It all comes down to this – you either stand out with a voice or you blend in with the noise,with these tools and examining the Habits of Mind, Classic Upward Bound and Youth Voices combined to give you a platform, now and into the future, to stand out rather than blend in.
Adding Kumospace into the mix for Classic Upward Bound, Why? Paul explains …
But the beach is always nice…
Literally just that – Paul Allison explains why Youthvoices.live matter to Youth today all over the U.S. – in our case – why it matters to Classic Upward Bound in the summer of 2021 !
320Success seems to be connected with action. 1Successful people keep moving. They make mistakes, but they never quit. 1
422Efficacious people stick to a task until it is completed. 1They don’t give up easily. 1They are able to analyze a problem, and they develop a system, structure, or strategy to attack it. They have a repertoire of alternative strategies for problem solving, and they employ a whole range of these strategies. They collect evidence to indicate their problem-solving strategy is working, and if one strategy doesn’t work, they know how to back up and try another. They recognize when a theory or an idea must be rejected and another employed. They have systematic methods for analyzing a problem, which include knowing how to begin, what steps must be performed, what data must be generated or collected, and what resources are available to assist. Because they are able to sustain a problem-solving process over time, they are comfortable with ambiguous situations.
1023Students often give up when they don’t immediately know the answer to a problem. 3They sometimes crumple their papers and throw them away, exclaiming “I can’t do this!” or “It’s too hard!” Sometimes they write down any answer to get the task over with as quickly as possible. 1Some of these students have attention deficits. 1They have difficulty staying focused for any length of time; they are easily distracted, or they lack the ability to analyze a problem and develop a system, structure, or strategy of attack. 3They may give up because they have a limited repertoire of problem-solving strategies, and thus they have few alternatives if their first strategy doesn’t work.
The above is from an article titled, Learning and Leading with Habits of Mind, Chapter 2. Describing the Habits of Mind by Arthur L. Costa that we use in a program of Nowcomment.com, and can annotate among other high school students and teachers.
After a really really bad night of Wriggley being tended to at the ER in Salisbury, MD, coming through like a champ, and me exhausted, I woke up and examined these habits of mind:
and realized two groups of people came to MY MIND (see what I did there?) Classic Upward Bound students and Cross Country runners. I often see many that are not able to see past today, even tomorrow if they are lucky. But when they catch a glimpse of what the future could bring, (which is a hard thing to change their scope of vision) they become a better runner, student, and shaker and mover.
I could say more, but do not need to, despite 1001 things that often consume our lives, this one quality out of 16 is one of the most enduring and can change a person. I admire that in the students and athletes that keep up the good fight and persist.
Often. there are days that exist that I have so many thoughts and reflections, it is impossible to put them into words, impossible to formulate how to get it just right in stating how you are feelings.
Oddly, these are the same days that I am overwhelmed with driver after driver not using their turn signal (ESP in driving must be a thing), letting people in front of you without ever a thank you or acknowledgement wave, the days I get calls to help others with tasks that they easily can find out in a few minutes (we’ve all had those) – and of course the just “Murphy’s Law” events that manage to pile up one after one after one.
I have taken to just dropping everything, leaving it all behind, and piling the canines into the vehicle and heading to the beach. I have done this for the last four days and see the need to do so for the next five easily. During these great escapes that are badly needed – I have come to realize so many things and just let the things I needed to say settle down into some brief simplicties.
So many individuals miss the simple things in life like simply hearing the silence of the wind, the trees, the birds, the wind, the water, the tide, and so many very specific sounds due to the noise they continue to make themselves, and round themselves.
So many individuals miss the simple things in life like simply hearing the silence of the wind, the trees, the birds, the wind, the water, the tide, and so many very specific sounds due to the noise they continue to make themselves, and round themselves.
So many individuals miss the simple things in life like simply hearing the silence of the wind, the trees, the birds, the wind, the water, the tide, and so many very specific sounds due to the noise they continue to make themselves, and round themselves. I see them missing it before they even realize the did. Yet they do not even realize what they are missing at all.
The individuals that ride my back bumper pushing me to hurry, hurry, hurry, (metaphorically and in reality) could indeed make you do that very thing, or you can just let those actions roll over you and forcefully ride over you and refuse to let your time be hijacked into the faster timezone that you care to be in, so you will not miss the details that many others miss.
I see this reflected in the scramble to work work work tirelessly for that almighty dollar, and the stress that the economy has put on families to make that priority one. From experience of someone who worked 2- 4 jobs at the same time from high school easily into my 40’s, I do not remember a single moment of the weeks I tried to achieve my highest number of hours for that almighty dollar.
