Encouraging Teens to Find Their Spark

Encouraging teens to find their sparks is a community affair. It’s pretty amazing because adults can find their own sparks in the process.

Someplace I read the words

You were just waiting for someone to encourage you to be the “more” that you are, weren’t you?

How perfect for what we’re up to ……………… creating the space and place for people of all ages to discover that they are special, they are unique and that they have something very important to contribute to the world.

Participate in your community’s Spark Champions team. If one doesn’t exist, create one.

How?

First, go online to www.Search-Institute.org and print a copy of the 40 Developmental Assets for Adolescents, and order Benson’s book Sparks: How Parents Can Ignite the Hidden Strengths of Teenagers.

As you expand your team, ask each person to do the same. (I don’t lend my books out as I highlight, underline, and attach Post-It Notes to whatever I want to refer to quickly, and I don’t want to influence others as to what they feel is most important to them.)

Develop a vision of what you want to see happen in your schools and communities as you create your team. I created Serendipity West Foundation as a result of a seminar called Life Directions Intensive (http://www.peakpotentials.com/new/courses_camps/ld.html - please use Promo Code: 233754, if you want to explore this seminar).

One of the things we did in the seminar was to draw a picture of what our mission/vision would look like. I drew several pictures on the page, including one of a bunch of stick figures at a school participating in a Challenge Day, and another depicting a project the kids might create as a result.

I took this picture around to everyone and said “This is what I want to do and I have NO IDEA as to how to do it. Who do you know that I can talk with who might be able to guide me?” I explored many leads and ultimately met Arlene Gibson who was so aligned with what I was up to that she became my angel and my mentor.

And now we have scheduled our first four Challenge Days at Redmond High School and Elton Gregory Middle School the first week in January 2009. And we are hosting a Next Step to Being the Change Workshop next weekend, December 5,6, and 7th for 20 teens and 40 adults who want to be Spark Champions even though they don’t know yet about sparks. And Sisters Middle School and Sisters High School, as well as Pilot Butte Middle School have submitted their applications for Challenge Days.

OH, WOW. Do you know what that means? We will be DIRECTLY IMPACTING OVER A THOUSAND KIDS and many others indirectly, and our Spark Champions team will be their support them as they find their sparks.

WHOOPPEE!!!!!!!!!!

You can do this too. Let me know how I can help you.

What Is Your Piece of the Puzzle?

Each of Us Has a Piece of the Puzzle.

Once We Put Our Own Piece in Place,

a Thousand Others Can Then Be Placed.

I first heard "Each of us has a piece of the puzzle" at a seminar in January 2007. I have been able to attribute that phrase to Lillian Smith.

I don't remember exactly the words of the second sentence spoken at the seminar, but I've fine tuned them to say what I believe to be true: "Once we put our own piece in place, a thousand others can then be placed".

Think about it. How many things have you been able to move forward on because of something someone else said or accomplished -- a piece of the puzzle gifted to you?

I believe that I am in a position to empower thousands of teens in Central Oregon.....

.....because T. Harv Eker put a piece of the puzzle in place called "Life Directions Intensive."

.....because Yvonne and Rich Dutra St. John put a piece of the puzzle in place called Challenge Day.

.....because Arlene Gibson put a piece of the puzzle in place by supporting me as I created Serendipity West Foundation.

.....because Serendipity West Foundation put a piece of the puzzle in place by committing to bring Challenge Day and the Be the Change Movement to all the High Schools and Middle Schools of Central Oregon.

It is expected that thousands of remarkable and amazing young people will create remakable and amazing futures for themselves and for Central Oregon, thereby putting thousands more pieces of the puzzle in place.

WHAT IS YOUR PIECE OF THE PUZZLE? (You really do have one.)