An Army of Normal Folks - An Army of Normal Teenagers (Pt 2)

Episode Date: June 17, 2025

Ginny Manguno, a teacher at Briarcrest Christian School, assigned listening to the podcast in her high school class. And so we decided to interview Ginny and her 15 students! Support the show: https://www.normalfolks.us/premiumSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hey everybody, it's Bill Courtney with An Army of Normal Folks, and we continue now a part two of our conversation with Jennie Minjuno and her class at Briar Crest Christian School right after these brief messages from our generous sponsors. From I Heart podcasts, before social media, before the internet, before cable news, there was Alan Berg. You dig what I do. You have a need. Unfortunately, you have no sense of humor. That's why you can't ever enjoy this show.

And that's why you're a loser. He was the first and the original shock shot. That scratchy, irreverent kind of way of talking to people. You're as dumb as the rest. That's, I can't take anyone. I don't agree with you all the time. I don't want you to. I hope that you pick me apart.

His voice changed media. His death shocked the nation. And it makes me so angry that he got himself killed because he had a big mouth. KOA morning talk show host Allen Berg reportedly was shot and killed tonight in downtown Denver. He pointed to the Denver phone book and said, well, there are probably 2 million suspects. This guy aggravated everybody. From iHeart Podcasts, this is Live Wire,

the loud life and shocking murder of Allen Berg. Listen on the iHeart radio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A murder happens. The case goes cold. Then, over 100 years later, we take a second look. I'm Paul Holes, a retired cold case investigator. And I'm Kate Winkler-Dawson, a journalist and historian. On our podcast, Buried Bones, we reexamine historical true crime cases.

Using modern forensic techniques, we dig into what the original investigators may have missed. Growing up on a farm when I heard a gunshot, I did not immediately think murder. Unless this person went out to shoot squirrels, they're not choosing a 22 to go hunting out there. These cases may be old, but the questions are still relevant and often chilling. I know this chauffeur is not of concern. You know, it's like well he's the last one who

saw our life, so how did they eliminate him? Join us as we take you back to the cold cases that haunt us to this day. New episodes every Wednesday on the Exactly Right Network. Listen to Bury Bones on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. I'm Jake Hanrahan, journalist and documentary filmmaker. Away Days is my new project, reporting on countercultures on the fringes of society all across the world. Live from the underground, you'll discover no rules fighting, Japanese street racing, resilient favela life and much more.

All real, completely uncensored. This is Unique Access with straightforward underground reporting. We're taking you deep into the dirt without the usual airs and graces of legacy media. Away Day showcases what the mainstream cannot access. Real underground reporting with real people, no excuses. For the past decade I've been going to places I shouldn't be, meeting people I shouldn't know. Now you can come along too. Listen to the your way days podcast reporting from the underbelly on the iHeart radio app, Apple podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. In 2022, a group of divers were sucked into an oil pipe and trapped deep beneath the sea. They could have been saved, but they weren't.

Following their story has led us to lucrative contracts, failing safety standards and secretive political relationships as we ask, why were those men left to die? This is Pipeline. Episodes are released weekly. Search for Pipeline on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts. Open AI is a financial abomination, a thing that should not be, an aberration, a symbol of rot at the heart of Silicon Valley. And I'm going to tell you why on my show Better Offline, the rudest show in the tech industry, where we're breaking down why open AI along with other AI

companies are dead set on lying to your boss that they can take your job. I'm also going to be talking with the greatest minds in the industry about all the other ways the rich and powerful are ruining the computer. Listen to Better Offline on the iHot Radio app, Apple podcasts, wherever you happen to get your podcasts. Bob is very easy to listen to because he's honest and speaks from the heart. He talked about his mistakes and what he's learned. He doesn't try to act like a hero. Instead, he just seems like a regular guy, army of normal folks, who decided to care, which makes

the podcast more powerful and relatable. This podcast taught me that one person really can make a difference. Bob didn't wait for someone else to fix things. He took action. Who's that? Okay, bro. One more time. Zachary Pierce.

