Growing Up In America: The Way It Is – Details, episodes & analysis

This week on Growing Up in America, Dr. Bob Sanborn and co-host Brian Greene dive into the issues shaping life for children and families across Texas — from the classroom to the kitchen table.

Megan Steckly, CEO of Compudopt, joins to discuss digital equity and how closing the technology gap changes children’s educational futures. Nadia Salibi, Chief Impact Officer at CHILDREN AT RISK, breaks down the federal government shutdown and what it means for families depending on SNAP, Medicaid, and CHIP. Megan Menchaca, Senior HISD Reporter at the Houston Chronicle, shares the latest on Houston ISD’s school rankings and where progress — and challenges — remain.

Plus, our regular features: Hip Speak with Bri Derry and the Data of the Day — 13%, the share of Texas children without health insurance.

Tune in for a fast-moving hour of insight, stories, and solutions for kids in Texas and beyond.

🎧 Listen on KPFT 90.1 FM or wherever you get your podcasts.

Welcome, to Growing Up in America: The Way It Is.

On today’s episode of Growing Up in America, hosts Brian Greene and Kevin Hattery led an inspiring and informative conversation centered on breaking cycles of poverty and boosting early childhood success, one of our most vital missions.

First up, Nadia Salibi, Chief Impact Officer at CHILDREN AT RISK, kicked off the show with a deep dive into anti-poverty strategies. She shared powerful insights on the systemic barriers keeping families in poverty and the bold, data-driven policies needed to create real change for kids and communities.

Then we turned the spotlight on early literacy and education, a theme echoed by two passionate experts. Lyn Lucas, also from CHILDREN AT RISK, broke down the importance of early childhood education in laying the foundation for lifelong success. She emphasized how reading readiness, access, and support systems can transform a child’s future.

Closing out the show was Stacy Benge, respected speaker and author, who shared both research and real-world experiences on how families, educators, and communities can ignite a love of reading and learning in the earliest years of a child’s life.

It was a rich, solutions-focused conversation, filled with practical ideas, policy talk, and a shared belief that early investments in children are the key to lasting impact.

Growing Up in America is a production of Children at Risk: The Voice of Texas’ Children, a non-profit organization dedicated to research, public policy, law and collaborative action on behalf of Texas’ Youth. Every week we aim to fill these same 60 minutes with lively discussion on the children of Texas with experts on the quality of life for our children. Of course, we have regular segments like Data of the Day, which our teaser number is 45%. We have a special guest for the Data of the Day, Nadia Valliani, Director of Community Philanthropy, Greater Houston Community Foundation.    Today’s guests and topics are:

• Errica Dodson, Writers in school
• Rev. Jessica Shannon, Master of Divinity
• Venetia Peacock, HCDE
• Dr. Jamie Freeny, Mental Health America
• Nicole Li Ma, Organizing and Policy Associate at Woori Juntos

We hope you will be with us throughout the show as we discuss the issues as they affect the children of Houston, and the Children of Texas....

Growing Up in America is a production of Children at Risk: The Voice of Texas’ Children, a non-profit organization dedicated to research, public policy, law and collaborative action on behalf of Texas’ Youth.

Every week we aim to fill these same 60 minutes with lively discussion on the children of Texas 8 MIN Call-in Guest #1 1:08-1:16: [one by one]

Topic: Under the Dome/ ECE Rally Day Recap

Jason Sabo

8 MIN For Children #2 1:16-1:24: [karma]

Topic: Gen Z Talk

• Becky will ask Dr. Bob what these words mean – Claire will provide a list so Dr. Bob cannot read it on this script and think ahead

6 MIN Data of the Day 1:24-1:30: [Countdown .25-.39] 

Number of the day: $1,691

On this episode we talk to these amazing guests about these topics:

• Linda Corchado, Children's Immigration Network, C@R - Title 42.
• Megan Green, Director of Prevention and Early Intervention Services, DePelchin Children’s Center - Safe Sleep.
• Dr. Daphne Hernandez, Associate Professor, Department of Research with Cizik School of Nursing at UT Health Houston - Economic Tradeoffs.

