The Home Stretch

I’m now in the home stretch of my Liberal Arts degree at Prescott College. 

My final semester. It’s been a long, hard 3 years but there’s a light at the end of the tunnel: The Write Zone.

Thanks to Joy Taylor, Founder, Living Visions Now, for working with me again and being my mentor for Concepts of Entrepreneurship, and Leslie Carlson for being my Senior Project mentor. I’d like to thank these ladies for making the final journey with me and setting me on my path to future nonprofit success. 

My Senior Project will be an in-depth (hopefully) needs and opportunity assessment for The Write Zone. By the end of this semester I hope to know whether my idea is viable on its own, partner with another youth-serving organization, or take it in a slightly different direction. And whether or not I have what it takes to be an entrepreneur. As Leslie and I collaborated on the draft study contract, I came across WritersCorps and that gave me the idea (option?) to do something like that here. They don’t plan to start other WritersCorps' in other cities, nor am I allowed to use the name (which is fine), but it’s just another angle to look at; something else to look into when I’m doing my research. 

Hopefully, this semester will be more fun.

SPRINGing Through the Finish Line

Spring 2012 is over—as of May 4^th-- and I can’t say I’ll miss it.

Thanks to: Victoria Michael for being my Program Planning and Evaluation mentor, and Brent Scholar, Scholar Consulting, LLC for being my Leadership Development mentor.

I’m going to be completely honest and say that I didn’t enjoy this semester. At all. I was really stressed and I’m sure that part of it was the fact that, in addition to homework from the other two courses, I had to write my 10-page Graduation Research paper. The one I have to write in order to graduate. It felt like I was taking three classes instead of two and that was a lot of added stress for me. I was also feeling some discontent over my Leadership Development course. Brent had a more “teacher-classroom” approach than I was used to in this program and I felt like I was back in college again, with the points Rubric system for grading and the textbooks he wanted to use because he was familiar with them. I didn’t like that feeling because I didn’t do well in that environment. It felt too strict. I chose Prescott’s program because it encouraged more freedom of expression and his way of teaching was the total opposite, as if it didn’t really fit into the theme of the school. I felt a little stifled, and wanted to use some other leadership books I had discovered, but Brent was adamant about only using the ones he was familiar with. But I could use these other books as resources for all the papers I had to write.

On the whole, I discovered that Prescott’s form of learning is a little unorthodox for people who are not familiar with the school. For people like Brent, who teach online (or in the classroom), the experiential aspect may be outside their comfort zone.  I’ve gotten used to the mentor method of learning because all of my previous mentors do not have the classroom experience that Brent does. This semester has taught me that “mentoring” means different things to different people and everyone will have a different style.  This semester also taught me that I still don’t have a handle on the work/life/school balance thing. I didn’t take too much time for myself and when I tried, school managed to squeeze its way back in. I had to forfeit 2 assignments from my LD course and one from my PP&E course due to lack of time. I felt guilty about that for about a day before I realized that the beauty of this program is the flexibility (I wouldn’t have been able to do this at a typical 4-year university). The important thing is that I got what I needed to out of these courses. I also learned that I see myself as having more leadership potential now than I did when I first started the class.

A little over a week later and I’m just now feeling the tension slip away. I was pretty tense throughout this semester and didn’t realize how much so until I received my final grades (B+ for LD and an A for PP&E) and a bone-deep exhaustion settled over me a few days after that. I have roughly 3 ½ weeks before my final semester starts (May 31^st) and I plan to enjoy the break as much as possible. It’s flying by so quickly….

National AfterSchool Alliance 24th Annual Convention

Overall, I am so glad I was able to attend this convention (yes, even despite the tornado warning and subsequent evac to the bowels of the hotel). It was an incredible learning experience. There were So. Many. Workshops that I wish I had been able to clone myself. I enjoyed checking out the vendors and had made a point to visit every single one online first. I was most excited to visit the Lintor Make-A-Book, Inc folks. I have a book binding workshop in mind for TWZ and this company can provide me with the materials I'll need to do that.

