>> Ted: NEXT ON ARIZONA HORIZON, OUR FOUR-PART SERIES ON VOTING AND ELECTIONS HOW VOTER INFORMATION IS GATHERED USING DATA AND MESSAGING.

THAT'S UP NEXT ON "ARIZONA HORIZON."

GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO ARIZONA HORIZON.

I'M TED SIMONS.

AN ELECTION PARTY VALLEY ATTRACTED TRUMP SUPPORTERS AND THE FORMER PRESIDENT WAS THE FEATURED SPEAKER AT WHAT WAS BUILD A SAVE AMERICA RALLY WITH G.O.P CANDIDATES FOR PUBLIC OFFICE INCLUDING U.S. SENATE CANDIDATE BLACK MASTERS AND KARI LAKE WHO EMPHASIZED HER ALLEGIANCE TO TRUMP.

>> I HAVE TO TELL YOU, I HAVE SOME OF THESE NO-NOTHING CONSULTANTS WHO SAY YOU NEED TO BACK AWAY FROM PRESIDENT TRUMP RIGHT NOW.

AND I SAY TO THEM, PUT DOWN HUNTER'S CRACK PIPE RIGHT NOW.

[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE] >> AND SO FOR THOSE NO-NOTHING CONSULTANTS AND THE MEDIA, I WANT TO SHOW YOU WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE WHEN I STEP AWAY FROM PRESIDENT TRUMP.

[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE] >> Ted: LAKE'S OPPONENT, KATI HOBBS APPEARED AND WORKING AGAINST THEIR PARTIES.

AND HOLIDAY SPENDS IS PROJECTED TO INCREASE AT THE SLOWEST PACE ON RECORD ACCORDING TO ADOBE ANALYTICS WILL RESULT IN CONSUMERS SEEING A SHARP INCREASE IN DISCOUNTS THIS HOLIDAY SEASON WITH THE BIGGEST PRICES IN ELECTRONICS AND TOYS.

A HEALTH NOTE, WALKING 8600 STEMS8600STEPS A DAY PREVENTS WEIGHT GAIN IN ADULTS AND 11,000 FOR THOSE OVERWEIGHT AND WANT TO CUT THEIR ODDS OF BEING OBESE BY 50% AND IT STUDIED SIX THOUSAND PEOPLE FOR FOUR YEARS AND FOUND WALKING CAN HELP WITH DIABETES, HYPERTENSION AND DEPRESSION.

>>> TONIGHT, WE BEGIN A FOUR-PART SERIES LOOKING AT VARIOUS ASPECTS OF THE ELECTION PROCESS AND WE KICK OFF WITH DATA AND MESSAGES ARE USED THROUGH POLLING AND FOCUSED GROUPS TO LEARN MORE ABOUT VOTERS AND JOINING US IS PAUL BENTZ OF RESEARCH AND STRATEGY AT HIGH GROUND AND MICHAEL O'NEIL AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

PAUL, WE'LL START WITH YOU.

HOW IS DATA INFORMATION ABOUT VOTERS GATHERED?

>> WHEN PEOPLE REGISTER TO VOTE, ALL INFORMATION IS PUBLIC INFORMATION AND WE CAN GET THAT FROM THE COUNTY RECORDER AND GET AN UNDERSTANDING OF THEIR AGE, WHAT PARTY THEY REGISTERED AND WHERE THEY'VE LIVED AND THAT GIVES US A BASELINE TO COLLECT AND REACH OUT TO THEM TO THEN DO SURVEY RESEARCH OR OTHER VOTER OUTREACH TO GET AN IDEA OF WHERE THEY STAND?

>> ONCE YOU GET THAT INFORMATION, AS FAR AS FIGURING OUT WHAT RESONATES WITH THAT CROWD?

>> SURE.

THE LIMITATION OF THE VOTER DATA AND THAT'S WHY THE FOLLOW-UP IS SURVEYED TO GET QUANTIFIED RESPONSES OR FOCUSED GROUPS TO UNDERSTAND MORE OFTEN THAN NOT THE WHY BEHIND PEOPLE'S FEELINGS.

>> Ted: HOW DO YOU FRAME THOSE QUESTIONS TO GET A BETTER INDICATION OF WHY?

