[ ♪♪ ] >> COMING UP IN THE NEXT HOUR ON ARIZONA PBS, ON ARIZONA HORIZON, WE LOOK AT WHAT THE CITY OF PHOENIX IS DOING TO MITIGATE WATER IN THE TIME OF DROUGHT AND A RIGHT ALONG WITH A MARICOPA COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE WITH WATER TIPS ON AREA LAKES AND RIVERS.

THAT'S AHEAD ON ARIZONA PBS.

GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO ARIZONA HORIZON.

I'M TED SIMOMS.

RUSTY BOWERS RECEIVED A JOHN F. KENNEDY AWARD WHICH GIVES THE AWARD TO COURAGE IN PROTECTING TO DEFENDING DEMOCRACY.

HE WAS AWARDED FOR DEFENDING THE INTEGRITY OF THE 2020 ELECTIONS AND FIGHTING ATTEMPTS BY DONALD TRUMP AND SUPPORTERS TO OVERTURN THE ELECTION RESULTS.

THE AWARD NOTED BOWERS STOPPED A REPUBLICAN SPONSORED BILL THAT WOULD HAVE ALLOWED THE LEGISLATURE TO OVERTURN THE RESULTS ANY ELECTION IN THE STATE.

OTHER PROFILES INCLUDE THE PRESIDENT OF UKRAINE AND WYOMING CONGRESSMAN LIZ CHENEY.

THERE WAS A WILDFIRE GROWING NORTHEAST OF FLAGSTAFF ALONG HIGHWAY 89 AND THE TUNNEL FIRE IS A 21,000 ACRES AND COUNTING WITH ZERO PERCENT CONTAINMENT AND 750 HOUSEHOLDS HAVE BEEN EVACUATED AND ANOTHER FIRE OF NOTE, A CROOK'S FIRE SOUTH OF PRESCOTT AND ZERO PERCENT CONTAINED AND BOTH FIRES EXPECTED TO GROW AS HIGH WINDS GROW INTO THE STATE.

COVID VACCINE HAVE PREVENTED DEATHS IN THE UNITED STATES SHOWING 60% DATING FROM LAST JUNE TO THIS MARCH COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED BY AN INITIAL COVID VACCINATION AND FOUND THAT BOOSTER SHOTS COULD HAVE PREVENTED EVEN MORE FATALITIES.

AND UKRAINE'S PRIME MINISTER VISITED THE WHITE HOUSE TODAY AND THE MEETING WAS FOLLOWED BY PRESIDENT BIDEN ANNOUNCING NEW MILITARY ASSISTANCE FOR UKRAINE.

>> TODAY I'M ANNOUNCING ANOTHER $800 MILLION TO FURTHER AUGMENT UKRAINE'S ABILITY TO FIGHT IN THE EAST AND THE DONBAS REGION INCLUDING HEAVY ARTILLERY, DOZENS OF HOWITZERS AND ROUNDS OF AMMUNITION TO GO WITH THOSE HOWITZERS.

>> IN ADDITION TO BOLSTER UKRAINE'S RESISTANCE ON THE BATTLEFIELD, WE'RE ANNOUNCING SUPPORT FOR THE PEOPLE OF UKRAINE.

TODAY THE UNITED STATES IS ANNOUNCING WE WILL PROVIDE $500 MILLION IN DIRECT ECONOMIC ASSISTANCE TO THE UKRAINIAN GOVERNMENT.

>> THE ANNOUNCEMENT COMES AS RUSSIAN FORCES ARE REPORTED TO BE MAKING MINOR GAINS IN THEIR OFFENSIVE ACROSS A 300-MILE FRONT IN EASTERN UKRAINE.

>> THE ONGOING DROUGHT AND OVERALL EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE TO ADVERSELY IMPACT ARIZONA'S WATER SUPPLY AND THE CITY OF PHOENIX IS WORKING TO MITIGATE WATER CONCERNS WITH UPDATING THE WATER STRUCTURE AND WE LEARN MORE FROM TROY HAYES AND CYNTHIA CAMPBELL.

TROY, CYNTHIA, THANK YOU FOR JOIN US AS WE TALK ABOUT THE MITIGATION EFFORTS.

CYNTHIA, WE HAVE THIS APRIL REPORT, WINTER SNOW PACK AND NOT WHAT IT SHOULD BE AND WE UNDERSTAND WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE AND HOW IS PHOENIX APPROACHING THESE WATER CONCERNS?

>> WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE CO-EL COLORADO RIVER AND 24-MONTH STUDY, PHOENIX HAS BEEN PREPARING FOR THIS FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.

WE'VE HAD A COLORADO RIVER RESILIENCECY FUND SINCE 2015 AND WE'VE BEEN INVESTING IN INFRASTRUCTURE FOR AT LEAST THAT LONG AND SO, I MEAN, IT'S LIKE THE SLOWEST MOVING FREIGHT TRAIN ABOUT TO HIT YOU.

IT'S NOT GOOD AND WE'RE WORKING IT, PREPARING FOR IT FOR MANY YEARS.

>> TROY, THE DROUGHT PIPELINE PROJECT, WHAT IS THAT ALL ABOUT?

>> RIGHT.

SO AS WE ANALYZE THE DROUGHT LOOKING AT HOW PHOENIX WAS POSITIONED, THERE WAS A POSITION WITH WATER RESOURCES NOT A WAY TO MOVE IT AROUND TO PHOENIX WHERE WE NEEDED IT.

SO THE WAY PHOENIX WAS CONSTRUCTED, THERE WAS A DISCONNECT BETWEEN THE NORTHERN PART OF PHOENIX AND THE SOUTHERN PART OF PHOENIX AND WE HAD A LOT OF OUR WATER RESOURCES TO BE FLEXIBLE WITH AND MOVE AROUND.

AND SO WHAT WE DID, WE MOVED AHEAD WITH A CONCEPT TO PUT IN A LARGE WATER TRANSMISSION MAIN, A 66-INCH PIPELINE THAT RUNS UP FROM THE 24TH STREET TREATMENT PLANTS AROUND THE BILTMORE AREA TO 22ND AND BELL WHERE THERE'S MAINS AND SOME OTHER PLANTS THERE.

WE HAVE PUSH STATIONS THAT MOVE THAT ALONG AND THAT WILL ALLOW THE RESOURCES THAT THE CITY OF PHOENIX HAS ACQUIRED OVER, YOU KNOW, DECADES AND EITHER SALT AND VERDE RIVER AND GROUND TO MOVE IT IN THE AREAS THAT MAY BE CHALLENGED MOVING AHEAD WITH THE COLORADO RIVER AREAS.

>> CYNTHIA, WHAT HAS THE CITY ACQUIRED AND DONE TO ATTEMPT TO GET AHOLD OF THIS THING?

>> WE LIKE TO SAY OUR PORTFOLIO IS DIVERSE AND ROBUST.

THOSE AROUND JUST BUZZ WORDS.

WE SAY DIVERSE, WE HAVE A NUMBER OF RESOURCES AVAILABLE AND ALL OF OUR EGGS ARE NOT IN ONE BASKET.

WE TALK ABOUT ROBUST, WE BUILT A PORTFOLIO IN A WAY THAT HAS WHAT YOU COULD CALL A CUSHION OR A BUFFER AND SO WE HAVE ADDITIONAL WATER SUPPLIES THAT WE HAVE ON HAND IN THE EVENT THAT WHAT WE'RE ABOUT TO EXPERIENCE HAPPEN.

THE DROUGHT PIPELINE SPECIFICALLY WILL BE ABLE TO MOVE SOME OF OUR ALTERNATE WATER RESOURCES THAT WE ARE IN THE SALT AND VERDE RIVER THAT WE DON'T TYPICALLY USE FOR THIS PURPOSE YEAR OVER YEAR AND THE DROUGHT PIPELINE ALLOWS US TO MOVE IT AND MOBILIZE IT IN THE AREA THAT WILL LOSE COLORADO RIVER IN THE EVENT OF SHORTAGE.

>> PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE THAT THE COLORADO RIVER WATER DOESN'T GO TO THE ENTIRE VALLEY.

>> THE COLORADOERY PLANT CAME ONLINE IN 1996 AND THAT WAS THE WATER HILL'S TREATMENT PLANT.

IF YOU LOOK AT WHERE PHOENIX WAS POSITIONED, IT WAS BIFURCATED AND NOT MUCH GROWTH AND VERY LIMITED.

SINCE THAT TIME, IT'S ALLOWED PHOENIX TO EXPAND IN THAT AREA, SUPPLIED BY THE COLORADO RIVER AREA THIS IS WHAT WE UTILIZE TODAY.

