Mar
0

March ICE Trainer of the Month

Congratulations to Claudine Bryant, March ICE Trainer of the Month!

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How long have you worked for TLP? 3 years

One thing you may not know about me… is that I have constant counting disorder.

What has been one of your most rewarding moments as a Leadership Trainer? Being chosen as trainer of the month.

What inspires you? My faith

How do you rejuvenate yourself? Through meditation

Who is a leader you look up to and why? Paul Robeson.  Not only because he is from my hometown but I admire his achievements as well as the fact that he used his platform as an artist and a scholar to actively fight for the rights of oppressed people.

What is one place you would love to travel? Ethiopia

What is one of your personal or professional goals this year? to interview my oldest living relative.

What do you hope your students will take from their experience in your ICE unit(s) this year? I hope that they will take away and understand how important it is to set goals for themselves as well as the importance of being patient when working with each other.

What is your favorite quote? “No, I do not weep at the world I am too busy sharpening my oyster knife.” – Zora Neale Hurston

Mar
0

March After School Trainer of the Month

Congratulations to Herve Gaspard, March After School Trainer of the Month!

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How long have you worked for The Leadership Program?

I have been working for  The Leadership Program since  Nov of  2005. Going on 5 years

One thing you may not know about me… I do a mean  Kermit  T. Frog and Shaggy impersonation

What has been one of your most rewarding moments as a Leadership Trainer? A Gompers High graduate found my MySpace address and told me of a situation that could’ve landed him in prison and he thought back to the lessons I gave on gang life and how to avoid it. He managed to stay away from the gang situation and is now a successful DJ.

What inspires you? A students reaction to success or the realization that he or she is capable of whatever it is we are working on…. and Stevie Wonder.

How do you rejuvenate yourself? Writing playing and letting my children beat me up

Who is a leader you look up to and why? My Mother. She left us in Haiti with my father for 9 months (which is hard for any mother to do) and came to the US to work and take care of  the paperwork for out VISA’s. We have been inseparable since.

What is one place you would love to travel? I would love to visit Australia

What is one of your personal or professional goals this year? Personally: I want to go back to Haiti to help my family members rebuild their homes. Professionally: I would like to bring a Leadership like program to Haiti

What do you hope your students will take from their experience in your club this year? Respect for self and others

What is your favorite quote? Thank You for allowing me to see, taste, touch, hear, feel, and love God’s art.

Feb
0

As many of you know, everyone around the world has been affected by the crisis in Haiti, our students, our schools, families, colleagues and us as individuals. In response to the need seen in our schools we have been asked to facilitate grief and loss workshops along with individual and group counseling. If you are working with students or individuals that may be affected in this way here are a few tips:

Stages of grief
Grief does not follow a linear pattern. It is more like a roller coaster, two steps forward and one step back. Ultimately people manage to integrate the experience to the point of having a new life arising from the old. The loss remains and is always remembered but the intensity is no longer disabling or disorganizing.

Much of grieving is about expressing emotion- some may be unfamiliar, and unacceptable to self or others, eg, rage, guilt, remorse. Finding a safe place and an accepting person for support to work through all the effects of bereavement is important. The amount of support available from family and friends may be limited if they too are grieving. Misunderstandings can arise when people are at different points within the grief experience. External supports may then become a vital factor in surviving and continuing on. It is important to know that you can survive the experience and that the new life that eventually comes about may have very positive effects despite the difficulty of arriving at this point.

Twelve Ways to Help the Bereaved

  • By being there
  • By tolerating silences
  • By listening in an accepting and non-judgmental way
  • Avoid the use of clichés such as “Think of all the good times”, “You can always have another child” etc.
  • By encouraging them to talk about the deceased
  • Be practical in your offer of support by minding children or cooking
  • By mentioning the deceased persons name
  • Accept that tears are normal and healthy
  • Don’t try to fill in conversations with a lot of outside news
  • Remember that grief may take many years to work through
  • Acknowledge birthdays, anniversaries etc.
  • By accepting that you cannot make them feel better

Information provided by the Australian Centre for Grief and Bereavement

Jan
0

January After School Trainer of the Month

Congratulations to Michelle Nicholson, January After School Trainer of the Month!

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How long have you worked for The Leadership Program?

This is my third year working with TLP

One thing you may not know about me…

Many people don’t know that I was actually a Film Major at U of M. After doing theater for so long, I thought I would become a film/television producer. Maybe I will achieve that dream one day!

What has been one of your most rewarding moments as a Leadership Trainer?

