Creating inspired projects

Today was my day in Paseo Academy with 3 classes to create a vision for a community based projects. 3 classes had no problem coming up with areas of concern that they felt empowered to make change in. Class 1 chose Kids as their area of community based action. Class 2 chose the homeless and Class 3 chose Drug Abuse. Dozens of students got up and read their My Power of One essay. 2 leaders in each class volunteered to head up the projects through May. Photographers, videographers, event planners, PR & Marketing and others stepped up to get involved. It was an amazing day. I am thankful to be in the middle of this vision. Writers from each group will blog as we go along and share pictures as we progress. I'm going to post the essays a little at a time. This essay was read by Brandon which I thought was very brave!

Brandon Bushnell-Smith

At the young age of fourteen I was filled with only two emotions. Hate and heartache, the double "H" is what I called it and it consumed me and drove me near insanity. At the age of fourteen I had lost six friends, I didn’t know my father. I had lost grandparents. I had lost cousins. I had lost a sister. I had lost an uncle. I was suicidal. I was cutting myself. I was filled with anger and went days maybe even months with out cracking a smile.

To this day I find it amazing that I'm not either dead, or in an asylum. Its hard being a teenager any way, but being a teenager filled with pain is even worse. That’s why my power of one is about helping teenagers who come from broken homes. Helping teenagers with suicidal thoughts. Helping teenagers who are considered as having mental illnesses. Helping teenagers who are children of war. Whether it’s the war over seas or the wars in these cold harsh Kansas City streets we live on. Any teenager filled with anger, pain, hatred, and hopelessness in this life. I feel as though we are overlooked. I was even told this was just a stage of being a teenager. I quickly threw this possibility out the window believing that suicide is not a stage no matter what the age group. I remember writing in my journal how would the world react to my suicide notes and the taking of my own life. Would the world look over me and continue to twirl as if I never existed. Or would this shed light on teens like me. Would the world finally acknowledge us and try and help us out.

I don’t believe I can change the world all alone I am only one person. But that’s why my power of one is helping others just like me out. I want to talk to others like me. Show them we can find happiness in this world. Even if it's only a slither of light at the end of our tunnel of darkness. Happiness can some how be achieved. I want to talk to these manic depressors. I want to help these teens that come from broken families. I want to help these children of war. If I reach out as much I can and only change one person's life, then my goal is achieved! I help friends out who think like me. And if I see some one headed down the path of destruction I went threw ill be there to hold their hand. And if at the end of your tunnel of darkness you see no light. I am willing to be that light.

MPO1 visits 2 urban high schools

September 8th was the My Power of One team's visit to Paseo Academy. We met in the room called the Black Box and spent 3 class periods of ninety minutes each with a total of about 150 students. Stephanie Tillman joined us to tell her story that took her from homelessness to a successful career as a business owner. We invited the students to write the My Power of One essay and give thought to what inspired activity they might like to create & accomplish within their community.

September 11th the My Power of One team visited its 2nd urban high school in Kansas City, Kansas. J C Harmon high school will team up with Paseo Academy throughout this nine month school year. The schools will work independently on their projects but come together more than once during the school year.

Christa Klover will bring forth her event planning skills to work with the students for a December and May event combining both schools.

Mike B Rollin and Landon Ellis will be our staff videographers. Lisa Peck is our staff photographer.

The My Power of One team thanks Anne Johnston from PrepKC for this invitation into the Kansas City public school system.

Our next meetings will be October 2nd and October 13th. We will create the community based project with each group and set a timeline for completing it.

A slide show of our first day with both schools is attached.

Don't forget to join My Power of One and support us!

My Power of One challenge in the local high schools

The My Power of One project has been invited into two high schools in Kansas City for a 9 month community based challenge involving over 300 students. J. C. Harmon H. S. in KCK and Paseo Academy in KCMO have accepted what will become a pilot program for other high schools across the country. The students will begin with writing the My Power of One essay. Once their community based project is envisioned, each school will work independently to achieve their desired end result. During the school year the students will come together across the state line to confer, advise and encourage. A final celebration will take place in May of 2010. A local sponsor is donating My Power of One notebooks so that the students can document their experience. We are very proud and honored to have this opportunity with our nation\'s youth. Thank you to Anne Johnston at PrepKC for putting this together. Follow the blog on www.mypowerofone.org and join My Power of One facebook fan page. Sue Vicory Believe ~ Inspire ~ Empower Connecting one person, one community, one nation at a time!

The youngest member ever

Ethan Akers joined My Power of One and is wearing his t-shirt in this picture.

State of the Nation report

So the My Power of One project continues to find a voice. We have decided (unless we win the lottery) that for the next 11 months we will permeate KC with our message of believe, inspire and empower. I had a meeting with Anne at PrepKC about taking the message and a community based project into the urban KCMO and KCK high schools this week. My executive director, Vicky Bates and I meet weekly to work on administrative details in the launch of this most magnificent project. I continue to get new members and they are getting younger and younger. My latest member is 3 years old! See the picture of Gabby.

Please continue to pass the word and nudge others to become a member of My Power of One!

Lots going on in the world of My Power of One. The planning committee is meeting on a regular basis to put together the pieces of the tour. Our eastern and western tours are coming together and will be posted in June. We invite you to contact us about visiting your city once our route is published. We will make every effort to incorporate lots of small and large destinations into our schedule. I'm still seeking a radical unconventional photographer, journalist and video editor to come along for all or part of the journey. Dates to be published in June.  Stay tuned as things are ramping up quickly with less than 4 months to launch. 

My Power of One has partnered with Harvesters to collect cans for food banks along our journey. 1,000,000 is our goal. 

We are actively seeking 'homes away from home' while on the road. If you'd like to invite us in ~ email me at suev241845@aol.com

Next My Power of One meeting

April 16th 6:30P

7223 High Drive 73rd street between Stateline and Belinder. North East corner of 73rd and High Drive. Prairie Village.

Sue
913-449-5861