>> THE CITY IS DOING THESE MITIGATION EFFORTS?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

THE CITY HAS BEEN STORING WATER FOR AT LEAST SIX OR SEVEN YEARS DIDN'T ORDERED OUR FULL ALLOCATION FOR THAT PURPOSE, SO WE BUILT UP THIS SUPPLY, BUT THAT'S IN ADDITION TO THE SUPPLIES WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO YEAR OVER YEAR ON THE SALT AND VERDE THAT WE HAVEN'T UTILIZED UNTIL NOW OR WE WILL.

>> AS FAR AS REPLACING INFRASTRUCTURE, HOW MUCH ARE WE TALKING ABOUT HERE AS FAR AS NEW INFRASTRUCTURE?

HOW MUCH WORK NEEDS TO BE DONE?

SO THE INFRASTRUCTURE WITH RESPECT TO THE DROUGHT IS COMING TO AN END.

THE PROJECT STARTED IN 2020 AND WE DID A PIPELINE REMOVAL OF A 48-INCH LINE TO MAKE WAY FOR THE 66 AND ALL OF THOSE PROJECTS STARTED CONSTRUCTION LAST YEAR AND WE'RE PROBABLY FINISHING UP WITH THE PUMP STATIONS IN LATE 2022, EARLY 2023.

WELL AHEAD OF ANY NEED WE HAVE.

BEYOND THAT, A ROBUST CAPITAL SYSTEM TO GO OUT AND REPLACE AGING INFRASTRUCTURE, WHETHER THAT'S PIPELINES OR PUMP STATIONS OR THINGS LIKE THAT TO STAYING UP ON THE WATER EFFICIENCY BECAUSE THAT'S ONE THING DO IS MINIMIZE THE AMOUNT OF WATER WE'RE LOSING IN OUR PIPES AND STAYING UP ON IT.

WE'RE SPENDING ABOUT $40 MILLION ON REPLACING WATER PIPES THROUGHOUT THE CITY.

>> I WAS GOING TO SAY WATER EFFICIENCY, IS THAT MORE OF A CONCERN THAN IT'S EVER BEEN?

>> I WOULD SAY IT'S ALWAYS BEEN A CONCERN.

OUR CUSTOMERS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN OUR PARTNERS IN CONSERVATION.

WE NEED THAT MORE THAN EVER AT THIS POINT IN TIME AND PROBABLY IN THE YEARS TO COME.

YOU'RE GOING TO SEE US ROLLING OUT MORE INFORMATION BEEN PUBLIC MESSAGING ABOUT HOW MUCH OUR CUSTOMERS DO COUNT IN THAT CONSERVATION EFFORT.

>> SPEAKING OF CUSTOMERS, WHAT DOES ALL OF THIS MEAN AS FAR AS WATER RATES ARE CONCERNED?

>> SO, YEAH, WATER RATES ARE A CONTINUING THING AND ESSENTIALLY, WHAT IT'S ALLOWING US TO DID IS PUT PRESSURE ON WHAT IT COSTS TO BUY RAW WATER FROM THE CENTRAL ARIZONA PROJECT THROUGH THE FEDERAL CONTRACTS.

RIGHT NOW, WE'RE ANALYZING THAT SITUATION ABOUT HOW THE IMPACTS ARE, BUT THE PRICE OF WATER IS GETTING MORE EXPENSIVE FOR US TO BUY AND TO UTILIZE.

>> THE PRICE OF WATER A, AND B, INFRASTRUCTURE, DOES THAT AFFECT THE RATES OR IS THAT A SEPARATE POT?

>> ALL THE SAME POT AND AS WE HAVE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLANS, THOSE ARE BUILT INTO THE RATES AND AS WE DEVELOP FUTURE PLANS, SO THE CURRENT DROUGHT INFRASTRUCTURE IS BUILT INTO THE RATES.

SO EVERYTHING WE'RE DOING CURRENTLY TODAY IS BUILT WITH THE RATE BASE THAT WE HAVE NOW.

IT'S THINGS IN THE FUTURE WE WOULD BE LOOKING FOR.

>> I THINK PEOPLE WOULD SUGGEST OR THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, ONCE THE WATER RATES SKYROCKET, TROUBLE IS AT HAND.

UNTIL THEN, FOLKS DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH HERE.