Zachary. So yeah, this podcast was really touching because he talks about how people get into bad situations because they have nothing else to fill their time with. So that's why he created the rec baseball league in Chicago, in the inner city of Chicago. And so it's just, it's shocking to see how just even free time can lead to these bad decisions and just a simple thing as baseball. And he also built a high school there as well so just even something as simple as a sport can keep them out

of jail. Did you find him half as funny as I did? No. That guy's awesome, isn't he? Yes, sir, he's great. Listen guys, no more assignments. I know it's a podcast, but if you wanna laugh, listen to that podcast, because this dude is hilarious. And by the way, sitting with him, Alex, what was a little bit of background on Bob, because he's so funny. You gotta keep saying these people's full names. So it's Bob Mosakowski.

Whatever. See, what'd I tell you about producers. Correcting me being a butt head. That's pretty basic, isn't it guys? Yeah. So he was actually an addict in New York City, which is fun. So he was like playing rugby in New York City. And do you remember the story? You can feel free to tell if you want. All right. He literally like gets kicked out of the game,

and he's got a sippy cup full of cocaine that he's using to do this. And then this pastor also gets kicked out of the game, and he offers him some Coke. And he had no idea the guy was a pastor. What does this guy do in playing rugby as a pastor? And this guy invited him to his church in Times Square. And that really fascinating church

that had wealthy people in suits and homeless people going to church together, you know, and dining together after and this guy helps make them a Christian and Bob and end up intentionally ultimately moving into the inner city himself too. And I don't think everybody's necessarily called to do that, but he does put a good challenge of where would Christ live? Would he live in these McMansions in the suburbs or would it be living, you know, with the people in the city?

And so he's also like Alan Barnhart, one of the most challenging and fascinating people you'll ever meet. I encourage y'all to listen to it. Plus, he's my kind of Christian, which that means he's like me. He needs prayer and redemption every night because of the 70,000 sins I create every day and He's still got that New York brashness in him. You have more freedom when you manage money compared to when you don't. Money isn't, money itself isn't sinful. It's what we choose to do with our money that can be sinful. They sacrifice the luxuries of life in order to pay off their debts quicker and learned how to manage money properly. It's a challenge to keep your faith in

college. There's a lack of motivation to do things like get up and go to church. We're talking about Brandi and Ashley. I think it's Stathis, right? What did I say? Branden and Ashley Stathis. Who's that? That's me. Hi you, what's your name? I'm Hannah Wiginton. Yep, tell me about it. So I thought it was really interesting

because when they went to college, they started ministering to freshmen in college and me going to college next year. Where are you going? I'm going to Samford University. So it's about to Samford. Really? Yeah, it's- You must be kind of smart. In Alabama. So it's about Sanford. Really? Yeah. It's kind of smart.

And Alabama. Yeah, I guess a little. But yeah, I just feel like it's a good lesson for me to minister to other kids in college and like help them build their faith. Because I think I have a pretty good faith. I mean, I, but I, it was very inspiring. And I also feel like it's crazy how God's timing works. Cause like when all these friends gathered around to give them the money, they were like, they just found out that they were pregnant. And I thought that was crazy. Like God's timing is so like actually insane.

So I thought that was really cool. It's also cool to see that if you want to exact some measure of change, you don't have to start some big 501 C three or be a part of some big organization. You just help your neighbor and pass it on. Did you get you? Did you feel that as you were listening? Yeah, I also think I took away from it.

Like you don't have to like have service to strangers. You can help people like you know, like, yeah, for sure. Like your neighbor, like your friend or like, you don't have to just like when you serve it doesn't have to be someone random like going on a mission trip serving someone you don't know but it can just be like the person that you are closest to who just needs help. It's absolutely true we talk about all the time. You have to employ your passion and your discipline. What you care about and what you're good at, at areas of need.

Those areas of need may be in the inner city or in prison. That area of need also may be next door. Being a part of the Army of Normal Folks is not a call to be so extraordinarily big and everything and people who do that, great. But you can be part of the army of normal folks by serving simply your neighbor, or your classmate, or your friend. I enjoyed this podcast due to how vulnerable

and open he was with the audience and how interesting his content was. I learned that our God is an amazing God that can use an ordinary guy like JT and turn him into a life changer. JT Olson, both hands. Hi. Hello. I'm Angelique Obondo. What?

