For Marv, it's always, always been about the kids

Marv Smith came to Iola in 1966. He retired from 46 years of teaching at Iola High School in 2012 but continued to coach cross country until the pandemic. If you account for his years of coaching track and field, football, cross country, and his time in the classroom, he touched the lives of thousands of students.

Marv is a local legend and hard to introduce. Hard to write about. He means many things to many, many people. But his focus is unwavering, constant and true: the kids. It's always been about the kids for Marv. Helping them, guiding them, motivating, inspiring and imparting his love of learning. The times change, but Marv was always focused on his students.

In this week's episode, we talk with Marv about what kept him engaged in the classrom for nearly five decades and coaching for even longer. Hope you enjoy the conversation.