As my schooling nears completion, and during, friends have asked whether I plan to go on to get my Master's. I always emphatically say no because just doing this was too hard. Really. Hard. I can count on all my fingers and toes how many times I asked myself "What the hell are you doing?" I needed many pep talks from my family and friends (not to mention my core faculty), I needed a lot of hugs from my husband, and just constant reminders of why I was getting a Nonprofit Mgmt degree in the first place. And I would get those reminders in the form of articles, random conversation, or random research for homework. I got another reminder when I visited Charter Oak State College's booth and learned that I could get another bachelor's degree, in Child and Youth Development, or earn a certificate in After School Education. So, not a Master's, but an opportunity to further my education. I really don't know if I want to do it again. I'm 40-yrs-old! I don't want to be in school forever! At some point, I'm going to have just "get out of my pajamas and get to work" making my dream come true. At this point, if I didn't have to work and could go to school full-time, then I might reconsider and keep going ( for my Master's, another Bachelor's, whatever). Unless that happens (by winning the lottery. I really need to play more often), I'm SO done. I visited many other vendors as well and got a backpack's worth of information to take home. The spring semester is almost over, so I'll be able to go through it more thoroughly.

The one item that I would consider a prized possession is the Core Knowledge and Competencies for Afterschool and Youth Development Professionals that everyone got in their goody bag. The NAA, in collaboration with the National Institute on Out-of-School-Time (NIOST) created a booklet that is the "core knowledge and competencies that describe the knowledge, skills, and dispositions needed by professionals to provide high-quality afterschool and youth development programming and support the learning and development of children and youth. This is intended to set a foundation for professional development and career advancement, informing the course of study for educators, as well as provide guidance in the development of career ladders, credentials and qualifications, and other methods of assessing practitioner skill and knowledge." Wonderful, fabulous resource that I will keep around for a very long time (unless they update it, then I'll get another copy).

The next annual convention is next year, mid-April in Indianapolis. Another city I've never visited. I hope I'll be able to attend.

National Afterschool Association 24th Annual National Convention: Day 1, Part 2

Day 1, Part 2

Afternoon Workshop: Eight Habits of Highly Effective Afterschool Leaders presented by Mike and Chelsea Ashcraft, Children's Choice Child Care Services, Inc.

Workshop Blurb: Attend this workshop and explore the traits, passions and habits required to be a highly effective afterschool leader of children and staff. These 8 habits are essential for afterschool professionals in leadership roles: leading kids, mentoring colleagues, or supervising staff. Come investigate these powerful elements and learn practical and use approaches to enhance these traits and transform yourself and others into extraordinary afterschool leaders.

Lessons Learned:

The 8 Habits of Highly Effective Afterschool Leaders are

1. Safety First - not only health, but emotional as well.

2. Vision and Values - Values = Foundation (who's the boss?) and Leadership = Love ( staff, youth, etc.)
     

    Values -

• Positivity
• Sponginess (soaking up knowledge)
• Trust and support
•  Goals/mission/vision.

    Vision = Compass (where you want to go)

• Shared vision of excellence centered on the kids, families, schools and community.
• Focus on quality

A Dream Is Just A Dream Until You Take Your Pajamas Off And Get To Work!

3. E.R.E - Environment, Relationships, Experiences. The environment sends cues about how we should  feel and behave. It's all about relationships...knowledge rests not just within truth, but also upon error. When it comes to experiences, you should "make like a puppy" (be enthusiastic), establish "Funergy" (the act of combining playfulness and enthusiasm to create a valuable experience--my own definition) and create "Purple Cow" moments.

4. Leadership Culture = KIPC (Knowledge, Information, Power, Control)

5. Influence - fun, playful, challenging, meaningful work, sincere acknowledgement, objective feedback, teamwork and relevancy (what's in it for me) is intrinsically rewarding. Find a frame that works. If you can't frame it...don't teach it.