>> YOU ASK IT OPEN-ENDED AND YOU ASK WHY, TELL ME MORE ABOUT THAT AND YOU PROBE AND LET PEOPLE RUN WITH IT IN THEIR OWN WORDS AND YOU PICK UP THE LANGUAGE AND YOU BRING THOSE SAME IDEAS BACK IN SUBSEQUENT FOCUS GROUPS.

WHEN YOU FIND TERMINOLOGY THAT RESONATES, YOU HAVE THE BASIS OF A MESSAGE.

>> Ted: HOW MANY LAYERS ARE USED WHEN YOU GO OUT AND GET THIS INFORMATION?

>> GET AN IDEA OF WHAT THINGS ARE IMPORTANT AND WHAT LEVEL AND YOU CAN ASK ABOUT THE SAME DIFFERENT ISSUE A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT WAYS.

EDUCATION FUNDING, IF YOU TALK ABOUT THAT VERSUS TEACHER PAY VERSUS ALL DAY K, THEY'RE NOT ALL INTERCHANGEABLE AND YOU CAN USE DIFFERENT METHODOLOGIES TO DETERMINE WHICH ARE PRIORITIES TO CARE ABOUT MOST.

YOU CAN GET AN INTENSITY ABOUT THE DIFFERENT ISSUES THEY CARE ABOUT.

>> Ted: I WOULD IMAGINE, MIKE, YOU HAVE TO PARSE THE INFORMATION AND SOMEBODY MIGHT BE TALKING OVER HERE AND MAY MEAN SOMETHING OVER THERE.

>> THAT'S THE WHY QUESTION, WHICH YOU DON'T GET TO DO VERY MUCH.

IN SURVEYS, JUST CAN ASK THAT QUESTION AND VERY OFTEN YOU GET AN ANSWER THAT NEEDS AN ADDITIONAL PROBE BEFORE YOU KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON AND SOMETIMES YOU'RE TWO OR THREE OR FOUR PROBES DEEP BEFORE YOU GET TO WHAT'S BOTHERING PEOPLE.

>> Ted: IF YOU HAVE TO GO THAT DEEP, IS IT REALLY BOTHERING PEOPLE?

>> THERE'S A COMMON MISCONCEPTION IN POLLING AND PEOPLE WONDERING WHAT'S DRIVING THE MESSAGE AND WHAT WE FIND, A LOT OF CANDIDATES TALK ABOUT THE THINGS THEY'VE HEARD IN A SMALL MEETING, IN A PRECINCT COMMITTEE MEETING, BUT WE FIND, FOR EXAMPLE, 75% OF PEOPLE THINK THE ELECTIONS ARE SECURE AND THEY TRUST THE RESULTS.

WE'RE LETTING 25% OF THE ANGRY PEOPLE ABOUT ELECTION FRAUD TO DRIVE THAT NARRATIVE.

SO SOMETIMES VOLUME AND INTENSITY OUTWEIGHS THE BELIEF AND THAT'S WHERE DATA CAN SEE, IS IT A VOCAL GROUP OR BIGGER ISSUE THAN WE THINK?

>> I WOULD ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, DOES THAT MEAN IT'S NOT REALLY DRIVING?

YES, IT CAN BECAUSE I SOMETHING DRIVING YOU AND BEING ARTICULATE ARE NOT THE SAME THING.

I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE BORDER AND PROBE THREE OR FOUR TEACH AND WHAT GETS THEM IS NOT NECESSARILY WHAT YOU THOUGHT.

>> Ted: LET'S SAY YOU'RE CONCERNED ABOUT THE BORDER AND YOU MAY HAVE BEEN -- OR YOU THINK YOU'RE CONCERNED ABOUT A, B, AND C AND YOUR WORDS ARE D, E AND F, HOW DO YOU TRANSLATE THAT?

>> YOU ENCAPSULATE WHAT YOU HAVE COME TO LEARN IS THE REAL ISSUE.

BUT THE CHALLENGE IS, THEY DON'T.

[ Laughter ] >> WHAT WE FIND NOW IS SHORTHAND CONSULTANTS RUN THIS AS LAZY THAT KARI LAKE WAS JUST TALKING ABOUT AND THEY HAVE THINGS THEY KNOW HAVE WORKED AND THEY TEST IT IN POLLING AND YOU HEAR "BUILD A WALL" OR "SECURE THE BORDER."