>> THAT IS ONE OF THE KIND OF ENIGMATIC PROBLEMS WE HAVE THE MOST AFFORDABLE RATES IN THE COUNTRY.

AS MENTIONED, SOME FOLKS FEEL THAT IF OUR WATER RATES ARE NOT VERY HIGH, THAT SOMEHOW THAT DOESN'T SIGNAL THEY NEED TO CONSERVE OR THAT WE MIGHT BE IN A MORE SERIOUS SITUATION WITH REGARD TO RESOURCES.

IS THAT'S ALWAYS A CHALLENGE, BUT FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE, I MEAN, WE'RE TRYING TO BALANCE OUT LIVEABILITY AS WELL AS WHAT WE NEED IN TERMS OF THE RATE STRUCTURE THAT WE'RE NEEDING TO SUPPORT US.

>> VERY QUICKLY BEFORE WE GO, EVERYTHING WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, THAT'S NOW, THAT'S TODAY.

AND THE GOAL POST IS SHIFTING ALL THE TIME AS FAR AS THIS IS CONCERNED.

>> EVERYDAY WE GET A NEW REPORT THAT INDICATES THINGS HAVE CHANGED AND THAT'S ONE THING THAT IS HAVING US WORK HARDER IN THE SENSE OF WHEN WE LOOKED AT DROUGHT BACK IN 2014 OR 2015, WE PROJECTED OUT WHEN WE THOUGHT THINGS WOULD HAPPEN AND THINGS ARE QUICKER THAN ANTICIPATED, BUT IT'S ALL OF THE PLANNING WE DID AND OUR PREDECESSORS HAVE DONE TO GO WELL INTO THE FUTURE.

>> THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU.

>> AND UP NEXT ON ARIZONA HORIZON, A PUSH TO INCENTIVIZE WAYS TO CUT GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS.

>> CARBON PRICING IS A WAY TO MAKE IT MORE EXPENSIVE FOR BUSINESSES AND ORGANIZATIONS TO POLLUTE.

A GROUP CALLED THE CITIZEN'S CLIMATE LOBBY IS PUSHING FOR CARBON PRICES BUT WOULD THE DIVIDENDS HURT MOST.

BILL BARRON, WELCOME TO ARIZONA HORIZON AND THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.

>> LET'S TALK ABOUT THE DEFINING TERMS AND WHAT IS CARBON PRICING?

>> IT'S UNIQUE BECAUSE THE MONEY COLLECTED ON THE FEE ON CARBON EMISSIONS IS COLLECTED INTO A POOL AND DISTRIBUTED BACK TO HOUSEHOLDS.

>> YES.

>> SO IT'S PROGRESSIVE IN THAT THE MONEY COLLECTED GOES BACK AND WAYS TO GET AT IT AND IF YOU TALK ABOUT A CARBON PRICE ALONE, IT'S DIFFERENT THAN A CARBON PRICE THAT RETURNS THE MONEY BACK BECAUSE THAT PROTECTS LOW AND MIDDLE-INCOME PRICE HOLDS.

>> IT SOUNDS LIKE CARBON TAX AND CARBON FEES.

>> NATURALLY I MOVE TOWARDS CARBON PRICING OR CARBON FEE BECAUSE THE MONEY IS RETURNED TO HOUSEHOLDS, BUT THE BUZZ PHRASE IS CARBON TAX AND WE WANT TO TRY TO BE ABLE TO CLARIFY THAT, YOU KNOW -- WE CALL IT'S A FEE BECAUSE THE MONEY IS NOT HELD BY THE GOVERNMENT, BUT RETURNED TO HOUSEHOLDS.

>> AND I WANT TO GET THAT, BUT AS FAR AS JUST THE IDEA OF CARBON FEES, CARBON PRICES AND TAXES, IF YOU WILL, IT'S AN INCENTIVE FOR BUSINESSES, WHAT, JUST DON'T POLLUTE SO MUCH?

>> THE IDEA IS THAT, YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW, THERE'S NO ACCOUNTABILITY INTO THE ATMOSPHERE SO THE IDEA IS TO HAVE A MARKET-BASE SOLUTION AND IT HOLDS AN ACCOUNTABILITY INTO THE ATMOSPHERE AND CREATES AN INCENTIVE FOR BUSINESSES AS WELL AS INDIVIDUALS TO WANT TO BE MORE EFFICIENT SO THAT COST IS NOT TRANSLATED TO THEM.