" Pull the strong and it will follow wherever you pull it. Push it, and it will go nowhere at all" - General Dwight D. Eisenhower

6. Community Building (Kids, Families, Staff) - all activities should have a purpose. All for one and one for all.

7. Dialogue - Planning, Purpose, Outcome, Kiss & W.A.I.T (Why Am I Talking)! - 

    

    Ground Rules for staff/board meetings:

• One person at a time (using a "talking stick"--this would probably work better with Youth Advisory Council)
• No put-downs
• No Fire-hosing (shooting down ideas or opinions)

8. Forever - Lifelong Learning and Critical Reflection

• Request help
• Sharpen the saw - take care of yourself physically, socially, mentally (learn a new skill, read, write, teach, etc.), and spiritually (nature, meditation, music, art, etc.)

My Thoughts:

I'm currently taking a mentored Leadership Development course this spring and thought this workshop would complement that, specifically since the focus is on afterschool leaders. During my mentored course, I learned about many of the above topics (vision, values, influence, organizational culture, communication and continued learning) but there is always room for improvement. I can help a child develop a positive self-image by avoiding showing favoritism, having faith in children to accomplish tasks and do the right thing, and being consistent in attitude, behavior and decision; I can employ the no-firehosing rule when it comes to communicating with staff and/or board members. Just be more open-minded use words like "and" or "if" instead of "but" (That’s a good idea, AND it might work, IF you can find a way to afford it" vs "That’s a good idea, BUT we can’t afford it").

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Mid-Afternoon Workshop: Leadership Lessons for Afterschool Program Directors presented by Dr. Paul Young, National AfterSchool Association

    Workshop Blurb: Are you an administrator of an afterschool program? Do you share responsibilities for training aspiring or practicing program leaders? Want to do more leading than managing? AfterSchool Leadership Lessons includes dozens of practical job-embedded studies that are relevant for school-based, community-based, full-time, or part-time, new or experienced program leaders. This session is interactive, fun, and certain to equip you with ideas that help you design the future of your afterschool program.

Lessons Learned:

• Afterschool program leaders must be collaborative partners that embrace school learning goals and show commitment to achieve those goals. Working in isolation without community connections will result in high levels of frustration.

• Afterschool professionals have a personal obligation and a collegial responsibility to support the needs and increase the capacity of individuals leading afterschool programs.

• Leadership comes from your ability to inspire trust in other people. If people trust you, they will follow. If people can't trust you, eventually things will fall apart.

Leadership skills, knowledge, discipline, qualities and traits that afterschool professionals need to be effective in their work: knowledge, appearance of power, standard, integrity, vision, assertiveness, trust, charisma, optimism.

• Being a manager, supervisor, or the person accountable for things or simply having a title does not make you a leader. You must build relationships to become a leader.  

• Leadership is about influence. There are five common levels of leadership influence (referenced John C. Maxwell's Leadership 101):           

         1. Position - People follow because they have to.

         2. Permission - People follow because they want to.

         3. Production - People follow because of what you have done for the organization.

         4. Pinnacle (Person Development) - People follow because of what you have done for them     personally.

         5. Personhood - People follow because of who you are and what you represent.

• A leader's job is to anticipate what will happen, minimize the unpredictable, understand the consequences, and lead with cunning and power. Character is essential. Legacy is shaped by instincts which reflect character. Leaders cannot ignore their ideals or fail to deal with the realities around them!

My Thoughts: 

Early on during school, I quickly learned that I did not want to be the ED of my organization. I want to be the person coming up with the program ideas, like a program director/manager/coordinator. When I saw this workshop offered in the book, it was an immediate first choice. The workshop was mostly interactive. The NAA website has AfterSchool Leadership lessons for members only and Dr. Young had about 25 in his presentation. Since he couldn't go over all of them, he asked engaged the audience by finding out what they wanted to talk about. He announced the birth date of a family member and whichever audience member was closest, got to pick a topic. "Dealing with Difficult Parents" and "Ethical Afterschool Leadership" were a couple of the topics that were chosen. This workshop touched on things I've learned in my mentored Leadership Development course such as influence, relationship-building, and the skills needed to be an effective leader. Dr. Young even provided some action items that I can do:


1. Review, learn, adapt, and practice strategies outlined in common leadership lesson on NAA website.

2. Read the books Buy-In: Saving your Good Idea from Getting Shot Down (Kotter, J & Whitehead, L.), Leadership 101 (Maxwell, J), and Purple Cow (Godin, S).