WATER IS A COMPLICATED ISSUE AND SHORTHAND RESEARCH, UNBIASED RESEARCH, THAT CAN GIVE YOU THAT STUFF AND IT'S HARD BECAUSE CANDIDATES ARE NOT COMFORTABLE ABOUT THE INDEPTH ISSUES AND THEY WANT ONE LINERS.

>> Ted: THEY WANT THIS INFORMATION AND YOU'RE GIVING THEM THIS INFORMATION KNOWING THAT IF THE INFORMATION IS WRONG, YOU WON'T GET HIRED AGAIN.

AND IT'S A SELF-REGULATING INDUSTRY.

>> IT IS AND YOU CAN WIN WHILE TALKING ABOUT WATER AND THESE FOLKS DON'T WANT TO TRY THAT AND THERE ARE THINGS THAT COME UP, AND EDUCATION FUNDING IS A GREAT EXAMPLE AND BEFORE THE 20 BY 20 AND 1% INCREASE FOR TEACHER PAY.

DRAMATIC NUMBERS THOUGHT EDUCATION WAS UNDERFUNDED.

WE SAID YOU COULD FUND EDUCATION AND INCREASE TEACHER PAY AND BE ON THE RIDE SITE OF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ELECTORATE.

>> THAT'S WHY FOR DUCEY FLIPPED IN A 24-HOUR PERIOD.

>> Ted: AS A POLLSTER, HOW DO WE KNOW WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS ACCURATE?

>> THEY'RE EXPENSIVE TO DO RIGHT.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT STRATEGIC POLLS YOU DON'T SEE AS WELL.

THEY WANT DETAILED INFORMATION.

NOW SOME OF THEM WILL DO DOUBLE DUTY AND THERE'S A HORSE RACE QUESTION AT THE BEGINNING MODELED THREE OR FOUR DIFFERENT WAYS AND THEY'LL TAKE THE ONE MOST POSITIVE AND TRY TO SELL IT TO THE PRESS, BEWARE.

>> Ted: I GOTCHA.

BUT IN TERMS OF DOING SURVEYS, MIKE MENTIONED THE EXPENSE THERE AND HOW COMPLICATED IS THAT?

IF YOU WANT TO GET SCIENTIFIC AND ACCURATE, THAT'S A BIG PROCESS, ISN'T IT?

>> YOU HAVE TO HAVE LIVE CALLS AND THAT'S THE GOLD STANDARDS OF POLLING AND THERE'S CHANGES IN THE INDUSTRY AND PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT ONLINE PANELS AND TEXTING AND OTHER THINGS AND I THINK OVER TIME, IT'S MORE RELIABLE.

RIGHT NOW, PEOPLE WHOSE INTENSE RESPONSE TO ANSWER, THEY'RE THE ONES THAT DO THOSE.

TELEPHONE POLLING IS A RELIABLE SOURCE.

YOU HAVE TO HAVE PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY IN THE STATE OF COVID TO SPREAD PEOPLE OUT AND YOU CAN'T JAM THEM IN A CALL CENTER AND IT MAKES THEM MORE EXPENSIVE.

>> Ted: WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS BEFORE, MIKE, IT'S A COMPLICATED PROCESS AND HOW DO YOU KNOW WHEN YOU SEE A POLL AND YOU HERE ABOUT HOW IT'S CONDUCTED, HOW DO YOU KNOW, SHAKY?

>> GOOD LUCK.

I WOULD AGREE WITH THE GOAL STANDARD, IT'S LIVE CALLING AND I WOULD ADD REPEATED CALLS TO NONRERESPONDANT WHICH ADDS BUDGET AND TIME.

YOU CAN'T DO A GOOD POLL, WHO WON THE DEBATE POLL, IT'S INHERENTLY LIMITED.

>> Ted: BOTTOM LINE, DATA-INFORMED CAMPAIGN, MANDATORY THESE DAYS?

>> ANY CAMPAIGN IS USING DATA AND POLLING TO DRIVE THEIR MESSAGE AND IF THEY DON'T, THEY'RE FLYING BLIND.

