The SPARK Initiative, Inc

We're wishing students and educators a very happy Fall break! Take this time to celebrate the season, connect with loved ones, and relax! You deserve it!

We are ecstatic and grateful to be awarded $10,000 from Foundation of Caring to support SPARK Mentoring Programs for local juveniles. Foundation of Caring is dedicated to providing immediate and ongoing opportunities for our most vulnerable community members to improve their quality of life and access to resources. SPARK Mentoring for Juveniles is a unique and effective program with which SPARK Mentors engage with young people experiencing institutionalization and shine light on the limitless potential within each participant. Many juvenile justice facilities have shifted from their original purpose of rehabilitation to punishment, a concept that can be difficult for young, underdeveloped minds to meaningfully understand. By engaging youth with SPARK learning practices that are meant to uncover confidence, resilience, and empathy, participants can recognize the internal (personal) choices they make and take accountability for the results/consequences of those choices. The SPARK program was designed to guide participants toward increased empathy and resilience by improving communication, problem-solving, decision-making, and emotional regulation. SPARK Mentoring addresses topics such as the thought-feeling connection, breaking habits, having empathy for oneself and others, and recognizing the impact of one’s actions on the world around them. When young people understand that our experiences are driven by personal thought (rather than a truth about the world), it is much easier to let go of the feelings we don’t enjoy, to have self-worth in the face of negativity, and to make choices that have a positive influence on their own lives or the world around them. Thank you Foundation of Caring!

This week on the #FindYourSPARK Podcast, we're revisiting an older episode that still resonates with us today. In this episode, Nicole Wilson and former SPARKing Change Intern, Jayda Reece, speak about how they navigate through anxiety. Jayda shares her experience as a young teen with anxiety and now understanding how the mind works has helped her overcome many obstacles that used to limit her. Nicole shares about how we get so used to saying “I AM Anxious” or “I AM Depressed,” that we sometimes think that’s who we are. In fact, we are not any of those things, we are so much more than our feelings! When we realize that, we remember our potential and our SPARK shows back up for us every time. Navigating anxiety can sometimes seem impossible but when we understand that it’s ok to have anxious thoughts and it’s all coming from the inside out, limitations start to be less intense and situations that once looked dreadful or scary, look more possible. Listen on your favorite podcast platform or at the link below! https://rebrand.ly/l84p4kd

We have graduated 20+ young change-makers from our leadership program since its inception in 2021. These students acquire skills, mental health education, and necessary work experience. Interested in learning more about our SPARKing Change Leadership Program? Visit https://rebrand.ly/gmut5g6

Have you listened to this weeks' podcast episode yet? In this episode, Ashley is joined by the Rebels for Peace. Listen in as they discuss their time in Florida and reflect on their experiences during SPARK training. To learn more about Rebels for Peace, visit: https://lnkd.in/eHNYqQAG To listen to this episode, find us on Apple Podcasts or click the link below! https://lnkd.in/ewPNi42Y

In this episode of the Find Your SPARK Podcast, listen as Ashley is joined by special guests, the Rebels for Peace. Rebels for Peace is a youth-led initiative committed to improving mental health, uncovering resilience, and providing credible and sustainable Social Emotional Learning skills to the next generation. The Rebels made a trip from Chicago to Florida following the postponement of the National Wellbeing & Resilience Conference. During their time in Tampa Bay, the Rebels were able to equip themselves with new tools and insights through 3-days of training with Ashley and the SPARK team. Listen to hear their reflections from their week in Florida experiencing their SPARK. To learn more about Rebels for Peace, visit: https://lnkd.in/eHNYqQAG Listen to the episode here: https://lnkd.in/ewPNi42Y or on your preferred podcast platform!

This year, in our community, SPARK Mentoring Programs will be taught to over 750 students at no charge to parents or schools. We are so excited to be teaching at all Plato Academy campuses this year! Interested in bringing SPARK to your school? Schedule a call with Stephanie to learn more! https://rebrand.ly/2lji4a1

This past Spring, we were able to share our program with a local middle school that experienced amazing results in a matter of just six weeks. We are now working with 8 of the other local middle school campuses this Fall and cannot wait to see the positive changes within our new group of students. The SPARK Mentoring Programs provide evidence-based K -12th grade programs and professional development opportunities that increase emotional wellbeing, resilience, and emotional regulation while developing executive functioning skills needed to navigate life with greater ease. Grounded in evidence and best practice, our programs Speak to the Potential, Ability, and Resilience inside every Kid! To learn more about how to bring SPARK Mentoring Programs to your school, visit https://lnkd.in/g3YgDfSw

Have you listened to this weeks' podcast episode yet? In this episode, Brooke and Lynne share valuable lessons learned from navigating the storm, highlighting resilience, adaptability, and the power of accepting “what is”. They discuss the importance of prioritizing safety, reimagining event strategies, and finding hope in uncertain times. Tune in to hear the story of how the SPARK Team was challenged to live by the theme of their own event. We can't wait to see how this all works out, when it inevitably does "work out". Even if it looks different than we anticipated. To listen, find us on Apple Podcasts or click the link below! https://lnkd.in/eScbkEs4

WE'RE BACK with new episodes of the #FindYourSPARK Podcast! Join host Brooke Wheeldon-Reece and guest Lynne Robertson in this special episode of the Find Your Spark podcast as they reflect on the unexpected challenges brought by Hurricane Milton. In a year marked by unprecedented planning, the SPARK team faced the heart-wrenching decision to postpone their biggest events in a decade. In this episode, Brooke and Lynne share valuable lessons learned from navigating the storm, highlighting resilience, adaptability, and the power of accepting “what is”. They discuss the importance of prioritizing safety, reimagining event strategies, and finding hope in uncertain times. Tune in and discover how to turn setbacks into opportunities for growth! To listen, find us on Apple Podcasts or click the link below! https://lnkd.in/eScbkEs4