Matt Pegg - An Extraordinary Teacher

I hope Matt Pegg never forgets who he is right now. I believe that he is a leader and is destined to someday move into a leadership position as an administrator. At this moment, he is a classroom Teacher in a leadership position. He is a Role Model of the highest order for other Teachers.

Sometimes when people move into administrative leadership, they lose the compassion they had when they were in the classroom. Matt’s focus is his students. He is extraordinarily focused. I don’t think he could even define the term “status quo” because it is so foreign to him. Matt is constantly creating new opportunities for children to grow. He pays attention to each student with an individualistic compassion that is rare.

A small change in a child's life creates a big change in the world. The students in Mr. Pegg's Class are involved in change.

I had the personally enriching experience of working with Matt in the classroom last year at West Hertel Academy, Buffalo School #94. The Youth With A Purpose Relationship Mentoring Program can change lives. The YWAP Program only works well when we partner with Teachers like Matt. He is intuitively sensing the needs and moods of his students. He will rearrange the classroom to create a more conducive learning environment. Matt will give individual attention to a student who is not quite in a participatory mood for a YWAP Leadership Lesson. That is the beauty of collaboration. Disturbances that disrupt the students focus are kept at a minimum.

The YWAP Director is probably the only Mentor in the world who served detention and it happened in Mr. Pegg's Class.  The YWAP Director did not wear his School Uniform and the students noticed. They said they would get detention if they didn't wear their uniform. I told Mr. Pegg to write me up and he did. I served Detention in silence. Mr. Pegg is probably the only Teacher in the history of the world that wrote a Detention Slip for a Mentor!

World History - A Mentor's Detention Slip for the Reflection Room.

Youth With A Purpose is a better organization because of Matt Pegg. He takes time out of his own schedule to tutor the YWAP Director on video making. One of the videos that Matt helped make was used as a teaching module in Riverside High School. Character education delivered through peer influence via the Internet is powerfully motivating. YWAP is indebted to Matt for helping us reach more young people with a message of positive peer influence.  The following link will lead you to one of the videos that Matt helped us with.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oe1y8tnoNWA 

West Hertel Academy is filled with excellent Teachers along with a top notch Principal. Mrs. Poles walks the halls with an empathetic compassion. She seems to look through the discipline problem at hand and sees a wounded heart that is causing the disturbance. She ministers to the wounded heart with a discipline that grows good character. She is patient in the face of adversity and allows forgiveness to rule the day. Both Mrs. Poles and Mr. Pegg are like trees who soak up the feelings of the children who surround them.

During Detention, a student brought me some grapes. Mr. Pegg's Class is like a vine full of students. He gives attention to each grape. Bruised fruit can become sweeter when handled properly. Students are healed through Matt's compassion.

It is exhilarating to look forward to another school year knowing that there are many Teachers like Matt Pegg who will be guiding our children. We are grateful that we can partner with compassionate people who are creating a better future for our children. 

 From all the YWAPsters to The Peggster: Thank you for who you are!

Thanks for your time. Go do something nice for somebody.

"Find new ways, 

  in as many ways, 

    in more excellent ways, 

      on all of your days, 

        to show love." 

Bob Kuebler
YWAP Director

Youth With A Purpose

In School & After School
In The Mountains & In The Hood

157 Locust Street

Buffalo, New York 14204

716-830-8240

"All Children Are Gifted" 

http://www.facebook.com/bob.kuebler

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Youth-With-A-Purpose-Inc/111808805513470

http://thebrightspotreport.blogspot.com/
A Scholarship for a young person to attend a 3 day Wilderness Adventure in the Adirondack Mountains is valued at $185. We are a 501c3 and your donations are tax deductible. You may give online at:
http://www.gofundme.com/73te4
If you are looking for a speaker for parents or youth or both, please call us.  

Will They Touch the Hem of Your Garment?

A tree imprisoned with ice is like a frozen heart.

 Last night as I drove people home, I was telling somebody about my life. I said that I get my heart broken about once a week. Mostly I hurt for what happens to other people. I see their pain and I absorb it. I see murders, homeless, addiction, abuse, poverty and more everyday. I think the worst is when I witness bitter people become contagious and infect lonely people who are like innocent lambs being lead to a slaughter.

Father forgive them, they don't know what their doing.

 Bitterness and anger is like leprosy and it eats away at the flesh of the heart.The disease of strife and division eats away at relationships. Unless the heart is treated, it will calcify and harden into a final death stage named hate. There is nobody that has ever been born who is perfect.

Every human being ever created;
 has been,
 is,
or will be
guilty of a moral transgression against another.

Forgiving yourself can help point the way of forgiveness for a friend.

