I had the chance to sit down with Shelley and Anna Helmreich — a mother-daughter duo both working in education — and it honestly felt like one of those conversations that just kind of takes care of itself.

We started off talking about some favorite memories at Higgins Lake (which set the tone pretty quickly), and then got into what community really means — not just in schools, but in life.

That theme carried through the entire conversation.

🔹 What Does Community Really Mean?

Shelley and Anna shared what community looks like to them — the kind that goes beyond the classroom and shows up in everyday life. A big part of this was supporting others through both the good times and the challenging ones… and also being willing to accept that support when you need it.

🔹 Building Community in Schools and Classrooms

We talked about how that same mindset translates into their work with students — what it looks like to build something real with kids, not just something that sounds good on paper.

🔹 A Unique Mother/Daughter Perspective

One of the best parts of this episode was hearing both perspectives side by side:

• Shelley shared what she hopes for Anna as she continues her career in education
• Anna reflected on her mom’s impact and what she sees as her legacy

There were some really genuine and thoughtful moments in this part of the conversation.

🔹 One Word: The Ideal Educator

Each of them shared their “one word” to describe the ideal educator — simple, but always one of my favorite parts of these conversations.

🔹 Why Teaching?

We wrapped things up with both of them making the case for why teaching is still a great profession to get into — with a mix of honesty, humor, and real perspective.

This episode had a little bit of everything — some laughs, some reflection, and a lot of real conversation about what it means to show up for people.

If you’ve ever thought about the role community plays in education (or just in life), this one’s worth a listen.

👉 To continue the conversation and connect with other educators, check out the Honoring Educators Facebook page.