Seven Habits for Friday, and Life

Stephen R. Covey is an internationally respected leadership authority, author, family expert, teacher, organizational consultant, and co-founder and vice-chairman of FranklinCovey Co. He has been recognized as Time magazine's twenty-five most influential Americans. He says:

 When I look into the eyes of the children, I see the hope of the world. Leadership is the highest of all the arts, for it is the enabling art of unlocking human potential. It is communicating to people their worth and potential so clearly that they come to see it in themselves. 

 I feel the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People were inculcated by the greatest servants and prophets, individuals who served the Creator with responsibility, discipline, humility,  respect, and mercy. The seven habits, summarized below, are essentially human virtues that we are taught but forget as we age. I would like to find a way to incorporate teaching these habits into my lesson plans in the future: 


1) taking personal responsibility and initiative
2) getting clear about what's important to you and setting goals
3) putting those priorities first and being disciplined
 4) seeking mutual benefit in all interactions with others -- the golden rule
5) seeking to understand others from their perspective first before making your point
6) valuing differences and creating third-alternative solutions to problems that are better than "my way" or "your way," and 
7) taking care of and renewing yourself in all four areas of life -- body, mind, heart and spirit.


Read more here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/stephen-r-covey/our-children-and-the-cris_b_545034.html

GYSD Update and Grant Opportunities!

As of today, there are 2,128 projects registered in all 50 states and in 80 countries around the world.

Win A Trip to Volunteer With Miley Cyrus (Deadline: May 10) Get Ur Good On is offering one young person an opportunity to win a trip to accompany Miley Cyrus as she volunteers for one of her favorite charities. Youth, ages 8-18, can enter the contest by creating and implementing a service project in their community on Youth Service America's Global Youth Service Day, April 23-25, and uploading a video of how he or she "got their good on" atwww.GetUrGoodOn.org. Young people interested in entering the contest must plan and implement a community service project during Global Youth Service Day (GYSD), the largest service event in the world. They will have two weeks following GYSD to create a video about their project highlighting the issues addressed, how the project was implemented, and what they learned from the project. YSA reviewers will score each video and select one national grand prize winner, flying the teen and an adult chaperone to participate in a service project with Cyrus. Five second place winners will receive a Flip Mino video camcorder autographed by Miley. Get Ur Good On is an online community of youth supporting each other in their mission to do "good" in their communities. Founded in 2009 by Miley Cyrus in partnership with YSA, Get Ur Good On uses multimedia platforms, special events, and opportunities for grants and awards to give children and youth a platform to learn about, create, and implement innovative solutions to global issues. Learn more at GetUrGoodOn.org