Angelique Obondo. Hi. Hi. Go. Okay. So JT Olson, those that haven't watched it, he came from a family and his parents both died in a car wreck and his aunt and uncle took him in and he felt like he was left abandoned and his family consisted of five kids four kids and they all moved in with his aunt and uncle without them really knowing that it was gonna happen they just like took them in and

basically he went about and helped orphans with adoption and widows. So he would get a team of people, all volunteers, and get all these like objects and supplies from people, again, all just given nothing was bought to help these widows with their houses, whatever they needed, whether it was gardening or drywall plumbing, like anything.

And all the money that they got from Sponsors would go towards a family to adopt because adoption is a lot more expensive than you'd think it was about much as seven D $70,000 I believe 70 to 100 thousand dollars to a child so so people that want to adopt don't have the money to adopt. And instead of raising money for people to adopt, he helped widows with houses and got sponsorships and then took that money so other families could adopt. So he partnered helping poor widows with fix ups with adoption.

Yeah, it was like a two in one situation. He got two things done at one time with the widows and with the adoptions and yeah I really would you learn from it. It just made me realize how like one simple action That's happened like that's happened to you can make you a really big deal to someone else's life Like my favorite quote that he said was when he was adopting his girl grace. He said something like Why is it so wrong to use my life savings to save a life? And his wife wasn't 100% ready to have another kid because they already had four of their

own. And I thought it was really huge that he just knew that he needed to do it and that he prayed about it. And God was like, you need to take what you have and what I've given you to help someone else. And yeah, I just thought that was great. Sean and Inga Arvin love City. It's fascinating how the Lord works in our lives.

I found their story motivating for me to reach great goals. I learned to take risks. I think they're very brave for taking the risk to help this new community. Hi. That's me. Who's you? I'm Katie Pierce. Hi, how are you? Tell me about it. So this was an interview with Sean and Inga Arvin. And this was a couple that moved into this neighborhood that

was not very expected. They bought this house and ended up inheriting this community center where they ended up taking care and welcoming of this huge community. And it was really unexpected of them. And it was Inga who just decided that like, she wanted to move into this neighborhood and Sean was not on board with it at first

because this was the neighborhood that he would use to buy drugs from. And so he was not really wanting to do this, but they ended up getting that house and then making the big risk to take in this community and help them a lot. What did you learn from it? Definitely to take risks and that God will work out. And God will work on you in just mysterious ways that you don't even know.

When you guys learned your elevator pitch, right? How many seconds did you have to make the pitch? Do you remember? We did it in 30 seconds. 30 to 40. 30 to 40. That's a long elevator ride. 30 to 40.

Some of them went a little longer. 30 to 40. That's a long elevator ride. 30 to 40. 30 to 40. You all are doing well in your synopsises. I was just wondering because you guys are you guys are boiling down hour and a half to three hour podcast into about two minutes. So I think you're using that skill right now. That's actually really good. I want to ask you, how did you, how did it, did you find the very fact that this guy used to buy drugs in the neighborhood that he ended up returning to, to try to help heal? Did that have any effect on you understanding that part of his story? Yeah, I can definitely understand why he wouldn't want to move there, like with all the bad memories from the drug dealing and all that. So I can understand why he wouldn't want to move back there.

But it was really inspiring how he took the risk and how they were praying about it to move into this neighborhood from their past We'll be right back From I heart podcasts before social media before the internet before cable news There was Alan Berg you dig what I do. You have a need. Unfortunately, you have no sense of humor. That's why you can't ever enjoy this show. And that's why you're a loser. He was the first and the original shock shock.