 

 

Forgiveness will bring the intervention of healing and prevent more hardening of the heart. Yes, the hardened heart may become flesh again and be free to love. The first person we need to forgive is ourselves. In an almost unconscious way, our hurt blinds us to the fact of our own complicity in the situation that we are mad about. When we are mad at somebody. the first thing we should do is turn the microscope on our own heart and ask some questions: "Have I ever acted this way?
"Do I treat people this way?"
"Is the person who hurt me having a hard time in life?"
 "Are they even aware of the pain they are causing?"
 "Am I the cause of the pain in my relationships?"
"Do I sabotage relationships because of a faulty conscience that says: 'Relationships don't last because everybody leaves me so I will reject them before they reject me?"

This tree seems to have Jesus hanging the way he did on the Cross. Even in the midst of enormous pain, he talked about forgiveness. He looked down at his torturers and said: "Father forgive then for they don't know what they are doing"

We cannot change other people we can only ask God's help in changing ourselves. Healing can become contagious as we forgive ourselves. People will begin to reach out and touch the hem of your garment as they hunger for the healing that we carry because we have learned to love through brokenness.

FORGIVE

Jesus loves you and so do I.

"Find new ways, 

  in as many ways, 

    in more excellent ways, 

      on all of your days, 

        to show love." 

Bob Kuebler
YWAP Director

Youth With A Purpose

In School & After School
In The Mountains & In The Hood

157 Locust Street

Buffalo, New York 14204

716-830-8240

"All Children Are Gifted" 

http://www.facebook.com/bob.kuebler

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Youth-With-A-Purpose-Inc/111808805513470

http://thebrightspotreport.blogspot.com/
A Scholarship for a young person to attend a 3 day Wilderness Adventure in the Adirondack Mountains is valued at $185. We are a 501c3 and your donations are tax deductible. You may give online at:
http://www.gofundme.com/73te4
If you are looking for a speaker for parents or youth or both, please call us.  

Carlie Wopperer - A Guiding Heart Counselor

For the last 6 months, the students at Buffalo Public School #3, D'Youville Porter Campus have experienced a heart storm. Carlie Wopperer has a title within the school system that says Guidance Counselor. The description of her heart cannot be confined in a title. The contents of her heart could be described as nuggets of compassion. Carlie takes wounded young hearts and infuses them with a touch of love and confidence. She drops emotional nuggets that heal and guide wounded hearts. Carlie Wopperer is a "Guiding Heart Counselor."

One of the blessings of my life includes the opportunity to Mentor to the students at Buffalo Public School #3. That's how I got to meet Carlie. I have witnessed many interactions between Carlie and the children in her school. At Youth With A Purpose, we are Relationship Mentors and we teach people how to build healthy relationships. It is a joy when we have the opportunity to partner with somebody who embodies the compassion that we teach. Carlie goes the distance in providing a safe haven for young people.

Carlie is like a candle burning on both ends. Her compassionate heart is a wick that helps to ignite dreams in children.

Several weeks ago, I walked into Carlie's office while she was talking to several students. I struck up a conversation with the students and they shared a life event that some would call catastrophic. I often ask young people if they have someone in their life that they can trust with their heart. Trust is huge with young people and it seems to be in short supply. I asked this young lady if she had someone she could trust and she pointed to Carlie. She didn't just point to Carlie, she looked at her with eyes that were connected to her heart. There was a "knowing" that seemed to pass through the air in that room and connected hearts through a bond of trust.

Being in the classrooms and hallways of School #3, I get to see the respect that the students have for Carlie. She is organized, compassionate, focused and energetic in her vocation. It is an honor to know and learn from Carlie Wopperer. The lives of the young people at Buffalo School #3 have been touched in the way of compassion. I believe that the seeds of compassion that Carlie has planted in those children will be multiplied throughout their lives.

Thank you Carlie for who you are: 

 A Bright Spot in the lives of children.

Thanks for your time. Go do something nice for somebody.

"Find new ways, 

  in as many ways, 

    in more excellent ways, 

      on all of your days, 

        to show love." 

Bob Kuebler
YWAP Director

Youth With A Purpose

In School & After School
In The Mountains & In The Hood

157 Locust Street

Buffalo, New York 14204

716-830-8240

"All Children Are Gifted" 

http://www.facebook.com/bob.kuebler

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Youth-With-A-Purpose-Inc/111808805513470

http://thebrightspotreport.blogspot.com/
A Scholarship for a young person to attend a 3 day Wilderness Adventure in the Adirondack Mountains is valued at $185. We are a 501c3 and your donations are tax deductible. You may give online at:
http://www.gofundme.com/73te4
If you are looking for a speaker for parents or youth or both, please call us. 
 

Mentor: Expanding the world of quality mentoring.

Mentor: Expanding the world of quality mentoring.

