Communities of Character Podcast

About Communities of Character Podcast

Communities of Character is a leadership and character education podcast for educators, school leaders, parents, and community builders. Each episode features inspiring conversations with educators, researchers, counselors, authors, and community heroes who share practical insights on character development, student leadership, educational leadership, school culture, resilience, mental wellness, and self-development. If you enjoy educator podcasts, leadership podcasts, or podcasts for leaders, this show will inspire and equip you to lead with purpose.

Publisher

Communities of Character

Category

education

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

1 Dec 2021

Latest episode

1 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

51 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   1 Oct 2026

   Laura Casey: The Coach Behind "Coaches for Character"

   What if the most important thing a coach teaches has nothing to do with the scoreboard? In this special episode of Communities of Character, Jennifer Hogan turns the microphone toward her friend and co-host, Laura Casey, creator and leader of Coaches for Character. With their shared backgrounds in athletics, Jennifer and Laura explore the powerful role sports can play in developing character and shaping young people. Laura shares why coaches have such a unique opportunity to influence athletes, how character and performance work together, and why the most meaningful lessons often happen in the moments between the games. But this conversation goes beyond the work. Jennifer gets to know Laura in a different way, reflecting on the people who shaped her, the experiences that influenced her journey, and the legacy she hopes to leave with the coaches and athletes she serves. Because the best coaches don't just help athletes become better at a sport. They help young people see something in themselves they might not have seen otherwise. In Season 5, we're celebrating The Ones Who Made the Difference, and this time, we're celebrating one of our own. 🎧 Listen, reflect, and consider: Who helped you believe in yourself? And who might need you to be that person for them? RESOURCES from the episode: Vestavia Hills City Schools - https://vhcs.us/ (https://vhcs.us/) Book: Primed to Compete, which builds on Marvin W. Berkowitz’s highly acclaimed PRIMED model of character education https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/mono/10.4324/9781003485711/primed-compete-david-light-shields-marvin-berkowitz-pete-paciorek (https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/mono/10.4324/9781003485711/primed-compete-david-light-shields-marvin-berkowitz-pete-paciorek) Article: “Samford Emphasizes Character Education as Foundation for Coaching Leadership” https://www.samford.edu/education/news/2026/Samford-Emphasizes-Character-Education-as-Foundation-for-Coaching-Leadership (https://www.samford.edu/education/news/2026/Samford-Emphasizes-Character-Education-as-Foundation-for-Coaching-Leadership) The Hope Institute - https://www.hopeinstitute.org/ (https://www.hopeinstitute.org/) Connect with Communities of Character Follow the conversation on Instagram at @coc.podcast and share this episode with an educator, coach, principal, counselor, or colleague who has made a difference in your life. Communities of Character is hosted by Jennifer Hogan and Laura Casey and explores the people, relationships, and everyday choices that shape character and culture in schools and communities. Because character isn't just what we teach. It's what people experience from us, and sometimes, it's the difference we make in someone else's life.

2. 

   1 Sept 2026

   What Happens When a Principal Believes in You? The Story Behind Alabama’s Teacher of the Year

   What happens when a principal recognizes something special in a teacher and then creates the space for that teacher’s influence to grow? In this episode of Communities of Character, we sit down with Katie Collins, the 2025-26 Alabama Teacher of the Year and 2026 National Teacher of the Year finalist, and her principal, Ami Weems. But this conversation isn't really about awards. It’s about relationships, influence, and character. Katie and Ami take us behind the recognition to talk about how their professional relationship began, what they saw in one another, and how they have each influenced each other's growth as educators and leaders. As you listen, you'll hear character revealed through the story, not as something that is simply taught, but as something demonstrated through honesty, respect, curiosity, care, integrity, perseverance, and love for people. You'll also hear an important reminder for anyone who works in education: sometimes our greatest influence comes from simply seeing someone, believing in them, and creating the conditions for them to use their gifts. In this episode, we explore: How Katie and Ami's relationship began and what they noticed about one another What Ami recognized in Katie before Katie fully recognized it in herself How being believed in can change the possibilities we see for ourselves The role a school leader plays in creating space for teachers to grow and lead How influence can move in both directions between a principal and teacher The character qualities that Katie and Ami see in one another What Alabama Teacher of the Year recognition meant to both of them The ordinary moments that can become defining moments in someone else's story How one person's influence can spread throughout an entire school What students learn by watching adults model healthy, respectful professional relationships How each of them has become a better educator and leader because of the other A Question to Consider: Who is someone who saw something in you before you could fully see it in yourself? And perhaps an even more important question: Who might need you to be that person for them this year? Because the people who make a difference aren't always trying to create a defining moment. Sometimes they're simply showing up with consistency, care, integrity, and belief, and those ordinary moments become part of someone else's story. RESOURCES from the episode: Bluff Park Elementary Website - https://bpes.hoovercityschools.net/ (https://bpes.hoovercityschools.net/) Bluff Park Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/bluffparkelem/ (https://www.instagram.com/bluffparkelem/) Ron Clark Academy - https://www.ronclarkacademy.com/ (https://www.ronclarkacademy.com/) Move Your Bus, by Ron Clark The Essential 55, by Ron Clark Driving Education podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/driving-education/id1849391426 (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/driving-education/id1849391426) Connect with Communities of Character Follow the conversation on Instagram at @coc.podcast and share this episode with an educator, coach, principal, counselor, or colleague who has made a difference in your life. Communities of Character is hosted by Jennifer Hogan and Laura Casey and explores the people, relationships, and everyday choices that shape character and culture in schools and communities. Because character isn't just what we teach. It's what people experience from us, and sometimes, it's the difference we make in someone else's life.

3. 

   1 Aug 2026

   Season 5 Begins: The Ones Who Made the Difference

   Every educator can name someone who changed the course of their life. Maybe it was a teacher who believed in you before you believed in yourself. A coach who saw potential you couldn't yet see. A principal who trusted you with responsibility. Or a colleague who helped you through one difficult season. As Jennifer and Laura reflected on the conversations from Season 4, they realized something surprising: regardless of the guest or topic, nearly every leadership story eventually came back to a person. That's the heartbeat behind Season 5. Throughout this year, Communities of Character will explore the relationships that shape character, leadership, and culture, because behind every great educator is usually someone who quietly made the difference. In this episode: Looking back at the biggest lessons from Season 4 Why every leadership story begins with relationships How culture is built through everyday interactions The inspiration behind Season 5: The Ones Who Made the Difference A reflection to carry into a new school year Reflection Question Who made the biggest difference in your life, and how might you become that person for someone else this year? We'd love to hear your story. Share about the educator, coach, mentor, or leader who made a lasting difference in your life. Join the Conversation Follow us on Instagram: @coc.podcast Tag someone who helped shape your journey; we'd love to celebrate them with you.

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

5 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

2 ratings

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Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.