U.S. Grants & Awards

KaBOOM! Playground Design Competition (Deadline: April 30) KaBOOM! is hosting a playground design competition in which communities can win $5,000 towards playground equipment. Through Friday April 30, communities can submit their playground designs online at www.kaboom.org. Then a panel of playful judges will look at each submission and rate it in regards to how creative, innovative, practical, comprehensive, age appropriate and fun it is. Once the judges have determined their favorites, KaBOOM! will post the top 5-10 on the website and voting will begin on Monday May 17. The three playground projects with the most votes will receive equipment grants worth up to $5,000 from a KaBOOM! Preferred Vendor. Regardless of who wins, all participants will get expert feedback on their final designs, getting their projects another step closer to success. http://kaboom.org/promote_your_project_design_contest Six Flags Friends Scholarships (Deadline: April 30) DoSomething.org has teamed up with Six Flags Friends to award college scholarships to young leaders who are taking action to make their community a better place. Scholarships will be awarded based on past, current and planned action in the community as well as the applicant's passion, commitment and proven leadership skills. Six winners will receive a $1,500 college scholarships.www.dosomething.org/grants/sixflags/scholarships Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes (Deadline: April 30) Nominate a young service-learning leader for a $2,500 Barron Prize! The Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes seeks nominations for its 2010 awards. The Barron Prize honors young people ages 8 to 18 who have made a significant positive difference to people and our planet. Each year, ten national winners each receive $2,500 to support their service work or higher education. Nomination deadline is April 30. For more information and to nominate, visit www.barronprize.org ING Unsung Heroes  (Deadline: April 30) The ING Unsung Heroes awards program recognizes innovative and progressive thinking in education through monetary awards. Are you an educator with a class project that is short on funding but long on potential? Do you know a teacher looking for grant dollars? ING Unsung Heroes® could help you turn great ideas into reality for students. Each year, 100 educators are selected to receive $2,000 to help fund their innovative class projects. Three of those are chosen to receive the top awards of an additional $5,000, $10,000 and $25,000.  Eligibility: full-time educators, teachers, principals, paraprofessionals, or classified staff members with effective projects that improve student learning at an accredited K-12 public or private school. www.ing.com/us/unsungheroes DoSomething ASPCA Animal Action Grants (Deadline: April 30) DoSomething.org and the ASPCA want to support you and your efforts to promote animal welfare. Are you working on project or program that is focused on decreasing animal shelter intake or increasing live release rates? Do you need money to put your ideas into action or take your project to the next level? If you answered, "YES!", you are eligible to apply for an ASPCA Animal Action Grant! 2 outstanding projects will be awarded with $1000 ASPCA Animal Action Grants. 4 projects will be awarded with $500 ASPCA Animal Action Grants. These grants can be used to support ongoing projects or project ideas or to start something new. For more information please visitwww.dosomething.org/grants/aspca Target Early Childhood Reading Grants & Arts and Culture in Schools Grants (Deadline: April 30) Target Early Childhood Reading Grants promote a love of reading and encourage young children to read together with their families by supporting programs such as after-school reading events and weekend book clubs. Maximum award: $2,000. Eligibility: schools, libraries, and nonprofit organizations. http://sites.target.com/site/en/company/page.jsp?contentId=WCMP04-031821 Target Arts and Culture in Schools Grants help schools and nonprofits bring arts and cultural experiences directly to K-12 students. Programs must have a curriculum component. Maximum award: $2,000. Eligibility: schools and nonprofit organizations. http://sites.target.com/site/en/company/page.jsp?contentId=WCMP04-031819 2010 Take Pride in America National Awards (Deadline: May 7) Presented annually, the Take Pride in America® National Awards recognize individuals, groups and organizations for outstanding stewardship projects or awareness efforts involving federal, state and local lands and waters. The awards program is open to individuals, groups and organizations that have contributed to the protection and/ or enhancement of America's public lands. Examples of these include public parks, forests, grasslands, reservoirs, wildlife refuges, cultural and historic sites, local playgrounds, and other recreation areas. For all awards categories, nominations must reflect actual, measurable accomplishments achieved through volunteer service. To be achieved through volunteer service. To be eligible, projects must be "on the ground" activities, rather than advocacy. Nominated projects and efforts must have been started and/ or completed between May 1, 2009 and April 30, 2010. www.takepride.gov/honors.html Habitat for Humanity State Farm Service-Learning Partnership Grants (Deadline: May 15) Service-Learning Partnership grants provide funds for teachers and schools to develop and implement service-learning projects in partnership with their local Habitat affiliate. For the 20010-2011 school year, teachers and local Habitat affiliates can jointly apply for a one-year grant of up to $7,000 to cover educational expenses associated with the service-learning project.www.habitat.org/youthprograms/parent_teacher_leader/grants.aspx 100 Best Communities for Young People (Deadline: June 1) America's Promise Alliance and the ING Foundation are now seeking entries for the 2010 100 Best Communities for Young People (100 Best) competition. The Alliance and the ING Foundation seek to recognize 100 American cities and towns whose top priority is keeping children in school and helping end the nation's dropout crisis through innovative programs that are addressing everyday challenges facing young people and creating better places for them to live and grow. Winning communities receive ational recognition and media exposure, financial and logistic support to celebrate selection at a local event, commemorative awards to be displayed in the community, exposure to Alliance partner resources and the insights of other winning communities through an innovative online space to exchange ideas, and invitations to exclusive online informational events featuring Alliance partners designed to strengthen local efforts. Interested communities can apply through June 1.www.americaspromise.org/100Best Fizwoz Campus Challenge (Deadline: Ongoing) The fizwoz Campus Challenge is offering ten $500 grants to school organizations that use the FREE fizwoz Assignment Desk to invite photo and video submissions taken at service projects for possible use by the news media. fizwoz.com is the premier online marketplace for iPhone captured media. Utilizing a state-of-the-art auction engine and cutting-edge mobile applications, fizwoz enables the average citizen to reach all levels of media buyers, from multinational media powerhouses to campus newspapers. Just tell fizwoz how your school organization would use $500 and the FREE fizwoz Assignment Desk to get students and others with iPhones to submit newsworthy pictures and videos of service projects on GYSD or anytime in April 2010. If they like your plan, your organization will get $500 to take your project and could receive $5,000 in December for the Best Use of Fizwoz by a student group. Learn more at www.fizwoz.com/college Sign up to receive the weekly GrantStation Insider from GrantStation.com and Youth Service America with news about new funding programs, upcoming deadlines, conferences, seminars, and more.

