Long before his days of domination on the Los Angeles Lakers, legendary Kobe Bryant knew all too well what it was like to be a nervous kid who felt moments of doubt and anxiety.
After retiring from the NBA in 2016, Bryant developed and directed a podcast called “The Punies” through his company Granity Studios as a way to help young children and his own four daughters navigate childhood.
On Wednesday, Oct. 19, the Orange County Department of Education in partnership with Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation and Granity Studios will unveil the Punies Lesson Series to third- through fifth-grade teachers and school counselors in Orange County.
Andrew Ntzouras, a social-emotional learning program specialist for OCDE’s Educational Services division, is facilitating the virtual step-by-step introduction to the lesson series. He and his division spent nearly 18 months developing and creating these lesson plans inspired by Bryant.
“It’s an honor to be part of this work alongside Granity Studios and the Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation,” Ntzouras said. “To be able to keep his legacy going with the Punies is something I’ll treasure forever. I’m very honored to do that. Through this work, the lives of Kobe and Gigi Bryant, and their passion to inspire the next generation, will always live on.”
A surprise visit
In 2018, Bryant visited Ntzouras’ class and surprised his students at Oxford Preparatory Academy’s South Orange County campus in Mission Viejo. The basketball star and his company heard about how the then-fourth-grade teacher was incorporating Bryant’s scripted podcast into his curriculum.
Ntzouras emphasized listening and writing standards for his students as he played the 15-minute episodes in class. He tailored lessons and encouraged them to create interactive projects, such as presentations or songs, that demonstrated their understanding of the material.
“The Punies podcast is a great way to get kids excited about writing because the episodes contain relevant and meaningful topics to them,” Ntzouras said. “The excitement for learning the Punies brings each week is contagious. The episodes highlight themes of good sportsmanship, integrity of character, and working as a team to help children see the value in being responsible citizens in their communities and our world.”
The lesson series
After joining OCDE in 2020, Ntzouras began his work on building the lesson series through a partnership with Granity Studios and the Mamba and Mambacita Sports Foundation.
“The Punies” follow a character named Pete as he navigates a variety of activities — each bringing its own unique obstacle and solution — with his group of diverse friends, who are often referred to in the podcast episodes as the “good ol’ gang.”
The lesson plans integrate social-emotional learning into the classroom, with fun and engaging lessons that enhance students’ self-awareness, self-management, social awareness and responsible decision-making skills.
As a lifelong fan of Bryant and his work on and off the basketball court, Ntzouras said he and his colleagues at OCDE are excited to invite every third- through fifth-grade teacher, along with interested school counselors, to a free virtual introduction to the Punies Lesson Series. The first session will be held on Oct. 19 and will be followed by a second session on Oct. 20.
Registration for the event is required, and the deadline is Oct.18. Anyone with questions may contact Susan Guerrero at sguerrero@ocde.us or call 714-327-1087.