Building Community 2025 will host Challenges Facing Public Education, the sixth event in their Teach-ins 2025 series, on Thursday, October 2, 2025, 6:30-8:30 p.m. ET at St. Benedict’s Brew Works / Monastery Event Hall, 860 E. Tenth St., Ferdinand, Ind.
Facilitators: Rick Allen, retired Southeast Dubois Schools superintendent; Teresa Kendall, retired educator and former candidate for Indiana House District 63; Mary Roberson, retired Perry Central Community Schools superintendent and owner of Bower Consulting; and Daryl Schmitt, Indiana State Senator for District 48.
Local music instructor Anissa Bradley and her students will perform from 6-6:30 p.m. ET.
What’s the difference between public, private and charter schools? How is K-12 education funded in Indiana? What’s a school voucher? How has education in Indiana changed in recent years? What new legislation may be on the way? These and other questions will be addressed.
We also want to hear stories and perspectives from current educators, students, and parents.
About Rick Allen: Growing up on a small family farm and coming from a family of teachers on the east side of Indianapolis in Hancock County, Rick Allen then attended Purdue University. He received his masters degree from Indiana University and an educational specialist degree from Indiana State University in Terre Haute.
Allen is a retired educator of 38 years. He started teaching agriculture/FFA in 1983 at Forest Park, served as assistant principal for 13 years and as superintendent for eight years, all in Southeast Dubois County School Corporation. He served on many statewide committees, was conference chair for the Assistant Principals Annual Conference, regional director for Indiana Association of School Business Officials, and was appointed to the state school bus committee (2015-2019).
Allen has been and is still very active in the community. He was past president of the Kiwanis Club of Ferdinand and served on the Ferdinand Tourism Commission
in helping plan and operate the Ferdinand Christkindlmarkt. At the beginning of his teaching career in 1984, he helped start the Ferdinand Ambulance Service and held leadership roles as an EMT.
Allen has never met a stranger and continues to advocate for public education. Currently he works part-time with Sakal Campus Service (Josten’s) calling
on area high schools to assist students in ordering their class rings and graduation regalia. He is also an UBER driver for his six grandchildren making sure they
get to where they need to go.
About Teresa Kendall: Teresa Kendall is a public school educator of 33 years who devoted her life to Indiana’s students, families, and teachers. A proud graduate of Indiana State University, Kendall earned her Bachelor of Science in Art Education (1977), followed by a Master’s in Educational Technology (2010) and a Master’s in Learning Theory (2010).
Kendall’s journey as an educator began in Indianapolis Public Schools, where she inspired young minds through the arts. She later taught at North Central High School and J. Everett Light Vocational School in Indianapolis, bringing creativity and real-world learning into the classroom. Her commitment extended beyond Marion County, as she went on to teach in Anderson Public Schools and Lebanon Public Schools, always championing innovative approaches to education.
Known for her ability to integrate multiple disciplines, Kendall became a respected educational media creator, designing cross-curricular materials that helped classroom teachers expand learning opportunities for their students.
Kendall’s passion for teaching has always gone hand-in-hand with her advocacy for strong public schools. As a longtime member of the Indiana State Teachers Association (ISTA), she served as a school building representative and on the Contract Bargaining Panel. Her dedication also extended to the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and the Indiana Federation of Teachers (IFT), where she worked on contract bargaining committees and membership support initiatives. Kendall has consistently raised her voice for policies that strengthen public schools, protect educators, and provide every child with the opportunity to succeed.
Kendall has served as a candidate for state representative in Indiana House District 63.
After three decades in public education, she retired in 2025—but her commitment to public schools, students, and teachers has never wavered. Retirement is simply another chapter in her lifelong mission: ensuring that Indiana’s schools remain strong, inclusive, and fully supported.
