Got Grit?
"Let us cultivate our garden."
- Voltaire
Got Grit?
"Let us cultivate our garden."
- Voltaire
Created by: Eastern Michigan University Bright Futures
21st Century Community Learning Centers Programs
These materials were developed under a grant awarded by the Michigan Department of Education.
A word about Eastern Michigan University Bright Futures
Our programs currently serve approximately 1200 students and families from 15 schools in three school
districts (Romulus, Ypsilanti, and Wayne-Westland Community Schools) in southeastern Michigan that have
been deeply affected by the struggling auto industry. Our programs support the development of youth voice and
self-efficacy while providing support for academic achievement. We fuel student passion for learning and prepare
middle and high school students to transition to the next level of education. You can check us out at
emubrightfutures.org.
A word about Photo Voice
Photo Voice is a practice in which one's point of view or personal experience is represented by photographic
images often paired with related writing. We use this strategy with our students as a way to inspire reflection and
self-expression. This is one of many Photo Voice books self-published by EMU Bright Futures programs.
Credits & Acknowledgements
First, a shout out to the entire Eastern Michigan University Bright Futures team for their amazing work this
year. For some, this grit project was easy to approach and for others, it was a much grittier venture to hold fast
to the structures and demands of committing to grit goals and producing written reflections. For all, it required
thoughtful self-reflection and a commitment of time and effort in an already demanding after school world.
A special thank you to the editors of this book, Lauren Fardig-Diop and Lauren Richardson. These two
amazing educators worked tirelessly all year to keep us all on track, to edit our work and to create this published
book. Both Laurens are dedicated writers who, themselves, have produced great work. They understand the
importance of written expression and the need for all of us to have our work edited and to rewrite each
submission. The writing process we ask of our students is reflected in the work the Laurens supported in this
book. It is another example of practicing what we preach. This book would not have been possible without their
passion, perseverance, and hard work.
Lastly, this book is born because of the strong support from Director Russ Olwell and all our colleagues at
Eastern Michigan University's Institute for the Study of Children Families and Communities and the Michigan
Department of Education (MDE) Office of Great Start. We are funded through MDE's 21st Century
Community Learning Centers grants. Thus, we are able to develop strong educators who lead in the
development of best practices in order to provide quality afterschool programs for youth and their families in
southeastern Michigan.
Introduction
This project started when someone suggested we have staff book clubs for professional development. What a great
idea! Some team members were ecstatic and others pushed back. Not everyone is a reader, yet, we want all our
students to read. So, each of us read in our own way using either ebooks, paper books, or audio versions. We all read
Paul Tough's book, How Children Succeed, about psychologist Angela Duckworth's work and her concept of grit. She
coined the word "grit" to describe the willingness to take on a challenge, persevere and to struggle and even fail in order
to move forward. In psychologist Carole Dweck's book, Mindset, she discusses the outcomes of decades of research on
achievement and success. She explains the difference between a growth mindset and a fixed mindset. When someone
has a fixed mindset, they believe that intelligence is static. You are either smart or you are not. In a growth mindset,
intelligence is dynamic and can be developed with persistence and effort.
These two books, along with our existing positive youth development framework, the Youth Program Quality
Intervention (from the Center for Youth Program Quality - cypq.org) inspired us to commit to educational practices that
support grit and a growth mindset. The YPQI provides strategies and practices that support youth voice and
governance as well as a professional learning community. The YPQI framework is a solid foundation to which we
added grit and growth mindset. This book brings these three frameworks together in professional educational practice
through self-reflection using photo voice as our means to share our stories.
What best practice can we demonstrate when working to change the culture in our after school programs to one in
which stakeholders embrace grit and a growth mindset? We adults commit to demonstrate, as leaders in the after school
programs, our own grit and a growth mindset, individually and as a team. This is what we do! We set the standard by
embracing these concepts through our own initiative and commitment to self and to the team.
This is a book about practicing what we preach as teachers, educators, and mentors. In it, we, the Eastern
Michigan University Bright Futures staff, commit to setting grit goals, working towards them, and reflecting on the
process that we expect our students to embrace. We do this with an understanding that a growth mindset will contribute
to this process by helping each of us reframe our challenges when we hit a rough patch. This experience is both
individual and shared. Each staff member makes a commitment to become a living example as teacher and educator to
those students, families, and staff we teach. Each of us, in the book, has written three short photo voice essays; one
about a personal grit goal, another about a professional grit goal (in the vain of individual professional development),
and the third about a grit goal that focuses on our programs or administrative work with EMU Bright Futures.
This practice continues to be a lesson in humility as we all fess up to the struggles we have in attaining our goals,
performing difficult tasks and admitting to ourselves the great effort required to persist when the going gets rough. As
one second grader announced to his peers, "when the going gets rough, get tough!" We share these writings in the hopes
of inspiring others to embrace and practice perseverance, willingness to risk failure, reflect, and revise, and a
commitment to practicing what we preach as educators.
About the Editors
Lauren Fardig-Diop
Lauren Fardig-Diop is a prodigal daughter, whose heart always hides in the cracked
concrete of the cities she wanders. Lucky to call multiple places and people home, she is an
educator committed to re-imagining the soul of school, and revitalizing the communities she
works within. She has self-published her writing since 1998 through various zines and blogs, and
has had poems published in "Release", "eleven and a half" and "Rant Art" literary magazines.
She believes in the classroom of the kitchen table, the lecture hall of the front stoop, and that we
are all charged with the task of re-envisioning our world, with our words and our movements.
Born in Detroit, and raised in Ann Arbor, she was the Bright Futures Site Coordinator at Adams
Upper Elementary from 2013-2014. These days she oscillates between the Bronx and the city of
her birth, where she hopes to someday buy property and open a house of poetry and warmth for
transitional youth.
Lauren Richardson
Lauren Richardson grew up on the shores of Lake Michigan, with her toes in the sand and
colorful sunsets over the water. Part of her identity will forever reside within those waves. After
completing high school, she moved to Ann Arbor to pursue a degree in Secondary Education at
the University of Michigan. There, she further developed her identity by embracing her passion
to become an educator. Inspired to make an impact by a number of influential teachers,
including her mom, Lauren gained a clear direction for her future; she planned to become a
teacher! However, instead of becoming a classroom teacher after graduating, she ventured into a
new avenue of teaching - after-school enrichment with EMU Bright Futures. In 2012, when the
Bright Futures' family expanded from ten sites to fifteen, Lauren became the Site Coordinator at
Romulus High School. She is an enthusiastic educator, eager to learn and grow from new
experiences. She is currently pursing a Master of Social Foundations of Education at Eastern
Michigan University and hopes to one day open a teen center for at-risk youth.
Table of Contents
Bright Futures Administration
Lynn Kleiman Malinoff - Director
Scott Teasdale - Assistant Director
Kate Porter - Assistant Direcor
Maria Mitter - Assistant Director
Bright Futures Site Coordinators
Kate Gale - Hicks Elementary - Wayne-Westland
Kathryn Huyghe- Taft-Galloway Elementary - Wayne-Westland
Laura Thatch - Adams Lower Elementary - Wayne-Westland
Lauren Fardig-Diop - Adams Upper Elementary - Wayne-Westland
Anna Chatfield - Marshall Upper Elementary - Wayne-Westland
Amanda McVety - Romulus Middle School - Romulus
Sam Froomkin - Stevenson Middle School - Wayne-Westland
K.C. Lopata - Franklin Middle School - Wayne-Westland
R.J. Quiambao - Ypsilanti Community Middle School - Willow Run Campus
Will Spotts - Washtenaw International Middle Academy - Ypsilanti
Lauren Richardson - Romulus High School - Romulus
Melissa Calabrese - John Glenn High School - Wayne-Westland
Molly Berwanger - Wayne Memorial High School - Wayne-Westland
Pierre Rice - Ypsilanti Community High School - Ypsilanti
Liz Getty - Ypsilanti New Tech High School - Ypsianti
"You can have anything you
want if you want it badly
enough. You can be anything
you want to be, do anything
you set out to accomplish if
you hold to that desire with
singleness of purpose."
- Abraham Lincoln
Lynn Kleiman Malinoff, EMU Bright Futures Director
"If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more,
you are a leader. "
- Lao Tzu
I am a Starter
I am a starter. I see the world in big pictures, bright colors and small details. I have visions and an imagination that
paints them in Technicolor often seeing the rainbow that is possible before the storm and the sun that follows. So, when I
discovered photography, I exploded with passion. I am a visual learner and this form of recording images allows me to see
the world differently, in detail, in patterns, in colors, in lines and forms. It gives me an opportunity to break things down
into macro images and to put things together in new ways in very large landscapes. The creative opportunities are endless
with photography. And I have as much passion for taking pictures as I have ever had for any art experience in my 63 years
of experiencing the world. I quickly learned to compose shots, use the technology in an artistic way and produce
thousands of photos. What I did not anticipate was the requirement to keep track of them, edit them, and make them easily
accessible for printing and sharing.
I am a starter, and I am challenged when it comes to finishing projects. I don't like detail work. I have a hard time
filing papers so I can find them. Most linear tasks, especially those I perceive as mundane, are a great challenge for me. So,
when I decided to start a small business, I knew up front that I would have to do many chores I did not like. 1000 Words
Cards gives me an opportunity to sell some of my photos in the form of note cards. I'm naturally entrepreneurial, so I am
able to derive energy from the VISION that I have of this business.
What is gritty about all this? Well, I am a starter. Developing 1000 Words Cards requires for me to plan, to figure out
a marketing strategy and to get a website up and running. This is my professional grit goal. Not just to have a plan, the
goal is to evolve the business into a functioning operation in parallel to my work with Bright Futures. It asks me to go
beyond the stuff I love (taking photos, editing them, turning them into cards) into areas of great challenge. I need to
organize my photos, work with a web designer and figure out how to get the cards to market. All of this requires a great
deal of perseverance and commitment to the end goal.
The practical application of this grit to my work as director is interesting. As the leader, I can delegate tasks that are
difficult for me and I can almost always find someone with skills to complete that challenging task. So, I can avoid things
that are difficult. In my own business, I have to attend to details, do the gritty work. At Bright Futures, I delegate most of
the gritty tasks. However, there are times when it is my responsibility to carry detailed tasks to completion. For example,
when we write grants, I am the person who must be sure we are producing great work, working effectively as a team, and
writing the best grant possible. From beginning to end, the planning and execution of the grant process is my
responsibility, though the work is shared. Likewise, when I conduct research and write articles, I must painstakingly attend
to the details and accuracy of my work.
I am hoping that the web development and marketing will improve my skills in "marketing" EMU Bright Futures to
the university, the families, and the schools. And I am sure that I will develop even more compassion for my staff and the
tasks required to run a site, some of which are very mundane, but necessary. The other aspect of this grit work is that I am
much more aware of my own desire to quit. When I am confronted by my own negativity and avoidance to task, I now
think to myself, "This is an opportunity for some grit. Maybe I should reconsider." And I find myself pushing through far
more often than before, making an extra effort, seeking help, learning to do the task. Grit stretches me. I am getting
"taller", one grit experience at a time.
So much knowledge is kept under lock and key! Sometimes people hoard their lessons and sometimes folks are too
busy or distracted to pass them along. Others do not believe their learning is worth sharing. I am on a mission to unlock a
process that allows that knowledge to be shared and flow between professionals.
I have learned a lot in my 63 plus years. A lot. So much of what I learned, I learned from others, especially a dozen or
so mentors and teachers who impacted me deeply. Throughout my career I have had mentors and mentored others. It
would be easy to lock up the ideas and strategies, insights and teachings, and keep them to myself. However, there is an
understanding, which is part of the mentoring process, that I will "pay it forward." So, for me, this project is an unlocking
and unleashing of lessons so that others can enter the world of ideas about leadership and mentoring.
I cannot ask my staff to do things I am not willing to do. So, I have a grit project AND the rest of the staff members
have projects. Much like the students, we have staff members who are enthusiastic and some who are much less than that!
But all have agreed to put forth some effort. It is analogous to project-based learning in which the subject is embedded in
an active, complex exercise resulting in a project. This year, in Bright Futures, the resulting project is this book. But it is
about practicing grit so we all know what it is to persevere, step out of our comfort zones, keep trying even when things are
difficult. These are the behaviors we want to develop in the youth.
My grit project relates to my leadership and effort to describe leading through mentoring. I think it is important for
me to demonstrate a high level of reflection and perseverance in my own practice so that others on the staff will do the
same, in part, by observing me. Then they can demonstrate reflection and perseverance for the youth they serve. In other
words, everyone leads by example. We walk the talk.
How do I unlock this process for others to use in their leadership work? I want to develop a handbook on this style of
leadership, "Walking the Talk Leadership!" I have already done some writing on the subject. My grit project is to make
my ideas more accessible; to write the book, an online blog or journal article.
I have just so many ideas locked in my head that I am challenged to find a beginning, a process, and even to figure out
my audience, a requirement for this kind of writing. These locks cover the entire footbridge across the Seine in Paris. I
witnessed the early days. A small smattering of locks was attached to the links. Over the past five years I have watched the
number of locks explode! Sometimes, when I contemplate all that I want to write about this mentoring work, I find
myself lost in the locks. I have so many ideas to share that I struggle to focus, have a head full of thoughts and, and then
find myself avoiding writing, most notably by taking photos (like this one!).
Since this project has been in my head for over two years, I am off to a slow start. So, I asked for help. Recognizing
that help from others is a way to get unstuck, to keep the process moving, is itself a leadership strategy. I now have a
writing coach who I meet at least once a month. I am committed to write for at least two hours each week. I am learning to
set reasonable stretch goals as my time is so thin. Two hours each week is manageable. How do I make this leadership
process clear to others? How can I demonstrate to my own staff my willingness to pay-it-forward? How do I honor my
own mentors? If I succeed, this process will unlock the answers to these questions.
For now, I know that the journey has started. I have some pages written and some reading completed. I know that
putting one foot in front of the other day after day, and I will arrive at completion, so that I can pick up and start all over
with the next challenging writing project.
Unlocking Leadership
Preparing for Take-Off
The wonders of springtime...an industrious pair of robins built a nest on the sconce that
lights my backyard deck, then four eggs with two doting parents, then babies. I watched Mrs.
Robin snuggle for two weeks in her nest patiently incubating, warming, turning, and protecting
her eggs. The babies appeared on a Sunday, and have not stopped eating (and growing) since their
birth. The perseverance required to build that nest a stick, feather, and plastic string at a time and
for gathering enough food for this new family is remarkable. The amount of food needed for
these babies is enormous. This pair of robins provides 40-50 meals daily. This is a commitment!
Every day I take time to sit and watch the robin family and every day change is visible, and the
babies grow. And I know that one day in the next week to ten days, each young fledgling will
leave the nest and fly on its own.
In my professional nest, I shift from building infrastructure to incubating new ideas and on
to develop the professional lives of the young educators who serve our youth and families. This
experience as director of EMU Bright Futures requires perseverance, patience, nurturing the
people and the process, and growth, all of which are essential in developing GRIT. As director,
my job is to grow the administrative team and my staff as educators, both personally and
professionally. I nurture, support, expect and praise the effort staff put forth on a daily basis. I
prepare people to take all that they learn and apply these lessons in the workplace and in life. I
support the team members in their journeys to improve their professional practice and
contribute to the field in ways that help other educators become more effective in their work.
Perseverance and patience are required every time we learn a new strategy or systemic
approach to further developing our program culture. There is a process for learning and growth
in one's practice. First, ideas must be introduced in multiple learning modalities because staff
and students have their own learning styles. And we all need to work hard to nurture these new
ideas through sharing and mutual support. For grit (and for that matter, any new concept or
model we infuse into the program) this means reading the same books, discussing strategies,
developing a common vocabulary and definition of grit and thinking about how to integrate
these concepts, words and ideas into our staff behavior and then to our programs and students.
Patience is a virtue. Perseverance is needed as we are treading on new territory and we make
mistakes.