That scratchy, irreverent kind of way of talking to people. You're as dumb as the rest. I can't take anyone. I don't agree with you all the time. I don't want you to. I hope that you pick me apart. His voice changed media. His death shocked the nation. And it makes me so angry that he got himself killed because he had a big mouth

Koa morning talk show host Alan Berg reportedly was shot and killed tonight in downtown Denver He pointed to the Denver phone book and said well, they're probably two million suspects. This guy aggravated everybody. From iHeart Podcasts, this is Live Wire, the loud life and shocking murder of Alan Berg. Listen on the iHeart radio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A murder happens. The case goes cold. Then over 100 years later, we take a second look. I'm Paul Holes, a retired cold case investigator. And I'm Kate Winkler-Dawson, a journalist and historian. On our podcast, Buried Bones, we re-examine historical true crime cases. Using modern forensic techniques, we dig into what the original investigators may have missed. Growing up on a farm when I heard a gunshot, I did not immediately think murder. Unless

this person went out to shoot squirrels, they're not choosing a 22 to go hunting out there. These cases may be old, but the questions are still relevant and often chilling. I know this chauffeur is not of concern. You know, it's like, well, he's the last one who saw her alive. So how did they eliminate him? Join us as we take you back to the cold cases that haunt us to this day. New episodes every Wednesday on the Exactly Right Network. I'm Jake Hanrahan, journalist and documentary filmmaker. Away Days is my new project, reporting on countercultures on the fringes of society all across the world.

Live from the underground, you'll discover no rules fighting, Japanese street racing, Brazilian favela life and much more. All real, completely uncensored. This is Unique Access with straightforward on the ground reporting, we're taking you deep into the dirt without the usual airs and graces of legacy media Away Days showcases what the mainstream cannot access Real underground reporting with real people no excuses for the past decade I've been going to places I shouldn't be meeting people I shouldn't know now you can come along to

listen to the Your Way Days podcast reporting from the underbelly on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. In 2022, a group of divers were sucked into an oil pipe and trapped deep beneath the sea. They could have been saved, but they weren't. Following their story has led us to lucrative contracts, failing safety standards and secretive political relationships. As we ask, why were those men left to die? This is Pipeline. Episodes are released weekly.

Search for Pipeline on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts. Open AI is a financial abomination. for Pipeline on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts. 18. Angel Studios' movie Brave the Dark about his adopter father Stan Dean. The content kept me really intrigued. You could really hear how important this was to Nate and how much it affected his life. I'm very lucky that I haven't had to experience anything I had to go through. I learned from this podcast that community and family matters, whether biological or not.

Hi. Hi. Hi. Name. I'm Jordan Ezekiel. Good to see you. Tell me about it. So basically when he was five, his dad shot his mom and then shot himself right after

and he watched the whole thing happen. And his grandparents took him in after like the police came and everything. But he was had like so much trauma and he like shut down that he like wasn't really talking to anyone. So the grandparents actually just ended up giving him up. And so then he went from multiple different foster homes and then he got a car and so then like ran away from his foster home and just like slept in his car and then him and his friends robbed an electronic store where they got sent to jail and then when he was in jail his his teacher came and visited him.

And his teacher got him out of jail and Nate ended up living with him after that. And his teacher just made a huge impact on his life and he was able to live with his teacher. And like his teacher showed him like Christmas and birthdays and like gave him gifts and like spoiled him. And he just like never experienced anything like that and it was just and what do you do with that experience? He made a movie about his life. Yep. What'd you learn from it? Just the impact that people can have on others. Yeah think about you just had a teacher tell you that she was told to go home on weekends and spend the night at somebody else's house because she just wasn't even welcome in her own home on the

weekends because of the dysfunction created by her mother's lifestyle. Think about when we drive down the street and we see homes and everybody else's family and we assume behind the closed doors everything is perfect While we all have trials and tribulations in our own lives and we think we're on an island there's there's dysfunction and trauma and difficulty in everybody's life, right and it's how you overcome it and You're never on an island because everybody's experiencing something and You're never on an island because everybody's experiencing something. And if you're willing to be the person to step up and interject yourself in somebody's life and help out, you never know how deeply of an effect that can happen.

Like a speech teacher, like a football coach. Big lessons in that story. Charity Bowl. Fraternities are usually known for loud music parties and drinking, but this frat wanted to make a lasting impact. Sigma Nu has had a lasting impact, not only at Ole Miss,

but at other schools across the country. This podcast taught me not to judge a book by its cover and to always strive to respect and assist those in need. Who wrote that? That was me. Hi, you, what's your name? Garrett Reisner. What?

