Palmer Award: Finalist Spotlight, Part 1

Each year, through the Palmer Award application process, we learn about amazing LeaderShapers who are out doing good work. Earlier this month we announced the 2015 recipient, Carolina Ruggero. Now we'd like to take the opportunity to introduce you to the work of this year's group of finalists. Here are two of the six Palmer Award finalists:


Let's introduce Anastasia Ostrowski from the University of Michigan.

Anastasia is eager for students to be exposed to engineering principles as early as elementary school. She wants to inspire and encourage students to to pursue engineering. Towards that effort, she and her friend Anya have partnered to become co-directors of Elementary Engineering Partnerships (EEP). They are constructing curriculum that will introduce students to important engineering concepts such as collaboration, problem identification, design brainstorming and evaluation, and idea communication. 

Anastasia and EEP have established a partnership with Ann Arbor STEAM School (A2STEAM), recruited 16 undergraduate students representing seven fields of engineering, and received funding from the University of Michigan's Center for Entrepreneurship Jumpstart Grant program. They are launching their program with 4th and 5th grade classrooms at A2STEAM.

Another of our finalists is David Chen, from York University in Canada. David is passionate that no youth, in particular those battling depression, be uninspired to overcome their hurdles. 

David and a group of 12 like-minded people from across Ontario have come together to create the organization You Inspire Youth. The team works to inspire young people around the world through "capturing people's stories through cinematic interviews." 

You can find You Inspire Youth's videos on their YouTube page. And you can view on video right here:

LeaderShapers in Action: Brāv

Last week we had the opportunity to have a phone conversation with Remi Alli, a LeaderShape graduate from the University of Michigan. After learning about her project and current goal of being included on the Global Giving website, we were eager to share her story.

Hi Leaders!

My name is Remi Alli and along with my JD, I have a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and a Master’s Degree in Health Law and Policy. I am also a proud LeaderShape alum, having attended first as a participant and later as a facilitator, during my years at the University of Michigan.

LeaderShape really helped to confirm the notion of remaining calm under all kinds of pressure – we focused on controlling our emotions and remaining objective. Instead of feeling painfully embarrassed and causing unnecessary attention upon arriving late at a meeting, for example, another alum suggested that we could simply enter the room gracefully, without much ado, all while thinking, “how fascinating,” to calm ourselves. While at LeaderShape, I also remember watching MLK’s notorious speech and being reminded that at the time he spoke he was virtually unknown, yet had the ability to remain level and powerful throughout. Why not bring the notion of keeping cool to all areas of life?

Normalizing this concept has been my primary objective since participating in LeaderShape. My organization, Brāv, uses an online platform to train anyone in conflict resolution and management. In turn, these trained Brāv Ones aid in the conflicts of others on our site's face-to-face platforms. The video on our homepage even aired on TV in September - tell me what you think!

People in dispute have the opportunity to resolve issues with a neutral person trained on the Brāv site. Simple. Brav.org believes that negotiation is a skill that is highly successful in resolving various issues in places like work, school and even sports, and we are eager for everyone to have access to education and support in the area of successful conflict resolution.

We currently seek help with our December Challenge - where if we get at least 40 different donors to give a total of $5000.00, we earn a permanent spot on the Global Giving site! With these proceeds, we will be able to fully develop our platform.

Conflict resolution resonates well with those who have experienced conflicts and resulting trauma. Please find the website, donate to ensure a fellow LeaderShape alum wins, and forward to all of your contacts – personal and professional: http://goto.gg/19042.

You can contact me at any time at info@brav.org.

Thank you so much and remain leaders!
Remi

Day 7

Day 7: Every day forever-after The LeaderShape Institute

Our friend and University of Michigan program coordinator shared with us that they recognize Day 7 on the 7^th of every month. We LOVE this idea and are going to join in on it.

Like the University of Michigan, on the 7^th of each month we are going to ask folks to wear their LeaderShape gear (shirts, hats, jackets, etc.) as a reminder of everything that was learned and discovered during The LeaderShape Institute. We hope you’ll post and tweet some pictures for people to see! Your picture may remind others of their own experience. We also encourage you to take a moment to talk with someone about how The LeaderShape Institute has influenced how you live and lead. Wear it and share it!

We’ll also be sharing a Day 7 blog post each month. We hope these posts will provide you with some things to think about, talk about, and basically move you to act! Because if LeaderShapers aren’t out in the world making a difference, who is?

Additionally, we’ve begun a couple of email campaigns meant to inspire, motivate, and inform. You can look at it as a few moments to reconnect with LeaderShape and propel you forward in your daily life and in your efforts to help us to create a just, caring, thriving world. If you’d like to sign up, visit here.

For folks who haven’t attended The LeaderShape Institute, you can still join in on Day 7! All you have to do is connect with something that you truly, deeply care about and take action on it. Talk about it, learn more about it, make a plan to do something about it! You don’t have to have attended The LeaderShape Institute to do good work in the world.

Here’s to Day 7! We hope you’ll join us along the way.