>> YOU MENTIONED MARKET BASED.

IS THAT HOW THE FEE OR THE PRICING WOULD BE DETERMINED?

WHO MAKES THIS PRICING AND WHO COMES UP WITH THIS?

>> THERE'S DIFFERENT WAYS TO ADVOCATE FOR IT, BUT WE'VE BEEN ADVOCATING AT $15 A TON IN THE FIRST YEAR AND THEN $10 A TON EVERY ADDITIONAL YEAR.

AND THE COST IS SPREAD ECONOMY WIDE AND SO BUSINESSES CAN ANTICIPATE AN INCREASED COST FOR THE POLLUTION THAT THEY GENERATE AND BY DOING SO, IT MAKES IT SO THAT BUSINESSES, IN ORDER TO BE MORE COMPETITIVE AGAINST THEIR COMPETITORS WOULD BE TO, YOU KNOW, BE MORE EFFICIENT SO THAT THEY ARE ABLE TO BE MORE EFFECTIVE IN THE WORK THAT THEY DO.

>> AND ONE OF THE CRITICISMS OF CARBON FEES AND TAXES AND PRICES IN GENERAL, IT WOULD ADD TO BUREAUCRACY AND THIS GETTING THE DIVIDENDS BACK TO LOWER INCOME FAMILIES, THAT WOULD SEEM LIKE IT WOULD DOUBLE DOWN ON THAT, WOULDN'T IT?

THE WAY IT WORKS IS ALL OF THE MONEY SELECTED ON THE PRICE ON CARBON EMISSIONS, ALSO IS USED FOR THE ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS, SO WE WANT TO BE SURE WHAT WE'RE ADVOCATING FOR IS SOMETHING THAT IS DESIGNED TO APPEAL TO BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE AND SO WE DON'T WANT TO INCREASE GOVERNMENT SPENDING BUT RATHER KEEP IT SEPARATE SO THAT THE ACTUAL ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS COME OUT PRICE ON CARBON EMISSIONS, AS WELL.

>> IS THERE ENOUGH MONEY BETWEEN ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS AND DIVIDENDS TO LOW-INCOME HOUSEHOLDS?

>> YES.

SO IN THE FIRST YEARS, IT WOULD TAKE MORE ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS TO SET EVERYTHING UP, BUT AS WE ALL KNOW NOWADAYS, EVERYTHING IS ELECTRONIC AND THE COSTS DROP MORE AND MORE, AND SO ROUGHLY, 6% TO 8% OF THE COSTS, OF THE MONEY COLLECTED ON EMISSIONS GO TO ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS AND TAPERS DOWN TO 2%.

>> IS THERE CONCERN BECAUSE THE INCREASE IN COSTS, ESPECIALLY THE AGGRESSIVE ASPECT OF THIS FOR LOWER INCOME FOLKS, CONCERN THE PRICES WILL GO UP.

AND OBVIOUSLY, WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, THIS WOULD MITIGATE THE FACTS.

BUT EVERYTHING YOU GET IT MITIGATED AND THE COMPANIES HAVE BECOME MORE EFFICIENT AND LESS POLLUTING, THE PRICES STAY UP THERE AND THE DIVIDENDS DWINDLE.

>> SO REALLY, THE IDEA, IT'S TO ESTABLISH THE PRICE AND IT WILL PEAK AND START TO DECLINE AS ENERGY IS PRODUCED MORE THROUGH ENERGY.

SO AS THAT PRICE DEVELOPS, THE DIVIDEND WOULD DROP.

BY THEN, THE TRANSITION IS IN PLAY.

>> IT'S CORRESPONDING THERE.

>> UH-HUH.

>> FOR THOSE WHO SAY THIS IS FINE AND THAT'S A LOT OF CONJECTURE AND A LOT OF BUREAUCRACY AND THAT'S A LOT OF ACTION THERE, THAT ISN'T NEEDED AND ALL YOU NEED TO DO IS INCREASE REGULATIONS AND THAT WOULD HELP ALLEVIATE THE PROBLEM AND HOW DO YOU RESPOND THAT?

>> AS I WAS TALKING ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE.

BIPARTISAN SOLUTION AND REGULATIONS, IT'S MORE OF -- IT'S A FORESEEN ACTION WHERE TRUE LEGISLATION, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE MORE DURABLE BY HAVING SUPPORT COME FROM BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, A IS MORE POWERFUL THING AND MORE APPEALING BECAUSE OF THE MARKET-BASED APPROACH, AS WELL.

