BE THE CHANGE

My passion for public school reform was ignited through my own experience with the LAUSD.
I say that like it's a disease because it is.
It wasn't until I experienced it firsthand, that I learned the ugly truth.
Our system is set up this way SO these kids fail. Our government is creating "workers" through  standardized testing. I saw it plain as day.

It makes absolutely no sense, how the tests are set up.
These children are scrambling back and forth between 5 pages, to read one, fill out another blank and re-check facts.  All I kept thinking was; there is clearly a better way to set up HOW the test is formatted to make it easier and more efficient!!

These kids were sick! Literally, it is a fact:
On Mar. 14, 2002, the Sacramento Bee reported that "test-related jitters, especially among young students, are so common that the Stanford-9 exam comes with instructions on what to do with a test booklet in case a student vomits on it."

After further investigation and a gut wrenching evening watching "Waiting for Superman" 
I learned the ugly truth. The 1 percent needs the 99 percent to thrive. It's all a set-up.
I was infuriated. 

The cold hard truth is: that's life. 
It has been this way since the beginning of time and it will always be.
All we can do, each of us individually, is be the change we wish to see.

By recreating our life and living our part, by example-
we create an energy that is the "shift."

I got involved with the non-profit "True Connection."
I brought the program to my local public school, to start. 

The philosophy is this;
We can't change what the system or circumstance gives us, but we can change our SELF.
These children are bullying and failing because they dont have a support system at home or in school. They aren't taught how to communicate, how to express their pain in a healthy manner...

Now, True Connection is partnered with YMCA and the Childrens Institute working with the after school STAR programs in several "under performing" schools in LA.
I quote on quote "under performing" because we are as a country...
We will get there, one day.

A lot of us are dreaming...