Dear Difference Maker,
Today I want to reach in deep to the heart of the matter...
Do you recognize any of these students?
Would they stand out in your mind if you saw them in school, on the street or at the mall?
What really bright looking seniors with great potential these two were.
This pair killed 13 people also injuring 24 others at Columbine before killing themselves.
This was Adam Lanza when he was in Elementary School.
Can you find Adam in his Tech Club a few years later?
He looks just like a lot of students we see but don't see ... and that's a problem. (He's 3rd in from the R)
Adam was diagnosed with Asperger's. He was a selective reader and on his nightstand next to the NRA's book on how to use guns at home was this book, "look me in the eye." Adam killed himself and 27 others at Sandy Hook Elementary.
This is 16-year-old Alex Hribal, who was recently charged with slashing or stabbing 20 students and a security guard before the start of classes April 9, 2014 at Franklin Regional High School in Murrysville, PA.
Here we have Jose Reyes, who was a 12-year-old who shot a student, killed a teacher and shot a 2nd student before killing himself at Sparks Middle School, NV in October 2013.
These are Jose's deeply bereaved parents.
Having lost a young son - even though it was through a different set of circumstances - I can tell you that it is impossible to put into words the depth of the loss or how profoundly life-changing it is.
As I researched these boys - and others - I was struck by what bright and precious individuals they were, and I feel the sting of how - as a society - we can be missing what's right in front of our eyes because we don't know - haven't been taught - how to SEE deep pain and potentially combustive suffering.
My life's work for over 20 years has been about training adults the skills to deal effectively and compassionately with the emotional social issues that are literally taking lives today.
I'm on a mission to give everyone the SKILL of how to actively notice and SEE with eyes of understanding and HEARing with healing ears.
I feel it's imperative that every person associated with Today's Youth receive the kind of skill development that those in the counseling and psychological fields are trained to have.
Yes I do think that every teacher, administrator and support personnel must undertake learning very specific counseling techniques and listening skills to help them reach in to each and every student in their care.
In the Continuing Education classes I've taught at PSU -Portland State University - i.e., Breaking the Cycles of Failure and T.A.C.T. - Teachers As Counselors Training - I have found that the one SKILL of PERCEPTION alone is something that will tremendously help those who struggle with - and fear - at-risk students.
The children who took others' lives as well as their own lives IS the reason why I developed MAKE A DIFFERENCE WEEK Program for Classroom Teachers and entire School Districts ... to give adults the opportunity to ASK the kind of questions in a classroom setting - that will OPEN a NEW conversation - the conversation that needs to be had about how we treat each other in this society and most importantly what we can be doing to help one another.
There are 5 Steps to Making a Difference in your School in just ONE WEEK - the time cost is simply 1 class period a day for 5 consecutive days!
Step 1: 7-Step Process to Get Every One ON BOARD with the program.
Step 2: 3 ways to Partner for Funding to create community wide Transformation
Step 3: Quick and easy preparations for teachers.
Step 4: Ask the questions that will open THE conversations that will make the difference.
Step 5: Take the momentum from Make A Difference WEEK forward into the month and entire year!
NOW would be the time to come together - to work alongside me - to get this training under your belt and ready to go.
$100 Early Bird SAVINGs ENDS TODAY - May 9th!
Whether or not you know yet if your school will have funding available to invest in the materials for Make A Difference WEEK - I will show you 3 easy ways to collaborate to make it happen!
Whether or not you believe it's possible to get your faculty and staff to want to make the time to do this - I encourage you to suspend your DIS-belief right here, right now - because you are going to LOVE my miraculous 5-Step System to get Everyone ON BOARD for Make A Difference WEEK - and YES - even the most disgruntled, overwhelmed and stressed out individuals who generally cause the most disruption and dissension - will even going so far as to think it was their own idea to do so!
You are going to learn exactly how to get everyone working together toward the common goal of getting every student engaged, behaved and excelling academically.
GIFT BONUS #1: I am going to give you an EARLY BIRD $100 Savings Today through this Friday May 9th. When you register use this coupon [ MDPAFCT ] (This applies to full-investment purchases and will not apply to the 3-pay option.)
The Virtual component to Becoming a Certified Make A Difference WEEK Facilitator begins May 15th with 3 TeleCalls for Q&A and Discussion while you acquaint yourself with the material which you will receive immediately upon registering. MDPA FCT - Make A Difference with the Power of Acknowledgment Facilitator Certification Training TeleCalls begin right away because I don't want anyone to be delayed who wants to DIVE IN AND GET STARTED before school gets out.
*All Pre-Event TeleCalls will be recorded and available for you to download at your MDPA-FCT Online Dashboard that we provide for you.*
GIFT BONUS #2: Live Training in the Ft. Worth area (Benbrook, TX - 45 min SW of DFW airport) and also in the Boston area (Exeter, NH - 1 hour N of BOS or 50 min E of Manchester, NH - MHT airport).
makeadifference.com/AP00/MDPA_Facilitator.php - Ft. Worth
makeadifference.com/AP00/MDPA_Facilitator.php?v=e - Boston, MA
EARLY BIRD $100 Savings Today through this Friday May 9th.
When you register use this coupon [ MDPAFCT ]
Attending the LIVE EVENT is not required to become Certified. However, I encourage you to do whatever you can to get yourself to either Ft. Worth or Boston as it will an intensive 2-Day experience that will CHANGE YOUR LIFE!
You will walk away with a CAN DO PERSPECTIVE and determination to teach others how to be truly effective with today's emotional social issues - to get them HANDLED so kids can settle down their minds and then excel academically!
To become Certified you will be required to Video Tape yourself giving the Kick-Off Assembly and upload it to YouTube so I can critique your presentation and where necessary I will give 1:1 coaching to make certain your facilitation skill level is where it must be to engage larger audiences. It's simple. It's straightforward.
Anyone with a passion to make a difference and is ready to take effective action can do this. I hope that person is YOU!
Reaching out to make a difference...
Mary Robinson Reynolds
Author & Founder, Heart Productions & Publishing