Fortunately, the reflective process that staff members use to refine their practice is working
well. There is observed behavior change throughout the program as people confront one another
when they identify times that a colleague quits on a new idea or effort or gives up on a student.
There are posters with vocabulary in the Bright Futures spaces and a change in overall language
used in discussing grit with students and families. Given that this is our first year of this effort,
the changes are numerous throughout the sites. This process of integrating new concepts and
ideas takes time, patience and a willingness to practice and revise based on reflection.
I have a dynamic and diverse team of three assistants and two researchers. Our
administrative team is committed to grit and developing a growth mindset. And we are
committed to doing so using a model called servant leadership. Essentially, our role is to guide
and support our staff, while setting the tone, helping to develop a team vision, and all the while,
complying with the grants that fund our programs. This is not an easy undertaking! And it
requires us to walk the talk. In other words, we not only support the staff in developing grit and
a growth mindset for themselves, their staff members and students, but we develop our own as
individuals and as a team, modeling this process for the site coordinators who lead in the field.
I feel like a mother bird in my job. I have much nurturing to do. The staff do not all
embrace new ideas and grit and mindset are no exception to this. We have the early birds ready
to grab the worm and digest the new material. We have others who are less than excited about
reading and adding new concepts and strategies to their effort. So, I find myself squawking at
times, insisting that each staff do the reading and work as part of the team to develop
professionally. Sometimes the students we serve need to be coaxed into trying new experiences
and the staff is no different. Content that will help us all grow as a team and individually
nourishes us, providing new ideas or enlightening old ones. The initiative to develop grit and a
growth mindset came out of staff reading clubs, and I, along with my administrative team,
decided this would be a significant portion of our nourishment and growth during this and next
school year and beyond. Not unlike the robin parents, I am preparing these young educators to
fly in an education world filled with challenges and opportunities. It is the push-pull of
leadership to do so by example, while continuing to encourage, support and at times, coax the
staff to step to the edge of the nest, flap their new wings and fly.
Scott Teasdale, EMU Bright Futures Assistant Director
"Baseball is ninety percent mental and the other half is physical."
- Yogi Berra
The Goal of Today
For over a year now, I have endured a dull, yet intense, pain in my lower back and right leg.
This pain traverses from my back, hip, quadricep, calf, and into my heel. I have not been able to
be as active as I would like to be. I have started, stopped, started, stopped, and started workouts
again and again. It has been an endless process. After all of my self-diagnoses and treatments have
failed, I finally broke down and asked my doctor to prescribe physical therapy. My physical
therapy has involves a series of exercises that focus on using strengthening core muscles. These
exercises are tedious and subtle movements that required a fine attention to how my neck,
stomach, back, and legs are positioned. If you have experienced physical therapy, you know that
it can be a whole grit goal in itself. My grit goal is to get into better physical shape.
This photo represents my grit goal on so many levels. First, I am going to use the old and
tired chain cliché the "weakest link". Well, my core has been my weakest link. The chain being
unbroken reminds me that my injury isn't that big of a deal and I have all the tools available to
become pain free. The slack of the chain (gently on ground) represents that I need to build my
strength/fitness backup so that the chain is taut. I took this picture in the north side of Boston.
The cobblestones and chain date back to the infancy of our country and they remind me of the
importance of health and the lasting affects (good and bad) that our daily actions have.
Being in better physical shape can help me on so many levels, especially as an educator.
Statistics show that a person who exercises on a regular basis misses work less and is more
productive. I also feel that exercise improves my mood. When I and/or my students run into a
really gritty day, I think being in shape will help me to maintain my energy to push through it.
If I were around students each day, I think this goal could demonstrate perseverance on
many levels. First, if I accomplish my goal, students may be able to see a difference in my
physical appearance as well as energy level. Second, I think it can easily be modeled in the
classroom. Students are watching what educators eat and drink. Having a Nalgene bottle on my
desk vs. a big gulp is a notable difference. Being open to discuss fitness achievements and failures
with students can also add to community (showing that I am vulnerable) and may inspire them
to set some long-term goals that require perseverance.
My professional development grit goal, is to gain knowledge of the legislative procedure(s) at the
state and federal levels. How come some laws take years to go into effect? How come some laws are
approved in a very expedient manner? Knowing the legislative procedure will allow me to strategically
time my communications to representatives and to potentially rally stakeholders related to each cause.
Curriculum and money are the two items that typically steer our educational system. Knowledge of the
legislative procedure will help me navigate through the systems to advocate for the integrity of our
public school system.
The first thing you see in this picture is the "Welcome Everybody" sign. I feel that this represents
our democracy, where everyone is entitled to vote. The next item I wish to draw your attention to is the
mess of electrical wires. This represents the many steps and players that legislative initiatives have to go
through. A religious symbol, advertising sign, and a high-rise apartment building can also been seen.
Having these present in the photo, represents the numerous stakeholders that have an interest in many
of our legislative actions....even those specific to education.
The legislative process can be very expedient or stagnant depending on a host of factors.
Celebrating the legislative successes and regrouping after legislative failures is one easy way to show
students what perseverance looks like. Also, if you were to document the communications/inquiries
taken at each legislative step, students will know that it isn't a one and done process. Teaching students
the skills to advocate for cause would be one area that I will grow after focusing on learning the
legislative process. A debate exercise would be great for this. I would recommend splitting students into
two equal groups regardless of his/her stance on a topic. Have one group advocate for school uniforms
and have the other advocate for non-uniform dress code, while requiring respectfulness and facts.
Debating is a way an educator can address many politically charged topics without influencing students'
beliefs. In the end, as an educator, I want my students to be able to articulate and substantiate his/her
views.
Having enough knowledge of the legislative process to reach out to representatives in a timely
fashion and communicate legislative advocacy to stakeholders of a topic can really add to an
organization. It will aid in strategic efforts, help to plan based on potential legislative decisions, and
advocate for the needs of the organizations. Knowledge of this process can also be beneficial as an
educator, as I will be able to teach students to advocate and build in teachings of the legislative process. I
look forward to keeping pace with the legislative process and how it has and will effect my organization.
Working Toward Grittiness
Decoding Grit
By the end of May, the business office will be able to perform a budget amendment
for all 3 grants and submit the amendments to Michigan Department of Education (MDE)
for approval. Completing a budget amendment communicates to our funder that the
allocation of our resources have changed slightly. Budget amendments need to be
approved at the state level before we can file our final reports and in some cases, before
purchases can be made. Our accounting system here at Eastern Michigan University
(EMU) is setup for EMU and not 21st CCLC afterschool grants. This causes the need for
the business office to apply the functions codes. Function codes applied to the
expenditures of the grant categorize those expenses into pre-defined areas by our funder,
MDE. Function codes are then required by our sponsor in order to give them an accurate
report and to allow them to report aggregate spending for all of the state's 21st CCLC
grants. The application of the function codes is a time consuming and rather tedious task.
We call this task coding and the budget amendments can then be developed based on our
coding efforts.
Unfortunately, the business office doesn't have the luxury to dedicate all resources
toward coding until coding is done; rather, it is completed in bits and pieces. Coding takes
a few days for each grant and is a very gritty task. The business office works as a team,
compiles the information, and reflects on best practices to accomplish this task.
A sloppy pile of papers and a neat stack of files are the subject of this grit photovoice
picture. The sloppy pile of papers represents all the information that the business office
pours through to code and develop the information needed to use the budget amendments.
The neat stack of files represents the end outcome of organized and complete information.
Budget amendments are important to our programs for many reasons. They can tell us
what we have accomplished and which efforts in certain areas need to be improved. When
completed in a timely fashion, amendments can also provide information that may allow
us to rededicate resources to other areas of operations.
Kate Porter, EMU Bright Futures Assistant Director
"You're off to great places. Today is your day.
Your mountain is waiting, so get on your way."
- Dr. Seuss
How Dreams Come True
Being diagnosed with a learning disability in high
school was such a relief in some ways. I finally figured
out why test taking was so hard for me, why I truly
never got math at all and especially why writing was
such a struggle. When I graduated from college, I knew
in my heart that I needed to have a break from school.
Making the decision to go back to school for my
Master's in Early Childhood Education was a hard one.
Asking myself: can I do it? Will I be able to fit it all in?
Will I still be a good wife and a good mom? It is hard to
think about spending less time with my family; I already
feel as though I hardly see them at all.
There is no way that I look forward to classes and
homework and missing out on some kid moments, but
my daughter has a dream - a dream to teach. She is in
fourth grade and I want to be able to show her to follow
her dreams. Even though I know that I will struggle
with the daily organization of work, school and family
and even want to give up, I will not give up. I want my
daughter and students around me to know that hard
work and dedication will pay off in the end.
This Master's degree that I am going for may take
me two years, it may take e twenty years, but in the end
my little lady will see just how dreams do come true.
The Role of Reflection
I would like to develop a healthy culture of continuous improvement
based on reflective practices for all Bright Futures programs. When I first
started my job as site coordinator seven years ago, I had no idea what
reflective practice was nor how to do it. Throughout my years of working
with children I never knew just how important it was.
With a lot of training and support and tons of practice, it was a lesson
that seemed to come very easy to me. Being a site coordinator allowed me
to teach not only my staff, but also my students just how important it was
to reflect on the practices that they were accomplishing while being in
Bright Futures. I worked very closely with a staff member who ran a
bowling club. Each week he would come back from his club upset that it
did not go well. I spent time at his club and really observed what was
happening. Between the two of us, we did a lot of question-raising and
answering to altogether improve the club. That was proof enough to me
that reflection has true benefits!
I now look at the current position that I am in and the reflective
practice seems to be even more important. I am able to work with site
coordinators and help them reflect and grow within themselves as well as at
their sites. I have learned that this is more challenging than I thought.
Even with the challenges that I face, I will continue to progress and support
my peers both in their personal reflective practices and their site practices.
Making Visions a Reality
As part of the gritty administrative team I would
like to develop myself into a supportive trainer and help
others achieve goals they have set for themselves keeping them accountable for the goals that they set. I
would like to become more skilled at supporting and
help them develop a strong vision for where they would
like to see themselves 3 years from now. Once they've
developed a vision, I hope to be able to support them
with training and tools to get them moving toward their
vision.
I feel I have a strong start for becoming a supportive
trainer. I have become a 'YPQA Methods' trainer,
attended the Zingtrain 'Leading with Zing' training, as
well as, the 'Seven Habits of Highly Effective People'
trainings. With all these opportunities, I hope to work
with the site coordinators to help them see what their
strengths are and where they are in need of support. By
doing this I will help them build a successful plan...by
having them start small with some simple bottom line
changes (things that are happening right at site level).
After we have achieved the small changes I would like to
help them develop a strong goal timeline as to what they
would like their site to achieve year by year. Hopefully
my leadership skills will help keep them accountable for
their goal timelines. I would like to be the kind of leader
that I would follow!
Maria Mitter
EMU Bright Futures
Assistant Director
"Teaching people how to develop
grit, is like planting a flower. You
must care for it by watering it so it
will grow, fertilize it so it will
strengthen and allow sunshine for
it to flower. Pests will try to
impede its development, but
continuous care will allow the
flower to grow strong, year and
year, even through polar vortex
winters!"
- Maria Mitter
Regaining Strength
As a child I was very active in sports and the outdoors. I played soccer from an
early age, figure skated and played softball in middle and high school. As I have
gotten older, I often find myself too busy to enjoy the simple things in life, the things
I enjoy most. I spend my free time working around my house and going to almost
every one of my niece and nephew's soccer games. I love to watch them play! My
nephew shares the same love for the game that I once had.
I have wanted to play soccer as an adult for quite a long time, but have been
hesitant because of my back. In 2007, I had back surgery. Since then, I have avoided
the sports I loved to play, not because I was told I should, but because I'm scared to
re-injure myself. In fact, my surgeon told me I could continue to do and play
anything I would like. Having back surgery at the age of 28 and knowing what the
potential complications could be, I never want to have to face the feelings I had
leading up to that day again. The recovery wasn't horrible, but the plethora of pain
medications I was required to take to manage my pain is not something I ever want
to put my mind and body through again.
I golfed for the first time since having surgery last summer without any
problems. So, I feel soccer is next! However, some things need to happen before I
can run up and down a field with people much younger than me and keep up! This
is where the bicycle, iPod, and in-line skates come into play. I need to build my
stamina and strengthen my core.
My personal goal is to begin in-line skating and riding my bike. I will also
incorporate core-strengthening exercises like yoga. This will not come without its
challenges. However, I am committed to getting where I need to be so I can join a
friend's soccer team and play aggressively, like I did as a kid! You may see my name
in lights at the over 30 co-ed soccer tournament...if there is one!
Over the past few years, I have become acutely aware of the role I can play in giving the work we
do a voice. I have the power to influence the decisions made by our legislatures and community
stakeholders. I can change how funding is used across our state and across our country. I can empower
our students and their families to share their voices and be heard.
On many occasions, I have been told to contact my congressmen, reach out and share a student's
success story, or stop by their office and talk to them. I have always been very hesitant to do this, to
step out of my comfort zone and do something I'm not confident in doing. Well, I have decided this has
to change. I can't ask my colleagues to advocate for our funding when I'm not advocating myself. It is
my professional goal to meet with legislators to share stories, invite them to our programs, show them
how we change the students we work with and why they should keep our funding for after school
programming. This extends to the Michigan Department of Education as well. We must show them
how we are using our funding and why it must remain with 21st Century Community Learning Centers
(21st CCLC) programs. We must demonstrate the need and illustrate the impact that 21st CCLC
programs have on at-risk youth across the state of Michigan.
To begin on this journey, I had the opportunity to attend a coffee hour in November with Michigan
Senator Glen Anderson, Representative Robert Kosowski, and Wayne County Commissioner Richard
LeBlanc. I learned a lot about the government from different perspectives at the county and state level.
Much of what was discussed by the residents who attended doesn't affect our funding directly, but it
does affect me as a taxpayer in Wayne County and the State of Michigan.
This opportunity did allow me to connect with each of the gentlemen and begin a conversation
about our programs and our funding. Both Senator Anderson and Representative Kosowski support
our programs and our funding, but they don't have any influence at the federal level where our funding
comes from.
I would like to meet with each of them to discuss how we can gain the attention of folks at the
federal level, state representatives who serve on education committees, and the leaders within the
Michigan Department of Education. I would love the opportunity to take an adventure across
Washington DC and meet with some of our legislators at the federal level. This would be very
uncomfortable for me, but I'm confident through coaching and preparing, I will be successful in my
work as an advocate for our programs and help sustain 21st CCLC program in the United States.
Bright Futures Backer
Crafting A Vision
EMU Bright Futures has been working with Zingermans in Ann Arbor on work around
race and class. Through our work, we have witnessed the energy and "zest" within their culture.
Their employees are empowered to do better and provide a better product for the good of the
whole company. This experience has led Bright Futures to learn from this culture and what
drives their success.
Zingermans had a vision to "provide great food, great service and solid profits." This has
been their guide through the murky waters of the food industry. Their vision has allowed
Zingermans to walk a clear path while introducing new concepts and initiatives just as long as it
kept with their vision. Does adding x product align with our vision?
EMU Bright Futures needs a vision that will guide us through our journey to provide
engaging opportunities for students in a safe and supportive environment. Each year we develop
a new charge that each site will participate in and add to their menu of unique experiences for
students. However, adding this work without a vision creates a tumbleweed of activities without
a clear path to our end goal.
I believe our goal is to provide our students with unique opportunities where academic
concepts and strategies are embedded in activities within a safe environment while promoting
excitement and energy to learn and attend school. This is my goal for the work we do each day,
but others may see it differently. Our program goal will be made clearer through our visioning
process.
As a whole team, we must agree upon our vision as a whole organization, our focus for
everything we do. Then, we can ask ourselves, "does this strategy align with our vision?"