>> Ted: MIKE?

>> IT'S A ROADMAP ON HOW TO WIN.

>> Ted: MIKE O'NEIL AND PAUL BENTZ, GOOD CONVERSATION.

AND UP NEXT, A CONVERSATION ON WHAT WE CARE THE MOST ABOUT.

AS ELECTION DAY APPROACHES, HIGH GROUND CONDUCTED A VOTER SURVEY TO LEARN WHAT ISSUES ARE OF GREATER CONCERN TO THOSE IN ARIZONA.

AND WE HAVE SYBIL FRANCIS FOR THE FUTURE OF ARIZONA.

SYBIL, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>> PLEASURE TO BE WITH YOU.

>> Ted: VOTER AGENDA SURVEY, WHAT ARE WE TALKING ABOUT HERE?

>> IT'S FOCUSED ON WHAT IS ON THE MINDS OF ARIZONA VOTERS.

WE'RE NOT POLITICAL, SO WE ENVIRONMENTHAVETHE ABILITY TO ASK THE STRAIGHT QUESTION ABOUT WHAT PEOPLE IN ARIZONA CARE ABOUT MOST.

THE AGENDA ARE THE ISSUES THAT RANKED 50% OR MORE OF STRONG RESPONSES INCLUDING REPUBLICANS, DEMOCRATS, INDEPENDENTS AND NON- AFFILIATED VOTERS.

TO MAKE IT ONTO THE AGENDA, THE TOPIC HAD TO RECEIVE 50% SUPPORT AMONG ALL OF THE GROUPS, TOTAL SUPPORT.

>> Ted: WE'VE TALKED THIS BEFORE, THE GOAL IS TO PRETTY MUCH CENTER THE NARRATIVE ON ARIZONA ELECTIONS, TRUE?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

CENTER THE VOICES OF PEOPLE IN ARIZONA IN OUR ELECTIONS BECAUSE WE HEAR SO MANY STRONG VOICES AS YOUR PREVIOUS PANEL MENTIONED AND NOT REPRESENTATIVE.

SO WE WERE INTERESTED IN BRINGING FORWARD THE VIEWS OF LIKELY VOTERS AND EVERY DAY PEOPLE IN ARIZONA.

>> Ted: EDUCATION, WATER, ECONOMY, AND I WANT TO GET CLOSER.

BUT SIMILAR TO PREVIOUS SURVEYS AND THE PREVIOUS ONE WAS IN APRIL, SOMETHING LIKE THAT?

>> WE'VE BEEN DOING SURVEYS FOR YEARS AND WE'VE DONE TWO MAJOR SURVEYS WITH GALLUP AND WE'VE WORKED WITH HIGH GROUND AND WE DID ONE SURVEY PRIOR TO AND WE WANTED TO CHECK IN TO MAKE SURE WE WERE GETTING A GOOD SENSE OF WHERE THE LIKELY VOTERS WERE COMING FROM.

>> Ted: IT WAS ULTRA-FASCINATING AND 64% WANT CANDIDATES THAT ARE WILLING TO COMPROMISE AND I WOULD THINK MOST FOLKS WOULD THINK ABOUT THE POLITICIANS AND SAY, THEY'RE NOT WILLING TO COMPROMISE AT ALL?

>> THIS IS WHAT IS SO FASCINATING WHEN YOU ASK PEOPLE IN ARIZONA IN A STRAIGHTFORWARD MANNER WHAT THEY CARE ABOUT WITHOUT TWISTING THE WORD AROUND OR MAKING THINGS COMPLICATED AND WE SAID, WOULD YOU PREFER CANDIDATES WHO STICK TO THEIR GUNS AND IDEOLOGY OR PREFER CANDIDATES WHO HAVE STRONG IDEOLOGIES AND NEGOTIATE AND PRO COMPROMISE AND GET THINGS DONE AND THEY WANTED CANDIDATES WHO WILL WORK HARD FOR VOTES AND WORK HARD TO WORK ACROSS THE AISLE AND GET THINGS DONE.

>> Ted: 74% RATE ARIZONA ELECTIONS AS FAIR AND THAT'S A LOT AND HIGH FOR CONSIDERING ALL OF THE DIALOGUE WE'RE HEARING.