3. Self-evaluation is essential to improving leadership capacity. Reflect on how effectively you invest and engage in your own professional development.

4. Network with and learn from other afterschool program leaders. Listen and learn from their stories.

National Afterschool Association 24th Annual National Convention: Day 1, Part 1

For the first time ever, I attended the National Afterschool Association (NAA) Annual Convention held in Grapevine, Texas.The weather is beautiful, the Gaylord Hotel and Convention Center is AMAZING and I am somewhat prepared for the information overload.

Workshops I attended on Monday, April 2, 2012:

Morning - Attendance Matters: Afterschool Can Improve School Day Attendance presented by Ellie Mitchell, Maryland Out of School Time Network and Kacy Conley, Pennsylvania Statewide Afterschool/Youth Development Network

Workshop Blurb: Chronic absence from school has a negative affect on student achievement and outcomes. Research indicates regular participation in out of school time programs can improve attendance. The workshop will offer practical strategies to strengthen program and school day attendance practice.

Lessons Learned:

• Students should miss no more than 9 days of school each year to stay engaged, successful and on track to graduation.
• Absences can be a sign that a student is losing interest in school, struggling with school work, dealing with a bully or facing some other potentially serious difficulty.
• By 6th grade, absenteeism is one of three signs that a student may drop out of high school.
• By 9th grade, regular and high attendance is a better predictor of graduation rates than 8th grade test scores.
• Missing 10%, or about 18 days. of the school year can drastically affect a student's academic success.
• Students can be chronically absent even if they only miss a day or two every few weeks.
• Attendance is an important life skill that will help a child graduate from college and keep a job.
• Most schools only track Average Daily Attendance and Truancy. Both can mask Chronic Attendance.

Practical Strategies:

1) Create a culture of attendance starting in your afterschool program -

• Take roll everyday in s caring/creative manner
• Reach out to students/families with poor attendance
• Make the case to students, parents and referring teachers about the benefits of participating regularly in afterschool
• Establish and communicate clear expectations about regular attendance
• Offer incentives for attendance
• Analyze program attendance data to identify areas in need of improvement; involve youth in program planning.

2) Request and use school day attendance data -

• Ask schools if they can provide names of chronically absent students to target recruitment.
• Ask for data on levels of chronic absence for schools overall, grade and ethnic population to identify areas of program expansion/outreach.
• Find out partner schools are already doing about chronic absence and join school-based teams that address attendance.
• Seek parent/guardian consent to see attendance and grades.
• Regularly get data on in-school attendance for program participants (report cards or data sharing agreement with school).
• Identify if program is serving students with problematic attendance.
• Talk with school partners about working together to assist poor attenders.
• Refer students and parents to additional support services.

Other considerations:

• Peer to Peer Influence - engage youth as ambassadors for attendance, support and facilitate youth led campaigns.
• Use a family focused event to educate parents/guardians about chronic absence and the importance of attendance.
• Consider including education about common health problems (i.e. asthma) in after school program and build partnerships with health providers.
• Homeless/foster care youth and youth with disabilities have more attendance challenges.

My Thoughts - 
I can honestly say that at times during these presentations I kept forgetting that this was about after school programs. It seemed like the information was geared towards actual school programs, but some of these programs are actually in the schools. Being in the schools is something that I would like to eventually happen, so it's possible that I might encounter this situation. I chose this workshop because it ties in to the mentored Program Planning and Evaluation course I'm taking this semester. TWZ plans to conduct weeks-long workshops, so we plan to make it known that if students sign up for a workshop, they need to come every week to build on information covered during the previous week. One of the strategies was to "offer incentives for attendance." Since the outcome will be a tangible product (published book that will include a public reading and book release party), I would hope that that would be incentive enough to attend each week and see the process through until the end.

