An Education Miracle: 10 Years Later

10 years ago I started this blog with a vision for an empowered educational future. I was 20 years old, and when people asked me what I was passionate about, and what changes I wished to see in the world, I would usually quote Gandhi:

"Be the change you wish to see in the world."

I was fully, completely, committedly, devotedly to full extent of my ability doing exactly this. Being the change I wished to see.

I vehemently worked on acquiring the tools to share a vision, and on formulating an ideal vision of the world. I staunchly followed my beliefs in self-education and consumed quantities and quantities of the best information I could find in two areas: 1) communications and learning, and 2) a vision for the world working together where everyone could be fully and completely supported in acquiring, applying, and sharing all the wisdom and information necessary to achieve their dreams and make their own visions for an 'optimal world' come true.

One could say I was successful in achieving these goals. I studied lots of both common and rare historical information, as well as discovered many completely incredible extremely advanced technologies that would radically transform our earth today. And I also learned an amazing amount about reaching out to and engaging large numbers of people online. My small marketing team was able to conduct a launch of approx. $18 Million dollars in sales in a 24 hour sales window in October of 2006. And I and my fiancé went from a zero net worth to being millionaires when I was only 22 years old. Visible success in communications was achieved.

My commitment to education and empowering people through knowledge, wisdom and support continued throughout my journeys. From age 20-25 I was pretty much surrounded by only adults, and I was missing being around children, since this was a pretty big part of my passion. While I was working to support the education of adults, there were no kids in sight... and my calling for supporting the younger ones, was big, and continues to inspire me deeply.

In 2009 just 2 months before my 25th birthday, my first child, Eva was born, and in 2.5 years later I gave birth to my second daughter, Aria. And my personal investment in the status of real, empowering education of young people became not just my own passion, but a daily one and a duty to my children.

From 2009-2011 I began pouring my energies it to discovering an action plan that could bring the kind of quality school and support system that I could dream up into a daily reality. I diligently, carefully researched and formulated a plan. I discovered that much of my research and knowledge of established solutions was extremely unknown the people in my community. I also discovered some huge gaps in my knowledge. And I learned that my ideas and contribution was extremely respected, needed, wanted and that the only way I was going to be effective was if I provided strong leadership.

Until then, my approach had been more collaborative. I was in my mid twenties, so I think I felt unqualified to lead and inspire a community. And it was in a place that I did not really know. How was it my place to step up or step in and lead? And as a white person, stepping into a native Hawai’i that had such a legacy… who was I to know what was right?

I think I am now realizing that it is not about right or wrong. We are all on this journey together. Nobody has it ‘right’. Though more and more I am realizing how important it is to use the voice that we have. We are never speaking for just ourselves when we share our truth. As a collective, we are made up of many individuals. When we share our point of view on humanity, this is a valuable, worthwhile and vital contribution.

The journey of gratitude that I have been on… has been immeasurable. My journey here with this island, this land, these peoples… has been an incredible journey of a lifetime. It has been so rich with wisdom, personal lessons, compassion, community, and honor.

I look forward to sharing more with you. Thank you for following my journey. More to come.

With Aloha and Love from Kaua’i

Sincerely,

Jessica

UniversalClass.com

Today I discovered this website, www.universalclass.com, and I find it fascinating.

What a great idea. It's a website for classes on every subject imaginable. Kind of like an ebay, for non-accredited online courses.

Here is a business-- a piece of online real estate-- dedicated to be a place for people to teach each other. Sharing information. A real community.

Plus, the owner problem earns a fairly substantial income just generated from this site. Seems like good business to me.

This would be an example of an effective online focus point for education.

If the classes are any good (I imagine they vary considerably in quality-- since in general it seems to me like you get what you pay for), and I bet many of them are quite useful, then I can imagine this would be an incredible for resource for people trying to get off the ground; for people who starting down the road of living a life that they want and love, and that is really an inspiring, extraordinary life.

One of the things that I love about this site- is that it's created by people genuinely interested in the material, and the people who are taking the classes, must be interested in learning!

That is such a rare quality in traditional school, that to see it in a functioning business model is really a blessing in my eyes.

I don't know what a future model of education might look like-- but this is certainly a viable model, and definitely highlights a place to start.

Unfortunately, in terms of marketing, while the site does offer certificates and grading to help students show what they have learned, the site remains quite limited.

Perhaps if they were to adopt a standardized model similar to that of the college board and their SAT and AP courses, one could provide more value in offering such courses.

I guess that would be the purpose of standardized certifications.