WHY THIS IS >> THIS IS A FASCINATING RESULT AND GIVEN THE NARRATIVE AROUND POLITICAL DIVISION AND POLARIZATION AND FRAUD AND ALL OF THIS, WE THOUGHT TO ASK LIKELY ARIZONA VOTERS WHAT THEY THINK ABOUT OUR ELECTIONS AND DO THEY THINK THEY'RE FAIR AND SECURE AND ACCURATE AND WE ASKED SPECIFICALLY, DO YOU THINK THAT THE PRIMARY RESULTS FROM OUR PRIMARY IN AUGUST WERE FAIR, SECURE AND ACCURATE?

WE HAD 74% OF IN ARIZONA SAID YES.

WE SAID, DO YOU EXPECT TO FEEL THE SAME WAY AND OUR NOVEMBER ELECTION WILL BE FAIR, SECURE AND ACCURATE?

WE HAD THE SAME RESULTS.

IT'S SURPRISING ON THE THINGS WE'RE HEARING OUT ALONG THE AIRWAVES AND HOW THEY'RE RUN AND PEOPLE IN ARIZONA HAVE GREAT FAITH.

>> Ted: THE MAJORITY OF REPUBLICANS, WHETHER CONFIDENT IN THE ACCURACY OF THE PRIMARY OR RATING ARIZONA ELECTIONS IN GENERAL, THE MAJORITY OF REPUBLICANS SAY YEAH, IT'S OK. >> AS I MENTIONED, WE WOULD NOT HAVE ADDED THIS TO OUR LIST OF ISSUES THAT MADE IT ONTO OUR ARIZONA VOTER'S AGENDA IF ALL GROUPS, REPUBLICANS, DEMOCRATS, INDEPENDENTS AND NONAFFILIATED, IF IT DIDN'T REACH 50% OR ABOVE AND IN MANY CASES, INCLUDING IN THE ELECTION'S CASE, IT WAS FAR ABOVE 50%.

>> Ted: WE TALKED ABOUT ISSUES VOTERS ARE INTERESTED IN AND HOW YOU GET THE MESSAGE OUT THERE AND HOW COMPLICATED THEY ARE AND HOW FOLKS SAID THEY DON'T KNOW MUCH -- I THINK WATER FALLS INTO THAT CATEGORY BECAUSE IT'S CONFUSING AND EVERYONE KNOWS IT'S OF MAJOR IMPORTANCE IN ARIZONA.

WHAT DOES YOUR SURVEY SAY ABOUT WATER AND ENVIRONMENT?

>> PEOPLE IN ARIZONA UNDERSTAND THEY'RE CONCERNED ABOUT WATER AND 75% BELIEVE WE WON'T HAVE ENOUGH WATER IN OUR FUTURE.

WE WANT TO HEAR WHAT CANDIDATES, WHAT THEIR PLANS ARE FOR ADDRESSING THIS ISSUE.

THEY DON'T HAVE THE ANSWERS, BUT THEY WANT THE CANDIDATES TO LAY OUT THEIR PLANS AND TWO-THIRD WANTSWANT TO HEAR ABOUT THAT.

THE MOST RECENT THING ON WATER, WE ASKED WHAT DO YOU THINK THE PRIORITY ISSUES ARE FOR WATER AND WE LAID OUT A NUMBER OF THEM.

INTERESTINGLY, IT CAME OUT PRETTY EVEN IN THREE AREAS.

ONE WAS RECREATION AND CONSERVATION USE, AGRICULTURE AND SUPPORTING GROWTH.

SO I'M ROUNDING THE NUMBERS AND APPROXIMATELY A THIRD, A THIRD, A THIRD.

WHAT THAT TELLS ME, THE ELECTORATE TELLS ME THEY FEEL THE ISSUES ARE VERY IMPORTANT AND WANTED OFFICIALS TO FEEL TO DO IT ALL.

>> Ted: ARE THEY ISSUES IMPORTANT ENOUGH TO WHERE THEY MIGHT CHANGE THEIR VOTE?