Developing a vision will allow the administrative team to organize strategic training
opportunities for staff that aligns with our bottom line. Furthermore, a collective vision will
consolidate our efforts and demonstrate our focused efforts to meet our goal. Our professional
development will be charged with focus and efforts will not be lost in the tumbleweed of
activities that take place over the course of a school year.
EMU Bright Futures will develop a vision with its own zest and energy that will support
our growth in size and impact our work across each of the districts we work in and with the
families we work with.
"You may encounter many
defeats, but you must not be
defeated. In fact, it may be
necessary to encounter the
defeats, so you can know
who you are, what you can
rise from, how you can still
come out of it."
- Maya Angelou
_________________________________
Kate Gale
EMU Bright Futures
Site Coordinator,
Hicks Elementary
_________________________________
"It's happening..."
_________________________________
Find The Good
"Every day may not be good, but there is something good in every day." -Jo Shaffer
By no means am I a "Negative Nancy" but trying to find my positive mental attitude every
day has been tough. On my drive home from work in the evenings, I try to reflect on at least one
thing that was good that day. A smile from a student who has been struggling, the next great
project idea for the kids to work on, inspiration and excitement to weave into my life. There are
so many positive people, things, and attributes in my world...these are the elements that need
focus. These are the components that fuel me as a human, and push me from one day to the next.
This quote, by Jo Shaffer, helps me to remember that I can find the good. I, or anyone, could
be having the absolute worst day and there can still be a positive focus at the end. It's unrealistic
to think that every day will be sunshine and rainbows; we will all experience storms and
cloudiness at some point. However, if you can find that one beautiful flower, recognize the
soothing smell of rain, or discover the beauty during the storms and darkness then you have
found something good on which to focus. Good can come from any situation.
My goal is to not only find at least positive mention during work, but also in my personal
life. Find the good. I have always had high expectations for myself. Some may call it
'perfectionism' but I see it more as giving it my all and accepting nothing less. At times, this can
cause a negative outlook if things aren't going the way that I anticipated; those are the times that
I need the good, to shift the focus from negative to positive. It will be constant work and daily
reminders that I am doing my best, that I am seeking the good, and I need to trust in the fact that
I am in the exact place in life where I should be. My focus will be on the positive blessings that I
possess, and the search for the moments of good, that impact my world.
My Own Bright Future
I often ask myself what I want to be when I grow up. I realize, in technical terms, that I am
indeed a grown up. I am thirty years old, own a home, and have a full time job. The path that has
led me to Bright Futures as an educator has been one that I never planned nor envisioned, but
really, could not have planned it any better! I am in love with where I am professionally.
However, I know I need to take myself to another professional level...my master's degree... in
something. My professional grit goal is to discover myself again as a student this coming fall and
to further my learning and ideas to something bigger. In the coming months, I will be researching
and reflecting on where I want to go, what path I want to take, and what discipline suits me best.
It is so imperative to further myself in education and by doing that, help to further others. I only
hope that my future will be as educational and awakening as my present. Self-discovery, here I
come!
I don't really know what to do for my MA because I have a lot of areas of interest. Child
development was my undergrad, with elementary focus, thus my teaching degree. I cannot
handle middle school or high school kids. I need to work with the younger ones. Counseling is
another field that I'm looking at diving into. I feel like I do a lot of counseling with the kids
already, and I seem to be the person who people, like friends and family, come toward to talk
things out and get a new perspective on different situations. Social work combines both child
development and counseling, with the same age group.
Speech has always been an interest. I have taken all the undergrad classes for speech, have
applied a few different rounds for masters programs in speech and language pathology (SLP) and
never got in. I do love the field of speech and neurology, but it was when we applied for the G2
grant - I gave it to God. I was lost. I needed some guidance, and I needed to know what the plan
was for me. I needed a sign, and I got one. We got the grants - and that was the sign that this,
Bright Futures, is the path I'm supposed to be on. Educational leadership is the adult choice. But
I'm feeling like I'm growing more as a leader. I've tampered with the idea of doing curriculum
development in the beginning. Maybe that would be a good idea. One thing that I am very
certain, I know I belong in education of some sort and working with children. I have a true
passion for each of the students that walk through my door. Now I have to research, I again
have to figure out my path, and I will wait for the sign I need to guide me.
Follow Through
I'm a person who likes projects...engaging, artistic, crafty projects! I have always felt, especially
from an educational perspective, that it is better to spend quality time producing something special. I
like being creative. This connects to follow through because nothing usually gets completed, at least this
year. Perhaps it is because it was more simplified last year. So, this year I wanted to push my students'
thoughts and ideas beyond the boundaries of the box, with multiple writings, drawings, and projects.
When the new project is introduced - lots of people are excited, but the excitement eventually tapers
off. We have the usual 'rush through the project' group, the 'thoughtful and careful of what I'm creating'
group, and the 'I never really get to do the project because of homework and I am upset' group. It
always starts off like, "this is awesome, I can't wait!" but then the focus is lost and the students want a
new focus or none at all. We started "When I Grow Up" in our first year of programming, and I vowed
to do that project every year. We began it again in May, and made it thoughtfully deeper than last year,
which was truly just writing on a small chalkboard what they wanted to be, took a photo, and made it
into a poster with everyone. This year, the students made themselves as grown-ups, traced by a friend
and created the life size poster as what they see for their future. They also wrote about what types of
tools they would need in order to accomplish their goal. We were supposed to also take a photo of each
student dressed as what they wanted to be... no photos were taken because again, we ran out of time and
did not follow through.
There are so many questions I have, and I am currently working and reflecting on them. How do I
keep that level of excitement, but also follow through to complete the project? How do we integrate the
kids who always have homework? How do we handle the kids who are always done with the project
first? How do I get the kids on the same page?
In my photo, there are three "grown-ups" hung up for all to see. There are, obviously, more than
three students in the program. While this project required much more time, dedication, and thought, we
still needed more than 4 weeks to have it completed for the majority of the students. The level of
engagement never left this particular project, but it has left in others. This photo reflects incompletion. It
reflects that my program grit goal is to follow through, to figure out a way to have as many students be a
part of these projects as possible...maybe make it more simplified instead of in-depth, give more time for
completion instead of rushing, or encourage the students take it home to work on instead of just at
program time. I know it will be a learning experience for me along the path of discovery.
Kathryn Huyghe
EMU Bright Futures
Site Coordinator, TaftGalloway Elementary
_________________________
"Grit: Working
through things
even if you're
uncertain of the
big picture."
- Kathryn Huyghe
Mission: Organization
Establishing a home for things helps to make
spaces more organized. My personal grit goal is to
get my house more organized. Working full time,
taking graduate classes, having two young children,
and finding time to spend with my husband leaves
very little time to do the things I would like to do
let alone get to the things I don't want to do. This
includes cleaning and organizing my house. I have
decided to specifically work on organizing my
daughter's room and teach her how to keep it
organized. She is very into crafting and projects but
does not have a designated place to work and is not
always good about getting things put away. My
goal is to turn her closet into a craft area with
storage and workspace. I want to have room for
her to work on projects and have a "place" for
everything to get put away.
This will help me as an educator because I will
be able to carry some of these creative storage ideas
into our Bright Futures workspace. We have
already started with our classroom storage closets. I
generally am pretty good about setting up a place
for things to be stored and put away however, I am
not always good about keeping it that way. My
photo is a start to my daughter's workspace. It is a
work-in-progress!
At a Crossroads
A bridge can be defined as something that connects two places together. When
thinking about professional goals I immediately think of long-term goals and how I
will connect what I am doing now to where I want to be in the future. I have been
working in the field of education as a classroom teacher and with after school
programming for over 15 years. However, for the past several years I have been
going back and forth about whether to continue in the education field or to use my
professional training and experiences to move in a new direction. After much
thinking about available opportunities in the education field and my long-term goals,
I have decided that I am ready to do something else professionally. I no longer have
the desire to work in a classroom setting and would like to work more indirectly
with students or even with adults.
I am currently working toward a business degree in human resources. I am
hoping this path will lead me to opportunities that are a good balance between the
things I enjoy about education and learning a brand new field. My professional goal
is to continue my studies and at some point find the perfect marriage between
education and human resources. This may be in a training capacity within an HR
department or corporate setting...stay tuned!
My photo is of a bridge. This represents my professional goal because I am
working toward a degree in human resources in hopes of finding a bridge to
something new. Working on this new path shows grit because I am not sure, yet,
exactly where it will lead. I think it is difficult to stick with something when you
are not certain of the outcome. The thing that keeps me going is the fact that I enjoy
learning new things and therefore, I am enjoying my studies in the business world!
Challenge Your Brain
I feel like I have been trying for the past eight years to come up with
solid, meaningful activities for the kids who do not have homework to
work on independently. It is always a struggle to find things that are not
busy work, are appropriate for all ability levels, and are engaging. This
time during the day, we have students who are working on homework and
desperately need assistance. So, the students who are finished with
homework or do not have homework for the day need to be able to work
independently...this is where the problem arises. Activities either require
some modeling, assistance, explanation, or we have students who have a
difficult time staying on task. My goal is to continue to find a good balance
in activities for this important time in the program.
My picture is of jigsaw puzzles. I think it would be fantastic to get the
kids interested in jigsaw puzzles. Research has shown that puzzles and
brain-teasers are an effective way to increase cognitive, spatial-relational,
logical, and overall skills. It would be a great activity for students to do
when they are finished with homework. However, a majority of the kids
would not be drawn to these activities without adults to work with them,
which we do not have during this time period. It would take a tremendous
amount of grit development to get them to work on puzzles and brainteasers. Hence, my struggle!!
"Over time, grit
is what separates
fruitful lives from
aimlessness."
- John Ortberg
Laura Thatch
EMU Bright Futures
Site Coordinator, Adams
Lower Elementary
_________________________
"All great
changes are
preceded by
chaos."
- Deepak Chopra
The Next Level of Learning
After spending so much time going to school, I was ready for a break. I
always thought I would only take a year or two off before going back for a
master's degree. Then, I was going to continue schooling once I started teaching
and had my own classroom, and when that did not happen, as always, life just
got in the way. It is now time to get back to it and begin taking graduate
classes. My personal grit goal is to finally further my education and work
toward a master's degree in early childhood education.
The photo I took is of the computer screen that displays the class that I will
begin for winter semester. The class is a hybrid course, half lecture, half online,
so it seems fitting that a computer screen would represent this goal. My
computer helps me accomplish so many other personal and professional tasks,
but it was also be my first step toward furthering my education.
Regularly, my kids at program work hard on their homework and
academic activities. They get frustrated and want to quit or move on to a new
activity. It would be just as easy for me to take a class and if I didn't like it, or
feel I don't have time for it, to just drop it and try again another semester. By
committing to this goal, I will show my kids that through perseverance and
determination, no matter how hard the work is or how many other projects I
need to complete, I need to stick with it and do my absolute best. I feel if they
see a teacher continuing to learn, it will spark their interest to grow and learn
new things as well.
Branching Out
I am a person who likes things done a certain way. When I have a vision in my
head, I have a hard time letting go of the task and allowing someone else to do it who
might not see it exactly as I do. Because of this need to have things done 'just so', I
take on too much at once and get entirely overwhelmed. This issue affects me both
at home and in my professional life. At home, I have become better at sharing
responsibilities with my husband, who reminds me I don't have to do everything on
my own. He is there to help, too. However, at work, I still take on too much and do
not utilize my highly capable and amazing staff to their fullest potential.
Therefore, my professional grit goal is to "branch out" of my comfort zone, and
hand over more responsibilities to my site staff. By sharing these tasks, my staff will
be even more involved with the planning process and the implementation of
academic enrichment activities, as well as other tasks that may arise. Along with
handing over more responsibility to my staff, I would like to make it my goal to
involve our students even more with the program planning process. We utilize
youth voice quite well, when it comes to recreational club time, but I would like to
utilize their voice and choice when it comes to homework/academic time.
By working on this grit goal, I hope to not only overcome an ultimately
unhealthy personality trait, but to also better our program with more staff planning
and youth leading. I want my students to know that everything doesn't always go as
planned, and you can't do everything on your own! You need to ask or be willing to
receive help and always try your best, but sometimes you can also step back and let
others try, too. I thought this photo was a great visualization of the theme of my
professional grit, branching out!
Torn Between Schools
"Ms. Laura, what are you doing here?" one of my second grade students asked as I walked
into Elliott Elementary School. I had been there several times throughout the school year, but
for some reason, this was the first time he had seen me there. Servicing two different lower
elementary schools and having our site be at the upper elementary building has its positive
advantages; but unfortunately, the disadvantages outweigh the good.
Our site space at Adams is amazing and I couldn't ask for a better space that is all for Bright
Futures! If I were housed at either of the schools we service, I wouldn't have that luxury. Having
worked with a site that was the place of service, I know the difference, and being at the school
students you serve attend is incredibly easy, in comparison! What I miss most about having a site
at the school we service is the connection that I had with the school day teachers. With so many
changes in our student's curriculum, I need to make an even stronger effort to connect with the
school day teachers, to better assist my students after school.
Due to a busy schedule and the fact that it is more convenient to work at my site at Adams
Upper Elementary School, my first attempt to reach this goal did not go as well as I would have
liked. My first plan involved me working from both Elliott and Hamilton (we serve students
from both those schools) a couple times a week. I did this a few times, and it was fine, overall.
However, the more I thought about it, the more I felt I did not want to be a bother to the
teachers during their very limited lunch break. Not to mention, my students didn't even see that
I was there!
For my new and improved goal of connecting with each school's staff, I would like to
volunteer in our students' classrooms once a week and also invite the teachers and staff to come
to us once a month for a teacher appreciation gathering of sorts. This way, I would get to see
what they do, and they could get a glimpse of what we do.
With my work on this goal, I want my students to see that even though you set a goal for
yourself, you may not always achieve it the first time around. This is when you have to
reevaluate your plan, devise a new one, and try again...and again...and again, until you ultimately
reach your goal.
"Grit is pushing beyond the
platitudes, and finding
authentic connections that
will encourage you to
embrace discomfort and
embark on a journey that
always seeks to push you
outside the box."
- Chrissanne Long
Lauren Fardig-Diop
EMU Bright Futures Site
Coordinator, Adams Upper
Elementary
______________________________________
"Your vision will become
clear when you look inside
your heart. Who looks
outside, dreams. Who
looks inside, awakens."
- Bell Hooks
Beholding
I am locating the intersection between personal and professional, and I've never known how to set up
walls between them. I am what I do, my heart pumps passion simultaneously through each of my eyes, ears
and thoughts. There isn't an hour in my day when I am ever fully entrenched in one world, because I exist in
many. We wear myriad masks, and become dozens of people in the course of one day. So when do I exist
alone, as one spirit growing? We have heard the old adage that we must take care of ourselves first, others
next... but I educate in a backwards form of this equation. I am taking care of others' gardens, and trying to
help them cultivate their sunny days, but my own plants are in need of water.
It is easy to understand how this prioritizing of others began; as a young, dedicated educator who filled
her after-school time with overzealous clubs and lofty goals, I dug myself in. In retrospect, it's because I
believe that I will replenish myself that I give away more than I have. I live vicariously through new moons
and because I empathize, because I want to help others first, I struggle to find time for myself. With a family
to take care of in addition to my work, I become the gatekeeper of promises that are hard to keep. I constantly
wonder why I can't pull all of my galaxies together - but we are each stars with our own gravitational pull and
orbital planets. We each have our own paths and I cannot disrupt yours. If I can harness this balance of
professional and personal, I will be better able to help my students start walking their own routes, planting
their own seeds and learning how to care for them.
These trees against the sky made me grind my day to a halt so that I could take a moment. This image
represents a need to look up, a need to look within. How can you ask a tree to divide its roots by time? I am
myself in all spheres of my influence and cannot divide me in equal quadrants for easy quantifying; I must
replenish myself first, so that I have the energy to help others. Where will this energy come from? In trying
to build a small space for myself inside of my overflowing life, I need to see the crisp blue behind vermillion
leaves - I need to look up and behold more often; it is in the small moments of life that joy takes root.
