Unitown Spirit

Returned from a truly interesting 6 week Unitown camp, taking 21 assorted high school students, 3 of which were counselors (last year grads). The essence of the camp is training for leadership in diversity (race, creed, sexuality, and the breaking of stereotypes). A truly powerful, life changing discourse taken on by the students. The counselors lead and we as advisors step back to facilitate where needed.

I heard many deep shares and in the end saw a coming together of 92 students as one embracing, loving body who are willing to stand together and make an impact on their community. Students talked about everything they could only whisper about in their heads, they became aware of how many others felt the same way, thought the same thoughts, and felt validated at the deepest level. We heard about students who had contemplated suicide, who felt there was no choice, no voice, and finally could be heard.

Students created thoughtful poems, songs, and shared them in closure during the last two nights; they created skits, role plays, posters for soulful expression. They celebrated each other, cried, laughed, and mourned their last moment together.

The cost maybe $50,000 for the District, the impact on each of their lives and their immediate community, its future so grand and such a gift to the world, we are blessed to have such a program.

Confronting themselves, their stories, their past so they could set it aside and heal - so forgiving, getting past the abuse by self and others. Transformation at its best and captured at such a young age. Students began as insular, self-protective beings and walked away with love as an expression for everyone.

This is why I teach; I am a stand that everyone sees how truly great they are and who they are as gift.

Productivity

Yes, I have discovered a plethora of UTube videos to learn from. There are gems from this one about organizing and having a system that works. I just started the "Effectiveness" class to produce breakthrough results in gaining access to moving a project from an intention into reality, to effectively manage its existence through the various stages that allow for actualized results.

We have a homework group, and mine is made up of 4 men: Lee, David, Mark, and Jaime. We meet at the 5 & Diner once a week, and it's pretty amazing. What I can count on them for is to be a listening for me as to how great I am. It's been pointed out that I cannot see who I am as a truly powerful person who intrinsically knows what to do. It is their promise for me to hold me accountable to myself. I get to be a stand for them in listening for their needs.

What a gift to be listened to in such a manner by men, in a way that has never happened before, and to have intense, authentic, no nonsense conversations with them that slates away the superficial and strikes at the heart of a universal core. There is no chemistry nonsense - it's all business, yet personal. Everything lands perfectly. I am also group leader.

The Effectiveness course is followed by the Velocity course, a truly dynamic way to close off my school year as Lead District Art Teacher and first year high school teacher. Abraham Maslow has a tiered hierarchical chart of human needs: physical, safety, spiritual. Need fulfillment accesses the next stage. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abraham_Maslow

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qo7vUdKTlhk&eurl=http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2008/2/2/my-favorite-productivity-expert-speaks-at-google.aspx