Garrett Reisner. Okay, tell me about this. So basically the Sigma Nu fraternity, big frat at Ole Miss, and in 1989 there was a football game going on between Ole Miss and Vanderbilt, and one of the Ole Miss players, it was a homecoming game, so it's a big game also,

and one of the Ole Miss players, Chuckie Mullins, he was going for a play and then he got paralyzed and these two fraternity brothers saw this and they went up to Chuckie like a few days later and like hey like is there any way like we can raise money for people that have like your condition to help them out and you they're like afraid to do this at first because they didn't like want to bother him like annoy him and it's like time and knee and he was like of course and so then they started this charity bowl where these fraternities raised money for a kid and they raised all the money up and then they gave it to a certain kid who has paralysis and they keep continuing over the years and they keep setting goals for themselves so they can keep going higher and then I think they reached their all-time goal like in 2022 and gave away it was like $300,000 it's like one kid paralysis and then other schools like Mississippi State also

They like LOSCC schools also caught on to this and started doing their own charity bowls this year The game was just played a month ago The guys you were listening to their game just just went off a month ago and they raised $380,000. A bunch of kids like you to give away to a bunch of people like you who ended up paralyzed. What did you learn from it? I thought it was really cool. Fraternities always have the stigma around them.

They're like, I don't know, it's like a fraternity. They're cool guys. They party and all this stuff of these kids I really wanted to make a change and like you don't see like you don't think of a fraternity going out to help like some kid of paralysis like you think they're like uptight like frat boys you know these kids like really wanted to make a lasting impact and like change the stigma around the fraternists. I love it. Officer Tommy Norman and by the way this is one of the coolest guys I've ever interviewed in my life. The ability

of Mr Courtney and Tommy, so whoever wrote this thanks because you plugged me, to connect needs no change. It's perfect and provides heartfelt and eye-opening experiences for the audience. I've learned that serving your community is more than just doing helpful things. It's the work behind the scenes protecting the community. Who wrote that? Hi, my name is Nate Bly and I wrote that. So tell me about it. So Officer Tommy Norman, he is a cop and he lived in I think think, North Little Rock, Arkansas. And just a lot of the things there is that he, yes, like he's an officer, but he specifically said his shift basically never ends.

And he basically wanted to be a cop so he could give back to his community. And how he says his shift doesn't end is when he's off shift, a lot of the other cops, they, they put up their belt, they go home and they just sit with their families and have dinner and all that. But he's out in his community helping widows, buying groceries, buying a kid a bicycle so he can get to school and everything. And he's just really trying to be engaged and bring community into one instead of being separated.

One of the things Tommy Norman taught me is you can be part of an army of normal folks and serve just as a guy doing your job, just doing extra, just going a little above and beyond in what you do for a living. He has three goals. He wants to be invited into your yard, then he wants to be invited onto your porch,

then he wants to be invited into your house. Because once he finally gets invited to your house, he knows he's built a relationship with you. And this is a cop who is white in an almost, well, at least a very predominantly African-American community running around in his police car with his police uniform on, which is typically in a community like that,

the enemy or at least someone scary, or at least someone who you're worried about invading your personal rights, getting invited into people's yards, under their porch, and into their house. And once he makes it in there, he builds relationships with people in that community. He's considered the Michael Jordan of community policing, and he is revered in a community that popular narrative tells us is a community that hates the police and fears them and he has turned that all upside down by simply having conversations with people on their porch. Again you don't have to be some whiz

kid to have a lasting effect on so many people and be a part of the army of normal folks. Oftentimes, it's as easy as having a civil, non-threatening conversation. So those are the excerpts I have. I haven't gotten to all of you, but that's the excerpts I have. What I'd like to know is someone who hasn't spoken yet, did the assignment and the podcast in general give you any new thoughts or notions about volunteering generosity or something that you might be encouraged to involve yourself in anybody I know I haven't heard from you hi what's your name I'm crystal Pierre-Louis. So I didn't listen to Army Folks podcast, but from all the discussion around has really interested me.

