https://sites.libsyn.com/555147, https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/quaker-success-redefining-what-it-means-to-succee

Quaker Success Podcast, Salem, OH (2026)

03/16/2026

We were deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Sean Kirkland, Superintendent of Salem City Schools, especially on the heels of another significant loss in our community with the recent passing of former Superintendent Dr. Joseph Shivers. Both men were proud Salem High School alumni whose lives and careers remained closely connected to the community that helped shape them.

Sean was a proud Salem Quaker who cared deeply about this community, the students he served, and the colleagues he worked alongside every day.

Some time ago, we had the privilege of sitting down with Sean for a conversation on Quaker Success. During that discussion, he reflected on growing up in Salem, the challenges his family faced, the mentors who shaped his life, and why he believed so strongly in the power of public education.

In light of today’s news, we wanted to quietly share that conversation again for anyone who might want to hear Sean tell his story in his own words.

Our thoughts are with Sean’s family, the Shivers family, the Salem City School District, and the entire Salem community as it mourns two leaders who cared deeply about the students and future of this town.

https://sites.libsyn.com/555147/season-2-episode-4-sean-kirkland-86

03/10/2026

We continue our “Quakers Teaching Quakers” theme as Craig, Aaron, and Ed speak with Matt Mowery from the Class of 2003 in our sixth episode of the season. Matt currently serves as a mathematics teacher at Salem High School and is also the head girls basketball coach. Matt and his wife Brooke, who teaches second grade at Buckeye Elementary, are raising their two children here in Salem.

Listen here (or wherever you get your podcasts): https://sites.libsyn.com/555147/season-2-episode-6-matt-mowery-03

In our conversation, which was recorded last summer, Matt reflects on growing up in Salem with deep family roots in the community and describes his path through Salem City Schools—from preschool at First Christian Church to Reilly Elementary, Southeast Elementary, Salem Junior High School, and ultimately Salem High School. Matt shares memories of playing sports with friends around town, participating in band, choir, and basketball, and how influential teachers—especially math teacher Mr. Alejars—helped transform his relationship with mathematics and inspired him to pursue a career in education. We also learn about Matt’s time at the University of Mount Union, where he majored in mathematics and became involved in sports broadcasting through WRMU, even calling two national championship football games during his time on campus.

Matt also walks us through the early years of his teaching career at United Local Schools, where he spent more than a decade teaching mathematics and coaching basketball. Along the way, he reflects on the challenges and growth that came with becoming a head basketball coach at a young age, the personal hardships he navigated during those years, and the lessons that shaped his perspective as both an educator and mentor. Matt later continued his professional development by earning a Master’s Degree in Educational Administration from Ashland University in 2011.

Finally, Matt shares what it meant to return home in 2021 to teach at Salem High School, reflecting on how education and students have changed over the past two decades while emphasizing the enduring importance of relationships, high standards, and community pride. We also hear about his leadership of the Salem High School Athletic Hall of Fame and his belief that success is ultimately defined by the positive impact we have on others, our families, and our communities. We hope you enjoy!

As always, thanks to the Salem High School Alumni Association for its support of Quaker Success!

01/20/2026

In our latest episode, Craig, Aaron, and Ed speak with Shelley Miller Wilson from the Class of 1997, whose personal and professional journey reflects a deep commitment to education, community, and service. Shelley currently serves as a K–12 Literacy Specialist at Salem City Schools, after beginning her career as a kindergarten teacher and spending many years in the classroom. Outside of work, Shelley is a proud mom of three and continues to balance family life with a career centered on helping students and teachers thrive.

In our conversation, Shelley reflects on growing up in Salem, describing a childhood filled with bike rides around town, Booster Club sticker duty at Quaker sporting events, and strong family ties to Salem City Schools that stretch back multiple generations. She walks us through her unique path through nearly every Salem school building, her deep involvement in high school activities including cheerleading, athletic training, Key Club, yearbook, Spanish Club, and choir, and how early signs of her passion for teaching were present long before she realized education was her calling.

Shelley shares her college journey to Bowling Green State University, where she studied elementary education, joined a sorority, and found her leadership voice through Dance Marathon. She discusses the challenges and growth that came with leaving home, earning two master’s degrees, navigating early career setbacks, and ultimately returning to Salem in a role that allows her to support both teachers and students. Shelley closes by reflecting on the rewards and challenges of being a literacy specialist, her enduring love for the classroom, and her belief that at the heart of both the Salem and West Branch communities is a shared commitment to putting kids first. We hope you enjoy!

As always, thank you to the Salem High School Alumni Association for its support of Quaker Success.

https://sites.libsyn.com/555147/season-2-episode-5-shelley-miller-wilson-97

12/10/2025

We continue our "Quakers Teaching Quakers" theme as we speak with Sean Kirkland from the Class of 1986 in our fourth episode of the season. Sean serves as Superintendent of Salem City Schools.

https://sites.libsyn.com/555147/season-2-episode-4-sean-kirkland-86

In our conversation, we learned about Sean's experience growing up on the west side of Salem, attending Prospect School, and experiencing the city of Salem back in the 1970s and '80s (playing outside and not coming home until the street lights turn on). Sean spoke about the tough times his family experienced, the wild turns his athletic career would take--both in high school and college, and the influence a few great teachers had on him that led him to realize education was the career path for him.

We also learn about Sean's rough first day of his first full-time teaching role, how he was ten minutes away from becoming a West Branch Warrior, and his experience moving from teaching Industrial Tech to sitting at the Superintendent's desk. We hope you enjoy!

Be sure to tune into the intro for a few reports regarding the Salem High School Alumni Association's classroom grant program and the Career Day program for Salem sophomores.