In learning to tend my own spiritual space, I can teach my students to hold onto themselves. We are
constantly being told to change in our society, so the process of focusing on oneself and on building selfesteem is often started and then abandoned. To me, this means I must take time to behold all the beauty I
bring, even if no one else recognizes my contributions. This beholding begins with me. It begins with walks
through my childhood neighborhood, past playgrounds and schools that made me who I am. This beholding
whispers of Sankofa: sometimes we must look back to move forward. With a stroller as my sidekick and my
son bringing his orange octave to the echoes of birds, I walk 10,000 steps toward a well-kept garden.
The Eye of the Storm
My husband calls me a "beautiful tornado". I am determined to keep a clean home for our son, but the
disorder begins at my office door. If the reflection of one's mental state is truly the way they keep their office,
then I am a cacophony of cyclone-struck clutter. My home office is my sanctuary of disaster: it explodes with
books I'm currently reading, journals, art projects I've begun, baby clothes I've been meaning to donate, bills and
half-finished scrapbooks that I'll get to... tomorrow. Though it's hyperbolic to pass myself off as a complete
disaster, I long to have a place for everything and the time to put everything away. The truth is, I don't prioritize
organization, because I flit from great idea to the next great idea, leaving a trail of glue sticks, paper shreds and
coupons in my wake.
However, for safety and efficiency reasons, I am coming to terms with my mess and understand that I need
to shift organization to the front burner. While my desk at work is perpetually in a "less messy than home" state,
it is not easy for me to find what I'm looking for. When I attempt to clean, Kate often laughs. Sometimes, I feel
sheepish as I attempt to help students find things in our room. I need to become a stronger force of cleanliness,
as a model for our students, who are their own storms, often raining school supplies to the floor in careless
abandon.
This photo is a documentation of my current state of disarray, and it is humbling to see it and to consider
publishing it to the world. In doing so, I am admitting that this is an issue for me, which extends to both my
professional and personal worlds. Part of our job is to teach life skills to our youth, and being able to organize
their folders, backpacks and learn those executive function skills that will help minimize the stress of clutter is
important to the teens and adults they will become.
In order to learn how to better organize my brain and my space, I will be consulting some members of our
team who excel at organization, to learn about what they do to systematize their lives toward a clutter-free
existence. This will include creating a concrete schedule for my weeks, to ensure sure that I am constantly
tending to the mess before it becomes the hurricane.
This effort will also require purging of things I no longer need, in an effort to be true to my faith and
disconnect myself from the material things that I do not need to surround myself with. I am a Nichiren
Buddhist, and my clutter conflicts with my practice. Buddhists are renowned for their simplicity and ability to
deprioritize material things; I am a closet packed full of books, I am art supplies and half-knit scarves, beads and
wire, markers and staplers akimbo. In this photo, on the lower right corner, you will see my altar. In my
practice, everything has its place, and I need to expand this from my chanting to the rest of my life.
In my life, everything also must have its place. I open and close my day with prayer, and I must also open
and close my days with a clean space. This will help me keep my life organized and running efficiently. But I can
still be messy throughout my day! I just have to clean up after myself. While I used to say that life is too short to
clean constantly, it has got to become a priority, so that I may get through my own storm.
Letting the Chaos Breathe
Grit has caught on like wildfire, licking the wounds of winter and pushing us forward into
spring. It is the reason that I make it through every winter, and especially this one. Coming to
program and talking about how we do grit daily produced beautiful conversations, artwork,
videos and photos that helped me make it through a frozen ravine this year.
This year, our program grit goal has been to have student 'voice and choice' take on a life of
its own - to have students truly running and in charge of our program. For me, that's meant
showing students how we plan and get ready for Bright Futures, so that they can learn this skill
to lead their own clubs, but it's also meant letting go - losing control of my program, so that they
can take the reins and lead us to new places. It has meant redefining power, and what it means to
be student and be teacher.
In the beginning, it has meant lots of failure, and I think it's caused students, staff and
myself to become more comfortable with things not going well. Students failed to complete
lesson plans for clubs that they were leading, and I instructed my staff to let them struggle, let the
chaos breathe, and not rush in to keep everyone occupied. Reflection has been an important part
of this process, because it helps our students think about what they've done (and haven't done)
and what they need to work on for next time.
This photo is capturing a student project that was created during Leading Ladies, our girls'
leadership club, which featured FLY Art in 3rd quarter. Ms. Katie instructed our young ladies to
make a self-portrait, either realistically or conceptually, and Miss Jael created this vibrant piece
about grit. I love that nowhere in our directions did we mention the words grit, or perseverance,
but some students have deeply connected with this concept on their own, without our
prompting. On difficult days of program, this image reminds me of our small victories.
The most powerful idea I've learned about grit is that its process is ongoing - there is no
product that I can show you to prove that I, or my students, truly understand this concept. Each
person has their own applications, their own strategies that they have gleaned from this process.
However, it permeates everything we do, and as we struggle to continue growing, we hope that
students will keep trying, keep falling down, but keep stepping back up to the plate. As always, I
think I've learned more from our students than they have from me.
"Success is to be
measured not so much
by the position that one
has reached in life, as by
the obstacles which
have been overcome
while trying to succeed."
- Booker T. Washington
Anna Chatfield
EMU Bright Futures Site Coordinator, Marshall Upper Elementary
"When adversity strikes, that's when you have to be the most calm.
Take a step back, stay strong, stay grounded and press on." - LL COOL J
My personal grit goal is to work on being a less controlling person. I've always
had a deep fear of being out of control. I think that fear has intensified, as I've grown
older and experienced more. Feeling that there is so much outside my control in my
personal life, I often find myself trying to grasp for vestiges of control wherever I
can find an outlet. I might set a goal to run a certain number of miles in a week,
which on the surface doesn't seem troubling. The intention behind that goal,
however, can be problematic and ultimately destructive. I want to run for health and
happiness, not control or obligation.
Voluntarily relinquishing control can take courage. There are often deep seated
reasons why we are holding on so tight - that said, I've begun to recognize the
importance of stepping back and accepting help. It has also become clear to me that
my impulse to overly-control situations can result in diluted outcomes.
I remember a quote from a Parker Palmer book I read in grad school - Palmer
reminded young bright-eyed teachers that, "you teach who you are." It's with this
insight that I'm reminded that my controlling tendencies inevitably bleed from
personal life to professional life. Our propensities are not static, they change in
relation to our life experiences, and the more destructive ways in which we cope
inevitably manifest (to some degree) in the various corners of our lives.
My photo represents the value of each part that makes a whole. This
photograph was taken at the end of a Marshall Bright Futures staff meeting. The
image serves as a reminder that incredibly strong and dynamic people surround me both personally and professionally. This picture represents a reality that I too often
ignore because I become blind-sighted by trying to accomplish everything
singlehandedly. We are stronger together than we are alone! I've learned it - now I
need to live it!
Let Go
Get it Together
I took this photo when I was visiting my parents over the holiday break. The
towering stack of small notebooks in the picture shows one part of my dad's
intricate and incomprehensible system that keeps his life organized. Contained
within each little bound paper pile is line after line of indecipherable notes. These
tomes serve as the scaffolding that holds together my dad's jam-packed schedule of
engagements. Intermingled with names, dates, numbers, and addresses, are little
asides that provide a glimpse into the interworking of his ever-buzzing mind.
Both my parents are true embodiments of strong work ethic and poised
professionalism. They go about organizing and balancing their lives very differently,
however. My mom has a more straightforward and streamlined - traditional style of
organization. Their opposing styles of organization have taught me that there isn't
one good way to find balance and order in life, or professional life specifically. You
simply have to find a cocktail of methods that work for you!
I feel like I'm at an intermediary place when it comes to organization. I'm not so
disorganized and flaky that things are completely falling apart. I am, however, rather
acutely aware that my disorganization sometimes results in certain oversights that
ultimately diminish the quality of my work and the impact I'm able to make.
I am working to figure out a system that extends me, but that also embraces a
little bit of the chaos and craziness that keeps my mind buzzing! I never want to feel
like I really have things figured out or perfectly planned. I don't want to kill the
creativity and spontaneity that a little disorganization can inspire, but I think that
my comfort with disorganization can sometimes lead to complacency and
inefficiency. I'd like to create organized systems that could function harmoniously
within the mad pandemonium of life. My dad's stacks of notebooks, filled with
stream of consciousness represent the essence of this goal.
Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, "A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds". In
the same quotation from Self-Reliance, he further expounds this statement by describing how
great minds must push boundaries and seek challenges. I believe that our Bright Futures staff
across all 15 sites is comprised of great-minded people - and we can do more! Our program goal
at Marshall is to break outside our comfort zone with club offerings and program projects. We
have identified that we can and should increase the depth of our larger projects. At our site this
means providing the infrastructure and follow-through for complex projects, but it also means
handing over control to our youth at times when it may feel uncomfortable. We are also aware
that our program would benefit greatly by infusing more meaningful academic, critical thinking,
and social justice elements to our club offerings and daily program structure.
Pushing our program boundaries requires placing higher levels of responsibility on both our
staff and students. I am confident, however, that with the right framework and support these
higher expectations will have greater outcomes. Comfort can be a dangerous thing, because it can
stunt our development and over time can even persuade us that the status quo is in-fact the
pinnacle of our reach.
This goal can be measured over time by examining specific elements of program, staff
protocol, club and activity offerings, community projects, and most of all the degree of student
voice at program. We can't be afraid to make changes, take risks, and ask questions. We hope
and even expect that our students do the same, because we know that action is growth. This said,
we recognize that consistency and rituals are vital to group culture and community building.
Constant reflection and even constant change are necessary elements of progress. It is a balance
that must be struck between strong infrastructure and follow-through paired with pushing
boundaries and embracing an imaginative approach towards improving programming.
It's time for Marshall Bright Futures to move from comfortable to gritty. There's nothing
wrong with finding things that work and embracing those successes, however, we will never
evolve if we don't think outside the box, and we don't require our students to extend, as well.
Seeing our Bright Futures kids more actively involved in their school community and larger
Wayne-Westland community would signify outward growth and major strides towards brighter
futures for all!
Extend
Amanda McVety
EMU Bright Futures Site Coordinator, Romulus Middle School
"Let perseverance be your engine and hope your fuel."
- H. Jackson Brown, Jr.
Permanent Reminder
I have an enemy. She has been in my life since middle school, along with her unrelenting
mission to bring me down. She seems to always be there when I stumble, falter, or err. She knows
exactly what to say to make a failure feel even worse, and she has an uncanny ability to inject
doubt into a success. She unleashes her criticism with abandon, and she grows stronger as I
shrink under her weight. She is mercilessly negative. She is brazenly unkind. She is me.
I was twenty-one years old when I finally started to realize I needed to shake my enemy. I
was living in Denver with my two best friends who were kind enough to offer me a couch to
sleep on for a few months while I figured out how I was going to spend the rest of my life after
college. The fear and doubt was crippling. I didn't stray too much from that rent-free couch. I
slept all day, I bit my nails, I drank beer, I smoked cigarettes, and I cried. My enemy was having a
field day with me, calling me every name in the book, telling me I was a failure, a fool, and
directionless bum.
I was sick of her. Actually, she was making me sick. This was not how I wanted to spend the
rest of my life. I had no more strength left to despise myself, so I figured I would try something
new--loving myself. I needed to start healing myself from the inside before I could do anything
else. As a twenty-one-year-old woman, I thought the best way to start this process was to have a
daily, permanent reminder (as I was and still am prone to forgetfulness). So I got a tattoo.
"Begin within" became a two-word antidote to my self-inflicted illness. And as the tattoo gun
buzzed and pierced through my skin, I began to feel something other than self-loathing. I began
to feel free.
My prescription for getting rid of my enemy worked. I eventually made my way off of my
friends' couch and into a job, a house with my sister, and a life that afforded me many luxuries,
like a dinner not comprised solely of instant rice (a college staple). I was on the upswing. I was
feeling brave, accomplished, and happy. Dare I say I was feeling proud? My enemy's strength
waned as mine waxed, and she was finally shutting the hell up.
The permanently inked reminder, though, hasn't proven to be the perfect cure. Eight
years after that fateful day, the tattoo remains while the message slowly has been lost and
forgotten. The enemy, I have found, never left; she only went into temporary hiding. Her
mission continues, but this time with more stealth.
She has crept back into my life and so have the feelings of inadequacy, self-doubt, and
self-criticism. She has tricked me into thinking I must be perfect in all ways: as a wife, a
daughter, a sister, a friend, a colleague, a supervisor, a teacher. Anything less than perfect,
she has told me, means I'm lazy, selfish, and, quite simply, not good enough.
The enemy has me surrounded with these feelings. The enemy, however, must go. To
give my all as a wife, daughter, sister, friend, colleague, supervisor, teacher, I must first give
my all to myself. I must heal myself, love myself, and trust myself, then work outward
from there. The struggle with banishing the enemy once and for all, though, is that I have
spent over half of my life in her company. She is woven into my fabric. And when I really
think about it, I'm not sure I even know how to not to be mired in my criticism. In many
ways, I feel as though I am re-learning how to be when I thought for so long that I had it
figured out.
She is me. I am my own enemy. But it doesn't have to be that way. I can't re-write my
past, but I can re-focus my present and shape my future. With effort, strength, grit, and
hopefully a dose or two of support from those who care about me, I can get to a place of
contentment with myself. I can be a person that would make my middle-school self proud.
I can be a role model to my current middle-school students. By committing to loving
myself, I can finally learn the most important life lesson: to believe in myself, trust myself,
and live happily in my skin--tattoos and all.
Drop the Mic
My classroom audio-assist technology is perhaps my favorite part of our program spacemainly because I have the option of using a microphone, which, for some reason, makes me feel
really special. This feeling most likely comes from my secret childhood dream of becoming a
world-famous singer or actress (despite not being particularly skilled in neither singing nor
acting).
Those dreams of stardom obviously never came to fruition (to be honest, I never really tried
to make those dreams a reality), but when the microphone is in my hand during program time, I
can't help but feel like I'm in front of an audience, poised to give an awe-inspiring performance.
Of course, that feeling lasts a mere second at the most as the reality of a room full of eager and
exuberant students inevitably snaps me back into reality.
Nonetheless, I've grown very attached to my mic. How could I not? When I use it, my
words boom, and I command attention. Everyone can't help but listen to me, as my voice is the
most prominent one in the room. It gives me power and control, and I like that-maybe too
much, though.
My professional grit goal this year is to hand over the reins to the rest of my staff (and
students) more, and I can do that in a very literal, concrete way: by handing over the mic. My
staff and students deserve opportunities to take the lead, too. Bright Futures isn't a one-woman
act; we are an ensemble cast of top-notch stars. Each of us needs, wants, and can benefit from
some time in the spotlight.
I have started to hand the mic over to my staff and students, and I've noticed that they
always smile when they speak into it. I can't help but smile, too, because I know so well what
they are feeling. Sure, all a student might say in the mic is "Please collect your things and line up
at the door," but you know what? The other students listen and follow the directions!
Confidence boosts can come in such small, unassuming ways.
I'm grateful to have myriad ways to help my staff and students to feel special, lifted, heard,
and powerful during our program, and if one of the simplest ways to do so is to turn over the
mic, well, take it away, kid...
Get Sprung
Program Grit Goal: I would like to support and encourage our BF students to train their peers and teachers
about the grit work that we do within our program in order to bring this topic to our larger school community.
Winter 2014 was rough--for students and teachers alike (file under: understatement). While the
temperatures from January to March plummeted to a record, bone-chilling cold, so did the overall morale at
school. Emotions ran high, motivation dropped low, and joy high-tailed it out of Michigan toseek solace
somewhere in Florida.
When we needed to call upon grit to keep our spirits high in the face of winter's brutality, many of us
failed to do so. I know I did. The students, too, with their routines completely out of whack and their boundless
energy forced to be stifled in windowless classrooms, became restless and, well, irritable. Needless to say, the
groovy grit train came to a screeching stop somewhere between -30-degree wind chills and two feet of snow.