International Grants & Awards

World of Children Founder's Youth Award (Deadline: May 1) The World of Children Awards program was created to recognize and elevate those selfless individuals who make a difference in the lives of children here in the USA and across the globe, regardless of political, religious or geographical boundaries. The 2010 Founder's Youth Award - maximum grant of up to $25,000 - recognizes youth that are making extraordinary contributions to the lives of other children. Nominee must be under the age of 21, and must have an existing non-profit organization in good standing, which can receive grant funds if awarded. www.worldofchildren.org/index.php/awards The International Award (Deadline: Ongoing) The International Award is an exciting self-development program available to all 14 to 25 year olds. Over 6 million young people worldwide have taken up the Award challenge. Young people design their own Award Programme, set their own goals, and record their own progress. The only person they compete against is themselves, by challenging their own beliefs about what they can achieve. The Programme is based around three Levels, each successive one requiring a greater degree of commitment. - BRONZE is for those over 14. The minimum period of participation to gain this Award is 6 months - SILVER is for those over 15. The minimum period of participation to gain this Award is 12 months - GOLD is for those over 16. The minimum period of participation to gain this Award is 18 months It is possible to start at any Level - some participants work their way through all three, while others start at Silver or Gold. To gain an Award, participants must complete activities in four Sections for a specified minimum period of time. www.intaward.org Motorola Foundation Grants (Deadline: Ongoing) Motorola seeks to benefit the communities where it operates around the world, including locations in North America, Latin America and the Caribbean, Asia/Pacific, Europe, and the Middle East. The Motorola Foundation focuses its funding on education, especially programs that support math and science teacher-training programs and charitable organizations that excite young people about these subjects. Other areas of interest include increasing access to communication technology for people in the developing world and supporting communities in areas where the company operates. The Foundation funds programs only in communities where Motorola has a significant presence. Organizations based outside the United States must be located in a country with a Motorola presence and be able to prove charitable status. Applications are accepted online throughout the year.www.motorola.com/staticfiles/Business/Corporate/US-EN/corporate-responsibility/society/community-investment-motorola-foundation-apply-for-a-grant.html

Leaders in Action: Steve Culbertson, founder of Global Youth Service Day

Leaders in Action: Steve Culbertson, founder of Global Youth Service Day

Josh: While there are many events dedicated to service, such as MLK Day and National Volunteer Week, GYSD is the only day specifically dedicated to getting the youth involved in service. Why is it so important for this group in particular to get involved?

Steve: GYSD is unique in that way, and it motivates and mobilizes kids across six continents and more than 100 countries. But we also want GYSD to celebrate and thank the millions of children and youth who are already contributing to their communities 365 days of the year across the United States and around the world.

Habits of the heart and mind start young, and there’s a very narrow window for learning them. Whether you’re learning to read or learning to a play a musical instrument, it’s important to start young. The 28 year old conductor of the Los Angeles Philharmonic claims he’s neither a prodigy nor a genius. “Someone handed me a violin when I was four,” he explains. Young people have incredible energy, commitment, and idealism. They are extremely innovative. They are open to exploring processes and solutions that adults are likely to dismiss. The great thing about service-learning is that it teaches kids how to solve problems – something most of us are forced to learn in the school of hard-knocks. By guiding young people through the process of “investigation, preparation, action, reflection, demonstration, and celebration”, we give them valuable skills they can use in school, the workplace, and the community for the rest of their lives.

Youth service is also the classic pipeline to lifelong service and philanthropy. Not surprisingly, the vast majority of Americans who gave over $300 billion to charitable causes last year are also volunteers. And the vast majority of those adult volunteers started as children.

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Like Steve the CEO of GYSD, I believe that habits of the hear and mind start early. These a lot of potential and energy young people possess. My job as a facilitator is to help them channel it to greater social change.

I love being part of this larger movement of Global Youth Service! The response from the community, parents, educators, and women of all ages has been tremendous.

Stop shoulding over yourself--Do what you love!

DailyGood: Best Career Advice: Take Poetry


This was a clip shared by my friend Annetta, who spent over 15 years as a leader within the NYC youth development sphere. She has been a mentor to me, and I have approached her for career advice many times over our 9+ year relationship. Basic idea: Stop SHOULDING and go DO STUFF!

Bingo with the Seniors, Conversations with a Principal

Today I had two important meetings with community members. First, I spoke to a principal at An-Noor Academy, a private school down the street from where I live. From 3:30 to 4:30 I talked to the principal about the Remembering Forward program. I discussed the intercultural component of my work, as well as the inter-religious element of the work.  I usually don't emphasize that aspect, but it is definitely a characteristic of my work. The principal said that my program is still PENDING APPROVAL. I am planning to meet with the high school students tomorrow, to answer their questions and just talk tomorrow during lunch time. I also sent out permission slips for parents to sign.

After working from 10AM to 6 (with an hour break to meet with the principal) I came home, changed into a black shirt, grey trousers, donned a vest and changed my scarf.  A touch of lip gloss, and some heels and I felt ready to sell my program to a  30 person  group of seniors on Bingo Night.

When I got to the Senior Residence, the seniors were ready to play Bingo. I had arrived on time-- at 6:28 exactly. Helen, who ran Bingo nights, offered a wonderful introduction. I took the mic, introduced myself, my program, its goals, and then told them why they should sign up. One resident said, "We can't know unless we try it out," and I said yes, that's the idea. We won't know how this group works (or doesn't work) until we test it out.  Everything still feels tentative TWO DAYS before the event which is supremely scary. We'll just have to move full speed ahead and see what happens on Friday!