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Growing Up In America: The Way It Is: Daily Summaries Delivered
by Dr. Robert Sanborn
Growing Up in America is a production of Children at Risk: The Voice of Texas’ Children, a non-profit organization dedicated to research, public policy, law and collaborative action on behalf of Texas’ Youth.Each episode, we aim to fill these same 60 minutes with lively discussion on the children of Texas with experts on the quality of life for our children.
Latest Episodes
The most recent episodes — sign up to get AI-powered summaries of each one.
- 4 days ago56 min
Texas Education & the Governor’s Race, HISD Takeover & School Closures, Preventative Care for Men
On this episode, Dr. Bob Sanborn and co-host Dr. Erica Hattery, physician and Executive Strategy Consultant, explore education, health, and issues affecting children and families across Texas.Texas Education & the Governor’s Race: Megan Menchaca, K-12 Education Reporter at the Texas Tribune, breaks down the education priorities of the candidates for Texas governor, including STAAR and accountability ratings and school takeovers. HISD Updates: Claire Partain, HISD Reporter at the Houston Chronicle, discusses declining enrollment, school closures and consolidations, and the end of the state takeover. Men’s Health: Texas State Representative Senfronia Thompson discusses men’s physical and mental health, access to care, preventative health, and how fathers’ and caregivers’ health can affect children and families.Plus, hear Hip Speak with Natalie Gonzalez and Data of the Day with Sarosh Nandwani.Tune in every Wednesday from 9–10 a.m. on 90.1 KPFT Houston, and listen to new podcast episodes each Thursday morning!
- 1 weeks ago57 min
Teen Dating & Pregnancy, Mobilizing Immigrant and Young Voters, Early Childhood, Kids & Energy Drinks
On this episode, Dr. Bob Sanborn and co-host Brian Greene, President and CEO of the Houston Food Bank, explore issues affecting children, families, and communities across America.Teen Dating & Pregnancy: Dr. Jeff Temple, Director of the Texas Violence and Injury Prevention Research Center, explores trends in teen dating, healthy and unhealthy relationships, pregnancy, and how parents can talk with teens about sex, consent, and pregnancy prevention.Immigrant & Young Voters: Vy Pham, Organizing and Policy Director and Interim Executive Director at Woori Juntos, discusses voter engagement among Asian and Latine immigrant communities, the impact of immigration enforcement on civic participation, and what young people should know about getting involved and voting.Early Learning Quality: Martha Gonzales, Associate Director, Early Quality Learning Network at CHILDREN AT RISK provides an update on the Early Learning Quality Network (ELQN), reflecting on the project’s key issues and lessons learned, and what’s next for the initiative.Kids & Energy Drinks: Dr. John P. Higgins, cardiologist at UT McGovern Medical School, explains the risks energy drinks may pose for children and teens, how they affect the heart and body, and safer ways for young people to stay energized.Thank you for joining us on the air! Join us next Wednesday on 90.1 KPFT Houston or kpft.org.
- 2 weeks ago57 min
Sustainable Texas Cities, COVID Updates, & Children in Immigration Detention
On this episode, Dr. Bob Sanborn and co-host Rusty Bienvenue, Executive Director of AIA Houston, explore:Sustainable Texas Cities: Jay Blazek Crossley, Executive Director of Farm&City, discusses how Houston and other Texas cities can become more walkable, affordable, sustainable, and accessible. COVID Updates: Dr. Michael Chang, Pediatric Infectious Disease Physician and Professor at McGovern Medical School at UT Health, provides an update on rising COVID activity, wastewater monitoring, school precautions, and other viruses to watch as children return to school.Children in Immigration Detention: Krystal Gomez, Managing Attorney at the Texas Immigration Law Council, discusses reports of children being held for extended periods at the Dilley Immigration Processing Center and the potential effects of prolonged detention on children's health, development, education, and well-being.Thank you for joining us on the air! Join us next Wednesday on 90.1 KPFT Houston or kpft.org.
- 3 weeks ago55 min
Home-Based Child Care, Childhood Vaccinations & Texas School Choice
On this episode of Growing Up in America, Owala Maima and co-host Lucy Lusk (Media Activism Intern at CHILDREN AT RISK) discuss:Home-Based Child Care: Mieko Carter, Early Childhood Education Specialist and Advocate with the National Association for Family Child Care, joins us to talk about the challenges facing home-based child care providers and the families who rely on them.Childhood Vaccinations and Health Care Access: Dr. Sanghamitra Misra, Medical Director of the Texas Children’s Mobile Clinic Program, discusses barriers to pediatric care and the importance of preventive health services for children.Texas School Choice: Colleen Dippel, Co-Founder and CEO of Families Empowered, shares her perspective on Texas’ Education Savings Account program and the experiences of families navigating their educational options.Tune in live every Wednesday on 90.1 KPFT in Houston or stream online at kpft.org!