About Mary Roberson: Mary Roberson is a retired superintendent and owner to Bower Consulting, where she partners with schools and organizations on grant writing, program development, professional learning, and leadership support. She served as superintendent for 20 years at Perry Central Community Schools and Sheridan Community Schools, where her leadership helped secure millions of dollars in competitive grants and expanded opportunities for students.
Roberson has been active in statewide leadership, serving as President of the Indiana Association of Public School Superintendents, and was honored with recognitions including the Sagamore of the Wabash (2019) and an Honorary Degree from Ivy Tech Community College (2014). A longtime advocate for community partnerships, she has served on multiple boards and currently sits on the Perry County Habitat for Humanity Board.
Roberson began her career as a teacher and administrator and has taught at Indiana University and other institutions. She holds degrees from Indiana University Southeast and Indiana University Bloomington. She resides in St. Croix, Indiana, and is the proud mother of three adult children.
About Daryl Schmitt: State Senator Daryl Schmitt has served in the Indiana Senate since 2024. Schmitt represents Senate District 48, which includes Crawford, Dubois, Gibson, Perry, Pike and Spencer counties in southwest Indiana.
He is a lifelong resident of southern Indiana and has deep roots in his community. A fifth-generation Hoosier farmer, he has worked on his family farm for the past 30 years.
Before serving in the Senate, Schmitt was a member of the Dubois County Council for two years where he worked diligently to enhance economic development and prosperity for the county. He has also served as a member of the Dubois
County Regional Sewer District Board.
He is a member of the Indiana Farm Bureau and has coached local youth basketball and baseball teams. Schmitt is a longtime member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in
Ireland, Indiana.
He has earned associate degrees in Finance and Business Administration from Vincennes University and a bachelor’s
degree in Business Management from Indiana State University.
Upcoming Teach-ins:
All events will be held from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., with music from 6:00 to 6:30 pm ET, at St. Benedict’s Brew Works
Thursday, November 6, 2025: A Look at Medicare, Medicaid, and the Affordable Care Act
In a world that often feels divided, Building Community 2025 believes in the power of conversation to bring people together. We’re inviting all in our communities to join us for a thoughtful, respectful teach-in where we listen with compassion and speak with honesty. We begin to build bridges where walls once stood.
Let’s talk. Let’s listen. Let’s learn. Let’s show up for one another. All are welcomed.
About Teach-ins 2025
With roots in the social movements of the 1960s, Teach-Ins 2025 is a series of events to create non-partisan community discussions about the issues of our time based on facts and a willingness to learn. The series kicked off May 22 with Immigration 101 featuring Sr. Joan Scheller, O.S.B., and Sister Michelle Sinkhorn, O.S.B., from the Sisters of St. Benedict Latino Outreach and Immigration Services. The second teach-in, Tariffs for the Average Person, was led by John Stocker on June 5, and the third teach-in, Race Relations Community Discussion, was on Juneteenth (June 19). The fourth teach-in, How Does Pollution Harm Children? was led by Dr. Norma Kreilein on July 24. The fifth teach-in on August 21 featured veterans Joe Hall and John Stocker addressing national security and foreign policy. Forty-five to sixty people have attended each event.
What Are Teach-ins?
Teach-ins are educational forums or public seminars, often set up in the round to encourage equity, inclusion, and face-to-face conversations, focused on discussing social, political, or environmental issues. Unlike traditional lectures, teach-ins are participatory and interactive, often involving dialogue and friendly debate among participants, with the goal of fostering a deeper understanding of the topic at hand. They are characterized by their informal structure, inclusivity, and focus on active participation and have played a significant role in various social movements by providing a platform for education and mobilization.
About Building Community 2025
Building Community 2025 is a group of concerned citizens in rural southwestern Indiana who saw a need to respond to the current political climate in the US with facts, community, and open hearts. Their focus is building connections within their communities that serve to inspire and educate all citizens.
For More Information
Contact Leann Burke at 219-405-3933 or Patty Ruhe at 812-639-7615.
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