Resilient Kids

Resilient Kids is a Rhode Island based organization promoted to helping youth in grades K-12.  After watching the videos, I can't help but wish this was around for me growing up.   The organization focuses on reducing stress, facilitate learning and to and help with personal growth.  Growing up, we were never taught what stress even was, nevermind how to manage it.  It really wasn't until high school where stressed kicked in.  Junior year was the worst. Looking into colleges, preparing and taking the SAT or the ACT, getting ready of prom, taking drivers tests and still trying to maintain a decent average.  I feel this program would have definitely benefited me in high school.

I love the idea of the workers setting them up with a toolbox on "how to's" rather than just telling them what they're doing is wrong and telling them to stop.  Not everyone learns by being told what to do, so opening up the toolbox is expanding their horizons gives them more tools to use to help them cope in other ways. This is definitely an organization I could see myself working for.

Leading With Values

On November 7, 2015, I had the distinct pleasure of attending the "Leading With Values"conference, hosted at Providence College.   I learned about myself and about values I never knew I had.

The conference, keynote speaker was Constance Howes, J.D., Executive Vice President of Women’s Health, Care New England Health System.  Howes explained her many leadership roles she has held and the values she has learned throughout her career.  As a lawyer of seventeen years, valuing honesty and dignity were no surprise.  She holds everyone to a high level of honesty, and expects her colleagues to do the same with her.  Howes explained that throughout her life, great role models helped write her story.  These were the people she looked up to the most and who's opinions she valued the most.  Hearing her share so much about her life was so inspiring.  Her parting advice was "make and impact and step aside."  This really spoke to me, I thought about this all day and is something I surely will not forget.


The first workshop I attended was facilitated by Kirtley Fisher.  Kirtley is an Experience Designer at the nonprofit Business Innovation Factory in Providence, RI.  Her workshop focused on valuing diversity and its value in building effective teams. She explained ways to develop diverse relationships and teams.  The second workshop, was facilitated by George Nippo, Senior Director of Program and Academics, Year Up Providence. George's workshop looked at how our personal biases and experiences effect our leadership.  We examined cultural understandings and misunderstandings.  Both Kirtley and George opened up my eyes to many different values, I hadn't thought about.      

Leading With Values Schedule