Kerri Baish - Her Heart Won't Sit Still

Her heart won't sit still and it's contagious. If someone were to introduce her, the typical introduction might be something like: "I would like you to meet Kerri Baish, she is a Teacher." A Teacher is one of the most important occupations in the world. That statement alone would give you reason to believe that she is a special person. Sometimes we need to look a little deeper to really appreciate the extent of a Teacher's impact upon young people in her class.

I think Kerri Baish is a Heartbeat Maker. As Director of the Youth With A Purpose Relationship Mentoring Program, I have had the honor of being in the classroom with Kerri this year. I watched how children respect her. They enjoy being around her. Her classroom has a lot of peace in it. She does not stay in one place. Many Teachers stand in front of the class and stay there. Some Teachers sit behind a desk and stay there. Kerri goes where the hearts are. Her heart won't sit still. She moves to the place where the children are at. I don't mean that in a physical sense. Kerri is emotionally present with her young people and they feel respected and valued. When there seems to be a student who could use some behavior modification, Kerri moves into the students space of chaos and creates peace. A heart can beat in anger or a heart can beat in peace. Kerri Baish is someone who helps young people to create heartbeats of peace.

 

Kerri is part of a Buffalo School that is making a difference in the lives of children. Last year we had the honor of working alongside Matt Boyle. Matt is another great Teacher in a School that is becoming known as a School of great Teachers. Pauletta Stines, the Principal, along with Assistant Principals Diane Sauer and Marianna Cecchini help to create a nurturing environment that invites all children to discover their own unique giftings. Lori Cilano is responsible for inviting the YWAP Relationship Program at School #32. Her office is always full of children needing help or friendship and they know they are always welcome.

PS 32 Bennett Park Montessori

342 Clinton Street

Buffalo 14204

Grades: 3Y-8 • Hours: 9:00-3:30

716. 816.4603

1. We believe children learn best in multi-aged settings.
2. We believe children learn best in child-centered classrooms.
3. Montessori philosophy emphasizes the use of age-appropriate, hands-on activities to engage children in their own learning.
4. We believe multidimensional family involvement is integral to a child’s success in school. 
5. We believe it is the responsibility of our school community to meet the diverse needs of our children.

Kerri Baish is changing the world through the heart beats of children - one heart beat at a time. She is a Heartbeat Maker who is a Bright Spot in the Buffalo Schools. Thank you Kerri for allowing us to trust you with our children.

Thanks for your time. Go do something nice for somebody.

 

"Find new ways, 

  in as many ways, 

    in more excellent ways, 

      on all of your days, 

        to show love." 

Bob Kuebler
YWAP Director

Youth With A Purpose

In School & After School
In The Mountains & In The Hood

157 Locust Street

Buffalo, New York 14204

716-830-8240

"All Children Are Gifted" 

http://www.facebook.com/bob.kuebler

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Youth-With-A-Purpose-Inc/111808805513470

http://thebrightspotreport.blogspot.com/
A Scholarship for a young person to attend a 3 day Wilderness Adventure in the Adirondack Mountains is valued at $185. We are a 501c3 and your donations are tax deductible. You may give online at:
http://www.gofundme.com/73te4
If you are looking for a speaker for parents or youth or both, please call us.  

The Superintendent Had A Gun

It was incredible! The Superintendent of the Buffalo Schools, Amber Dixon had a gun. The streets were filled with teachers, parents and students. Even Darth Vader was there (unless he was a poorly dressed nun!) She pointed the gun (in the air) and pulled the trigger. All of the teachers, parents, students and community supporters began to run through the streets of Buffalo. That's how it all began, the inaugural running of the 1st Annual Sedita Dragon 5k and 1 Mile Fun Run.

Here is the Mission Statement for the Race: 

Our Mission:The Sedita Dragon 5 K and Fun Run is a
celebration of school and community. Our mission is
to promote the physical and emotional fitness of our
student: through sports, academics, and multi-cultural
awareness within the Buffalo inner city community.

 This was a community celebration. People ran in the race. People volunteered for the race. The Police helped to control traffic and protect the runners. Some people had to be patient as they couldn't park in their driveways until all the runners had passed. Neighbors cheered the people running by their homes. I even had somebody send me a text message that said they were sitting in a barber shop and saw me running a marathon!

When I got to the finish line where I finished 4th (in my age group,) I grabbed some water and watched the rest of the runners come home. There was a man standing next to me cheering everybody on. I noticed he put extra effort into cheering for the students who came in. I asked him if he was a teacher and he introduced himself as Todd Miklas the Assistant Principal. Todd hustled to the finish line to encourage other runners to finish. His job as an Educator is really more of a calling in his life that causes him to serve children 24/7. The Frank Sedita School in Buffalo, New York is a great place to be with many great Teachers who care about children and go the extra mile (or 3 miles) to prove it!

A Buffalo school helping students create unity in the community.