This is probably the most rewarding moment at Leadership, being recognized by TLP. The past few months have been very rewarding. I’ve watched the students that I work with become great leaders in such a short amount of time. I can’t wait to see what they will do in the coming months!

What inspires you?

Great art, great food and when a student surprises me.

How do you rejuvenate yourself?

I usually like to relax and watch a movie. I love watching movies. Most people love to exercise, but I feel I exercise enough in my daily life!

Who is a leader you look up to and why?

This may be a little cliché right now, but I look up to Michelle Obama. She is a woman who has worked to create a great career and balances being a parent. At first, she didn’t want Barack Obama to be president, but she realized that Barack as president was so important to our country and she agreed to let him run. I thought that was one of the most unselfish acts a spouse could do.

What is one place you would love to travel?

Morocco and Paris. Luckily, I will be going there this summer!

What is one of your personal or professional goals this year?

My professional goal was to have a great dance group that works hard and loves to perform. Also, I wanted to finally have Leadership be my only job and try to focus on my clubs.  It’s already starting to happen!

What do you hope your students will take from their experience in your club(s) this year?

I hope the students learn that in life, showing up is half the battle. You’ve got to push through and work hard even when it seems too difficult. We always try to address that in dance class.

What is your favorite quote?

Common once said in one of his songs, “You’ll never find love, until you find yourself!”  I can’t believe I picked a quote from a rap song, but hey it’s true!

THE BUZZ ABOUT MICHELLE NICHOLSON

Michelle gives above and beyond contributions to her peers, her students, collaborating CBO’s and Leadership spirit.”

“A great communicator that is resourceful, committed, and supportive of colleagues.”

“Spearheading and helping to coordinate two after school 21st century collaborative performances with Periwinkle and Urban Arts at IS 230.”

“She took on extra students and arranged for a professional guest choreographer to come in and facilitate during her club visit.”

“Exemplary planning, execution, attention to detail and thoughtfulness in her dance routines, lessons, music and costumes.”

Jan
0

January ICE Trainer of the Month

Congratulations to Laura Lee Williams, January ICE Trainer of the Month!

Laura Lee

How long have you worked for The Leadership Program?

This is my second year as a TLP trainer.

One thing you may not know about me…

I like to drink ice water with a lemon and a straw.  I use the straw to crush up the lemon into the bottom of my glass.

What has been one of your most rewarding moments as a Leadership Trainer?

One of my most rewarding moments as a Leadership Trainer was when one of my classes in my ICE unit at IS 71 threw me a party and presented me with thank you cards on my final visit.  As this class consisted of ESL students, throughout the residency their teacher would translate what I said to the students in Spanish, and then translate their responses back to me in English.  It was very validating to know the program still had such a powerful impact on the students, despite our language barrier!

What inspires you?

People and stories inspire me.  I could listen to people tell me their stories for hours.  I think there is something special to be found in every experience a person shares.

How do you rejuvenate yourself?

I rejuvenate myself in two ways:  Spending time alone and spending time with the people I feel close to.

Who is a leader you look up to and why?

Both of my parents are leaders that I look up to, as they have always been an important part of my growth and development.  The most important lesson they taught me is that no matter how many accomplishments you make, you are only as great as the way in which you treat others.

What is one place you would love to travel?

Once place I would love to travel would be to Korea.  My mother is Korean, and I have never had the opportunity to visit where she spent the first 30 years of her life!

What is one of your personal or professional goals this year?

One of my goals for this year would be to find time to perform more often.  Teaching is my priority, but I do miss being on stage myself!

What do you hope your students will take from their experience in your ICE unit(s) this year?

I hope my students take away the idea of the importance of a positive attitude and a belief in themselves and their own talents and abilities.  I would also like my students to recognize the power they hold in their own choices and actions, and use this power for the betterment of themselves and others.

What is your favorite quote?

I have several favorite quotes and cannot help but list a few of them:

“Keep Moving Forward!!!”- Meet The Robinsons.

“I’m not afraid of storms, for I’m learning to sail my ship.”-Louisa May Alcott.

“What seems to us as bitter trials are often blessings in disguise.” – Oscar Wilde.

“In the long run we shape our lives and ourselves. This process never ends until we die, and the choices we make are ultimately our responsibility.” -Eleanor Roosevelt.

THE BUZZ ABOUT LAURA LEE WILLIAMS

She has taken on a unit at a school with a very difficult administrator and a constantly flexing schedule, and done so with professionalism and aplomb, helping to keep the unit running smoothly and the school happy.”