I realize now, though, that I don't need to beat myself up about this. The grit train, quite simply, needed a
little pit stop to refuel for the next leg of the journey. Besides, the tracks were nearly imperceptible due to the
pounding snow. Let's be real.
Spring, finally and thankfully, has sprung. The students, finally and thankfully, too, can go outside to run,
jump, shout, laugh, skip, swing, and frolic (and so can I!) Gray and brown turn more and more toward green
with each passing day, and it is as if all of us at school have started to unfurrow our brows, relax our shoulders,
and breathe once more. We made it. I suppose we persevered after all, really.
As we shake off our winter doldrums, we are finally ready to get back to grit. My students already have
managed to absorb the philosophies of grit, perseverance, and mental toughness through our conversations and
reflections on the topic during the last several months, and we've plastered ourroom with gritspiration lest we
forget our abilities to "stick with it." It's time to kick it into high gear, though, and spread the word to the larger
community at school...that grit is what gets you there.
We can't be the only ones at school who benefit from all that grit has to offer. With support from our
principal, I hope to share all we have learned with the teachers as well as the other students at our school, and I
hope to have my students in Bright Futures lead the way. They are the living, breathing examples of what grit
can do, and I am confident they can push themselves to become teachers of grit in their own right.
Spring and summer, I believe, will be the perfect time to lay the foundation for this goal. I plan to form a
coalition of grit and growth mindset ambassadors who can present the topic with me to the school-day teachers
and perhaps also to their peers in the classroom in the fall. With thoughtful planning and consistent support, I
believe we can encourage the entire school to hop on the grit trainand join us on this journey towards
achievement. The path is clear, the engine is oiled, and a new day is upon us. Onward and upward!
"Obstacles don't have to
stop you. If you run into
a wall, don't turn around
and give up. Figure out
how to climb it, go
through it, or work
around it."
- Michael Jordan
Sam Froomkin
EMU Bright Futures
Site Coordinator, Stevenson
Middle School
______________________________________
"Keep on
keepin' on."
- Bob Dylan
The 10k Challenge
My personal grit goal deals with strength-training. I have, for a long time, not been concerned with
strength, instead focusing almost solely on cardio-training, as I am much more concerned with cardio
health (because I still eat like I'm 18!). Towards the end of this summer, a close friend's roommate, who
happens to be a personal trainer, gave a challenge to any of us that chose to accept it. 10,000 pushups
and 5,000 pull-ups between September 1st and December 31st. This was a challenge for me, as I never
had focused this strongly on strength-training. At the time of our first submission last month, I was
well behind pace (though slowly catching up). This constituted my biggest grit - sticking with
something that I normally do not do, especially since I was already behind on my pace. It would have
been extremely easy to give up, or set a new, easier goal for myself based on my current pace. I kept at
it, and now approximately half-way through the 4-month time frame, I am caught up on pace.
The picture I took is of the pull-up bar that I installed in my apartment for this challenge, along
with a work-out ball and weight gloves. This doorway and the den it leads to, have been my "ManCave" since we moved to this apartment; but more-so for this strength-training challenge, it's been the
area where I have done a majority of the work. This picture is a reminder that this challenge will be
there, at home, every day, whether I like it or not. It's a reminder that I will pass by my grit every single
day, many times each day. If I were to give up, this shows that there will always be a constant reminder
of the fact that I did not stick it out and try to complete the challenge.
While I initially did not see how this challenge for me could help me grow as an educator, I then
thought of one big idea. Going through a situation where I very quickly fell behind of an intended goal
is something that I am not used to - I'm generally someone who stays on task with a goal, or is ahead of
the game. However, there will be times as an educator where I will have tasks that I fall way behind on,
and have to summon something to not only keep going, but to catch up and get it done on time. I will
be able to relate to this experience I'm currently going through. It's also something I can share with my
students - that falling behind is not a "death-sentence" to the goal. We have many students who don't
finish their classwork/homework, don't turn it in, any number of things. For these students, we need to
help them catch up and turn in what is necessary so that they aren't missing any work. It is easy for
these students to give up in this situation, feeling like they are already too far behind to pass a class.
Helping them push through is important, and I have this experience to now talk about with students.
Finally, a Presentation
Having been a Site Coordinator for now 7 years (wow!), I have accumulated a wealth of insights that I
would be interested in sharing with others. However, when presented with the opportunity to do so over the
past couple years, I have turned it down. This year, I was determined to do so - it was another step in my
growth as a professional educator. My professional development goal for 2013-2014 was to present at a
conference.
Things fell into my lap for this goal - but I still had to take it! This past August, I was presented with the
opportunity to apply for a pilot program for after-school families. Knowing that if I applied, I'd likely get it, I
knew more work would be coming my way right as our school year began, but I took on the challenge anyway.
As our 8-week Family Engagement Program was winding down, I learned that of the five middle-school sites
chosen, two had dropped out. Only three left, and we were the first ones to fully complete the program. I was
asked by the Weikart Center, the organization that spearheaded the program, to speak at a conference about
what we had done. But this wasn't any conference - it was the Project Directors' Institute! So instead of
speaking in front of peers, I'd be talking with those that run 21st Century Community Learning Center
programs across the state. In January, I traveled up to Lansing and talked to dozens of folks about what
exactly we had done, its benefit to our students and their families, and answered many questions about the
experience.
My picture is simple - it's the binder that we received during the training of this pilot program. It was my
source of all the information for this program, and what I presented at the Project Directors' Institute. The
presentation went smoothly - first, I got to share a short video of students and parents talking about their
experiences in the program. I then shared an example of the students' projects that they created during this
program, and finally held a Question & Answer with the project directors about the experiences I had with it.
As an educator, this experience can only help me feel even more comfortable in front of groups. I
already am a fairly confident speaker, but there's always room to improve. I think this is just another example
that I can bring to my students about something I've worked hard to accomplish. It's a good example to share
because it's different - it's not "I struggled with it and I overcame it," it's more of a story of "I did not attempt
or take the opportunities presented to me, but when I did, it was worthwhile." Maybe this isn't what we think
of when we think of grit. We spent the year talking about overcoming obstacles and gritting through
challenges. Recently, we have talked about expanding the definition of grit, and maybe this should be included
- working towards a new goal that you haven't achieved before. I did not take opportunities in the past,
whether it be because of uncertainty or downright laziness. Overcoming laziness in order to accomplish
something is still gritty, and is another example I can share with my students.
Youth Voice Turns Into Leadership
My program grit goal is to have our students play a more active role in the
planning of activities and in leading activities. For the school year, my assistant site
coordinator, Tay, and I have wanted to institute a time where students can do more
with their individual "likes" or "hobbies." There are many interests that our students
have that do not fit into the realm of clubs for a variety of reasons - not enough
interested students, it's not a 2-month-long thing, etc. We've been trying to create
something to fit this. As we approached the fourth quarter programming , we
struggled to fill the schedule with new and unique clubs. We decided to give the
students a day for this exact plan - to create and facilitate an hour all about them!
This picture shows what we decided to do to create more student-led activities
and fit in their smaller interests. "What's Your Hobby?" is the new Thursday club
time. Instead of students choosing between several different options, each Thursday
during our club-time will have students (and staff) leading activities that interest
them. For example, a group of students will be teaching us about Minecraft, and
another group will be teaching us about baseball. Students were given brainstorming
sessions to decide what interests they wanted to share, and then as a staff, we
combined similar interests to form groups.
This was gritty for me - giving up an entire hour of our day and turning it over
to the students. I was more apt to do this back in my days at Adams, when I had
students who were with me for several years, and they grew with the program.
Now, I only have students for two years total if they stay, and it's harder for me to
cede control of the program to them. This was to be great first step in doing so. We
began with staff sharing our hobbies in order for students to see what types of ideas
and activities we were thinking of, and then we moved on to students sharing.
"Success consists
of going from
failure to failure
without loss of
enthusiasm."
- Winston Churchill
K.C. Lopata
EMU Bright Futures
Site Coordinator,
Franklin Middle School
_____________________________
"Make the most of
yourself, for that is
all there is of you."
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
Getting Fit with Grit
Short Term Weekly Goals:
1. 1,000 or more push-ups a week
200+ a day, 5 days a week
2. 250 or more chin-ups/pull-ups a week
50+ a day, 5 days a week
3. 100+ minutes of reading books/novels a week
20+ minutes a day, 5 days a week
By January 1st, 2014 I'd like to:
1. Push-ups- Do sets of 50+
2. Chin-ups- 1 set max of 20+
3. Pull-ups- 1 set max of 17+
4. Have read 4+ novels
For my personal grit idea, I've decided to build on and combine what we've learned about
and discussed in regards to grit, executive function, and especially SMART goals. My personal
goals listed above are in the same format I teach my students to follow when they set daily goals.
The photo I chose for my personal grit piece is a picture of the first book I plan to finish for
personal reading and a resistance band. It is not a very deep or symbolic photo, but instead is
direct and to the point.
These grit goals will help me as an educator in several ways. First, by improving my own
physical fitness, I will be leading by example for my students with our new focus on physical
fitness and health. Additionally, with the leisure reading, I will be practicing what I preach in
terms of reading and being academic. These goals work to build both a healthy mind and body
by establishing standards and goals for physical activity and reading. Accomplishing these grit
goals shows perseverance, because all of the goals listed above are long term and will require
constant and consistent effort to achieve. None of them can be done without sustained effort,
which is the same as the most fundamental aspect of any good strength and conditioning
program- progressive overload.
Gearing up for Grad School with Grit
After much thought about grit, and after writing a completely separate professional development
grit goal, I began to really think about what I am having the most difficulty with in terms of my own
professional development. As you may, or may not know I have finally begun to take advantage of our
wonderful Eastern Michigan University tuition reimbursement perk by taking a few classes and gaining
admittance into the Eastern Michigan University Exercise Physiology Master's Program. This current
fall semester has been my first semester at the graduate level. With the semester coming to an end, I have
begun reflection on my experience thus far and I have noticed a couple troubling things.
First, and perhaps most disturbing, is that I still have not decided which concentration I would like
to pursue and what exactly I would like the end goal to be with the master's degree that I am pursuing.
This uncertainty for what exactly I would like to do with my expected degree has weighed on all aspects
of my studies and I believe it is at the core of the next issues expressed below. Secondly, my motivation
to succeed with my current statistics course has been far from where a reputable professional should be.
It is not that I have blown the course off, but my preparation has been insufficient for the level of
education I would like to obtain. In order to be a real expert in any field, all aspects should be truly
"mastered." Finally, with this semester quickly coming to a close and the next semester approaching
rapidly, I have still not decided on what class(es) to take and have therefore not enrolled.
Writing out these challenges has helped organize my thoughts much better, and seeing them on
paper has lead me to come up with this 3-step approach to resolving them and succeeding with my
professional grit goal. STEP 1: Figure out what exactly my long term plan and goal is for this degree!
There has been enough time to debate between the two career paths, and it is time to pick one and attack
the goal with all my energies. STEP 2: Register for next semester ASAP, and additionally plan out the
rest of what this program will entail. I should have a clear and concrete expected date of completion!
STEP 3: Truly master the course content, no matter what the subject. This will be done by designating
specific days and times for studying/class work, and by sticking to the schedule I set.
The plan has now been laid out, and there's nothing more I need to do except follow it! The
challenges ahead are many, but they are achievable with hard work and dedication. As I have told my
students, nothing great has ever been achieved without great effort, and my personal goals are no
different.
Reflecting and Recruiting with Grit
The grit goal for the Franklin Middle School Bright Futures Program is to increase
the number of 7th grade boys that are enrolled in the program. It dawned on me that we
only have a small number of boys in our 7th grade class, and after reflecting on the
progress that has been made with our group of 8th grade boys, I realized I must remedy
this! These 8th grade boy students have become exceptional leaders at my site, and all of
them go out of their way to welcome new students to our program, setting excellent
examples of how we conduct ourselves while at Bright Futures. My specific numerical
goal is to have five new 7th grade boys enrolled and attending regularly before May 1st.
Today is May 1st, which is the date that I had set for achieving my program grit goal,
and I am almost there. I had set a goal of 5 new 7th grade boys, but have only gotten four
enrolled and attending regularly. Although I didn't meet the number I had set out for
several weeks back, I'm still pleased with the progress, and am confident that I will get a
5th, and possibly a 6th in the next week or two. These new students are being brought into
the program through a combination of teacher and administrator referrals to our program,
as well as bringing students in off of our waiting list.
So far the addition of the new students has gone well overall, albeit certainly not
perfectly, but I'm excited to go into next school year with this crop of kids. The smooth
integration of the new students is due in large part to the welcoming and supportive
environment that my existing students have created. I've discovered that much of the
success our program has had this year is thanks to the relationships I've built with my
students, in particular the boys. I plan to use these strong relations with my students to
continue to build a safe, welcoming, and educational culture and climate at Franklin
Middle School Bright Futures.
"Pain is temporary. It may last a
minute, or an hour, or a day, or a
year, but eventually it will subside
and something else will take its
place. If I quit, however, it lasts
forever. That surrender, even the
smallest act of giving up, stays
with me. So when I feel like
quitting, I ask myself, which would
I rather live with?"
- Lance Armstrong
R.J. Quiambao
EMU Bright Futures Site Coordinator
Ypsilanti Community Middle School, Willow Run Campus
"But 'Thou mayest'! Why,
that makes a man great, that
gives him stature with the
gods, for in his weakness
and his filth and his murder
of his brother he has still the
great choice. He can choose
his course and fight it
through and win."
- John Steinbeck,
East of Eden
Attack on Titans
When the judges' table called my name, I wasn't stretching or warming up like the other competitors. I
was coolly sitting at the front of the mat, next to the ring, watching all of the other matches in my weight class.
My first Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu tournament had been about a year ago, when I had only been training four months.
I figured it would be a good experience, a good gauge of what I had learned and what I had yet to learn. I was
nervous back then. Not this time. This time, I came to win.
I checked the tape on my recently sprained foot before trotting to my position in the ring. It was my first
match of the day. The judges called the name of my opponent, and I laughed in disbelief when I saw him. He
was nearly twice my size. I had already lost 14 pounds over the last two months through diligent exercise and
a strict diet, and thought I was more than prepared to fight anybody. Upon seeing my opponent, however, I
had a feeling I would have to drop yet another weight class.
I lost that fight, by submission. And although I dominated my next opponent, I lost my last match of the
day by submission, again. There is still more work to be done. There will always be more work to be done.
My personal grit goal is to finally earn a medal at my next Jiu-Jitsu tournament. The philosophy of my
Jiu-Jitsu school is to "Leave your ego at the door," so I feel a little guilty about desiring an item that really
serves no purpose outside of inflating my ego. I've been studying Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu for almost one and a half
years, and I love to compete. Other than a symbol of pride, a medal would represent progress. The name of
my Jiu-Jitsu school is "Kaizen," which means "constant improvement" in Japanese. With a little bit of
rationalization, winning a medal becomes less about my ego and more about having grit.
To accomplish this, I have a plan. I will strive to attend BJJ classes a minimum of twice per week,
Crossfit at least once per week, and run at least twice per week in order to refine my skills and drop yet another
weight class. Admittedly, this goal was established weeks ago and I've already been unable to commit to this
grit! I'm finding that it's difficult to make it to class and Crossfit and run while balancing managing program
and my personal relationships. I do not mention this to segue to an excuse to back out of my goal. In fact, it's
just the opposite. I admit my failure to demonstrate that my goal is difficult. The road is hard, but I will press
ever forward.
As an educator, I really believe that journeying down this path toward a medal (or not) will provide a
recent experience I can relate to my students. When I talk about grit or perseverance, I tend to reference my
meandering path toward working with Bright Futures, a tale rife with failure, depression, and renewal. While
older folks might enjoy this story, my middle schoolers are not so much impressed. My students care about
winning, and aren't too interested in hearing about how Mr. RJ wound up at an after-school program. But, a
medal won at a Jiu-Jitsu tournament, with dramatic videos of my matches that show Mr. RJ choking,
wrenching, and twisting large men into submission? That's a story they will remember!
