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I’ve been thinking a lot about inspiration lately.  How to find it, and then, how to use it in order to create the best fruitful outcomes at The Lab.  In other words, I’m searching for role models who inspire me to grow our work at The Lab.  In broader terms, I’m forever asking myself how we can change the world and education for the better?  This is my challenge.

Inspiration.  Creativity.  Hope.  Opportunity.  Practical Skills.

These are just a few things that I believe we are offering at The Lab.  Each week at The Lab, we serve approximately 100 students, each finding their own inspiration, creativity, opportunity, skills and hope in the various experiences we provide.

I have had the great pleasure to see youth come alive in the various creative modalities that we offer here.  In the Poetry Lab, I have seen youth speak their truth, and open their hearts and stories to their peers in ways that aren’t typical.   I have seen youth show their compassion and joy in the presence of the dogs in the animal assisted education groups.  I have seen youth discover and show their artistic talent through the lens of a camera or the paint from a brush. I have seen junior high boys find a sense of calm and competence in the yoga group.  I have seen meaningful connections built between adults who care and youth who want to be seen in (and to show) their wholeness, their strengths. The slide show on the home page of this website is just a glimmer into life at The Lab.

In my own search for inspiration to feed my work-mind, I have recently discovered www.ted.com.  Here, you can view all sorts of videos of innovative thinkers from every discipline under the sun.  I highly recommend giving yourself the gift to watch the following two presentations:

1. Sir Ken Robinson:

http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/ken_robinson_says_schools_kill_creativity.html

2.  Bill Strickland:

http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/bill_strickland_makes_change_with_a_slide_show.html

Both of these thinkers push me to believe in something better.  Both of these thinkers support our philosophy and action at The Lab.

What inspires you to be and do your best?

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