11/11/2025

Our third episode of the season continues our "Quakers Teaching Quakers" theme, as we speak with Teresa Huzyak Sisson from the Class of 2002. Teresa is currently a third grade teacher at St. Paul School in Salem. In her free time, Teresa loves hanging out with her two sweet kids, reading too many books at once, and watching documentaries.

In our conversation, Teresa recounts her experience growing up in a large family and describes her path to graduation from SHS, including her experience attending St. Paul School through sixth grade and transitioning to the junior high and high school.

As we learn, Teresa's professional journey started with a plan to major in Integrated Literature Education at the beginning of her college experience, continued through her earning a bachelor and master degree in Sociology at area universities, and then shifted after becoming involved in administering a research project that persuaded her to become an educator.

Teresa then reflects on her greatest success, the lessons from her teaching life that spill into life outside of school, and the advice she has for current SHS students. We hope you enjoy!

Thank you to the Salem High School Alumni Association for its support of this podcast!

https://sites.libsyn.com/555147/season-2-episode-3-teresa-huzyak-sisson-02

10/21/2025

In the second episode of our second season titled "Quakers Teaching Quakers," we speak with a father and son duo: Dennis Niederhiser '71 and Jarrod Niederhiser '04.

https://sites.libsyn.com/555147/season-2-episode-2-dennis-niederhiser-71-jarrod-niederhiser-04

We spent time getting to know the stories of each Niederhiser. We talked with Denny about growing up in Salem in the 1950s and 1960s, his educational journey, and the importance of doing whatever it took to make sure students learned what they needed to learn. We spoke with Jarrod about his experience growing up in Salem in the 1990s and early 2000s (with a well-known principal as a father), his process of identifying education as the career for him, and the importance of meeting students where they are to get them excited about learning. We also got into favorite Salem restaurants--past and present, favorite Salem memories, and what it was like to work alongside their former teachers as colleagues.

Follow and listen to "Quaker Success: Redefining What It Means to Succeed" wherever you get your podcasts, and please share on your social media networks so that other Quaker alumni can hear these stories. Thank you to our partner, Salem High School Alumni Association!

09/08/2025

Season 2 is here! Our new season is titled "Quakers Teaching Quakers," and in these episodes we will speak with Salem alumni who have returned to Salem City Schools at some point in their career to educate or support fellow Quakers.

We begin the season with George Spack '69--a fixture in the Social Studies department at Salem High School for decades. George's career and life journey have been marked by a passion for teaching, supporting students as they strengthen their character and discipline, and fostering community spirit. We spoke with George about what it was like growing up in Salem in the 1950s and '60s, his Quaker basketball career, his journey to and time spent at the College of William and Mary, and his path into coaching and education. George described challenges he navigated throughout his life and also reflected on what it was like to return to Salem as a teacher. And we of course asked him to share his thoughts on success.

Be sure to check out the intro for information about the Salem High School Alumni Association Classroom Grants that are available for Salem City Schools educators!

Follow "Quaker Success: Redefining What It Means to Succeed" wherever you get your podcasts, and please share on your social media networks so that other Quaker alumni can hear these stories.

https://sites.libsyn.com/555147/season-2-episode-1-george-spack-69

07/16/2025

"Quaker Success Shorts: Stories Among Friends" is a bonus series under the Quaker Success umbrella, offering occasional brief, scripted episodes that shine a light on the lives of Salem High School alumni and are told entirely by your hosts, Craig, Aaron, and Ed.

Our first episode in this new series profiles Richard "Dick" Buta '57. We hope you enjoy!

In these narrative-driven stories, we bring alumni journeys to life in our own words, weaving together the details they've shared into a short-form experience. These episodes are snapshots—quieter, tighter, and a little different from our interviews, but rooted in the same spirit of community, curiosity, and Quaker pride.

We'll "see" you in September when we'll release the first episode of our second season, "Quakers Teaching Quakers."

https://sites.libsyn.com/555147/quaker-success-shorts-stories-among-friends-richard-dick-buta-57

06/25/2025

Andrew Beck '25 just graduated from Salem High School and was one of two members of his class voted "Most Likely to Succeed." We spoke with Andrew about the experience of attending St. Paul School from kindergarten through sixth grade and how he navigated the transition to Salem City Schools. Through our conversation we learned that Andrew is always looking to stay busy, which led him to play three sports during his high school career, serve the Salem community through Key Club, and work outdoors--both tending to his yard and holding a few landscaping jobs. Andrew will be attending The Ohio State University in Fall 2025 to major in Sport Management, following in his parents' footsteps. We asked Andrew about the memories from Salem that he will take with him to Columbus and how he's feeling about life after Salem.

Be sure to check out the intro for information about the upcoming Salem High School Alumni Weekend in August as well as an announcement regarding Season 2 of Quaker Success.

https://sites.libsyn.com/555147/episode-7-andrew-beck-25

06/25/2025

Sally Kendall Wajahn '76 holds the position of Director, Member Engagement with the National Association of Cancer Center Development Offices (NACCDO) and lives with her husband in Aurora, Ohio. We spoke with Sally about the experience of growing up in Salem as the third of four kids with well-known parents who were deeply involved in the community. Sally shared her most influential high school experiences with us as well as named a few of the educators who shaped her life. We also heard how "Service above Status" was not only a lesson from her parents but became an ethos that guided Sally as she built her family and career.

Be sure to check out the intro for information about the Salem High School Alumni Association Scholarship Award program and Open House, as well as this year's Honored Alumnus.

https://sites.libsyn.com/555147/episode-6-sally-kendall-wajahn-76

Follow "Quaker Success: Redefining What It Means to Succeed" wherever you get your podcasts.

Quaker Success Podcast

03/16/2026

03/10/2026

01/20/2026

12/10/2025

11/11/2025

10/21/2025

09/08/2025

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