No More Elves
Once upon a time, when I was elevated to the Site Coordinator position, my primary goal
was to get an after-school program up and running, make it to the end of the school year, and not
lose any kids in the process. I had a pretty clear picture of what program was supposed to look
and feel like, a great staff, and a lot of students, so although it was very difficult at times, I
consider last year to be a success.
I was largely unaware, because of the circumstances, that there were a number of other tasks
that were being done for me, behind the scenes. Secret, magical things, like approving timesheets,
booking buses, and planning community-wide events. I missed a few meetings here and there,
but my supervisors would give me a pat on the head and tell me everything was going to be okay
- I would be told everything I needed to know and do very soon.
The magic was done by a group of shadow people that I refer to as "The Elves." These are
the same kinds of elves that make shoes in the dead of night when the world is a-slumber, the
elves that know the ways to spin straw into gold. At last, they have departed for the Summer
Country (or maybe the season right after) and my world, the world of (hu)Man, is reminded of
his mortality. Without The Elves to depend on, I would have to fend for myself.
My professional grit goal is to pick up where The Elves have left off and fully step into the
Site Coordinator mantle by embracing the administrative side of the position. I need to learn
how to do magic! Research into Elven lore reveals that magic can be performed in three ways:
by delegating at least two other tasks to my trusted lieutenant, Serina; by managing program
deadlines so that the world may continue to function; and by organizing the annual Health-Arts
Gala at Ypsilanti Community Middle School.
Through these goals, I hope to grow as a Site Coordinator. Managing the younglings is only
a portion of the job. A wise and noble Site Coordinator must also be able to manage his or her
armies, earn the love of his/her people, and keep the sacred days sacred.
License to Chill
"But Mr. RJ," the student whined, "you reward the bad kids for improving but you don't do
anything for the kids that are good everyday."
The truth hurts. A student made the complaint to me toward the end of program last year,
but it is still a valid concern. Our school district gives us a group of wonderful, albeit challenging
students every year. Bright Futures strives to be a source of safety, stability, compassion, and
positivity in all of our students' lives, especially if the rest of their lives is lacking in any (or all) of
those areas. Some students need the program more than others. Perhaps their lives at home
aren't that safe, stabled, and structured. Maybe there are things going on in their lives that jar
them out of the relative simplicity of a middle school existence. I feel that our program has a
tremendous impact on these students' lives if they are with us long term. However, there are
some students who come to Bright Futures ready to learn and participate without an occasional
reminder of their expectations as a member of our community. It is more than a little troubling
to discover that my most eager and involved students feel they are being neglected.
With their grievance in mind, my program grit goal is to develop a universal system that
rewards all students - regardless of past behavior. We already piloted a system back in February,
but there are still some aspects that need tweaking. We intend to adjust this system through the
remainder of the school year and during the summer in order to have a consistent, sustainable
measure of students' behaviors and participation that results in a reward that is nearly entirely
organized by youth, by this coming fall.
Our current system is built on student participation and attendance. We chose to use
"participation" as a measure of behavior rather than simply measuring behavior. Our reasoning
is that students can be quiet and respectful to others, but not necessarily participate in any
activities of the day (i.e., play on their phone in a corner). Participation and attendance earns
students either a "plus," a "negative," or a solid box for the day. The plus and negative system
does not measure whether a student had a "good" or "bad" day, respectively.
Instead, we frame a plus as a student adding value to program, and a minus as a student taking
away value from program. Adding value means that students participated in activities, were
respectful to others, and contributed positively to the overall atmosphere at Bright Futures.
Taking away value means that the student chose to engage in behavior that made Bright Futures a
less pleasant place to be, usually by being disrespectful to other students and staff, nonparticipation and lack of an acceptable alternative, or any infraction that is especially disruptive
of program structure and flow. By framing behavior in this way, we highlight how individual
behavior has an impact on how everyone experiences Bright Futures on a given day. A solid box
indicates that a student was absent that day. Students with a certain number of plus days in one
month are invited to a student-led "Chill Day" at the end of the month.
So far, students have adhered to this system and there has been a marked improvement in
student behavior overall. Students can look at a chart with the month's record of their
participation and attendance, which often leads to reflective conversations on how a student can
improve. The "Chill Day" occurs on a Friday and aims to be student-led (see photo). Students
decide what food they want to eat and what activities they will do as a group. Much of the
effectiveness of this system is that it gives students a chance to improve their participation every
month, motivated by the stories other students tell after they have attended a Chill Day.
The weaknesses in this system are many, however. Students who are only able to attend
program less than four times a week due to their unique situations are at a distinct disadvantage.
Furthermore, even though a student might be invited to attend a Chill Day because they have the
required number of plus days, they still may not be able to come because of lack of
transportation that day. We also have not been able to build in a time to reflect upon a student's
rating each day so that students have more opportunities to self-regulate their own behavior.
As with all things grit, improving our system for rewarding student behavior is an on-going
process, but the rewards of completing such a system already seems to be reaping benefits.
Will Spotts
EMU Bright Futures Site Coordinator
Washtenaw International Middle Academy
"Be so good, they can't ignore you."
- Steve Martin
Balance
I'm confident enough in my intellect and my work ethic to know that I have smart kid issues.
Asking for help can be difficult for me, and I'm not as good at relying on others and relinquishing
control as I should be, even if that is clearly the best move. Though I'm well-versed in the art of
reflection based on its being embedded in Bright Futures, I'm more of a preacher than a practicer.
When my stubbornness and general tomfoolery lead to my goals not being realized, I'm more likely to
become frustrated and shut it down than realize what's happening and use some of the
persevering and reflective behaviors that I admonish my students for not using themselves.
Herein lies the crux of my goal: finding the balance between give and take, between control and
confidence, and between frustration and self-realization. This will essentially mean being more
intentionally reflective in my everyday life. Therefore, my grit goal involves journaling, something I
have always meant to do but never found/made time to do. When I think about becoming a
better me, that me is writing down more thoughts, more ideas, more anecdotes, and more
problems. That me is also smarter with time management, spending more time reading and less time
diving down the infinite internet rabbit hole. So, to smarten that goal up, I pledge to myself and my
family that I will spend between 20 and 45 minutes three times a week writing in my newly purchased
journal from now until the end of the school year. Additionally, I pledge to read the equivalent of 100
pages a week and keep track of insights gleaned from reading in the aforementioned journal. Just a little
reading and writing.
This photo shows my son Samuel standing on his bed flanked by drawings I made for him. I'm no
artist, believe you me, but I do it because he loves sitting with me and directing the process, and I love
spending time with him doing pretty much anything. The more I draw, the more comfortable I get with
drawing and the more I appreciate the results. Our conversations during drawing time have
evolved to include tidbits on effort, being OK with trying again, and getting better over time. I'm
hoping that by engaging in a similar process and being kinder with myself about writing, the more
comfortable I'll get with the writing and reflection process. The reading part will be easier, as I'm trying
to model a love of reading for my son as well. This will take some "failures" and the realization that I
am incredibly efficient in my time-wasting, but that's part of the process I reckon. Now if I can just
read about some of these smart kid issues and reflect with them in my own written word...
The writing of this took 38 minutes. I'm totally counting it. And rounding up.
Connections
It seems as though I'm perpetually at a PD (Professional Development) crossroads. The
more I know, the more I know I need to know. It's becoming clear to me that I need to focus
more on the "who" and less on the "what" though. The "what" is easier to find, as I'm always
interested in what's new coming down the pipe, and there's always the delayed "what's new to
me" piece as well because I retreat into the cave of my mind for months on end, evidently. Digital
badges? Let's do it! Reading new books on creating innovative and resilient children? I've got a
goal for that, too. I'm always able to find the "new" and incorporate it as I see fit.
However, my "new guy" card has expired. I've lived in the state and been with Bright
Futures for nearly two years now, which means at the very least I have a map showing those
crossroads. There are many people out there that I need to meet and collaborate with
professionally to make the WIMA Bright Futures program the place to be. I'd like to share my
"what" with others who find themselves at their own crossroads as well. My professional grit
goal is therefor all about making connections. I'm looking to meet impact players in and around
southeast Michigan, both in and out of university settings. Science people? Yes. Design thinkers?
Do it. Potentially crazy people AKA impact players? I'm in line. This will be good for me,
because the more people I know and the more friends I make, the better I can leverage that
personal personnel capital to improve my program and my person. These people, once
identified, are my copilots.
This photograph shows my laptop and the school phone setup that was used for the
conference call with NASA to showcase my students' success in the Spaced Out Sports contest.
By entering the contest, I was able to expand my local and regional connections in the science
and education communities. The tools to make the connections are readily available; it's making
and taking the time to reach out and introduce myself and not be concerned with possible "no"
replies. Just a bit of a warning, however. Seat belts will be required on this journey, and I'm just
telling you up front that we might get stuck in the mud a few times. In fact, count on it. Roll the
window down, stick your head out and get comfortable. It's time to take a little drive.
Hey Kool Aid.... Oh Yeah!
The Kool Aid is pretty tasty, and I must admit to drinking it. The WIMA Bright Futures program
achieved some gritty greatness for a first year site. Between the NASA accolades, infusion of arts and STEM
programming, utilizing EMU resources, superior family nights and the evolution of a rockstar staff, it's
refreshing and delicious. I like going to "work." So why is my Bright Futures thirst not quenched?
Reflection can be a wicked tool of discovery, especially when I'm so used to just taking small sips. I wish
the answer wasn't so simple. Three gritty changes will need to occur to make the program more fulfilling for
students, parents and staff. First, in order for the "seamless transition" from school day to afterschool to in fact
be "seamless," I will need to be more proactive in embedding myself in classrooms during the day.
Developing and executing a system where my staff knows what homework and projects have been assigned
will be a step in the right direction. We tried several different strategies, but when they didn't work well
immediately, they were scrapped. Students who either legitimately or weasely don't have homework need a
routine to follow that involves individual long-term projects, peer tutoring and a shift in mindset from "free
time" to "innovative productivity."
I'd also like to bear down and have more students actively participate in the Brainology program
that teaches the basics of cognitive science and study habits. For whatever reason I allowed myself to get
talked out of having students work regularly on Brainology. I loathe the fact that such evidence points towards
a fixed mindset. The Program GRIT picture shows two students dissecting sheep brains as part of a
Brainology lesson on how the brain works. I'm quite proud that we tried to incorporate the Brainology piece
into our intentional Growth Mindset instruction, but this photograph also represents the "could have been...
make it happen" aspect of WIMA Bright Futures. Introducing students to new ideas and concepts, especially
something as deep and potentially mind-blowing as cognitive science shouldn't be a drive through window;
long drinks are needed.
The third grit goal revolves more around reflection. I feel that many opportunities for reflection were lost
because they weren't explicitly planned for. There's a stack of hardly used journals that are begging for some
writing and drawing to take place. Using them either as an interactive notebook or an exit ticket would offer
students a more formal opportunity for reflection on their behavior, growth and learning. This is one piece
that I look forward to implementing on a trial basis during the summer program at WIMA.
That's the problem with Kool Aid, see. It's "good" enough to make me not make me look for other
"grittier" beverages. I don't want my program to be a sugar rush with temporary highs and lows.
Developing and sustaining a program where kids push themselves will take something altogether different, a
beverage that might initially taste odd but gets more filling and fulfilling the more that it's consumed.
"Nothing in the world can take the
place of persistence. Talent will not;
nothing is more common than
unsuccessful men with talent. Genius
will not; unrewarded genius is almost
a proverb. Education alone will not;
the world is full of educated derelicts.
Persistence and determination alone
are omnipotent. The slogan "press on"
has solved and always will solve the
problems of the human race."
- John Calvin Coolidge
Lauren Richardson
EMU Bright Futures
Site Coordinator
Romulus High School
______________________________________
"Education is a social process;
education is growth; education
is not preparation for life, but is
life itself. Education, therefore,
is a process of living and not a
preparation for future living."
- John Dewey
At the Edge of Today
Life is unpredictable. Choices I made yesterday, might impact my life tomorrow in ways I am
unable to foresee today. And that's okay, for there is beauty in the unknown. But beside the unknown,
resides what I know too well - work, schedules, deadlines, and countless expectations that outline the
perimeter of each day. Sadly, it's easy to get stuck here, in this place where it seems impossible to find
time to explore beyond the perimeter. I end up in this place, at the edge of today, too often. A rigid
reality filled with structure and stress. And so, it is my personal grit goal to find a balance between the
perimeter and the unknown, between work and life outside of work, between leisure and activity. In
order to achieve this holistic goal, I must focus my energy toward the root of the problem - my poor
time management skills aided by my mastery procrastination tactics. I hereby commit myself to this grit
so that I can begin to lead a healthy, enriched, and balanced life.
My photo represents my grit goal because it embodies an accepted balance in the world: the sun and
the moon eternally coexisting in harmony. No matter the season, these entities are the foundation of
day and night. So simple it might seem to identify such a basic truth, but for my grit goal, it is necessary
to start with the most basic step: breaking down the hours allotted each day, so that I might better
manage my time. To achieve this goal, I plan to start assigning times allowed for each activity, whether it
be finishing work, reading, socializing, or exercising. To start, I will build this structure into my life two
days a week. I will evaluate its effects and expand this structure to more days, once I've acclimated into
a better routine. In addition, I will remove myself from situations or places that make me more prone to
procrastination. For example, if I need to finish work, I will not go home because there are too many
distractions; instead, I might go straight to a coffee shop. These changes might seem simple, but with
any luck, they will have a profound effect on the way I live my life.
Developing this kind of grit can help me grow as an educator because it will allow me to be more
invested in all that I do. Instead of worrying about tomorrow's deadline, I will simply be able to enjoy
today. By better managing my time and putting my procrastination tactics in check, I will surely
discover the holistic balance I'm looking for in life. But this vision will take time, adaptation and growth;
it's a process and there is no shortcut to the finish line. Accomplishing this goal will allow me to lead by
example. Showing my students how I was able to preserve and overcome a personal challenge will be
much more effective than merely telling them to rise above adversity. Not to mention, struggling with
time management is a common problem among youth. If I am able to develop techniques that help limit
my own distractions, I will then be able to give back by sharing those developments with my students.
And so, the time has come; it's time for me to dive into the unknown and fully commit to this grit.
When I think of professional development, I think of multilayered growth; it not only
caters to career advancement, but also to personal growth. Similar to my holistic personal goal to
find balance in my life, my professional development goal is to excel in both classrooms that
currently impact my life, the one in which I lead as a Bright Futures Site Coordinator, and the
one in which I learn as a newly admitted graduate student at Eastern Michigan University. It is
my goal to find the delicate balance between being an educator and being a student
simultaneously, so that I can use this hybrid experience to excel in both worlds. I plan to allow
my work experience to aid my progression in class and my newly acquired knowledge from class
to impact my vision at work.
Stacked in the photo is a combination of the required readings for my graduate course and
books that my Bright Futures cohort has read for professional development over the past year.
Not only is there so much knowledge to be gained from the many pages so masterfully written,
but there's also so much to question and investigate. The critical thinking and the intertwining
of these works will strengthen my abilities both as an educator and as an individual. And so, as I
commit to this grit, I will clarify that my professional grit goal is not just to get by in both
classrooms, but rather to truly let myself grow personally and professionally through this new
hybrid experience. I will not rush through the work just to get the grade. Rather, I will expand
my mind, learn, understand and challenge new concepts.
Accomplishing this grit goal will help me grow as an educator tremendously. Intellectually,
I will evolve through this experience. I will then be able to share my knowledge with my
students, and they will be able see firsthand the importance of higher education. I will also be
able to tell my students about the frustrations and challenges I encountered through this process.