>> PUSHING RENEWABLE, SOLAR, WIND, AND, AGAIN, AS A WAY TO DO THIS WITHOUT A CARBON PRICING.

AND IS THAT A POSSIBILITY AND WHAT'S WRONG WITH THAT?

>> WE NEED TO DO ALL OF THESE THINGS AND THE ISSUE IS SO LARGE THAT ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO PUSH FOR MORE RENEWABLE ENERGY OR MORE EFFICIENCY IS CERTAINLY A HUGE BENEFIT, BUT THE VALUE OF PUTTING THAT PRICE ON IS THAT THE ACCOUNTABILITY FOR POLLUTION REALLY DRIVES BUSINESSES AND INDIVIDUALS TOWARDS TO BE MORE EFFICIENT BECAUSE IT MAKES THEM MORE COMPETITIVE.

>> QUICKLY BEFORE YOU GO, ARE YOU GETTING TRACTION ON THIS AND HEARING FROM FOLKS?

>> YES.

WE HAVE A LOT OF SUPPORT AND IT'S MAINLY ON THE DEMOCRATIC SIDE RIGHT NOW, BUT WE ALSO REALLY KNOW THAT IN ORDER FOR US TO BE THE MOST EFFECTIVE, WE WANT TO HAVE BIPARTISAN SUPPORT FOR THAT DURABILITY AND THERE IS INTEREST FOR SURE AND WE'RE JUST CONTINUING TO WORK TO BUILD MORE POLITICAL WILL IN THAT AREA.

>> BILL, THANK YOU, GOOD CONVERSATION AND WE APPRECIATE IT.

>> THANKS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.

>> RUSSIAN FORCES TIGHTEN THEIR GRIP ON MARIUPOL AND WAR INVESTIGATIONS ARE UNDERWAY AFTER LOCAL NEWS ON ARIZONA PBS.

>> AND THE FIRST ARIZONA TEACHER TO BE INDUCTED INTO THE TEACHER'S HALL OF FAME AND EARLIER TODAY, WE SPOKE TO KAREEM NEAL ABOUT THE HONOR AND CONGRATULATIONS AND NATIONAL TEACHER OF THE YEAR, HUH?

>> SO NATIONAL TEACHER HALL OF FAME.

>> I'M SORRY, HALL OF FAME.

>> THAT'S STILL PRETTY GOOD.

PRETTY GOOD.

>> SO YOUR THOUGHTS ON PEOPLE HONORED LIKE THAT.

I MEAN, THAT'S GOT TO HIT YOU HARD.

>> DEFINITELY.

AND, YOU KNOW, TEACHING IS NOT NECESSARILY THE KIND OF FIELD WHERE YOU'RE GETTING THOSE BIG TYPES OF AWARDS WHERE YOU'RE ON TV SHOWS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, 2019, I WON ARIZONA STATE TEACHER OF THE YEAR AND IT WAS BIG, AS WELL, AND SO, YEAH, I JUST FEEL LIKE I WISH OTHER TEACHERS HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPERIENCE A LOT OF WHAT I'M EXPERIENCING AND, YOU KNOW, BEING THE FIRST ARIZONA TEACHER HALL OF FAME MEMBER, I'M HOPEFUL THAT I CAN ALSO HELP SOME OTHER FOLKS.

>> HALL OF FAME USUALLY MEANS YOU'VE BEEN AROUND AWHILE AND YOU'VE DONE A GOOD JOB AND YOU'VE BEEN AROUND AWHILE.

WHAT GOT YOU STARTED IN TEACHING?

>> THE SPECIAL OLYMPICS.

I WAS A STUDENT AT SETON HALL IN NEW JERSEY AND I GREW UP IN NEW JERSEY.

A SPECIAL OLYMPIC'S EVENT CAME AND I PUT UP MATS FOR EVENTS.

AND SOMEONE SAID, HEY, DO YOU MIND COMING AND TALKING TO THE STUDENTS BECAUSE I'M TALL.

THEY WERE ENTHRALLED BY HOW TALL I AM, I'M 6'7".

I WENT OVER AND THE ATHLETES WERE SO AUTHENTIC.

