Fired Up Podcast Ep.3 | Igniting Curiosity: Finding Your "Why" Through Permission and Play

We are giving our youth the permission to look inward and find their internal fire.Welcome to the third full episode of the Fired Up Podcast, a production of The Trade Collective. In this episode, our hosts, Dr. Pete Bavis and Patrick Hughes, sit down with Matthew Cummins and Rosabel “Rosie” Arellano Razo to explore how curiosity and "permission" act as the catalysts for lighting a fire in our students.We discuss how authentic, hands-on experiences, from 3,000-degree molten iron pours to local job shadowing, can transform a student's perspective on their future. We explore the power of intergenerational mentorship and the importance of creating environments where students feel safe to ask questions and experiment with their career paths. The episode digs into how these real-world connections help high school students become Trade Ready™ by graduation.Meet The Guests:🎙️ Matthew Cummins: An Adjunct Lecturer at Northwestern University Segal Design Institute and an artist whose work bridges the gap between academic theory and physical fabrication. Matthew is passionate about using geometry and authentic projects to help students find their "why" through curiosity and collaboration.🎙️ Rosabel “Rosie” Arellano-Razo: A Fellow for Early College and Career Experiences at Evanston Township High School (ETHS). A first-generation college student who navigated her own complex path through higher education. Rosie focuses on student success though career exploration and mentoring, helping students to find and pursue their true passions.In this episode, we discuss:🔥 Finding Your "Why": How do we get to a student early in their high school career to light a fire and help them explore what they truly love? 🔥 The Power of Permission: Breaking down the barriers that prevent students and adults from looking at the world with curiosity and giving themselves the "green light" to experiment.🔥 Authentic Projects vs. Classroom Formulas: Why 3,000-degree molten metal and hands-on play create "iron-clad" memories and skills that a standard textbook cannot replicate.🔥 Scaling Mentorship: With a community of 77,000 adults and 3,600 students, how do we engage our professionals to help guide the next generation? 🔥 The I-Kit Program: A deep dive into the internship and job shadow opportunities available at ETHS that allow students to test-drive careers in the skilled trades and beyond.Join the Movement: New episodes drop every other Tuesday.Review the full vision and follow our journey on social media:Website: https://www.thetradecollective.org/Instagram: @the_trade_collectiveThreads: @the_trade_collectiveFacebook: The Trade CollectiveLinkedIn: The Trade CollectiveContact & Support:General Inquiries: [email protected] the future of the skilled trades. Let's get fired up! 🔥