“She responds to all inquiries about work with enthusiasm and in record time, even when she is not able to accept a potential assignment.”

“She is very thorough and her thoroughness reminds us that we can all step up our game.”

“Consistently organized and professional whilst sunny and warm.  A brilliant presence in every encounter.”

“Her communication is stellar and appreciated by all.”

Dec
0

December After School Trainer of the Month – Toni Smith

Congratulations to Toni Smith, After School Trainer of the Month for December

 

Toni Smith

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here’s a little more about this fabulous leader:

How long have you worked for The Leadership Program?                                                                                  

1 year                                                                          

One thing you may not know about me…                                                                                                                                     

I was in a cheesy commercial for Lucille Roberts.                                                                                                                       

What has been one of your most rewarding moments as a Leadership Trainer?                                            

Being in the company of those who truly value your efforts. 

What inspires you?                                                                                                                                                                   

My dreams.                                                                                                                                                       

How do you rejuvenate yourself?                                                                                                                           

Cooking or drawing.                                                                                                  

Who is a leader you look up to and why?                                                                                                                                  

My mother for being unafraid to go after what she wants.                                                                                    

What is one place you would love to travel?                                                                                                                       

Italy

What is one of your personal or professional goals this year?                                                                                  

To reconnect with friends.                                                   

What do you hope your students will take from their experience in your ICE unit(s) this year?            

The idea that they can accomplish things they felt was impossible. 

What is your favorite quote?                                                                                                                                         

“When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.”- Paulo Coelho

 

THE BUZZ ABOUT TONI SMITH

“The principal is consistently praising her work and the way she shines with the students.”    

“A shining leader in action—stellar flexibility, skill and spunk at PS 1 programming in the Bronx.” 

“She is a joy to work with and consistently sets positive standards for her peers to follow.”

“She goes above and beyond, always and is a fabulous leader in our organization.”

“Professional, great at communicating, thorough, optimistic, driven and committed, she always comes to work with a smile on her face.”

Dec
1

December ICE Trainer of the Month – Daria Sanford

Congratulations to Daria Sanford, ICE Trainer of the Month for December! 

Daria Sanford

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here’s a little more about this fabulous leader:

How long have you worked for The Leadership Program?                                                                                    

 11 years  

One thing you may not know about me…                                                                                                                                 

One thing you may not know about me…I won 1st prize in the Cricket Magazine story contest when I was 8

What has been one of your most rewarding moments as a Leadership Trainer?

I love makin’ em cry on the last day. (Tears of joy, of course!) Knowing that because of the program, kids have become lifelong friends with kids they otherwise wouldn’t have talked to. 

What inspires you?

Besides the TLP staff?  Sunsets, rainbows, gin martinis with a twist, big novels, lip gloss, Will, Marlow. 

How do you rejuvenate yourself?

Workout or yoga, hot bath, good dinner with friends and family, maybe an episode of Mad Men, and enough time to read before sleep…oh lordy, that sounds like heaven right now.

Who is a leader you look up to and why?

Henry Walker, my Middle School teacher/advisor for 4 years at Carolina Friends School.  I credit Henry for helping me survive the emotional tumult of those tough years.  He was patient, fair, always ready to listen, always affirming, corny when I needed a laugh and quietly firm when I tested limits.  He reminds me to find the light within everyone.

What is one place you would love to travel?

Tulum, Mexico.  Rustic hut on the beach.

What is one of your personal or professional goals this year?

I am developing a “Character Ed through Shakespeare” unit that I am really excited about. 

What do you hope your students will take from their experience in your unit this year?

Surprise friends; a kernel of wisdom; a glimpse into a positive future; laughter; staying silent for an entire whiparound! 

What is your favorite quote?

The whole thing (you know it) but especially the first lines: “Our greatest fear is not that we are inadequate.  Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure…Your playing small does not serve the world.”

THE BUZZ ABOUT DARIA SANFORD

“Daria goes above and beyond her job description as an exceptional representative of Leadership in the schools and in her interactions with the Leadership staff.”

“Consistently upholds a high level of professionalism”

“She is genuinely warm and gracious to work with.”

“Firm when need be in upholding Leadership standards.”

“Maintains professional and timely communication with ICES staff and schools.”

Oct
0

Welcome to The Leadership Program Blog!

Welcome to the TLP Blog!  Be sure to keep an eye on this spot as new ideas, concepts, information and comments by you will be presented here.