For example, one challenge I faced was meeting deadlines because too often I underestimated the
time needed to thoughtfully complete the assignment. This was a good learning experience for
me because it forced me to re-evaluate my work process and improve my time management in
order to do well in the class. Being able to share my personal grit moments like this is essential
for cultivating a culture of growth at my site. Succeeding in my first graduate level class, while
working full time, will show my students that it's possible to overcome challenges and become
stronger because of them. For me, and for my students, I commit to this grit.
Hybrid Growth
Open to Change
Change is inevitable and unavoidable. And although sometimes an immediate change can
be uncomfortable or even stressful, it is my goal to not let that strangle my enthusiasm for what I
love to do - enrich youth! When unexpected changes occur, like suddenly losing club spaces or
staff members, I struggle to stay positive because I think of how the program will suffer. But in a
field that will be forever modified and transformed, my program grit goal is to be more open to
change. I hope to then instill this open-mindedness in my students, so that the culture of my
program thrives among change, instead of wilts because of it.
Too often, young people are resistant to change because it is unknown. New clubs, adapted
expectations, and different spaces - these are all avenues of change that students often reject at my
program. But, if students were able to embrace change and adjust, rather than reject change and
resist, the entire program could evolve. Being able to accept the curveballs that come our way, the
changes that are out of our control, is necessary for any program to progress. If every unplanned
change is greeted with fixed mindsets and negativity, the program will drown by the hands of
these self-made anchors. My photo represents this grit goal because it depicts the wall of crests
that my students made at the start of this school year. Although every goal listed on these
colorful pages might not have been met, that's okay. Although every student on this wall might
not attend programming anymore, that's okay. This wall, so brightly covering the white paint
beneath it, is filled with change, and that's okay because change is not something to be feared.
Change is something to expect, to be prepared for, and to learn from. Change is something to be
celebrated.
There will always be unexpected obstacles in life; that is beyond anyone's control. What I
can control is my attitude in response to those unpredicted changes. Staying positive is
something I sometimes struggle with, especially when the problems seem endless.
Unfortunately, this outlook has the potential to taint the culture of my program. And so, as I
commit to this grit, I plan to conquer this negativity and remain optimistic in the face of change.
I want my students to see what it looks like to be flexible, adapt, and remain positive when
changes occur, so that a culture of growth and acceptance of change can flourish at my site.
Melissa Calabrese
EMU Bright Futures
Site Coordinator, John
Glenn High School
_________________________
"All I can do
is engage with
complete sincerity.
Then, whatever
happens, there is
no regret."
- The Dalai Lama
My Grit Journal
Journal entry: September 27, 2013
I am fearful that some of my compassionate nature is fading away. I recently practiced the safety steps to take
during a violent intruder drill with a staff member who has never experienced a violent intruder drill before. I
rattled the same lines about the drill that I have for years, seemingly emotionally detached from the experience.
I quickly realized my tone and apologized; this was not a matter to be callous about. I have been feeling
emotionally taxed for months and I am aware that I have started to habitually go through standard motions in
situations that I use to care tremendously about. It is time to dust off my tools to keep my heart open and soft
for, as Thich Nhat Hanh says, "When you have compassion in your heart, you suffer much less. You are in a
position to help others suffer less." I will develop a practice to restore compassion to my heart, thoughts and
actions. My daily practice will include meditation, nourishing food, and exercise. With these words, I do
commit myself to this grit.
Journal entry: October 1, 2013
I only had a brief window to capture the early morning fog rising from the pond and spilling onto the pathway.
The autumn leaves were ripe with color and the grass, still green, was frosted this morning. I jumped out of
bed; today was the day I had to take my PhotoGrit photo. It was a picture perfect morning and my camera
was hungry to capture every step of the way. I left my home assuming that I would write about the fog rising
from the pond because it can easily be a metaphor for the symbolic fog in my brain that lifts which each
meditative practice. However, I stumbled upon another photo opportunity that seems like a better fit. I will
submit the "light at the end of the tunnel" for my PhotoGrit photo because, as I think about this particular grit
project, the dark tunnel represents the many challenges I will face along the way before getting to the
rewarding light at the end. Remarkably, I remained in a fog all day at work. Although I enjoyed my morning
walk today as I searched for the perfect photo, I did not have the opportunity to take a meditative walk. Taking
time to meditate and unplug helps me manage it all.
Journal entry: October 17, 2013
Old habits die hard. I had one really great week of daily grit practice but I am right back to my old habits after
two weeks of preparing for two big events at school. I am honestly feeling like a failure right now because I
am not prioritizing meditation and exercise. Instead, sleep and nourishing food are at the top of my self-care
regiment. Although I know they are both necessary to do my job well, I feel guilty for publicly declaring my
goal and then not following through with my intentions. My guilt feels worse than my lack of action. Ah, the
dark tunnel.
Journal entry: November 1, 2013
As the Japanese proverb goes, "Fall seven times and stand up eight."This week was full of craziness that
bombarded me from every direction. Yet, small, reasonable steps have contributed to me smiling more and
having a positive attitude at work and at home. Although my meditative practice does not look like what I
thought it would one month ago when I started this process, I am trying to view many of my daily activities as
exercise and meditation. I am smiling more, enjoying my job more, I feel healthy, and I am trying to be
reasonably transparent about my gritty process with my staff and students. Not only am I a better educator and
coordinator when I feel better, my students can learn from my healthy behaviors as I model them. One simple
strategy that I have employed is that I turn off my phone and the news for at least 20 minutes during my 45
minute commute to work. This helps revive my energy level so when I get home, I am still energized enough
to go for a walk in the dark even if it is a walk to the grocery store. This practice of peace has helped me
develop my abilities to focus better and to accomplish more tasks at work and home. Moreover, when I carve
out moments of peace for twenty minutes, twice a day, I have a sense of contentment, renewed hope, and deep
joy.
Journal entry: November 7, 2013
I think I had a gritty breakthrough; the extra hour in the morning due to daylight savings time certainly helps!
I have spent the past week doing the daily practice that I originally intended including meditation, nourishing
food, and exercise. I feel content. It has been an intense storm of emotional breakdowns, harsh language, and
inconsistent attendance at the high school. I am grateful that I am feeling grounded so that I can be a source of
comfort for my students. More importantly, I feel as though I can respond to my students compassionately. I
believe my early-morning yoga and meditation practice are two of my "joy triggers." I have also embraced
evening walks instead of morning walks since it is too dark and cold at 5:45 a.m. I am constantly trying to
show my students what perseverance looks like; from playing the game Swish and pushing myself at cardio
cards, to advocating for a program or a student. Most recently, I have shared with them my PhotoGrit goal and
my process of finding strategies that work for me. When I am feeling my best, staff and students notice. My
students and staff often ask me, "Are you ever tired? Are you ever unhappy?" Of course I am! (Thankfully,
not regularly enough for students to notice.) Being honest with myself and with others about what I am
striving for makes it easier to model how I remain energized, focused, and joyful. As Angela Duckworth said,
"Grit is like running a marathon, not a sprint." For me to maintain a steady reservoir of energy - physically,
mentally, emotionally and even spiritually - requires refueling it.
Working on the Journey
I have been told by several colleagues over the years that I am "too passionate." I use to
shrug it off and assume that they must not be passionate enough! However, there comes a time
after hearing it dozens of times by coworkers that I have to look internally. I asked myself big
questions like, "What am I doing that makes my actions seem too passionate?", "Do my
colleagues see my overflowing passion as a negative thing?", and "Does the way I communicate
prevent others from actually hearing me and I them?" What I concluded is that although passion
is necessary to make positive change in our community, perhaps the way I communicate is not
effective because my enthusiasm clouds it. I want to be able to improve the way I work with
others and that includes communicating in a way that is clear, calm, informed, and concise while
maintaining my passion and commitment to our community. My original professional grit goal
was to become a better professional communicator. It has been a heartfelt struggle for me during
this second grit theme and will remain an ongoing process. As part of my attempts to effectively
communicate with my colleagues, I have read and watched talks about communication strategies,
reflected with a couple of trusted peers about my challenges, and have given myself permission to
be perfectly imperfect. However, over the past two months, I have also thought about what
passion is in the work place.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, "If a man is called to be a street-sweeper, he should
sweep streets even as Michelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music, or Shakespeare
wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to
say, 'Here lived a great street-sweeper who did his job well.'"
I have always tried to do my best with any job that I have had but there is something about
working with youth that makes me want to excel. I love my job. My first boss, Wendy Cotton,
said that teaching is a calling, and I believe I was called to work with students. Being passionate
about my job is more than the old adage "do what you love". It's looking forward to going to
work. It's time flying by when I'm there. It's working well past 5 p.m., not because I'm swamped
with work, but because I was so intent I did not notice the time pass.
Passion entails a number of factors; being in the right job is critical. That means taking pride
in what I do and being charged up about the main aspects of my work. Working with the right
team is also a key factor in my level of motivation. I now know that having a compelling vision
and direction is essential for team passion. Finally, a supportive relationship with peers and
supervisors is critical. Having the right work environment facilitates passion. The key is to get
the formula right in as many areas as possible.
I know that I cannot reasonably control every aspect of the formula so I must focus on what
I can control. Working with Bright Futures brings me intrinsic joy. When I feel in control of the
work I do, I feel good about myself while working, and then I find myself in harmony with
other activities. I recently learned that Psychologists describe this feeling as harmonious passion.
But there is another kind of passion at work: obsessive passion. Those who are obsessively
passionate feel an uncontrollable urge to engage in their work, feel more conflict between their
passion and other areas in their life, and their work forms a large part of their often unstable selfconcept. I know that feeling. Thankfully, I believe that I have been in a harmonious passionate
place most of this year thanks to my personal grit goal of intentionally exercising and eating well.
For this reason, I selected a photo that is a continuation of my first grit photo. This time, I
am seen in the tunnel, now even closer to the light, and talking with a supportive friend.
Passion is one of my most important vehicles for performance, creativity, and ingenuity. I
have gained the awareness just how other important areas of my life feed into my harmonious
passion at work where I provide meaningful and engaging learning opportunities for my
students. When my life is not in balance, my passion can become counterproductive. When I feel
healthy and good about the work I am doing, and when I am capable of disengaging, my passion
becomes a wellspring of long-term success. This is what I am modelling for my students.
Rocket Blast Off!
As our program grit goal, my students, staff, and I embarked on a parade of activities to
make our program more visible and recruit more high school students to join the Bright Futures
program. We have tried video webcasts, golden tickets, e-mail blasts to teachers, partnering with
other school programs, personal invitations to students on EMU letterhead, posters, and special
recruitment events -- the majority of the JGHS Bright Futures family has given it their all!
Although the increase of new student recruits has been minimal, our regular students have
gained a deeper commitment and pride for our after school program.
Through our efforts, students have 1) adopted a positive attitude to challenges; 2) are gaining
personal confidence and self-esteem through taking on challenges and achieving success; 3) are
developing their self-awareness and social skills, and their appreciation of the contributions and
achievements of themselves and of others; 4) are acquiring and developing a range of artistic and
communication skills; 5) are demonstrating increased initiative, responsibility, perseverance and
commitment; 6) are developing and extending their key skills of communication, problem
solving, leadership and teamwork; 7) are displaying an increased motivation and appetite for
learning that is contributing to raised levels of attainment in other aspects of their education; and
8) are broadening their horizons and becoming open to a wider range of opportunities.
I included photos from the opening scene for our "Rocket Show" that concludes with
students and staff coming together to "blast off!" The student-designed show promotes school
activities including Bright Futures. The above listed outcomes can easily be recognized when
watching "The Rocket Show." Most importantly, students and staff are clearly having fun in the
videos. During their final show, students recapped their favorite Bright Futures memory.
Students who were once too shy to express their honest thoughts shared surprising reflections
including, "My favorite memory is when I met my Bright Futures family."
She couldn't have said it any better - we are a family. Although our students wanted to
increase the numbers of Bright Futures participants, what they got was a stronger connection to
each other. As my fellow site cooridantor, LFD, said, "sometimes unintended outcomes of a
project are so much more powerful than what we set out to do."
Molly Berwanger
EMU Bright Futures Site Coordinator
Wayne Memorial High School
"Never
confuse
a single
defeat
with a
final
defeat."
- F. Scott Fitzgerald
A Bridge and a Woman
In the past, I was always the adventurous type. I never shied away from change, or from trying new
activities. With my learning disability diagnosis, I became stuck in the day-to-day. School and/or work became
my top priorities, and because of that, I stopped trying new things. My personal goal would be to live more
outside of my own box, to not be afraid to take risks, because those risks make me uncomfortable. I want to
become more of a "yes" person and less of a "let me think about it..." person.
I thought hard about how best to represent my goal in a picture. Over the summer, I stepped out of my
comfort zone when I agreed to camp for ten days in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. My time in a tent was difficult,
awkward, and during one unfortunate thunderstorm, stressful. I considered submitting a picture of my time
away, for it captured everything I hated about the trip. However, it didn't best suit my grit goal. In order to
fully participate in this challenge, and in order to accomplish my goal completely, I must find a way to balance
my time between work and personal life. I must not get caught up in the day-to-day of working, but actually
take a chance and start saying "yes". I also did not choose this summer goal, because it was implying that grit is
only overcoming the negative. I did not want to camp, but I found a way to do it, and I extended my comfort
zone to survive. I got too comfortable describing grit as something that you didn't want to do, but had to, and
grit deserves a better explanation.
It was during my brother's wedding, that I came across the perfect representation of my grit goal. On a
gloomy morning, I snapped a picture of a bridge. This bridge is essential to the every day commuters in New
York City. It connects two boroughs, making it possible for many travelers to split their time between work and
home. In order to be successful with my grit goal, I must create a link between my worlds, constantly traveling
between the two. Instead of getting lost, uncomfortable, or stressed on my journey between work and personal
life, I must produce a bridge that can deliver me from one to the other. It is not an easy task, building a bridge,
for I know there will be obstacles standing in my way. However, I must remember that once the bridge is
complete, I will have found the most successful way to connect my personal and professional lives, and flourish
in both.
This goal will help me grow as an educator, for it will provide me with the opportunity to constantly learn
and collect knowledge. If I am not continuously working, or stuck in a rut, then I can try new things. At the
same time, I believe that life is a wonderful educator. The people I can meet, the information I can learn, and the
connections I can make, will all happen if I am able to develop more of my personal life. In addition, my own
success, as well as my own failures, will help my students learn about perseverance. It is helpful for them to see
an adult struggle with their journey, perhaps fail, but ultimately succeed. It teaches them that it is okay to work
hard for what you believe in, and with assistance from others, you might be able to achieve your goal. I will
never be afraid to let my students see me fail, or to talk about my failures. For I never want them to be ashamed
of their own hardships and obstacles. These challenges make you stronger, and they make the attainment of
your goal that much better.
A Woman Trying to Build Community
I entered my second year of program with a long list of goals. My first year as Site Coordinator was
stressful, and I was still a bundle of nerves when September arrived. I knew that I had to make my program more
inclusive and more thoughtful, as well as less dramatic and chaotic. I learned tremendously from my first year,
and I hoped to take those lessons into my second. Out of the many goals I set aside for myself, like weekly staff
meetings, better organization, and more student input, I decided that it was most important to focus on building
a better, and stronger, connection between the school-day staff and Bright Futures. Our program is often
ignored, and treated as an outsider. Many of our problems stemmed from the lack of support we received. My
belief is that the school did not reach out more, for they already had a notion of what our program was, since we
were already established in the school. In addition, my own shyness prevented me from reaching out more.
This year, I wanted to make sure teachers knew my name, and all staff felt welcome to visit.