Yet, I still remember some of the quietest, most still moments where I just observed, listened, and took ion what was happening around me, letting me work put my own pace and resisting against the tide of a pace that seemed to catch everyone up in a pace that was expected, and never allowed for reflection, internal peace, a sense of satisfaction.
I find myself more and more willing to build in moments of the day, be it a 20 to 40 minute break, to mornings, evenings, weekend afternoons – that allow nothing but time for me to let me thoughts settle to a lower point – where I can see, reflect on, and feel them – opposed to caught up in a speed race of a moment a minute and then over.
I am grateful for a period in my life where I was able to realize that what was much more important than the number of things I could check off a never ending to do list, was the value of slowly and carefully putting tasks in front of me that I wanted needed, and along the way helping others see a better me in letting my interests also become part of their interests.
There, as I am finding out, is always going to be time to fill in all the time in a day with things that are deemed valuable now, the question is how valuable will those tasks be when I look back 10 years later – and often I am finding in some of those instances, not enough to want me to miss the opportunity I have sitting right in front of me.
If we do not stop to take that picture we thing might be a great shot, take the time to listen to someone when they have something important on their mind, say hello to the person next to you just because, or simply allow yourself to get to know more about what makes you, yourself happy, there is a good chance there are even limited chances to do so in the future as that mentality becomes your new “normal.”
There are so many no guarantees that come with short sighted vision and goals, and often with long sighted vision and goals, space is created to allow those moments of reflection, meditation, and just space to take a breath in and have a chance to enjoy the moment, rather than simply be able to reflect on it in the past. The best opportunities are the latter, when you discover you have the desire to carve out more permanent moments and events that you can truly can look back on and realize the value of the moments that are happening.
it is interesting that Jeff Bezos thanked all the Amazon employees and customers that paid for the 10 minute flight into space and also that the overview effect, the fact that people realize the earth is fragile from a view from space, is the best way that changes people minds about how fragile the earth is.I can help anyone realize this fact if anyone wants to see several local environmental areas in our own county that are consumed by plastics, needles, fast food garbage and more. Sigh.
We have a long way to go to show politicians and those in positions of wealth of how they can better benefit the world around them.I do believe in the ability to use millions, (maybe billions) for something in discovering innovations in space travel, especially being able to reuse a craft to do so, BUT also in using such publicity for a further impact on the world’s needs now, in real time, truly combining what such an event does to bring attention to so many and use for a better use – couldn’t Amazon have created a link to this event and all who watched it, if they contributed a positive ideal for a new solution to 1 of 100 dire needs of the earth, Amazon would donate at least 1000.00 to that cause?
Connecting the dots of using publicity and the spotlight, as well as using one’s platform to benefit the world around them as well as themselves (and others) should not be out of the realm of the earth’s atmosphere, be it from a millionaire or someone barely making minimum wage – these are some of the things I think about at 4 AM 
Thundershowers predicted and sure enough – tons of them. I was upstairs, FINALLY FINALLY shampooing the upstairs and feeling pretty good about getting something done that had been on my list and knowing that the cleaner part of the house was occurring.
Wow, that is super super koud outside, almost shaking the house – HEY!
Dane, the amazing Dane, was standing at the top of the stairs having struggled to jump over the baby gate to keep him in the entertainment room downstairs – “DANE! – hey now, come on!” as I took him back to his area with his mournful eyes looking at me with “Why?!”
Back to the room, emptying the rug shampooer, boom!! – thunder, rain and…DANE! AGAIN!
Taking Dane back to the area and placing a ladder in front of the baby gate to prevent a third and sure enough after 20 minutes, there was Dane AGAIN – “How did you…” – come on DANE! Back again and solidifying the gate like a barracks.
Looking back, I realized he truly was trying to tell me something, and probably not understanding the house shaking thunder he was feeling – he was desperate- I wish I would have thought about this more in the moment.
About half an hour later, I go downstairs to check on the brood, and there is a HUGE pee stain on one of the sheets in the dog area, and NO DANE. AND the front door is open- and I knew I had not left it open and you got it – NO DANE. Wriggley and Amaya were still there looking around like, “Where’s DANE?”
I panicked.
I grabbed my keys, jumped into the Mountaineer and started driving our familiar walk paths over and over and over – nothing. Anxiety taking over, I was probably driving faster than I would be able to see or spot Dane, especially in the dark and during the rain, I was a full panic and misery inside.
As I came around the second side of our housing development – a neighbor is outside and asks as I drive by, “Looking for a dog?” YES! YES! “Red collar?” YES!
Sure enough They found Dane as they were taking their golf cart around the plan and he jumped RIGHT IN and they took him with them to their house and here they come with DANE! I was perplexed and still in shock how close he might have been to being in the front road and just did not let myself thing more of the could-have-beens. In a full panic himself, Dane knows to push the front door to loosen if not really latched tightly, and to open and to exit – and he was, the first time I can ever remember, scared beyond belief to not try something extreme.