I'm in Wilson Society, the volunteer club here, community work. And recently I went to Madonna. What's it? What's it? What Wilson? Yes, Wilson Society. You're part of that? Yes. Okay, stop because I'm gonna let you talk about it. Don't go anywhere. Here we go. So that's a great segue. Perfect. You did well. You're not a plant either. But there's this thing. Actually, why

don't you explain what the Wilson thing is and then we'll go back to you and I want to hear about your involvement in it. And we have several in here that are in Wilson Society. So Wilson Society is a service club on our campus. There's about 200 members and they select projects that they're going to do each semester. It varies. The officers and the students decide what they're going to do. They can write a grant up to a thousand dollars through the Kimmons Wilson Family Foundation and they will give them money to do their project. So the projects are selected if you have something that's going to cost money you have to make a

budget make the plan and then Wilson Society will provide you the people to you know to make it work. So students get involved they can lead a project we've got a few in here that have actually written the grant letter project. And then others come alongside, they can do a hands-on, they can do a donation, and then we support Orange Mound through a variety of separate things that we do as well. So, with that as a background, tell me about what you've done.

Okay, so recently I went to the school Madonna. What is Madonna? Madonna is- Remember, Madonna Madonna talking to people over the country. Yes. So Madonna is a school with kids with disabilities and things like autism and Down syndrome and a group of us went last week to spend time with them and like kind of like a summer like diving into summer type of thing.

So there was bouncy houses and coloring and stickers and popcorn and candy. And although there was kids as young as like three or three, and they were adults. And so the first round we had adults and they were really sweet. And me and my classmate, we did like this ball toss and some of them wouldn't, they didn't want to play with us. But just being like, hey, how are you doing? Just making them feel welcomed as they're welcoming us, serving with them and playing with them, even though we don't deal with the same things that they do,

deal with, again, with the kids too, just being like, oh, your nail polish looks really pretty or your hair looks really pretty. And just, you know, serving with them and spending time and having fun with them was truly an experience I really loved. We'll be right back. From iHeart podcasts, before social media, before the internet, before cable news, there was Alan Berg.

You dig what I do. You have a need. Unfortunately, you have no sense of humor. That's why you can't ever enjoy this show. And that's why you're a loser. He was the first and the original shock shock. That scratchy and reverent kind of way of talking to people. You're as dumb as the rest. I can't take anyone.

I don't agree with you all the time. I don't want you to. I hope that you pick me apart. His voice changed media. His death shocked the nation. And it makes me so angry that he got himself killed because he had a big mouth. KOA morning talk show host Allen Berg reportedly was shot and killed tonight in downtown Denver. He pointed to the Denver phone book and said, well, there are probably 2 million suspects. This guy aggravated everybody.

From iHeart Podcasts, this is Live Wire, the loud life and shocking murder of Allen Berg. Listen on the iHeart radio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A Holes A murder happens. The case goes cold. Then, over 100 years later, we take a second look. I'm Paul Holes, a retired cold case investigator. Kate Winkler-Dawson And I'm Kate Winkler-Dawson, a journalist and historian. Paul Holes On our podcast, Buried Bones, we reexamine historical true crime cases. Kate Winkler-Dawson Using modern forensic techniques, we dig into what the original

investigators may have missed. Growing up on a farm when I heard a gunshot, I did not immediately think murder. Unless this person went out to shoot squirrels, they're not choosing a 22 to go hunting out there. These cases may be old, but the questions are still relevant and often chilling. I know this chauffeur is not of concern. You know, it's like, well, he's the last one who saw her alive. still relevant and often chilling. bones on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. I'm Jake Hanrahan, journalist and documentary filmmaker. Away Days is my new project, reporting on countercultures on the fringes of society all across the world.

