𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐂𝐚𝐧 𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐚 𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝'𝐬 𝐄𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐅𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞? 𝟏𝟔𝟖 | 𝐉𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧 𝐏𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐧𝐬

𝐄𝐩𝐢𝐬𝐨𝐝𝐞 𝐒𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲: What happens when a child grows up believing their future has already been written—but a teacher refuses to accept that ending? In this heartfelt episode of The Rural Scoop, Dr. Melissa Sadorf sits down with educator, speaker, and author Justin Pickens to explore the life-changing impact of intentional educators in rural schools. Justin shares his remarkable journey from a childhood marked by poverty, family addiction, foster care, and instability to becoming a first-generation college graduate, teacher, coach, and nationally recognized speaker. Throughout the conversation, Justin reflects on the teachers, coaches, and community members who became his "lottery ticket" educators—adults who consistently showed up, believed in him, and ultimately changed the trajectory of his life. Together, he and Dr. Sadorf discuss the power of rural relationships, creating meaningful connections with students, cultivating intentional school culture, and why small daily actions often leave the biggest legacy. Whether you're a classroom teacher, administrator, coach, or community leader, this episode is a powerful reminder that your influence reaches far beyond what you may ever see. 𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐬: 00:00 – Welcome and introducing Justin Pickens 02:40 – Growing up in rural Missouri: poverty, instability, and adversity 07:40 – How rural schools became Justin's safe place 08:30 – The protective power of caring adults and community connections 12:15 – Coach Wilke and the life-changing power of consistency 18:30 – Why intentional educators don't need extra time—just extra purpose 22:10 – Justin's three pillars: Content, Connection, and Calling 25:00 – Rediscovering purpose after leaving education 30:00 – The ripple effect teachers may never get to witness 34:30 – Returning to education and why Justin chose physical education 37:15 – What makes rural schools uniquely powerful 39:20 – Practical ways educators can intentionally connect with students 42:10 – The Lottery Ticket Teacher and honoring educators who change lives 43:45 – Defining the true Rural Advantage 45:00 – Final reflections and a challenge for every educator 𝐂𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲: Every educator remembers someone who believed in them before they believed in themselves. Justin Pickens reminds us that changing a student's life rarely happens through grand gestures—it happens through consistency, encouragement, intentional conversations, and simply showing up day after day. Rural schools have a unique ability to build these meaningful relationships, creating communities where educators become lifelong influences. As Dr. Melissa Sadorf concludes, think about one adult who carried the baton for you—and then be that person for a student who needs it today. The ripple effect of your investment may take years to reveal itself, but it has the power to transform generations. Because when educators lead with intention, they don't just teach—they change lives. 𝐂𝐨𝐩𝐲𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 & 𝐔𝐬𝐞 𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞: © 2026 Melissa Sadorf / The Rural Scoop. All rights reserved. The content of The Rural Scoop, including podcast episodes, audio recordings, transcripts, show notes, graphics, and other original materials, is protected by copyright. No portion of this content may be reproduced, republished, distributed, modified, or used for commercial purposes without prior written permission from the copyright owner. Brief quotations or other uses may be permitted under applicable fair-use principles. For permission requests, please contact: Dr. Melissa Sadorf Email: [email protected] Phone: (520) 266-0081