 
This is just one more of the many good things happening in the Buffalo Schools. Once again, the Superintendent was there. Leadership begins at the bottom, that's where true servants help to create trust in the people they serve. Trust is beginning to be rebuilt in the Buffalo schools because of dedicated Administrators, Teachers, Parents and Students. The hour has come for Buffalo, the time is now. Thanks for your time. Go do something nice for somebody!

 

"Find new ways, 

  in as many ways, 

    in more excellent ways, 

      on all of your days, 

        to show love." 

Bob Kuebler
YWAP Director

Youth With A Purpose

In School & After School
In The Mountains & In The Hood

157 Locust Street

Buffalo, New York 14204

716-830-8240

"All Children Are Gifted" 

http://www.facebook.com/bob.kuebler

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Youth-With-A-Purpose-Inc/111808805513470

http://thebrightspotreport.blogspot.com/
A Scholarship for a young person to attend a 3 day Wilderness Adventure in the Adirondack Mountains is valued at $185. We are a 501c3 and your donations are tax deductible. You may give online at:
http://www.gofundme.com/73te4
If you are looking for a speaker for parents or youth or both, please call us.  

Flashbacks and Weightlifting Part 2

Taking the steps necessary to cross over a trail that leads up the mountain of emotional freedom.

Flashbacks and Trauma  

It was the 4th of July, and we were at a party. There were a lot of people sitting in the back yard of a friends house. When the fireworks started, one guy went into serious convulsions. He was terrified, and his body shook uncontrollably. He was a war veteran living through a flashback of war. He experiences war flashbacks every time he hears fireworks. Many people experience flashbacks caused by traumatic wounds that have not been healed. Violence of any kind can trigger lifelong flashbacks if they are not healed. But a flashback is an extension of a wound, and healing is possible. It is not easy, but neither is weightlifting. Before we outline the steps involved in our weight lifting process, we will identify some of the weights we will be lifting.

A solid plan can be a lighthouse during a flashback storm.

 A traumatic memory generally does not fade away. If it does, the fading is temporary. The removal of fear from the memory can become the mechanism by which character becomes stronger. Self-discipline is the weight lifting program that will help build character and remove fear. Suppressing the memory is like tamping a powder keg. Eventually, it will become pressurized and explode as it is triggered by an event reminiscent of the original trauma. Therefore, a person must find a way to deal with the traumatic memory.

 A flashback is only one damaging byproduct of trauma. Self injury that is often unconsciously inflicted can be even more damaging, and will feed flashbacks.  When guilt and shame are associated with trauma, it is possible that the victim will begin to blame himself or herself for the trauma. In some instances, the inability to remove shame causes the victim to act out in shameful ways - as though they deserve to be mistreated as punishment for their feelings of guilt. Low self-esteem pushes the victim into the pit of self-denigration.

Safe on the edge of a flashback. Enjoy the view of how far you have come.

The victim's lack of forgiveness for both the perpetrator and themself, can wreak havoc on recovery attempts. Within the unconscious mind may be the seeds of revenge and the desire to make someone else suffer. A friend of mine got into a fight and was beaten badly by 7 people. He later hooked up with a friend and they went looking for the 7 people to get revenge, but couldn't find them.  They eventually killed 3 people who had nothing to do with his beating. People filled with pain and fear will eventually hurt themselves and other people. More importantly, the history of my friend includes a childhood of horrible abuse. In this way, victims of violence become perpetrators when they flashback on what they've experienced. Men punish women for childhood abuse suffered at the hands of other women. The same holds true for women punishing men. The cycle of trauma continues: the victim becomes the victimizer and continues the victimization.

Perseverance will reveal sun rays of hope that bring warmth to your soul.

Memories and Muscles

Weightlifting causes the breakdown of muscle that will rebuild itself through rest and nutrition. The process of Flashback Weightlifting, or breaking the fear down into manageable terms, leads to the ability to rebuild courage and self-esteem. The goal is to rebuild the memory without the attachment of fear, and to rid oneself of any associated guilt. Take some time and identify the weights that you are going to lift. Make a list of possible flashback causes and identify anything that you believe could be a trigger. Weightlifting cannot begin until you properly identify the weights that will be lifted. The next chapter will focus on weightlifting techniques. It is important to note that all people are individuals. Every plan of action needs to be tailored to the individual. There is no such thing as one-size-fits-all.

A team of trusted friends will help you bag the peak of emotional wellness.

Turning Pain Into Gain

It's important to focus on yourself as a valued and highly esteemed person.You are the only you that's ever been created. If you don't become the best you that you were created to be, then you will have wasted you. You are special, you need to believe that and own that. Peel back the layers of fear on your heart the same way that the birch tree sheds it's bark in the forest. Let the wind of positivity blow a breeze of self belief upon your heart, and breathe your way into a new life of worth and strength. Lift whatever is weighing you down, and allow yourself to rebuild, stronger than ever before.

***************************************************

Thanks for your time. Go do something nice for somebody.