In the past, my reasoning for not reaching out was simple. I was hurt by the lack of community in this
school. I was told by one Assistant Principal to keep Bright Futures as an underground program, for we would
be deemed cooler if less students and staff knew whom we were. I felt that I was wasting time, for I was unable
to build a community. I spent the majority of my time blaming others, and neglected to see that I was also at
fault. By decreasing the time I spent reaching out to the school staff, I was not doing my job to the best of my
abilities. This year, I not only continued to reach out to the school staff, I tried new techniques for getting the
attention of the teachers and administrators. In order to spread awareness of bullying, I visited various
classrooms around the school and played icebreaker games with the students. I volunteered to help out at more
school functions, and even offered to run a session at a Professional Development meeting. I walked the
hallways, introduced myself to all the new teachers and administrators, and continuously invited staff to our
program. Even if the teachers and administrators did not accept my invitations, I continued to make my presence
known.
One of my ideas to incorporate Bright Futures into the school was to hand out Bright Futures t-shirts to the
administrators and various teachers. I also encouraged them to wear them around the school in order to show
their support for the program. I believe that this was a small way to show the connection and community
growth between Bright Futures and the school. Also, students are able to see that their teachers recognize the
program and support it. When I see a teacher or administrator wearing the blue Bright Futures t-shirt, I know
that they are proud to host this program, and will encourage more students to join.
Although it is not a perfect community just yet, I do feel as if I have taken huge steps towards this goal.
Each step I took was difficult and gritty, because I had to face my own fear of failure and speaking out, as well as
extend my comfort zone in order to declare our worthiness to the school day staff. For my students and my
program, I faced my fears and overcame my obstacles. I got gritty with it, and persevered.
There are multiple items that I want to improve upon in my program. However, for the sake of time, I will
elaborate on one. I would like to work on my organization skills, in order to better serve my students and my
program. At the beginning of every school year, I start with a clean slate. Everything in my room is put away
neatly, and every item in my room has a place. Unfortunately, as the year progresses, my room becomes a
disaster site. Even my students beg to take time out of their day to help me organize my space. Unfortunately, as
time moves forward, I fall behind in my organization. It is always a struggle for me to maintain a clean room.
In order to complete this goal, I must have determination and rise above the challenge.
I want to work on my organization skills, for I believe these skills will help me create a more positive and
warm space for my students. For instance, have multiple ideas on how to decorate the room, and use crafty skills
I find on pinterest, but my lack of organization deters me. It is hard to worry about what to put on the walls,
when I have to dig through the art supplies to find glue. I am hoping that through the development of
organization skills, I can begin to create the great space that I am only just dreaming of now.
Honestly, it has been quite difficult remaining dedicated to this goal. With multiple days off due to snow
and cold weather, I feel as if I have been away from my site for too long. Each day that I come in, I focus mostly
on getting the program ready, not on how to clean and organize my room. However, small daily reminders help
me grit through these feelings. For instance, when I overhear my students use the word grit when assigning goals
for themselves, or when I watch as two students struggle and play a difficult game, I know that I have to work
harder to make this room mirror their actions. Each item deserves a space in the room. For example, with the
help of my students, I put together a grit section in the room. Instead of a file cabinet, we now have a grit-tastic
3-D poster. Now, students are able to see some inspirational quotes from other Bright Futures staff, as well as
get a definition of grit.
The file cabinet is not the only grit improvement we have made in the room. Located on a door, students
worked hard on an "ability to overcome failure" tree. Each leaf is a story written by a student, and it represents a
time when the student overcame their failure. Our tree is growing every day. In a beautiful and creative twist,
we decided to link the sun with inspirational qrit quotes. Each quote is warming our failures and helping us
grow to be better people. Staring at these grit quotes and inspirational words, as well as taking the time to put
them up, has pushed me to become better at organizing.
There are many more additions to this room, but I decided to include those that are nearest to my heart.
These are projects that I focused on and worked together with students to create. It shows that I am capable of
working hard to create art in this room, and that we can share this space and grow within it. I still have a lot of
work to do, and I am aware that it is going to be a long and difficult journey. However, when I look around my
room now, I do not see blank spaces and my own failure to cover them up. Instead, I see hope, opportunity, and
creativity.
A Woman and Her Room
"The best way to not feel
hopeless is to get up and do
something. Don't wait for
good things to happen to you.
If you go out and make some
good things happen, you will
fill the world with hope, you
will fill yourself with hope."
- Barack Obama
Pierre Rice
EMU Bright Futures Site Coordinator
Ypsilanti Community High School
"One ever feels his twoness - an American, a Negro; two souls, two
thoughts, two unreconciled strivings; two warring ideals in one dark body,
whose dogged strength alone keeps it from being torn asunder."
- W. E. B. Du Bois
Welcome to the Gun Show
My personal grit goal is to lose twenty pounds before the New Year and to
increase my bench to 300lbs by June of 2014. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is very
difficult. It's been a constant battle to keep the weight off. I am in much better shape
than when I started this journey. However, I would like to take my health and fitness
to another level. I would like to compete in races and fitness competitions. I would
like to join a gym, and currently, I am looking for the gym that would be the right fit
for me. I am really excited about this next phase in my life.
My photo connects to my grit goal because it shows off my guns, but I need
bigger guns in order to help out in case there are fights at Ypsilanti Community High
School. All jokes aside, my goal since the beginning of the year has been to maintain
a healthy lifestyle. I began the year fasting from food for 30 plus days and drinking
healthy juices daily. Some of my favorite juices are kale, lemon, and green apple. I
have continued to make healthy juices and I am working on eating right.
This has made me a better educator because I have noticed I have a lot more
energy than I did a year ago and I am a lot more willing to try new things. I have
begun working out in new and varied ways, and I've also begun salsa dancing!
Accomplishing this goal will help to show students if you want to change
something about your life, then you have to stick with it. I could easily say I am
happy with the weight that I lost and just maintain my current weight. However,
losing weight and pushing myself has only led me to want to push myself more,
because I know it's a possibility. I think that's the greatest lesson I can model and
teach students about grit.
17,000 to Zero
How is it possible that one person can have over 17,000 unread emails? Well, let's think
about a typical day for me: I have to run to the store to go shopping for cooking club, there's
creating that permission slip for the field trip, calling parents about kids' grades and attendance in
program. Then I have to get snack, write lesson plans for clubs, set up sign-in sheets, complete
EZ Reports, Concur and accountability items, and then suddenly the bell rings, and kids arrive.
When can I get to my email? For my professional development grit goal, I want to work on my
email account.
Responding to emails in a timely fashion is very important to keeping community partners
and creating new ones. Also, as a site coordinator for the Bright Futures program, we get a lot of
emails daily. Staying on top of the emails is essential to how we do business. So, why haven't I
prioritized it? Honestly, it's because I prioritize all of the activities that have to do with daily
running of my program and working with kids.
Recently, I have considered just starting a new email account. Starting a new account would
solve my current problem of having too many emails in my inbox, and I could just make sure I
keep up with it from here on out. But then I realized, I would probably, in the future, have
ANOTHER account with 17,000 unread emails, in addition to the first, so I decided that I have
to dive headfirst into solving this issue.
Although, I may start a new account anyways I realize the gritty thing to do would be to
delete all 17,000 unread emails in my current inbox and organize my current inbox. That takes
more guts and grit, because it forces me to go through everything and see what I missed. I would
like to have this finished in the next two months. Then I will not miss emails because I will truly
know how many new emails I have received. I would know when meetings were cancelled so I
wouldn't show up for them unnecessarily. It will also help me show my kids that though there
are aspects of my job that I don't like to complete, that it's important to be professional and
follow up with people, often via email.
Abrupt Changes
The beginning of every school year is always hectic, but a stable staff can be the difference between
sanity and insanity. This has been a trying year for programming at Ypsilanti Community High School.
The year began with great promise, as I hired a former staff member as my Assistant Site Coordinator
(ASC). Unfortunately, this hire did not work out, and I had to let him go within the first couple of
weeks. By this time, program had already started and I had to move forward short-staffed. After several
interviews, I thought all of my prayers had been answered, because I found someone who was a perfect
fit. Six months later, she resigned without warning.
The resignation of my 2nd ASC was very difficult for all of us. The students had built a rapport
with her and she had just began planning and teaching her own unique clubs. It was difficult for me
personally because her quitting came as a shock. I later learned that she had a lot of responsibilities; she
is a mom of four and she was going to EMU full-time pursuing her teacher certification in mathematics.
I immediately had to take on the tasks I had become accustomed to my ASC handling. It was also
difficult, because I knew that her leaving would have a huge impact on the students and I had to figure
out how to lessen the blow. I felt it was important to be honest with the students, but I also had to
scramble to find service providers to help me cover her responsibilities. I found myself devastated and
depressed because my assistant had given my program so much life.
I know the first couple of days after she quit the students could see a change in my demeanor. One
of the students asked point blank: "Mr. Rice, what's going on here? The sign-in sheet is in the wrong
place!" Sometimes changes in the little routines are the first things the students notice. One day I woke
up and said to myself no matter what happens, I am committed to giving the students at Ypsilanti
Community High School the best quality Bright Futures Program possible. I have been short-staffed
before and I have never let it stop me in the past. If it means I have to work twice as hard, I will.
The picture I submitted is me with my students on a field trip to the Juneteenth Celebration in Ann
Arbor. This experience has brought me closer to the students, because our students are used to people
leaving... but I have remained present and consistent, and have helped them navigate the transitions.
We've all done our part to make this a successful year, and a quality experience for the youth in our
program.
"The greater danger
lies not in setting our
aim too high and
falling short; but in
setting our aim too
low, and achieving
our mark."
- Michelangelo
Liz Getty
EMU Bright Futures
Site Coordinator, Ypsilanti
New Tech High School
_________________________________
"I am learning every day
to allow the space between
where I am and where I
want to be to inspire me
and not terrify me."
- Tracee Ellis Ross
Finding the Energy Within
Rest is at a premium. Everyone gets exhausted sometimes, emotionally or physically. When I check
my pedometer it says that I have taken twelve thousand steps today. When I look at my clock it says that
it is 9:30pm. My workday has been packed and I've cleaned up dozens of messes. I look to my own
space and wish that I had the energy, fortitude, or maturity to get things done around me. I see
unfinished projects, messes of my own, and a fridge with far too many condiments relative to food. I'm
sure it's similar to what my students feel at the end of the day when they are looking at homework in
tutoring or sitting on a table in Ourspace talking about their day. Everybody is talking about their
wishes, with caveats and limits put on what they can accomplish. "There's no point, I'm failing
already..." "But every small thing you do pushes you that much closer to clearing your list of things to
be done!" "It's okay, I might try later...I'm tired right now." It hurts to hear those deflated explanations.
If I believe that they can, I have to believe that I can, too. It starts with a refusal to allow inertia to
steal my time and energy. Glancing up from my armchair is like seeing a cartoon clock spinning. How
long have I been staring at my email? How long have I been playing this video game? What is outside of
this room right now? The tension that I feel in those moments is in part about responsibility. When I
plug my headphones in and will myself to feel energy, those dishes will be done. If I check on the
laundry, I'll probably fold it all. Starting with one small task, like doing a few dishes, usually results in a
fully clean kitchen, because I will in turn want to wipe the counter and sweep the floor. Rather than
being daunted a long list, picking a single task as a catalyst in a space and sticking to it for the day will
help. The productivity will come organically if I take one step at a time.
The issue is also about being completely alive, which isn't as much about dishes... On a day when I
was home alone, I went walking to stave off that creeping inertia. I walked and walked, and when I
thought I was done and was starting to head home, I saw movement through the trees on a high train
track over the river. I climbed up an embankment and stepped through the brush to find two stags
standing on the tracks, eating berries from the bushes. I stood quietly for a few moments until a train
blasted through, the wind blowing my dress and hair. The stags, startled by the train, ran off into the
trees. It felt like a singular experience. When I ask my students what they did or saw last weekend and
they say, "Nothing," I hope that they are hiding some secret story of their own and that they will one
day admit when they break through their inertia. I hope that they live somewhere they can walk and feel
safe. Rather than simply praising the students for accomplishing things, I try to ask them how it feels,
with the hope that good feelings that come from productivity or adventure will propel them toward
momentum too.
I photographed an attendance grid sheet that my Assistant and I use to track attendance
in program. It's our way of paying closer attention to who shows up and who doesn't... In our
line of work, noticing is a big deal. Who comes to program is a helpful data set to track, but there
are many more pieces of evidence to be found in what we do. Professionally, I want to notice in a
more intentional way and collect meaningful information so that we have a better idea of what
concretely works. I want to visit other organizations that have similar goals to our own and see
what they are doing for kids. No need to get tunnel vision when there are so many other
champions out there to collaborate with! I'm hopeful that we can all exchange ideas and try
things out.
Closer to home, I think that students can also speak up for themselves to indicate what
empowers them and what disempowers them. Students may know the answer for the following
questions: How can we prevent young people from becoming bogged down in learned
helplessness and frustration? How can we make our students intellectual revolutionaries, seeking
out information as a means to reclaiming their own education? The students' candid answers to
those questions will likely show patterns. For example, a majority of students might say that
being given responsibilities in program-and chances to practice executing those responsibilitiesmakes them feel more confident. I would love to talk to colleagues and kids about how
confidence and competence can be measured. I want to work with students to make them part of
the data collection process, by setting up focus groups with their peers and having them measure
their own progress.
The students would be fantastic teammates to develop and implement experimental ideas
that might make for better connections with school and life in general. There is an opportunity
to learn more about the part of adolescents' lives that is off-stage when programming occurs.
Their family and community have histories and patterns of their own. Some of those patterns are
helpful, such as strong intergenerational support, and some are complex and conflicting. Rather
than treating school, home, and community as disconnected entities, we could be collecting
information to see where common goals and strategies exist. Maybe a meaningful gritty
experience for students is in taking all these informational patterns, synthesizing them into plans,
and experimenting with tweaking the plans based on the result
Marks With Meaning
Building Culture From Scratch
The first year is supposedly the hardest one, although every year poses unique challenges. I've been told
that just when you think you have program shaped, a new set of students will join-with different goals and
ways of being-- old students will graduate or transfer and your program reassembles itself all over again. Our
program grit for this year, our first year, is for the students to shape the soul and culture of Bright Futures at
their school.
Many of my students have never attended after school programming before, so they don't have a specific
notion of what program "should" look like. In some ways this is a challenge, because the students tend to carry
over behaviors from the school day. If they behave disrespectfully during school, they start out behaving that
way after school as well, causing frustration for their peers and the staff. I see my job, and the job of my staff,
as building the scaffolding of program and creating the safe space where students fill in the conceptual gaps.
The benefit of not having a starting standard that the kids are all used to is that there is room from them to
build the standard of what would be meaningful or helpful to them. The posters featured in this picture were
an idea I saw in my colleague Amanda's site. The site coordinator creates categories of expectation and then
the students fill in what they feel is right. The points shown are crowd sourced from the kids... showing how
they want to be and how they want the staff to be.
In the flurry of ensuring that all students are supervised and "engaged" it can be easy to for the regulatory
side of the job to come to the forefront. I will find myself asking things of the same students repeatedly in
order to maintain structural integrity after school. Students voiced that they wanted us to protect them but also
to listen to them and to relax. Many of the notes for staff simply said "smile," or "have fun with us!" It was a
great reminder that the soul of program is more important to kids than whether or not things are always
perfect. Camaraderie, mutual support, and respect ultimately prove to be more meaningful than precision.
It has been a fascinating journey to build relationships with students who have diverse values and ways of
relating to the world. They all have differing degrees of buy-in to activities and different ways of relating to
each other and authority figures. Figuring out how to make that enormous puzzle fit together in a harmonious
way has been our biggest challenge. We approach this endeavor with grit because we can always apply
empathy and kindness as the binding agent that helps us hold together a whole-even when students may
disagree with one another or with a staff member. Small failures or bumps in the road are part of the giant,
evolving culture of program, and not every student will leap to be confident, calm, and participatory. If every
student started out that way, seeing no change in themselves or in their culture of their programming, Bright
Futures wouldn't be as fulfilling as it is. Now, when I see the students helping each other in an emergency or
cheering each other on at our awards night, I can see that soul and culture take time, but that the students want
it and will work for it, too.