Live from the underground, you'll discover no rules fighting, Japanese street racing, resilient favela life and much more. All real, completely uncensored. This is unique access with straightforward on the ground reporting. We're taking you deep into the dirt without the usual airs and graces of legacy media. A way that showcases what the mainstream cannot access. Real underground reporting with real people, no excuses. For the past decade I've In 2022, a group of divers were sucked into an oil pipe and trapped deep beneath the sea. They could have been saved, but they weren't. Following their story has led us to lucrative contracts, failing safety standards and secretive

political relationships, as we ask, why were those men left to die? This is Pipeline. Episodes are released weekly. Search for Pipeline on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts. OpenAI is a financial abomination, a thing that should not be, an aberration, a symbol of rot at the heart of Silicon Valley. And I'm going to tell you why on my show Better Offline, the rudest show in the tech industry, where we're breaking down why open AI,

along with other AI companies, are dead set on lying to your boss that they can take your job. I'm also gonna be talking with the greatest minds in the industry about all the other ways the rich and powerful are ruining the computer. Listen to Better Offline on the iHot Radio app, Apple podcasts, wherever you happen to get your podcasts.

podcast wherever you happen to get your podcasts. Your teacher sitting on my left over here, Jenny, oh sorry miss whatever you're supposed to be called, says I love what you're doing. She loves the podcast. Obviously she would have made you guys do this assignment if she didn't. But she said, I hope we're building an army of normal teenagers. That's what she wants to do. Through this class, through this process, through listening to the podcast, through all of this stuff, would anybody say they've had a changed or heightened awareness at all of the importance of community involvement service? Anybody

want to talk about that? So I actually, sorry, Angelika Vondo. I helped write one of the grants this year for one of the projects for Wilson society and it had to do with Christmas. And I just never thought about Christmas not having gifts, like obviously, in addition to like the Christ part of it. But like having gifts was just is normal to me. Like I've been very blessed. I have parents are still together.

Like I'm an only child. So I've been very, very blessed. And this year when I was doing the grant, it made me realize there are kids that are just walking around that don't understand the joy of Christmas or get gifts at all. So part of that grant was we get specified kids that ask for certain things and we get a red tub and we fill it with all the things that they ask for that we can get with the money that we raise. And another part of it is Briar Crest donates toys and teddy bears and little race cars and stuff

just in general. And we have a back room that all the kids can just walk through and grab a gift. And I didn't get to go to the event. I was taking the ACT, but I saw pictures and like the joy that these kids get just seeing gifts that they've never seen before was something that truly changed my outlook on how blessed I really am. Or a little backdrop on Red Tub, it's for foster children. So all 800 plus foster children each get a Red Tub through Memphis Family Connection Center. And so we sponsored four tubs through Wilson Society and

those tubs also pay for their therapeutic care for the year. So if they need psychological or anything else that also covers it. Pretty cool. I want to leave you guys with one thought. It's time to get y'all back to class. I know y'all can't wait to get back to class. And air conditioning. And air conditioning. And in fairness, you know, this is probably better than sitting in class at least, but here we go. Who has heard the turkey person explanation? Okay, well I'm gonna give it to all of you.

As you think about what you've listened to and as you think about this discussion and as you ponder, hopefully, what can I do? As richly blessed as each of you are, it's not a nice thing to do something. It's kind of a requirement. Kind of a requirement of the blessings you have to give back in some way.

But fair warning, it comes with a set of rules that will reveal themselves to you as you get involved. It is not easy. It is fraught with misunderstanding, but it's worth the effort. My first year, when I showed up at Manassas High School, there were 17 kids on the team and they'd won four games in 10 years. There were 17 kids on the team and they'd won four games in 10 years. Four games in 10 years. That's bad.

I mean, I know you're not good at math, but wouldn't you say that's pretty rough? Pretty bad. Pretty bad. 17 kids. 495. So my first year I was there seven. My first year halfway through the season were three and three. Now I think three and three is pretty average, but when

you've won four games in 10 years, they think three and three, you know, I'm kind of like a fat headed redheaded version of Lane Kiffin or somebody they were buying in. Well, when I first got to Manassas, obviously I had to start coaching football basics, right? But as to Manassas, obviously I had to start coaching football. Basics, right? But as we started coaching football, I also learned we had to coach a lot of other things. Somebody open the table of contents in the book in front of you. Somebody hand that person the microphone. Would you just read the chapters loudly. So chapter one on the value of character, chapter two, the meaning of commitment,

chapter three, daring to leave your comfort zone, four, service is not someone else's job, five, how leaders are defined, six, the search for civility. Seven, the power of dreams. Eight, the relationship between fear and fortitude. Nine, perseverance never takes a break. 10, the dignity of hard work. 11, standing on a firm foundation. 12, responsibility for the taking. 13, grace appears in a forgiving heart. 14 the gift of a legacy we started teaching that to