IT'S DIFFERENT, WHEN YOU'RE IN A JUNIOR IN COLLEGE, WE'RE SIMILAR AND TALK THE SAME AND DRESS THE SAME.

THEY WERE JUST COMPLETELY THEIR OWN SELVES AND NOT WORRIED ABOUT HOW THEY APPEARED SO THE OUTSIDE WORLD.

AND I JUST THOUGHT THAT WAS SUPER REFRESHING AND DOVE RIGHT IN.

I HAVE TO GO TO GRAD SCHOOL.

I WAS A CHEMICAL ENGINEERING MAJOR.

>> CHEMICAL ENGINEERING, HOLY SMOKE.

WHEN YOU SAW THOSE KIDS, DID SOMETHING RING A BELL?

>> YEAH, THIS FEELS LIKE THE FIT.

I DID LOTS OF THINGS PRIOR TO THAT AND, YOU KNOW, OF COURSE, I WAS A MATH AND SCIENCE STUDENT AND GOOD AT THAT AND, YOU KNOW, SPORTS I WAS A GOOD ATHLETE AND THIS HIT ME INSIDE AND I CAN'T GET IT OUT OF MY BEHIND AND I KNEW WHAT I WANTED TO DO AND CALLED MY MOM.

I WAS LIKE AN HOUR AND 45 MINUTES AWAY.

I WANT TO BE A TEACHER.

>> THAT IS REALLY SPECIAL.

AND WHAT MAKES A GOOD TEACHER?

IS IT THAT PASSION AND THAT KNOWLEDGE, THAT CERTAINTY THAT I'M DOING THE BEST I CAN?

SO MANY TEACHERS, WHAT MAKES A GOOD TEACHER?

>> I WOULD SAY WHAT MAKES A GOOD TEACHER IS THEIR ABILITY TO ADAPT AND CONNECT, RIGHT?

SO ADAPTING TO WHATEVER THE CIRCUMSTANCES, A CLASSROOM IS A PLACE THAT I THINK BEFORE -- I STARTED TEACHING 24 YEARS AGO AND IT WAS REALLY REGIMENTED AND MOST CLASSROOMS LOOKED A LOT ALIKE AND IF I ASKED MY PARENTS ABOUT THEIR CLASSROOMS, VERY SIMILAR STUFF AND ADAPTING TO ALL OF THE CHANGES THAT HAPPENED, WHICH IT HAPPENS CONSTANTLY IF EDUCATION NOW AND IT SEEMS LIKE NOW, IT'S MOVING FASTER AND FASTER WITH TECHNOLOGY AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

YOU'RE ADAPTABILITY IS HUGE AND ABILITY TO CONNECT WITH PEOPLE.

SO I KNOW, OF COURSE, LOADS OF TEACHERS WHO THEY CAN LOOK AT CONTENT AND MAKE IT THEIR OWN, RIGHT?

THAT'S A PART OF THE ADAPTABILITY AND THAT'S WHAT GETS IT THROUGH AND KEEPS THE KIDS ENERGIZED AND YOU'RE ASKING A BUNCH OF YOUNG FOLKS TO SIT DOWN ALL DAY, SIX, SEVEN, EIGHT HOURS A DAY AND HOW YOU ENGAGED THEM, WHAT KIND OF ENVIRONMENT YOU MAKE HAPPEN IN YOUR CLASSROOM IS HUGE.

AND SO THOSE ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT.

>> WHEN YOU STARTED, THE BELL RANG WHEN YOU SAW THESE KIDS.

WHEN -- A LOT OF FOLKS WANT TO DO A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS AND DOESN'T MEAN YOU'LL BE GOOD AT IT.

WHEN DID YOU NOT NOT ONLY DO I LOVE THIS, BUT I'M GOOD AT THIS, TOO?

>> I DID HAVE KIND OF -- LIKE I'VE BEEN A PEOPLE PERSON AND I'VE BEEN ABLE TO CONNECT, WHICH IS WHY I VALUED THAT, RIGHT?

BUT I DID HAVE EARLY SUCCESS WITH, LIKE, BEHAVIOR MANAGEMENT, WHICH, IF YOU ASK MOST NEW TEACHERS, THAT'S THE TOUGH PART.

WHEN YOU HAVE THAT, A LOT OF PEOPLE TELL YOU YOU'RE GOOD.

I DON'T THINK I WAS THE BEST TEACHER WHEN I STARTED TEACHING.

