the goal was to always see every day as a chance to make a difference.

So you've got to create an environment where that's accepted and that the students realize that you're going to get knocked down sometimes, but you got to get back up and try again.

That's the only way you'll improve.

Good morning Santi, good mornin Mellissa.

How are yall today?

Good Okay.

Let's do it.

We're going to win tonight.

Yeah, I think so.

I think so.

I became an educator an a teacher in 1999 in Tennessee.

I taught there for three years and then moved to Whitfiel County in 2002, where I taught at Valley Point Middle for, several years And in 2010, came to East Side as the principal.

day I walked in the doors, I could tell this this was a great place.

Our teachers, the teachers at Eastside, they really see every day as an opportunity to make a difference and open doors for kids.

And I'm just inspired by them and our families every day.

Carlos, did you have fun at Read and Feed last night?

Yeah.

What was your favorite part?

sometimes it's hard to to get our kids to, to valu long division or multiplication.

So you've got to come up with other ways to get them hooked and get em engaged and get them excited about coming to school and learning about 10 or 11 years ago, like nine years ago, a wrestler, reached out to me and said, hey, we know you're a wrestling fan.

We know you've been in the ring a couple of times outside of the school.

Would you be interested in, in partnering with us and doing a fundraiser for the school and even putting you in the ring?

Well, after the show was over, some teachers said, hey, now, wait a minute.

That was a lot of fun.

Why aren't we involved?

Well, I think special education.

I'm a teacher support teacher.

I push into the classroom to help those students.

All students, actually.

But so student who are struggling academically and help them meet their accommodations.

honestly, when you teach a student and you see that light bulb go over, over their head, figuratively speaking, and you see they get it and they're learning.

It's a great it's a good feeling.

I have three children.

I have a fifth grader, a third grader and a three year old.

And my fifth and third grader go to East Side here.

they love Eastside.

They love it.

I mean, especially since we have adapted the house system.

They want to come to school when we're out and about with their friends about.

You should come to East Side.

they love it.

They're all about.

It we have, a house system.

Really?

What it what it is, a systems a framework that gives every kid a place to belong.

acquaintance of mine says that everyone needs a crew and a cause.

It's like a team, a family.

So our school is divided into seven houses.

I'm Isibindi as you see, I'm wearing green.

That is house of courage.

And then there's six more houses.

Each house has a color, a nam that's connected also to a trait or a characteristics characteristic that we want to encourage, whether it's courage or altruism Friendship.

Our, animal is the peacock.

And we just.

When somebody is feeling lonely, or so we can hype them up Like if you want to be a friend or something.

basically, our animal is the phoenix, and it rises out of fire.

So, our house is uplifting because whenever people are feeling sad or something, we can uplift the and make them feel happy again.

And they just promote those kind auras throughout the school.

there's also, a collaborative element.

The kids come together once a month and do some activities to build that sense of belonging, because we all need a place to belong.

é it really helps with behavior and it helps with a kid become a good adult.

It teaches the soft skills, like looking someone, the eye shaking their hands how to carry on a conversation.

Being a helper.

If you see someone in need, go and help them out.

Just making them a well-rounded person.

I grew up a wrestling fan.

When I was a little a little guy in Tennessee.

I was always intrigued by the over-the-top characters and the larger and life personalities.

The the battle between good versus bad.

And we decided, you know what?

We we there's a there's a guy.

There's his name is the house smasher, okay?

And he does not like the houses.

I don't know why I have no I know no idea why.

I don't know why, why behind what he's doing.

But he wants to get rid of our house system.

Oh, And he's bringing his own team.

We've got our school.

We've got the House of givers.

We've got the House of courage.

Well, he's got the Hous of takers and the House of fear.

The House of dreamers.

The house of nightmares.

The kids were excited.

They got to be a part of a challenge.

You know, our school was being, we were having to defend our school And the kids got behind it, and it was just a great opportunity for our whole families to come in and enjoy, just a fun activity together.

Believe it or not, wrestling does help bring families in.

They can spend time together, they can cheer for if they want to cheer, boo whoever they want to boo, and just hang out with their family and friends and have a good time.

Because that's really what it's all about.

Is this having getting together and creating a memory that they can share for a long time.

what got me hyped up last year when somebody did a flip off the ring.

And it shows ou teachers are brave and strong.

They know how to stand up for us.

No.

whenever they pray that they're strong and that they can do anything, it makes me feel like I can do anything because I'm a Viking and they're also Vikings.

when you're learning, learning is never easy.

It can when you're learning something new, it can be a stretch.

And sometimes when you do things new, you're going to fail.

You're going to struggle.

So we have to create a climate where where it's okay to struggle.

It's okay to to fail if it's part of the learning process, because that's the only way you're going to get better.

what is what is important is that every kid, feels like this place is safe, that they can learn here, and then they can go home, and their parents know that they're welcome to.

Because we want to work with them.

And I think we've done that.