You know that sick feeling you get in your stomach when you wish you could go back and do something different and it would have avoided a close call you can never take back it it goes wrong?
Also realizing what you have and hating the fact you were not taking enough time to realize the details that matter to another ( in this case, Dane?)
All I could think about was the pain, heartache, fear, that Dane has experienced and how we have had to try and heal him and have Dane recover from those experiences and this –
Sunday morning, despite hating to roll out of bed at 5:30 AM, up, grabbed the canines and into the vehicle and at Dewey Beach (allows dogs in the summer before 9:30 AM) by 6:20AM- record time with no one on the road – and we roamed the water, the beach, saved at least 5 horseshoe crabs turned over, met other canines and their families, came within 20 feet of a dolphin pod facing us in thew water (how lucky ate the canines to experience that?!) heck, even me! – and we did it again in neighboring Rehoboth, (free parking until 10 AM) and never had to pay a dime for parking – the dogs glorified in the air to, from, during the beach and the smells of everything, they were puppies again in an instant easily – petted and loved by 100 others- they ate it up –
and you could tell they wanted every day to be like this.
And why not? Life is going to be the BIGGEST REGRET when you can;t remember the hours you put in and from which week but when you could have remembers the moments of time that you felt exhilarated with your family, friends, loved ones, that will linger more than any specific weeks pay or list of to do’s -in a thunderstorm or on a sunny day,
Every time I see my canines eyes look at me, and hear them call at me, I remember the voyage they were willing to make with me here, and I, at the very least can give more of my time to give back to them, we each need to consider what we have not versus thinking we will always have it later. Especially after what we hold dear to our hearts after this past year –
I thought all this as I watched Marshmello ft. Bastille – Happier and realized I need not a video to remind me of the sacrifices made by others, and my dear dear canines, and felines, to just be with someone that love to be with.
Lesson learned, even after the thunder.
(The neighbors have no idea NO IDEA how much what they did was life-saving) – my mission will be to let them know!
Hot, as you know, and having to go back into Food Lion TWICE on forgetting an item, I was contemplating going back in….and fought the urge to say no and did anyway.
On the way out I gladly escaped into my vehicle, started up and planned to exit pronto from the heat pushing in on me.
Right before my eyes a woman in her late 20’s or so, one I saw in the grocery store, simply pushed her cart towards a car, and indeed- it did! It hit the neighboring car, parked in a handicap spot – and I just was stunned.
Passers-by looked incredulously (I always wondered when I would be able to use that word) and she simply remained in her vehicle as if – “Too bad, so sad.” Even though I was halfway out of my parking spot, I was stunned – STUNNED- so I did the most logical thing that seemed to do in a situation full of wrong, I defiantly against the heat pulled BACK into the space, exited, into the stifling humidity, walked over with leaving my car running, walked in front of their vehicle to retrieve her cart now against the car in the handicap spot – and walked it back to the store returning it – then hopped backed into my vehicle.
They remained parked there and from the face she made in the back seat as they pulled out, not pleased. I saw the driver of the car the passenger who had the cart that had bumped into the parked car – she was scowling and not happy so, some sort of interchange, I thought, must have occurred when I was returning my “not my cart.”
This left me with a sense of dismal belief in how people view each other, think of each other, and see each other.
What would you have done?
When I saw her performance – and witnessed the profound and deep-seeded performance, aside from the letter I usually try to slip to seniors when they graduate – that has been a very important part of my educational life as they become graduates – I hope – especially in 2021 that these graduates realize some very important things.
In figuring my educational career – I have been in the educational field for twenty four years – 12 of those years as a Librarian and Media Specialist, 12 as an English Educator, all the while studying Master’s Degrees simply because to be honest, I always search for aspects of education that are morphing, growing etc..
I think in this particular post I am able to identify the core aspects that do not require names –
As an educator, I have seen some pretty harrowing moments, as most educators do – young children from the age of 4 to the age of 18 physically, emotionally, mentally, socially abused, used for money for parents that see their children as such a tool, learned to always keep extra food and a small refrigerator in the back because without fail, there are always a handful, that come to school relying on the breakfast, lunches, and snacks they know they can come to a library and obtain – and when I was an English teacher, definitely my classroom as well. So many educator experience this today and get no credit for this realization.
Seeing students growing up hungry, alone, isolated, abused, neglected, and more, day in day out, along with the stress and disrespect that are thrown to educators even more today, there is no way, no how, anyone could possible realize the role of a librarian, of an educator, of a counselor, even of an administrator unless you are actively doing this on a daily basis – I know some will disagree, and that is okay, but living this experience for over 24 years – and having family members and friends see me drag myself home some night – complaining when I hate complainers, whining when I hate whiners – the depth and reality of how little educational processes have come, and need to come, it sits with you well.
