The GNSF ”We Belong Here” Podcast

"We Belong Here" Podcast, Episode #21- Beaux Blanchard

Episode #21- Beaux Blanchard- This week, we’re excited to welcome a special guest to the podcast — Beaux Blanchard, 2025 Grinnell High School graduate. As Beaux wraps up his senior year, we visit about his journey of officiating in high school sports and what his future looks like as an official and post high school education. Grinnell has some pretty incredible students that graduate and go out in the world and do great things. Beaux Blanchard's name will come up in one of the discussion in the future and we think you’ll agree that Beaux Blanchard today, and in the future is yet another example of why “We Belong Here.”

"We Belong Here" Podcast, Episode #20-Trent Edsen

Episode #20- Trent Edsen- This week, we’re excited to welcome a special guest to the podcast — Trent Edsen, Principal of Grinnell High School. As Trent wraps up his first year in this new role, we’re taking a step back to explore his journey: where he grew up, his college years, and the path that ultimately led him to Grinnell Schools.
Through our conversation, you’ll gain insight into the values and experiences that shaped his leadership — and we think you’ll agree that Trent Edsen is yet another powerful example of why “We Belong Here.”

GNSF "We Belong Here" Podcast, Episode #19

Episode #19 Chris Grundler- of the We Belong Here Podcast. The special guest for this week's podcast is Chris Grundler, Vice President of the Grinnell-Newburg School Board. Chris will take a walk down memory lane as a former student at Davis Elementary in the late 70's-early 80's to the now sitting on the school board.  Sit back and enjoy a great conversation of history Grinnell and the exciting future of the school system.  Chris is a great example of "We Belong Here", with his years spent in Grinnell and now giving back to the school.

GNSF "We Belong Here" Podcast, Episode #18

Episode #18 Ethan Meints- of the We Belong Here Podcast. The special guest for this week's podcast is Ethan Meints, Grinnell Middle School 6th Grade Social Studies Teacher. Ethan was selected by the Class of 2025 to be the faculty speaker for the 2025 GHS commencements. We will visit with Ethan about this honor and the journey that he experienced to become a teacher at Grinnell. We will also discuss the influential people along the way that impacted his life. Ethan is a great example of our teacher’s commitment to our students over the their years in the Grinnell Schools and fits into the podcast theme of "We Belong Here".

GNSF "We Belong Here" Podcast, Episode #17

Episode #17 Malissa Juni- of the We Belong Here Podcast. The special guest for this week's podcast is Malissa Juni, Grinnell Middle School 7th Grade Teacher. We will take a journey over the past 38 years of Malissa's teaching career at Grinnell and share a few memories of her time teaching various grades at Grinnell.  She will retire at the end of the 24-25 school year.  Malissa is a great example of our teacher’s hard work and dedication to our students over the years making Grinnell Schools a place where "We Belong Here".

GNSF "We Belong Here" Podcast, Episode #16

Episode #16 -Rhonda Gohlmann- of the We Belong Here Podcast. The special guest for this week's podcast is Rhonda Gohlmann, Grinnell Fairview Elementary 2nd Grade Teacher. We will take a journey over the past 25 years of Rhonda's teaching career at Grinnell and  share a few memories of her total of 32 years of teaching in Iowa.  Rhonda will retire at the end of the 24-25 school year.  Rhonda is a great example of our teacher’s hard work and dedication to our students over the years making Grinnell Schools a place where "We Belong Here".

GNSF "We Belong Here" Podcast, Episode #15

Episode #15 -Lori Elliott- of the We Belong Here Podcast. The special guest for this week's podcast is Lori Elliott, Grinnell Davis Elementary 4th Grade Teacher. We will take a journey over the past 38 years of Lori's teaching career at Grinnell as she will retire at the end of the 24-25 school year.  Lori is a great example of our teacher’s hard work and dedication to our students over the years making Grinnell Schools a place where "We Belong Here".

GNSF "We Belong Here" Podcast, Episode #14

Episode #14 of the We Belong Here Podcast. Special guest for this week's podcast is Amy Skouson, Grinnell High School Family Consumer Science Teacher. We will discuss Amy's involvement with two GNSF Mini Grants and how her students were able to interactive with a local Read2Lead literacy program by reading with Head Start kids and also providing quilts to the kids as part of the project. The second mini grant is a follow-up to the growing pods mini grant that we discussed two weeks ago.  Amy is another great example of our school's teachers working to make Grinnell Schools a place where "We Belong Here".

GNSF "We Belong Here" Podcast, Episode #13

Episode #13 of the We Belong Here Podcast. Special guest for this week's podcast is Doug Cameron, retired teacher and principal from Grinnell Schools. Doug will take us on a journey of his experiences at the Grinnell schools starting as a new teacher, through his years as an administrator, to his continued commitment to the school system after his retirement.  Doug is another great example of our school's teachers/administrators/retires working together to make Grinnell Schools a place where "We Belong Here".

GNSF "We Belong Here" Podcast, Episode #12

Episode #12 of the We Belong Here Podcast. Special guests for this week's podcast are Ashley Wolfe, Agriculture Teacher and Michele Barker, At Risk Teacher, both Grinnell High School Teachers will discuss the GNSF Mini Grant they applied for to purchase growing pods to help add fresh produce to the GHS Food Closet and give the vocational ag students an opportunity to learn in the process. Ashley and Michele are another great example of our school's teachers working together to make Grinnell Schools a place where "We Belong Here".