>> WELL, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT THIS IS WHAT THEY'RE TELLING US IS IMPORTANT AND REMAINS TO BE SEEN AND I THINK THE PRIMARY SYSTEM DOES SEEM TO BRING OUT THE MORE HARDCORE ON CERTAIN ISSUES AND INTERESTING TO SEE IN THE GENERAL ELECTION WHAT'S DRIVING THE ELECTORATE.

>> Ted: DR. SYBIL FRANCIS, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>> A PLEASURE TO BE WITH YOU.

♪♪ >> ASU PREP LAUNCHED A NEW SCHOOL AT THE BAPTIST CHURCH IN PHOENIX TO OFFER PERSONALIZED LEARNING WITH A FOCUS ON SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY FOR STUDENTS OF COLOR WHO EXPERIENCED BARRIERS IN TRADITIONAL SCHOOL SETTINGS.

JOINING US IS THE PRINCIPAL, HEIDI ALEXANDER AND RICHARD YARBROUGH.

GOOD TO HAVE YOU BOTH.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING US.

>> HEIDI, GIVE ME A BETTER DEFINITION.

>> SURE.

WE'RE A PRE-K THROUGH SIXTH SCHOOL AND WE'RE TUITION FREE AND IT'S A PUBLIC SCHOOL.

WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT HAVING A STEM FOCUS BUT ALSO ARTS IN A BIG WAY.

WE'RE A STEM, PLUS THE ART'S SCHOOL AND WE DO THAT IN A BIG WAY.

>> Ted: I KNOW THERE'S A JAZZ CURRICULUM HERE THAT I THINK IS REALLY INSPIRED AND THEY GOT INVOLVED WHY?

>> WE STARTED IN 2013 WHEN WE STARTED HOSTING A DELIVERY DEMOCRACY LECTURE.

FROM THAT ENSUED AND THIS IS A CULMINATION OF THAT COLLABORATION.

>> Ted: THESE KIDS, AS WE MENTIONED, MAY NOT HAVE THE SAME AVENUES THAT OTHER KIDS HAVE HAD AND THE FOCUS IS RIGHT HERE ON THEM.

>> TRUE.

>> Ted: AND THAT'S A BIG DEAL AND I WOULD THINK TO THE EAST LAKE COMMUNITY.

>> EAST LAKE IS HISTORICALLY AFRICAN-AMERICAN AND PEOPLE OF COLOR NEIGHBORHOOD AND SO, THE RENAISSANCE OF EAST LAKE HAVING THE ASU BRAND IN IT IS SIGNIFICANT TO THE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF WHAT EAST LAKE'S FUTURE IS.

>> Ted: WE MENTION SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, MATH AND THERE'S A JAZZ-INSPIRED CURRICULUM AND NOT ONLY, I GUESS, TO LEARN ABOUT MUSIC AND THINGS LIKE MATH AND OTHER AVENUES, TRUE?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

THERE'S MATH ALL ALONG THE CURRICULUM AND TAKE A PART OF OUR JAZZ LESSONS WITH OUR FOURTH THROUGH SIXTH GRADE STUDENTS, YOU CAN READ THE NOTES AND THE MUSIC AND ALONG WITH THE HISTORY OF JAZZ AND WE'RE VERY PROUD OF AND UNIQUELY AFRICAN-AMERICAN AND BEGINNING ROOTS.

>> Ted: HOW IMPORTANT WAS THAT IN TERMS OF THIS RELATIONSHIP WITH ASU?

>> THAT IS ONE OF THE REASONS WE DECIDED TO PARTNER WITH ASU.

THEY WERE INTERESTED IN HAVING OUR OPINION ABOUT SOME OF THE CURRICULUM THAT WE FELT WAS IMPORTANT FOR THE PEOPLE OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

>> Ted: OTHER THAN THE JAZZ AND THE MUSIC AND ARTS, WHAT DID YOU TELL THEM?

>> WELL, WE TOLD THEM WE HAD LEARNED QUITE A BIT FROM HAVING PARTNERED WITH A PREVIOUS CHARTER OPERATOR AND WE NEEDED SOMETHING TO BRING CHURCH CULTURE AND THE ARTS INTO THE SCHOOLS.