It is important for graduates to have a chance to sit down with their supports that enabled them to see their way to 12th grade to realize – exactly what the above quote points out.
The pandemic was a small slice of what havoc life can truly throw your way. I am grateful, after some personal losses way back when I first started in the educational field, I would 100% throw myself into my students, my field of study, my classrooms, in and out of buildings.
“But when does Harry get some time for Harry?!” – lol, yes, I have been told this many times and yet, only a small handful of individuals know that what keeps me happy, going, etc is having had these rough experiences and times, and some pretty great ones, and finding a niche and a step, for someone else to be able to find, and then find their way.
There is nothing worse than feeling that there is no way out, no new opportunity or experience that is in front of you, that can help express who you are, to yourself and to others. Yet, one of the most rewarding moments of an educator, as well as the most trying, is being beat down in a world that truly feels at times it is against every gain you try to obtain for yourself and for others and getting back up. Yet there is confidence and strength in numbers.
I look back and see I could have spent alot more time building a relationship with someone that would have resulted in a family, children, etc and I cannot say that is not a good thing. I joke around alot and lament when people get married and offer condolences, but deep down, I hope and know (they usually do) I am so extremely happy for them because I have grown up with them and I do expect nothing but the best for them. I will be honest, I truly suck at anything somewhat related to the idea of a relationship, I just simply suck at that whole area – and yet- isn’t the first step admitting? LOL – Yet, I have never once felt bad about this aspect because –
It has been AMAZING – to weigh the number of obstacles, daunting roadblocks, and dead ends that appear, only to realize they are mirage – and having a friend, an educator, a guide- show you with patience, and foresight (which to many see as blindness) just as ,myself, a very old 40ish person – looking back- how to put something aside for others helps you put something aside for yourself.
Classes of 2021- trust me on this, there have been many evenings where I have come home at night, and doing what I do, I work myself until my feet are numb, my back feels as if it will break, I begin to see stars, and I can no longer lift my arms, I throw the wishes, frustrations, and disappointments that others feel around me and experience into tasks, chores, lists, to-do’s on those especially bad days. Sometimes I am a sponge, I absorb much of it privately, and sometimes I even weep at night seeing the breakdown and struggles that many young students should not have to endure.
I am not the only one. You will have to believe me on this one, some of the strongest teachers you know have some of the hardest moments when they are by themselves, having to put on a game face when they want simply offer a hour of just chatting and talking with you because they want you to know, based on their years, if you believe and persevere, not even a pandemic can shake the energy you can bring to everything within your touch, sight and future.
Nothing can prevent you from performing acts of kindness and initiatives that no one asks you for.
Take with you the knowledge and keys of success individuals are willing to give you- this separates the individuals that will wait for something good to come to them- to the individuals that know good will come to them after seeking out how to provide that good to others in the process.
Yes, there are countless cheerleaders that are faculty, close friends, coaches, family that continually tell me “You are amazing!” You are relenetless and an energizer bunny!” “You are the best!: ” I so appreciate such comments but what it comes down to is this, and I have always known and believed this:
Without the struggles, the ability to confide in educators as soothsayers and fortune tellers of other futures, without the belief that you have the power to change a world that is often plagued by selfish, Me Me Me thinking,- with not realizing to have the ability to somehow benefit those around you and include them in on your successes – you truly will feel as if you are always in desolate country. Without you, I have no successes, no highlighted achievements, no truly success stories. Unless you are in the picture. Yes, Y O U.
So don’t doubt yourself or underestimate your ability to ride a funk out that you might find yourself in.
Surround yourself with individuals willing to let you dream every single day on how you can actively do something to improve and perfect, be it yourself, others around you, or the world ten years from now. What matters is your happiness, (and do not wait 40+years to realize this) – and your happiness coupled by bringing others along with you.
You will never regret this decision, and realize how wealthy you will become down the road if you simply trust your instincts to help others; as a result you will be helping and growing yourself, and being patient over these years as they occur.
I have never been so luck as due to having met literally family in the form of students, friends, colleagues, and faculty in this country and other countries. One thing is the same wherever you find yourself, Individuals have a higher threshhold of success if you are in their corner and rolemodel generosity to themselves and others.
There is so much to learn – I am excited more than ever for you – Please Decide to be Happy no matter where you find yourself. You have done that for me ten times over – Keep that faith!
PAVEing a Blog 
NowComment? Versus YouthVoices.live?
In digging deeper into a new tool such as Now Comment – Paul explains what Nowcomment.com does for the student opposes to looking at Youthvoices.live:
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