Inspiring Viking Values
Inspiring Viking Values
Dr. Brian Graham (Superintendent of Schools)
This podcast is designed to celebrate our amazing students, their teachers, our staff, and administration as we all strive to inspire our school community to achieve their greatest potential! We will share inspiring stories from Sidway, Huth Road Elementary, Kaegebein Elementary, Veronica Connor Middle School and the Grand Island High School on a regular basis.
Grand Island CSD and Tonawanda City Schools: From Well-Baby Visits to a Love of Reading: The Growing Readers Story
In this episode of Inspiring Viking Values, we highlight one of the Grand Island Central School District’s and Tonawanda City School District's most meaningful early literacy initiatives: Growing Readers. Launched in 2018, this community-based effort helps place free books into the hands of families during well-baby visits, encouraging parents and caregivers to begin reading aloud to their children from the very start. This conversation explores how early literacy, strong family connections, ...
Mar 31
58 min
Sidway Elementary School - Book Talks
We are launching a brand-new series on the Inspiring Viking Values podcast—Book Talks! Each installment centers on student voice, authentic literature-circle discussion, and the joy of reading for understanding. Special Guests: Mrs. Stephanie Anderson (Principal)Mrs. Janet Balk (Librarian)We are so excited to have 8 students joining us today. Kindergarten Gabby George Malakai Cillian 1st Grade Melanie Athena Ella Easton https://www.grandisland...
Feb 18
52 min
Kaegebein Elementary School - Book Talks
We are launching a brand-new series on the Inspiring Viking Values podcast—Book Talks! Each installment centers on student voice, authentic literature-circle discussion, and the joy of reading for understanding. Special Guests: Mr. David Howe (Principal)Mrs. Stephanie Pritchard (Librarian)Dylan Nowak, grade 2. She is currently reading Wings of Fire. Emilia Hassler, grade 3. She is currently reading The Twits by Roald Dahl. Bobby Donnelly, grade 4. He is re-reading Sign of the...
Feb 18
49 min
Huth Rd Elementary - Student Book Talks
We are launching a brand-new series on the Inspiring Viking Values podcast—Book Talks! Each installment centers on student voice, authentic literature-circle discussion, and the joy of reading for understanding. In this episode we are featuring the librarian and four students at Huth Rd Eelementary School. Special Guests Principal, Max Pikula, Librarian, Freda Orosz, and students Hannah, Louise, Michael, Lincoln, and Astrid. This episode reminds us that students are not passive readers. They ...
Feb 10
53 min
GIHS - Little Shop of Horrors
Today on our podcast we are recording a podcast with Mrs. Amy Boutet, our HS Musical Director. We are very excited about this podcast episode as we will be previewing the musical with some of our students representing the stage crew, the Pit and our actors. Amy Boutet - Teacher - Musical Director) Jaymee Gray (Stage Manager), Nick Jayme (Seymour), Claire Neuhaus (Audrey) and Lily Buckingham (Pit). CLICK HERE to buy tickets. https://www.grandislandschools.org/ Twitter - @G...
Feb 2
45 min
VCMS A Book Talk about The Hunger Games: Agency, Survival & The Power of Choice
Today we’re launching a brand-new series on the Inspiring Viking Values podcast—Book Talks! Each installment centers on student voice, authentic literature-circle discussion, and the joy of reading for understanding. Our first book spotlights The Hunger Games, the opening novel of Suzanne Collins’ trilogy and a story that continues to resonate with young readers more than fifteen years after publication. Students examine how characters make choices, resist systems, navigate loyalty, and find ...
Jan 31
43 min
Huth Rd Elementary - October Vikings Care - 2025
Joining us on the podcast were the Huth Road Elementary principal, Maxwell Pikula, and four third grade students, Isaac Covell, Spencer Sheehan, Emilia Golba, and Joise Dalbo. In this episode they spoke about the October Viking Cares initiatve and how every student at Huth did something special for the community. https://www.grandislandschools.org/ Twitter - @GrandIsland CSD Instagram - @GRANDISLANDSCHOOLDISTRICT Facebook - GRANDISLANDSCHOOLDISTRICT
Nov 6, 2025
34 min
Sidway - October Viking Cares Projects 2025
Joining us on the podcast were the Sidway principal, Stephanie Anderson, two teachers Lauren Brock and Lindsey Brzozowski and two students, Ezra Golba and Alexander Buccini. In this episode they spoke about the October Viking Cares initiatve and how every student at Sidway did something special for the community. https://www.grandislandschools.org/ Twitter - @GrandIsland CSD Instagram - @GRANDISLANDSCHOOLDISTRICT Facebook - GRANDISLANDSCHOOLDISTRICT
Nov 6, 2025
41 min
GIHS - Senior Day of Caring 2025
Today on our podcast, we are doing a deep dive on the Senior Day of Caring, which is part of our district’s October Viking Cares Initiative—a month where every student in the Grand Island Central School District participates in some type of service learning. Today we explore how Grand Island High School seniors made a difference across the community by volunteering at the Golden Age Center, Sidway Primary School, the Grand Island Fire Department, the Bell Center, and the Sheridan Park Life Ce...
Oct 31, 2025
49 min
Kaegebein Elementary - Project-Based Service Learning in Action
This podcast features principal, David Howe and two Kaegebein teachers Stephanie Kwiatkowski and Allie Pellittieri. We explored how Kaegebein students are learning to make a difference — not just in their classrooms, but in their community. From creating colorful placemats for residents at Elderwood Assisted Living to cleaning up debris around the school grounds, students are learning firsthand that small acts of service have a big impact. Stephanie and Allie also share how their classro...
Oct 18, 2025
29 min
Load more