>> Ted: I WOULD IMAGINE THAT HAVING THAT CULTURE, HAVING THE ARTS, HAVING THE ABILITY TO GO OFF AND LEARN AN INSTRUMENT, SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES, THAT INSTILLS CONFIDENCE AND PROBABLY ENERGY TO LET'S GET TO SCHOOL AND LEARNING AND DOING THIS.

>> I HAVE STUDENTS TEXTING ME WANTING TO KNOW WHY THEY HAVE TWO MORE DAYS OFF DURING FALL BREAK.

[ Laughter ] >> SO THEY WANT TO GET BACK AND STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IS AT AN ALL-TIME HIGH BECAUSE OF THOSE PIECES.

>> Ted: WE'VE HEARD ABOUT INPUT FROM THE EAST LAKE PARK IN THAT PART OF TOWN AND HOW IMPORTANT WAS THAT AND WHAT DID YOU HEAR?

>> IT WAS VERY IMPORTANT.

FOR AN ENTIRE YEAR AS THE PLANNING PRINCIPAL BEFORE WE OPENED THIS LAST AUGUST, I SPENT THAT TIME MONTHLY WITH COMMITTEES COMPROMISED OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO HELP US CREATE THE MODEL MAKING SURE HOUR SCHOOLS HAVE A SENSE OF AGENCY AND BEGINNING AND CLOSING PRACTICES.

>> Ted: HOW IS THE COMMUNITY RESPONDING SO FAR?

>> VERY WELL.

THE CONGREGATION AND COMMUNITY ARE VERY RESPONSIVE.

HAVING THE HAPPIEST FACES IN THE WORLD.

>> Ted: IT'S 100 YEARS OF SERVICE?

>> YES, WE'RE CELEBRATING THE 100th YEAR OF SERVICE AND MOST IN THE EAST LAKE COMMUNITY AND CUL MAYCULMINATING THAT WITH A TRIP TO ISRAEL AND IT'S BEEN A WONDERFUL YEAR.

>> Ted: I WOULD IMAGINE IT'S IMPORTANT FOR ASU TO ASSOCIATE WITH THIS BECAUSE THE TRUST THAT THE CHURCH HAS IN THE COMMUNITY.

>> WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO LEVERAGE THAT RELATIONSHIP IN SO MANY WAYS AND I THINK PRIOR THINKING IS A SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE AND WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THE COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS THAT SERVICE AND SUPPORT COMMUNITIES KNOW A LOT MORE ABOUT OUR CHILDREN COMING THROUGH THOSE DOORS THAN WE MIGHT INITIALLY.

SO HUMBLED BY THAT KNOWLEDGE AND THAT RELATIONSHIP WE HAVE.

>> Ted: IT'S A COMMUNITY GATHERING SPOT AND THE EAST LAKE AREA, THAT'S KIND OF A FOCAL POINT?

>> YEAH, THAT'S HOW THE PARTNERSHIP STARTED AND WE'RE HAPPY TO SAY THAT WE'RE GOING TO INTRODUCE A DREAMSCAPE POD WHICH IS THE FIRST WE'RE AWARE OF IN ARIZONA, SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE PROUD OF TO HAVE OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO HELP US TO BRING THAT TO THE STUDENTS OF ASU PILGRIM REST.

>> Ted: WHAT ABOUT THE PARENTS, WHAT ARE YOU HEARING?

>> THE PARENTS ARE HAPPY AND EXCITED TO BE ENGAGED, INVOLVED, REPRESENTED, RIGHT, IN THEIR CHILD'S CURRICULUM AND DAILY EXPERIENCES.

>> Ted: DID THEY NOT FEEL REPRESENTED BEFORE?

>> I HAD INTERVIEWS THROUGHOUT THE YEARS BEFORE AND WE OPENED UP AND WHAT IS IT THAT YOU WANTED TO SEE MORE OF AND WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE DONE DIFFERENTLY OR THE SAME IF IT'S WORKING FOR THEM?

>> Ted: CONGRATULATIONS AND SOUNDS LIKE A GREAT PROJECT AND GREAT RELATIONSHIP, CONTINUED SUCCESS.

THANK YOU BOTH.

AND THAT IS IT FOR NOW.

I'M TED SIMONS.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US AND YOU HAVE A GREAT EVENING.

M E M E