Area Code: Batavia21 Huhti 2025

For Tom Kim, Failure is Not an Option

Batavia Public School Superintendent Tom Kim was forced to grow up fast. But as a second generation immigrant surrounded by family, teachers, and mentors willing to help him achieve his goals, he found his place in the world. Now, he's looking to do his same for Batavia's children.

On this episode of Area Code: Batavia, a conversation with Tom Kim about his early aspirations, the unique community focus of Batavia, and why he almost left education for good.

This episode of Area Code: Batavia is sponsored by Bulldog Plumbing. To schedule an appointment, call: 630-313-9109.

Subscribe to our newsletter to be updated about Area Code: Batavia and find out when new episodes are available.

Join The 630 to support this podcast and our mission to create a stronger sense of belonging in our community. Members will receive:

Free access to quarterly live shows.
Off-week episodes of our bonus podcast, “The Batavia Insider”.
Influence future Area Code: Batavia content. Your voice will help guide future topics and interviews.
Regular opportunities to meet up in person with fellow Batavians who share your passion for our town and want to build stronger bonds.

Area Code: Batavia is always looking for sponsors. Click here for more information.

Area Code: Batavia is produced by Area Code Audio. It's hosted and produced by Richard Clark. Our associate producer and co-host is Alexa Swidenbank. Edited and mixed by Matt Linder. Additional production help from Jennifer Clark.

Tämä jakso on lisätty Podme-palveluun avoimen RSS-syötteen kautta eikä se ole Podmen omaa tuotantoa. Siksi jakso saattaa sisältää mainontaa.

Jaksot(73)

Beyond Randall Road: Building Community on the West Side

Ward 7 is made up of the west side of Batavia, and contains a lot of the West Side staples we often think about: Engstrom Park, the Mooseheart Corn Fields, the High School, and yes, Randall Road. And ...

5 Elo 1h 4min

The Fermilab Physicist Saving the World's Oceans in His Free Time

Arden Warner is an accelerator physicist and a self-described "simpleton." His uniquely straightforward way of looking at the world has made him uniquely equipped to solve some of the world's biggest ...

23 Heinä 58min

Is Batavia a Strong Town?

This episode, we abandon our assumptions about how great Batavia is and give ourselves over to objectivity.Ward 4 Alderman Dustin Pieper is back to run through 10 questions that help determine whether...

9 Heinä 1h 7min

KIDS THESE DAYS - Kim and Liz: Turning Obstacles into Opportunities

Here is the latest episode of Kids These Days, a podcast made in collaboration with Batavia Public Schools that I think listeners to this podcast will love.New episodes will release every month on thi...

30 Kesä 24min

The Nine Lives of John Dryden

John Dryden has been many things. He's been a historian, a high school teacher, a hot dog vendor, a bartender, an actor, a comedy sketch writer, he ran a community garden, and yes, he's also been a bi...

25 Kesä 51min

Making Room for Everyone in Ward 4

Today on the show, a conversation with the aldermen of Batavia's Ward 4, Tony Malay and Dustin Pieper.Batavia is a place of belonging and acceptance. But this kind of culture doesn't come by accident....

15 Kesä 54min

The Man Behind Batavia's Most Controversial Facebook Group

Today on the show, a conversation with the founder of the notorious local Facebook Group, Things to Complain About In Batavia, Joe Runde.My whole life, I've struggled with positivity. This was especia...

27 Touko 52min

Batavia Boardwalk Shops: Bringing Humanity Back to Retail

For this episode, I was given the opportunity to talk to each of the boardwalk shop owners in their own habitat about who they are, what motivates them, and what they hope to accomplish.At a time when...

13 Touko 1h 19min