I also think that Strategy #2, the sharing of data between schools and after school programs, is very important during the evaluation process. One of the programs that I hope to offer at TWZ is the Write Mentor: juniors and seniors who maintain a specific GPA will be partnered one-on-one with a professional writer for a whole semester. This will be seen as a privilege and the only way for a student to participate is to uphold a certain GPA. This will also hold true for any youth who have a seat on the BoD and the Youth Advisory Council. This type of data sharing will be very useful during the grant process.

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Mid-Morning: General Session and Keynote Address
Truths, Lies and an Opportunity, presented by Jim Harris, MSW, Ed.S, Opportunities Consulting Services, LLC.

Keynote Blurb: If you work with youth today you don't need anyone to tell you that it can be overwhelming to say the least. Even the most resilient professionals may find themselves paralyzed by the complexities of today's society. In this presentation Jim gets back tot he basics about our work with young people. He confronts the hard facts of working with youth by providing you with a perspective that will help you see the importance of your work on a daily basis. You will walk away from this session with some good laughs and your "batteries" recharged!

Lessons Learned:

Truth #1 - Kids are designed to upset you!

Truth #2 - You are designed to outsmart kids!

Lie #1 - We are a second rate professional! 

• Learned Helplessness is our arch-nemesis 

Lie #2 - We are in the miracle business!

• True success comes from real-life moments
• The Law of the Nudge - changes that occur in small, seemingly insignificant ways

The Opportunity - is to serve youth

My Thoughts:  

Jim told some really great personal stories and when the blurb said that the session would have some "good laughs", they were definitely delivered. I have yet to encounter the "learned helplessness" that Jim talked about, but I know that that statement really resonated with the other attendees. So many obstacles can block your path, the push-back on a professional level, parental-level, etc., and being beaten over the head with "can't, can't, can't", that you start to wonder if you're really making--or can ever--make a difference in a young person's life. But Jim tells us that we are, and we can, but it's not going to happen right away. It's going to start slow, build over time, until the end result will be HUGE(i.e. high school diploma, entrance to college, or in my case, a book deal). The opportunity we get is to serve youth, and that in itself, is a privilege.

Stay tuned for Day 1, Part II...

In Session: Spring 2012

There is a light at the end of the tunnel. I can see it. It's not so much a halogen, more like the flashlight on my phone. LOL.

This is the semester before my final semester.

My classes are Program Planning and Evaluation and Leadership Development. Thanks to Victoria Michael and Brent Scholar, Scholar Consulting, for being my mentors and joining me on my journey in the nonprofit sector.

Let's get started!!

Executive Directors: The Right to Vote?

As a member of BoardSource, I subscribe to their e-newsletter The Report. As I begin my journey to open a nonprofit, I often think about the process of finding board members. I still feel like I have a lot to learn when it comes to choosing members, despite the course I took on Board Governance.  This article intrigued me as it's something I've thought about. I've decided I don't want to be the E.D. of my organization (shocker there), but if I had, I'd wondered if I could run my company still have a deciding vote. Reading this article kind of put things into perspective.



"Around the Table" with David Styers, BoardSource director of member education and engagement

Q: Should the chief executive be a voting member of the board? 

A few months ago, Barbara Lawrence, author of The Nonprofit Policy Sampler, posed a question on BoardSource’s open LinkedIn group site that has been burning up the e-waves: Is your executive director a voting member of the board? More recently, she summed up the debate that has ensued by saying, “I love how this discussion proves that a ‘given’ is often not so at all.” 

From the comments, it is obvious that there are passionate opinions on all sides of this issue, particularly from founding chief executives. From the BoardSource Nonprofit Governance Index 2010 survey, we learned that chief executives are usually ex officio (by virtue of their office) members of the board, but only 15% of chief executives have a vote. The term ex officio simply designates a position on the board, not that position’s voting status, which must be specified for each ex officio member. Since the first Index in 1994, that number has ranged from 8% to 18%, but it seems to be leveling off at 15%. So, what are the pros and cons of a voting chief executive?