And I guess that would be what we call a college degree. A 'standardized certification' of sorts. Only-- that certification has been so diluted these days--

what about an education company who specialized in teaching to students who want to learn, AND in marketing those students, and in teaching them how to market themselves?

then THAT would be something.

like, even at the high school level, one could offer a variety of standardized degrees--

like, the purpose of the company could simply be-- to verify and provide measures to evaluate the ACTUAL KNOWLEDGE of a student-- and serve to market them and help them choose a course of study that is interesting and rewarding for them, AND that can be easily and systematically marketed.

Maybe that's just the key.

Homeschooling suffers from a lot of anti-marketing in society. Even though the tide is starting to change, generally speaking people still have a low to mixed regard for homeschooling.

Plus, you have organizations like the NEA who have a HUGE interest in the marketing status quo-- they want traditional schools to look great, and for there to be no alternatives. or the teachers risk losing their jobs and their power/security/position.

however, IF such a powerful marketing/education company DID exist-- they could ALSO help market and promote teachers themselves. If they did that-- if the company specialized in helping teachers-- perhaps that would be an incredibly powerful strategic move, in terms of earning the support of society and public opinion.

certainly an interesting idea. what do you think?

profound gratitude.

Thank you to all the people who have blessed me with their contributions to my life. I am forever grateful and hope that this site serve as a means so that I might share with you the ramifications of your contributions.

I am but a simple person, dedicated to the love and truth of this world, and dedicated to serve God's will.

I intend to live a life of service.

Reflection on Life

Everyone is playing a game. A game with rules and a goal. Few people really know what the rules are to their own game… or they would know exactly how to win, or that all their effort was exactly futile.

The ONLY game, truly worth living for, is the game where EVERY PERSON is playing the SAME game, together- called Love for All on earth.

The goal isn’t even a game about life or death I don’t think. People nearest to death seem potentially even more aware of what matters in life (and deeper into the real game) than those who are 'wealthy' or 'privileged.' Many of the poorest of the poor on our earth have a kind of deep understanding that Love is all that matters…and may live a ‘greater’ life than those of the very rich. Life is precious, but it is not necessarily scarce. If you look around, life is abundant. People will give up life in the name of Love. Those who have had near-death experiences consistantly fail to describe any 'horror' or 'fear'… instead they talk about an intense feeling of Love.

All of our suffering feels very real. But it is of the kind of reality that we create.

School children, the ones who are trying to make a difference… like in this Be The Change Movement… are looking to create the 100% best school of their dreams, but what are their dreams??

People talk of the ‘right of every child’… they ask kids/students… so “what are YOU going to do to live a ‘successful’ life?”

But it is not about you. Or about me. It is simply about ALL of us. US. We are all of flesh. We are all of God it seems.

We need a world of 100% leaders.
What are the real rules?


______________________________________________________________

I would also like to share that the above reflection is what I came up with when I was trying to truly face the question, 'why life?'.

When you're constantly reflecting on life, looking to find real meaning that EVERY person can relate to... a 'reason why' people should join together in creating a miracle in anything... you're really faced with what is at the core of our experience of reality.

Sometimes, when I reeally get into it... the question of 'why' becomes quite daunting.

My solution, today (as usual), was to go to my favorite spot-- the kids section at the local barnes & noble... at night there's almost never anyone there... and during the day... lots of curious kids laughing or exploring... .

However, it must be noted, that a LOT of the times when I go to b&n I reeally don't feel like going. In fact, I really don't feel like doing anything... And so... today I went, close to fully determined to maintain my bad mood... and voila...

The book I picked up, (which I highly recommend to anyone who is determined to be in a bad mood) was Angelina Jolie' Notes from My Travels, 2003. The book is about her visits with refugees in Africa, Cambodia, Pakistan, and Ecuador. Reading it is a very humbling, and compelling experience.

The book is written in simple, plain text. She describes what she can of her experience in a written chronicle of events, emotions, and revelations. I will likely post quotes in the future... but it seems that so far... one of the most interesting things she notices and points out... is that even though these people might be under the direst of circumstances... --not being able to live on their own, living with and amputated limbs and surrounded by hunger and deadly disease, lives wrecked by war, and living without certainty of life in the next moment-- these people still live and breath amazing courage in the face of it all. Many live strong. Boldly, from day to day. Laughing and full of curiosity. Angelina was taken aback by their intense presence and life.

Reading her stories... my life just seems to fade away, humbled by the experience she recounts.

On Leaders, Leadership, and Nelson Mandela

It is becoming increasingly apparent to me that the only way to lead TRULY effectively, is to lead by example. Imagination, Knowledge, and Vision all seem important... but it does not seeem that a 'leader' who does not live by all that he preaches... can ever truly lead. I cannot envision a hypocrite at the forefront of any transformational movement.