• Data of the Day w/ Christine Thomas, Sr. Associate Director, Center for Social Measurement and Evaluation (CSME), C@R - Teaser # 30.

• Raul Zavaleta, Health Services Coordinator, Harris County Department of Education. - Preparing Families for long term engagement in education.
• Dr. Ricky Flores, Clinical Director, Texas Children's Cancer and Hematology Centers, The Woodlands. - Being a minority in the medical field.

Our hosts are, Dr. Bob Sanborn, President & CEO of C@R, and Claire Dutreix, Senior Associate Director, K-12, C@R. Growing Up in America is a production of Children at Risk: The Voice of Texas’ Children, a non-profit organization dedicated to research, public policy, law and collaborative action on behalf of Texas’ Youth. *This episode was prerecorded on May 17th, 2023.

On this episode we talk to these amazing guests about these topics:

• C@R's 2023 Annual Kroger Food Rankings.
• Thumbs Up Thumbs Down topic - Gap Year (high school to college).
• Dr. Daphne Hernandez, Associate Professor, Department of Research with Cizik School of Nursing at UT Health Houston. - Food Insecurity and Housing Instabilities.

• Kiro Calderon, Mental Health Specialist, Harris County Dept. of Education. - The importance of social emotional learning in the early years.

• Data of the Day w/ special guest Nadia Valliani, Director of Community Philanthropy, Greater Houston Community Foundation - Teaser # 60%.

• Rekha Lakshmanan, Immunize USA. - Pieces of legislation that can set back public health and immunization policies back years.
• Sharell Webb, Coding with a Twist. - How to aide in increasing inclusion in STEM spaces.

Our hosts are, Dr. Bob Sanborn, President & CEO of C@R, and Claire Dutreix, Senior Associate Director, K-12, C@R. Growing Up in America is a production of Children at Risk: The Voice of Texas’ Children, a non-profit organization dedicated to research, public policy, law and collaborative action on behalf of Texas’ Youth. *This episode was prerecorded on May 10th, 2023.

• Thumbs Up Thumbs Down topic - Standardized Tests
• Becky Quintanilla, Project Coordinator, CHILDREN AT RISK (C@R) - Gen Z Slang

• Andrew Hairston, Education Justice Project Director, Texas Appleseed - Pressing Issues in Public Education

• Data of the Day w/ Christine Thomas, Sr. Associate Director, Center for Social Measurement and Evaluation (CSME), C@R - Teaser # 2,100:1.

• Gulshan Rahman, Assistant Director of Compliance and Family Services - Covid’s effects on ECE workforce
• Megan Green, Director of Prevention and Early Intervention Services, DePelchin Children’s Center - Fatherhood Involvement

Growing Up in America is a production of Children at Risk: The Voice of Texas’ Children, a non-profit organization dedicated to research, public policy, law and collaborative action on behalf of Texas’ Youth.

Every week we aim to fill these same 60 minutes with lively discussion on the children of Texas Today’s guests and topics are:

• Eleanor Prado, Doula and Premier Doulas of Houston

• Doulas 101 & Maternal Mortality

• Dr. Armando Orduna, Executive Director, Latinos for Education – Texas

• Current recruitment for Latino parents

• Tiffany Cuellar Needham, Executive Director, Teach for America Houston

• Educational Equity

• Linda Corchado

• Dia Del Ninos / Literacy Day

Growing Up in America is a production of Children at Risk: The Voice of Texas’ Children, a non-profit organization dedicated to research, public policy, law and collaborative action on behalf of Texas’ Youth.

Every week we aim to fill these same 60 minutes with lively discussion on the children of Texas Today’s guests and topics are:

• Lindsey Wilkerson, Motherhood Summit
• Gulshan Rahman, Harris Country Department of Education, General concerns/protocols around health and safety of HS/EHS.
• Cathy McHorse, United Way For Greater Austin, Success by 6
• Shruba Endly, Mental Health CIS