Benefits of voting rights:

    The chief executive has a concrete method of voicing an opinion or concern to the board.
    The chief executive feels he/she has earned the full trust of the board and can function as a peer.
    The chief executive is able to vote on issues and can go on record on behalf of his/her ideas.
    The chief executive’s position of authority is enhanced within the organization and the working partnership with the board is strengthened.

Challenges created by voting rights:

    A potential for conflict of interest may be introduced.
    The line between the board’s and the chief executive’s responsibilities may become blurred.
    The chief executive is a paid staff member; board members are volunteers.
    The board assesses the chief executive’s performance and determines compensation.
    Executive sessions often meet without staff members.
    Membership in certain committees (i.e., audit) would be inappropriate.
    Relationships between the chief executive and certain board members may become strained if the chief executive votes against a particular initiative or idea.

Other issues to consider:

    Could the chief executive contribute to the board’s work most efficiently as an ex officio voting member?
    What are the underlying reasons for the chief executive’s request to become a voting member? Does he/she feel “out of the loop” or that the board is showing a lack of confidence?
    How would voting rights affect the relationship between the chief executive and other staff?
    If the chief executive becomes a voting member, the organization should establish clear guidelines regarding the chief executive’s participation on issues such as determining executive salary and evaluation procedures.
    Whatever the chief executive’s status, his/her insights into the daily operations of the organization are essential to board decision making.

From BoardSource’s perspective, it is better to err on the side of a chief executive NOT being a voting member of the board in order to avoid conflicts of interests and any perception of his or her inability to carry out a board decision due to strong personal convictions. The chief executive, however, may serve as a nonvoting ex officio member of the board if the board chooses.

FALLing Over

Fall 2011 is over and I survived. Barely. With A's.

Thanks to Jan Schwartz of Education Training Solutions for being such a great Board Governance mentor.

And thanks to Joy Clarissa Taylor, Sustainable Communities Program Coordinator for College of the Siskiyous, for being a fabulous Strategic Planning mentor.

Out of all my mentors so far, I've enjoyed working with Joy the most. She was like a mentor/guide and was more organic in her way of thinking. She taught me to think more with my heart ("how does this make you feel, how do you think this will make the students feel") than my head and I really liked that. Hopefully, I'll be able to continue that thinking during my final two semesters. During my time with her, I had started out with a different study contract. After attending a YNPN Member Retreat in August this year, I instead went in a different direction. Within the first few weeks of the course, I realized I should've stuck with my original plan.

And promptly had a meltdown when I realized that Joy would be out of communication range for 12 days. After calming down, I just sent her an email telling her what was going on, we talked when she got back..and everything was right in my world. LOL. I think I just needed someone to confirm what I was already thinking. Her mantra became "Will this help you? Will you learn everything you wanted to?" and it was something she asked throughout the course. For me, it was like a Post-It note reminder taped to my computer.

It's times like that when I remember why I jumped into this program. It's so flexible that if one way isn't working, then I can change it.

Just as long as it's beneficial to my needs. Needless to say, if I had been going to a typical university, I would've been screwed.

Spring 2012 starts Jan 26th, so I'm going to enjoy this break.

As well as one can when searching frantically for next semester's mentors.

A little public speaking...

So, I got this innocuous email from my Core Faculty (aka "advisor", but really, CF sounds so much better, don't you think? Like you have your own personal team or something) the other day:

Hi Celise,

We will soon be working on some student profiles for our website. We want to highlight successful ADP students and present a blurb about their area of study and their career goals. I wonder if I can submit your name to the list of possible students to profile?  I think you would be a great student to profile. Let me know. Thanks.

And I'm all:

 I would be honored! Thank you so much for thinking of me.

Thinking that it's going to be, like, an article or something on their website. And then today, I get this email from one of the coordinators:

I am a Core Faculty member for Prescott College with the undergrad and graduate programs, and as part of that, am serving as a coordinator of mentors for the limited-residency undergrad program.  Core Faculty* suggested that I invite you to an ADP Orientation when we have a dinner panel of experienced students such as yourself and past mentors who share their advice with incoming students.   Your experience with non-profit management would be especially interesting to other students.   The timing would likely be 5:30-6:30 pm on a Friday evening at the Orientation weekends, so that would be on January 27 for the Spring Orientation or June 1 for the Summer Orientation.