- Aug 19, 202658 min
Childhood Hunger, Texas College Curriculum Changes & A-F Ratings
On this episode of Growing Up in America, Dr. Bob Sanborn and co-host Liza Gomez (Deputy CEO at CHILDREN AT RISK) discuss:Childhood Hunger: John Day, Chief Operations and Programs Officer at Kids’ Meals Inc., discusses childhood hunger in Harris County, what food insecurity looks like for young children and their families, and how Kids’ Meals is working to provide nutritious meals to children ages five and under.Higher Education: Samantha Ketterer, Higher Education Reporter at the Houston Chronicle, breaks down the latest developments at the University of Houston and other Texas universities as they respond to Senate Bill 37.Future of Texas Education: Commissioner Mike Morath of the Texas Education Agency discusses this year’s A–F school accountability ratings, what the results tell us about student outcomes across Texas and where schools are making progress.Listen live every Wednesday, live on 90.1 KPFT in Houston or stream at https://kpft.org/listen-live-hd1/!
- Aug 13, 202657 min
Gen Z and Activism, Proposed Changes to Head Start & Fighting Food Insecurity in NYC
On this episode of Growing Up in America, Dr. Bob Sanborn and co-host Abby Antoun discuss:Gen Z and Activism: Houston-based activist Iqra Tariq breaks down how Gen Z engages in activism, the role of social media and voting, the challenges of organizing in Houston, and what gives young people hope for the future.Head Start: Lyn Lucas, Associate Director of Early Childhood Education at CHILDREN AT RISK, explains proposed changes to Head Start and what they could mean for children, families, teachers, and the broader child care crisis.Food Insecurity: Stephen Grimaldi, Executive Director of NY Common Pantry, discusses food insecurity in New York City, rising costs, access to SNAP, and the policies and investments that can help families achieve greater economic security.Tune in every Wednesday, live on 90.1 KPFT in Houston or stream at https://kpft.org/listen-live-hd1/!
- Aug 5, 202657 min
HISD Updates, Legal Protections for Immigrant Children & Measles Outbreaks
On this episode, Dr. Bob Sanborn and co-host Santrice Jones-Hare, Chief Impact Officer at CHILDREN AT RISK, discuss:Back-to-School in HISD: Megan Menchaca, Senior Education Reporter at the Houston Chronicle, breaks down the biggest changes families can expect for the 2026–27 school year, from controversial special education reforms to Mike Mile's Future 2 schools.Immigration Updates: Krystal Gomez, Managing Attorney at the Texas Immigration Law Council, explains the impact of recent federal funding changes that have left more than 25,000 unaccompanied immigrant children vulnerable to losing legal representation.Measles Outbreaks: Dr. Michael Chang, Pediatric Infectious Diseases Physician at UTHealth Houston, discusses the resurgence of measles, the role of vaccine misinformation and what parents should know as children return to school.Plus, Leelu Misra joins us for Hip Speak, and Jacob Westjohn shares our Data of the Day.Tune in every Wednesday, live on 90.1 KPFT in Houston or stream at https://kpft.org/listen-live-hd1/!
- Jul 30, 202657 min
ICE Protests, Trump Accounts & Child Care Scholarships
On this episode, Brian Greene, President & CEO of the Houston Food Bank, and co-host Dr. Chris Kulesza aka Dr. Data discuss:ICE Protests: Krystal Gomez, Managing Attorney at the Texas Immigration Law Council, explains the legal rights of peaceful protesters, how communities are supporting immigrant families, and how to distinguish verified information from rumors during times of heightened immigration enforcement."Trump Accounts": Elizabeth Colvin, Executive Director of RAISE Texas, breaks down the new child savings accounts created under the federal "One Big Beautiful Bill."Leading on Early Childhood Education: State Representative Armando Walle discusses why early childhood education remains a legislative priority, the recent investment in Texas' Child Care Services scholarship program, and what still needs to be done to make high-quality, affordable child care accessible to more families.Tune in every Wednesday, live on 90.1 KPFT in Houston or stream on https://kpft.org/listen-live-hd1/!
About Growing Up In America: The Way It Is
Growing Up in America is a production of Children at Risk: The Voice of Texas’ Children, a non-profit organization dedicated to research, public policy, law and collaborative action on behalf of Texas’ Youth.Each episode, we aim to fill these same 60 minutes with lively discussion on the children of Texas with experts on the quality of life for our children.
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