SO HOW DID THE WORKSHOP GO?

You might wonder why I haven’t posted since the Next Step Workshop three weekends ago. I am sort of wondering myself. I think the weekend was such a remarkable experience that I needed to assimilate it all before I posted.

I believe that each of us was deeply impacted by the events of those three days. It’s such a treasure to experience events that allow people, young and old alike, to understand that we each are unique and special and have important things to contribute to the world.

For some of us, this might have been the first time we’ve heard these words and the first time others affirmed our expanding concept of ourselves. For others of us, it confirmed and validated what we are up to in our lives.

I’ve spent the last three weeks reading, thinking, and expanding the vision of the impact we can make in our communities in Central Oregon. There is so much support “out there” and so many like-minded people “in here” that together WE WILL BE THE CATALYST that "energizes our families, schools, and neighborhoods to see the potential in each young person” as Peter Benson talks about in his book “Sparks”.

If this is your passion also, for starters 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.

We're looking forward to 3 Challenge Days at Redmond High School on January 6th, 7th and 8th, and 1 day at Elton Gregory Middle School, also in Redmond, on the 9th, 2009. What an exciting way to start the new year, don't you think?

Please share your thoughts and ideas. It really does take a village to raise a child.

Next Step to Being the Change

Tomorrow Yvonne and Rich Dutra-St. John fly into Redmond, Oregon, from San Francisco to facilitate our Next Step to Being the Change Workshop we are holding this Friday, Saturday and Sunday. What a special treat to have the founders of Challenge Day here. It’s “Serendipity”.

We’ll have 40 adults (parents, teachers, counselors, community members) and 20 teenagers (representing various schools) participating. The vision is to create a core group of 60 people who are passionate about bringing programs such as Challenge Day and the Be the Change Movement to our schools and communities.

There are a lot of last minute things to be handled so my post today is very brief.

I can hardly wait to take this next step in our journey to put the pieces of the puzzle in place that will energize our families, schools, and neighborhoods to become Spark Champions for our kids.

Sparks – Something to Get Excited About

Thank you, Peter Benson.

Peter L. Benson, Ph.D., the creator of Search Institute’s Developmental Assets, has written a book called Sparks – How Parents Can Help Ignite the Hidden Strengths of TEENAGERS.

OH, WOW…………having read only the first 46 pages, I know that Benson’s insights support not only parents, but entire communities, to champion our kids as they search for their passion, their purpose, their spark.

And, truly, this is the mission of my foundation, Serendipity West Foundation: Awakening Teens to Their Magnificence and Power, Creating Bold New Futures. I’m just beginning to discover just how many other people have taken this on as their passion, their purpose, their spark.

Sparks? A spark is something inside that gets you excited. It’s something that gives meaning to life. And it’s not just teens we are talking about, it's everyone.

I found my spark late in life. My dream is to be a catalyst in creating the environment in all Central Oregon communities and schools that “energizes our families, schools, and neighborhoods to see the potential in each young person” - and the not-so-young, as well.

So many people – teenagers and adults – live locked-up lives. They meander through life, sometimes checking things off their to-do list, but often not knowing why they are here or why they matter. When you do this too long, you get a nagging sense that something’s missing, and what’s missing is discovering and expressing your spark. (Sparks – page 18)

As has been attributed to e.e. cummings:

We do not believe in ourselves until someone reveals that deep inside of us there’s something valuable, worth listening to, worthy of our touch, sacred to our touch. Once we believe in ourselves, we can risk curiosity, wonder, spontaneous delight, or any experience that reveals the human spirit.

So………………what is your spark? If you don’t know, actively seek it. Once you know what it is, I say GO FOR IT.