Myself, I am committed to inspiring and encouraging all to fulfill on what is possible. I need to do what I know is thus possible.

It seems like the 'Be the Change' Movement founders got it right when they based their movement on Ghandi's statement: 'We must be the change we wish to see in the world.'

Part of discovering how to lead effectively seems to be to understand what it is like to 'be' a leader and to actually just 'be' that. Throughout this blog I will include quotes and comments of many leaders... I intend to shed light on the world as they see it; the world that calls to them to lead.

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Nelson Mandela on Education...

'Our children are the rock on which our future will be built, our greatest asset as a nation. They will be the leaders of our country, the creators of our national wealth, those who care for and protect our people. But if they are to take on this great responsability, the rich potential in every child must be developed into the skills and the knowledge that our society needs. Education is the key to that process. It is also a door which opens from every village and city onto our larger society and indeed onto the whole world.'

regarding the opening of a school...

'The project whose completion we are marking today provides an example of the spirit of partnership which must be our guiding principle. The government has taken important steps to define and start phasing in an educational policy which meets the needs of our people and our times. This can only succeed in cooperation with communities, the private sector and the donor community. Masakhane! Let us build each other and build together.'

Nelson Mandela's vision seems to be one void of criticism. In our society today, many leaders spend much time criticizing others, rather than speaking to what is good and what is possible. In no way do I mean that we should pretend that all things are 'hunky dory'... but a vision that calls attention to the faults of others is not one that can truly capture the meaning of an entire community coming together in 'the spirit of partnership' in order to 'build each other and build together.'

Many teachers across our nation point out their struggle in the face the vast amount of criticism about public schools and the outcry about a 'crisis' in education. These teachers are also a huge source of strength for our nation. Not a focus for complaint.

For Fun!!!! hee hee

Get an INSTANT, REAL, LEGAL degree for about a hundred bucks!! or...
become the next... DR. YOU!!!

http://degree-in-5-days.com/

or....

if you need an accredited degree... try this!!! Your very own Real Life Experience Degree!!!

http://www.belforduniversity.org/university/BachelorsProgram.asp?mcid=2

(note: The package includes following documents:
• 1 Original Accredited Degree
• 2 Original Transcripts
• 1 Award of Excellence
• 1 Certificate of Distinction
• 1 Certificate of Membership )

make it a degree in NeuroScience?? yup. you said it!

hee hee :)


~Yup. I'm not kidding you guys. Check out the sites yourself. So what IS this education stuff REALLY about?

a note on Mother Teresa

It is possible that no one person has ever received more awards and honors than Mother Teresa.

She succeeded in transforming the ideas and faith she had, into awe-inspiring reality. By 1987 she had over 400,000 followers, all contributing and living a life devoted to her cause. She is a living example of the saying,

'The more you give away, the more you receive.'

She was a living example of what is possible as a result of the commitment of one human being. And we can learn from her faith and understanding.

She said,

'The biggest disease today is the feeling of being unwanted, uncared for, and deserted by everybody.'

(note: this same observation is essentially the core philosophy of Challenge Day and the Challenge Day Movement, see link at right...)

'Outcasts are found at every stage of life, from the aged to the newborn infant. I have never refused a child, never. Not one.'

"And whomever receives one child such as this is My name, receives Me." Matthew, 18.5

Mother Teresa also talks about the Leper Colony she founded, that was created entirely by the people of the colony and was self-sufficient...

'This success was because of the amount of love put into it. And God sustained that love...'

'I listen to the Lord and I have the gift of obedience. Because of that, miracles follow. Divine Providence is much greater than our little minds and will never let us down.'
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Thus sustainability of charitable acts and organizations seems critical.

Mother Teresa sustained her movement by powerfully enrolling others to her cause, and through her successes was able to create some amount of ongoing value... empowering people, such as the Lepers... to meet their own needs.

I wonder as to what value an educational system or even just a school could create... so that it might be sustainable even without constant federal or state funding...

A school is a school with, for, and by the community. Teachers, it seems, are faced with the task of creating a community inside a classroom, so that the students might know the world... (of course, there is a community already exisiting outside the classroom...)

The potential in truly enrolling an entire community succesfully... so that all might benefit in the education of all... would be a miracle in my eyes.

everything starts somewhere..

This blog is the beginning of an education miracle that I intend to create.

A miracle is when something occurs that has us redefine reality, and have a new understanding of what is possible in life.