Wait-wha? Panel discussion-wha? My Core Faculty person didn't mention anything about a panel discussion.At least it's in a small space. Let me rephrase that. THANK GOD this will take place in a small space. I'm a little nervous, but when I went through orientation 2 yrs ago, having that panel there was very helpful. And it's how I found my first mentor. I had SO many questions, because I just jumped in without really thinking about it. Having real former mentors and real former students present and talking about their experiences made it more real for me, and gave me a better understanding of how the program worked.

I now thank my Core Faculty for suggesting me and hope that by sharing my experience, I'll be able to help someone overcome their anxiety regarding this unique program.


*name removed to protect the innocent

Fall 2011: Aaaaaand we begin

Here ye, hear ye!

Fall 2011 is In Session:

Board Governance - mentored by Jan Schwartz

Strategic Planning - mentored by Joy Clarissa Taylor

From what I've been reading about Strategic Planning, nonprofits dread doing it, and looking at the activities I have planned for this course, I know this is going to be my second most difficult course (Financial Management being the first, of course).

Summer 2011: Done and Done

Summer 2011 is ovah!!

Originally, I was supposed to be taking three courses:

Marketing for Nonprofits
Program Planning
Self-Exploration Through Creative Writing

The first two were supposed to are mentored courses. The third course was an online course through Prescott and happened to be taught by the same person who was going to mentor my Program Planning course. But it didn't work out, so I only took Marketing and Creative Writing and bumped the now Program Planning and Evaluation course to Spring 2012.

I would like to thank Abbie Fink of hmaPR for being a great marketing mentor. She was teaching two other classes for ASU (one online, one in-person) at the time. As well as doing her day job on top of that! Wonder Woman, she was. I learned so much from her:

The most valuable lesson I gleaned from this course was the importance of research: the market, the target audience, the competition, and the different methods in which to reach the public. In addition, I was required to dig a little deeper for a SWOT analysis and discovered that a strength can be considered a weakness, and vice versa. The book review I conducted of Kivi Leroux Miller's "Nonprofit Marketing Guide" provided additional helpful information for nonprofits with small or nonexistent budgets. Based on what I learned, I was able to produce a workable marketing plan that I can implement within my own organization.

As with all my mentors, I hope to do justice to their teachings by applying/implementing them in my own organization. Out of all the creative writing courses I've taken, this one was the best and I am so glad that Susan Vespoli taught it this way:

The one thing I've discovered about the various creative writing courses I've taken over the years is that the syllabus doesn't change: students read the work of authors, answer questions about their work, and write a paper. I feel like I never learn anything new, that the teacher is just following a curriculum designed by every other school in the country. This course followed the same pattern, to a certain point. I enjoyed being reintroduced to Maya Angelou, the tears and little hairs that arose when I read Martin Luther King Jr's speech, the poem where the author felt connected to her African heritage, and writing my first superhero poem. The main aspect I liked the most was the incorporation of "The Artist's Way" by Julia Cameron.

This course forced me to dig below the surface and raised issues and emotions that I had to deal with. My expectations for this course was to find my writing groove again and start a regular writing routine. While I did maintain a regular writing routine, I discovered that any "productive" writing will have to wait until I've completed school. I was able to understand the kind of writer I am and come to terms with the fact that I can't be like every other writer out there. I'm just me.

As a writer, I've been meaning to add Julia Cameron's The Artist's Way to my collection of writing-related books, but it always slipped my mind. Finally, I had a reason to buy it, just for the simple fact that it was required reading. And I thoroughly enjoyed it and the experience! I hope to try and incorporate that somehow into the programs at TWZ.

Now it's time to say goodbye...take a short 8-day break...and then jump into Fall 2011 for Board Governance and Strategic Planning.