We realized we had to coach the basics so halfway through the season were three and three we're coaching football we're coaching that stuff and Half the team was buying in now the whole team was buying into the football. Yes or no sir on the football field. But the minute football was over, only half the team was buying into that stuff. The other half the team, while yes or no sir on the football field, they were getting back in the streets after games and practices, engaging the same behavior that got them to four wins in 95s metaphorically in life, as well

as football. So I was frustrated. Every coach has a guy. So I went to my guy and I said, hey man, what do I got to do? Y'all are yes or no sir, everything's good on football, but the important stuff, only half of you are buying in. What do I got to do to get the other half of that team to buy into the important stuff like your half the team and this guy who I had real

conversations with who I knew would tell me the truth looked at me said all coach just keep doing what you're doing dismissively you know how y'all talk to your parents when they tell you something you don't want to hear you know yes sir yes ma'am but in your mind you're hear, you know, yes, sir. Yes, ma'am. But in your mind, you're thinking, nah, you know that, right? That was the response. And I'm like, no, man, real talk. And he said, coach, I don't want to hurt your feelings. And I said, man, you're not going to hurt my feelings, but I need to understand why that half the team ain't binding the port and stuff

like you're have to him. He said, all right, coach, real talk. I said, real talk. He said, coach, they're just trying to figure out if you're a turkey person or not. And I said, what are you talking about, man? He said, coach, every Thanksgiving and Christmas, people roll into our neighborhoods and they give us hams and turkeys and gifts and we take them because we ain't got none.

But then they leave and we never see them again. Makes you wonder if they're doing that because they really care about us or they're doing that to make themselves feel good. I know I'm in a Christian school but I'm going to quote this exactly how he said it. He looked me dead in the eyes and he said, coach, really, what the hell are you doing here? I want to challenge you guys to think about something. It's not enough to show up once because when you show up once and leave the type of people that you're and type of communities that you're going in to serve that is very common. What is uncommon?

What matters? What will have a lasting impact? It's consistency. It's going back over and over and over again and being uncommon. The other thing is this, don't allow yourself to engage because you like the way that it makes you feel. Don't allow yourself to engage because when people hear about the work you're doing, the backslaps and the congratulations and the people in your orbit think of you in a better

way because of the work you're doing. Because if you are doing it, because you are getting something out of it personally from your peer group, you are in fact a turkey person. And a turkey person is a fraud. You don't serve so that it exalts you. You serve so that it exalts someone not as blessed as you. And you do it consistently.

And if you do that, you are uncommon. And uncommon people are what makes the army of normal folks go. So I challenge you, as you go off to college, as you go off and become adults, this weird assignment that you didn't wanna do. My biggest hope for you guys is, your biggest takeaway is, be uncommon.

Be uncommon and grow the army of normal folks. I'm gonna leave it with you at your class. Close us. I'm very proud of how well they did today. I am too. They did a great job. Thank you so much for sharing with them. I think it's been more enlightening than they probably thought it would be.

And they've learned a lot about themselves through the podcast and what they can do in the future. So thank you for your podcast that could open the eyes of even teenagers. I hope that did. We're signing off from Briar Crest High School in Memphis, Tennessee, where there's a room full of kids who at the behest of the teacher hopefully has grown and wants to join the ranks of the army of normal folks. Kids, thanks for being here. I appreciate it very much. Well done.

And thank you for joining us this week. If Teacher Jenny has inspired you in general, or better yet, to take action by using an army of normal folks with your classroom, recommending it to your school, or using it with your own kids. Please let me know. I'd love to hear about it. You can write me anytime at bill at normal folks dot us. And I promise you, I will respond. We may even do an episode with your classroom. And if you enjoyed this episode, please share it with friends and on socials. Subscribe to the podcast, rate and review it. Join the army at normalfolks.us. Consider becoming a premium member there. Any and all of these things that will help us grow an army of normal folks. I'm Bill Courtney. Until next time, do what you can.

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