: Be part of the team. Carolyn, if someone listening to this wants to learn more, wants to take action, wants to contact you or the Heritage Schools too, to learn. To make a difference. To join and raise a generation. What would you tell them to do? What's their next step?

Carolyn Jess: Alright. First and foremost, just in your search engine, check HeritageAcademyAZ.com, look under Giving. You'll find us there, HeritageAcademyAZ.com and you'll find us there. You are also welcome to contact any Heritage Academy schools and they'll find me. Carolyn Jess, director of development. I will be happy to assist and customize a giving program where you can say, Look at this. We have a lot of pride in what we're doing and that you have collateral to prove what an amazing effort your philanthropy, your giving has done to help our kids.

Jared Taylor: Thank you.

As we wrap up, I want to thank you for being here and sharing some of these powerful ideas, powerful success strategies, and helping people know that there are good things. People like to dump on the school system. And for good reason. There's a lot of failure factories out there. And that, that's super unfortunate. At the same time, there are great systems like Heritage Academy with Paul Revere and all the wonderful people. And those are definitely growing quietly.

Carolyn Jess: That's right. We don't have to just say, hey, look at us. Look at us. Look at us. They often say somebody that's just so loud, maybe they're so loud because they don't know what they're talking about. We're saying we're successful. Just point to the scoreboard.

Hit him when he can say we're winners. So you're backing winners, you're backing a good system. You will have a great return, you'll have fantastic future employees, great citizens, and you are building a future based on our founding fathers and our founding mothers of yesteryear.

Jared Taylor: Thank you.

That's powerful. That's wonderful. Let's go change the world.

Carolyn, thank you for joining us today on this episode of American Classroom Podcast. For those that are listening, we'd appreciate a five star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Please subscribe and join.

You can see our shows at AmericanClassroom.show you'll see that linked off of HeritageAcademyAZ.Com.

Carolyn Jess: And share it. Can you share it? Can you share it everywhere? Be proud out loud about it. If you're motivated about today, yes, take action for yourself and bring a crowd.

Jared Taylor: That's right. It's all good.

Thank you, Carolyn.