BUT PEOPLE WERE GIVING ME A LOT OF POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT AND A LOT OF PRAISE BECAUSE OF HOW WELL BEHAVED MY STUDENTS WERE.

AND I THINK THAT WAS, YOU KNOW, KIND OF ENOUGH TO KEEP -- PEOPLE NEED SAYING TO THEM, MAN, YOU'RE DOING GREAT WORK AND CAN WE BRING PEOPLE IN TO SEE YOUR CLASSROOM AND I THINK IT WAS BECAUSE OF MY BEHAVIOR MANAGEMENT.

THAT WAS BASED ON THE WAY I CONNECT WITH PEOPLE.

AND THEN, THE GOOD TEACHING, THOUGH, TOR ME, I WOULD NOT HAVE CONSIDERED MYSELF A GOOD TEACHER UNTIL ABOUT 12 YEARS AGO, 13 YEARS AGO BECAUSE I BROADENED MY MIND AND DECIDED EVERYTHING DIDN'T HAVE TO BE MY WAY.

>> INTERESTING.

AND DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE THERE.

>> IT DID.

>> WITH THAT IN MIND, LAST QUESTION HERE, WHAT KIND OF ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO TEACHERS, ESPECIALLY IN THE CLIMATE IN ARIZONA AND OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY NOW, WHERE EDUCATION FUNDING AND TEACHER CONSIDERATION, IT'S A CONTROVERSIAL ISSUE IN MANY WAYS AND WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE A NEW TEACHER?

>> ALL TEACHERS WOULD BE BUILD STRONG COMMUNITIES IN YOUR CLASSROOM FIRST AND THEN TRY AND BRING IT OUT TO YOUR SCHOOLS.

BEHAVIOR MANAGEMENT, THIS COMES WITH BUILDING A STRONG CLASSROOM AND MY CLASSROOM FEELS LIKE A FAMILY.

IF YOU WALK IN THERE, WE TREATED OTHERS THAT WAY, SO WHEN THINGS DON'T GO RIGHT, WE ALSO DID WORK IT OUT LIKE A FAMILY.

WE DON'T SAY, I'M DONE WITH THIS.

THAT'S WHERE, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THAT BEHAVIOR MANAGEMENT FALLS IN AND THE LEARNING, BECAUSE YOU BUILD TRUST WHEN YOU BUILD COMMUNITY AND SO THE LEARNING HAPPENS BECAUSE STUDENTS GIVE YOU THEIR FULL SELVES.

AND LASTLY, WHEN I THINK ABOUT SCHOOLS, IT'S LIKE A GREAT PLACE TO BUILD THESE GREAT HUMANS.

YOU ONLY CARE THEY'RE THESE GREAT HUMANS.

YOU DON'T CARE IF THEY GO TO A GREAT COLLEGE.

YOU HOPE THEY'RE HAPPY, HEALTHY AND REALLY GOOD ADULTS AND THAT SAME THING WHEN YOU'RE BUILDING A COMMUNITY, YOU FIGURE OUT THE STRENGTHS, THE WEAKNESSES, THE THINGS THAT WE ALL VALUE AND HOW TO BRING ABOUT, LIKE, YOU VALUE THIS AND HOW DO WE MAKE THAT A PART OF YOUR LIFE GOING FORWARD.

WHEN YOU BUILD THAT COMMUNITY, YOU DO ALL OF THAT AT ONCE OR YOU CAN'T.

TEACHERS CAN'T DO ALL OF THAT AT ONCE AND A LOT OF THAT WE HAVE TO DO.

>> SPOKEN LIKE A TRUE HALL OF FAMER AND CONGRATULATIONS AND A GREAT WORK -- KEEP IT GOING.

>> LOVE MARYVILLE HIGH SCHOOL AND I'LL BE THERE FOR THE LONG HAUL.

>> YOU'RE A YOUNG MAN WITH A LOT OF STUDENTS TO TAKE CARE OF.

>> YOUNG MAN.

[ LAUGHTER ] >> CONGRATULATIONS.

[ LAUGHTER ] >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>> AND THAT IS IT FOR NOW.

I'M TED SIMONS AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US AND YOU HAVE A GREAT EVENING.

COMING UP IN THE NEXT HALF HOUR ON ARIZONA PBS, WHAT'S NEEDED TO GET WATER FLOWING AGAIN ON TWO ENDANGERED ARIZONA RIVERS.