Today’s Word…Wow!

Friday, August 21st, 2009

Written by: sprytel

Hope for Liberian Teachers have been returned to them this week. 15 years of war saw practically all teachers flee or be killed. Now through HUB’s teacher training program with Phoenix-based StarShine Academy and Youth Action International, hope has returned and a plan to bring education to a country has been fostered.

Spryte Loriano, HUB’s Chief Humanitarian Officer, files this momentous Day 3 report from the Civic Assembly Hall, Monrovia Liberia:

“Trish wanted to ‘wow’ them today, our over 600 student Teachers in the HUB/StarShine Teacher Training.

So we arrived exactly at 10:00am when the workshop was to begin. We arrived through the back door that lets us directly onto the stage. And the four of us – Trish, Jan, Amber and myself were wearing traditional Liberian dresses complete with headwraps! As soon as they saw us appear on stage from behind our makeshift screen, they began cheering, applauding, hooting and stomping for us in appreciation of our outfits! We ran to the front for a big bow, and Trish told them that we wanted to honor them today, and to share ‘our gratitude’ to them for showing up in droves each day! They went wild in appreciation for us – and we all got very teary.

It was a day of continued learning. It was also a day of clarity for them, as today we rolled out our complete plan to them. The topics I covered with them was what they will receive when they are in complete partnership with us, and what we expect of them to uphold their responsibilities to the program.

Here’s the plan: They receive…

Student manuals for each of the students they teach for School Year 2009; Student manuals for each year for those who follow the requirements of the program; the opportunity to receive additional training from StarShine; the opportunity to earn US college credits from Maricopa Colleges (Phoenix, AZ); and a Community Resource Center – a HUB in the center of Monrovia just for them, where there will be computers, internet and additional training provided on an on-going basis, and where they can ‘connect, create and collaborate’ with their fellow teacher community!

The applause and cheering was deafening after reading off each line!

Here’s what we asked of them…

To respond within two weeks, when their student manuals arrive, with the first of the tracking information on all of their students; a response within 2 weeks on all communications requesting updates and reports and to fill out all forms we send them for tracking purposes completely; regular status and update reports filled out for themselves and for all of their students over the school year.

Kimmie told us after the day was over, how surprised he was at the turnout through the entire workshop, ‘Normally in a training of this kind, you would see the full amount come the first day, then the attendance slowly dwindle as the workshop progresses; but not in this case. We were all happily surprised that every single person attended all three days, and stayed for every moment. They received a great value – and they knew it.’

The day did not end without some mishap – which I’ve found common working in Liberia. We ran out of Certificates for Graduation! So while 90% received their graduation certificates, about 10% had to wait almost two hours after the ceremony to receive it. And, EVERY one of them stayed! Each person shook our hands, gave us hugs and told us of the deep appreciation they have to us and all of our supporters.

Over and over we heard a similar comment from teachers and principals who look you deeply in your eyes with authenticity and soul, ‘During the war, many of the brightest of Liberians fled, and the others were killed. We are desperate for education to rebuild those who are here into leaders for a peaceful, sound country. We thank you so much for traveling across the sea to help us! We are deeply grateful to you.’

And at the end, after dancing to two rounds of ‘Mama Liberia,’ one of the most fantastic, rhythmic and exciting national songs I’ve ever experienced, THEY requested, yet one more time….’Fly Like an Eagle!’ and we all sang and danced together as a community in partnership for education, empowerment and sustainability for all.

Where else but HUB can you be a part of this kind of miracle and know that you are not only contributing from financial support, but that because you allow yourself to be in a ‘giving-receiving model,’ you are also in a true partnership of ‘empowerment’ for all? Each of you, will have the opportunity to partner with these pioneers of education and change in various ways.”

You will find out how very soon!

Liberian Press Gathers for Teacher Training Launch

Written by: sprytel

The HUB/StarShine Teacher delegation’s first day in Liberia started with a press conference at the Youth Action International office. About 20 journalists from Liberia news, radio and television were there to hear about the Teacher Training and expanded programs HUB is bringing forth with a plan to impact 40,000 students.

Kimmie Weeks, founder of YAI, explained that HUB has been to Liberia four times in this past year, and as the press remembers, we were just here a few weeks ago, mid July. He explained that after the last trip, HUB recognized the urgent need for empowerment education of k-12, and that we had immediately set to work in bringing the finest education curriculum and teacher training from the US to Liberia, bringing back with us StarShine Academy, founded by HUB Member Trish McCarty, and her team of two US teachers to conduct this three-day intensive training that would help to supplement Liberia’s current education curriculum to provide US and National accreditations to 400 local teachers.

Spryte Loriano, HUB’s Chief Humanitarian Officer, explained to the press that HUB’s mission is to help transition our world from Survival through Self-Empowerment to Sustained Abundance through a unique for-profit Social Enterprise whose main objective is to recirculate profits of the company into humanitarian programs which benefit society.

She quoted Muhammad Yunus, winner of two 2006 Nobel Peace Prizes, who said “To a poor child, the most important thing is a good education,” and went on to share that HUB partnered with StarShine and our in-country partner YAI to help uplift Liberian students into being the future leaders of tomorrow through this first program which has the potential to reach 40,000 students in its first pilot year.

Trish McCarty shared StarShine’s philosophy of going beyond the basic academic skills to reach the “whole” child and to empower teachers and children through prinicples and training in public speaking, financial literacy and self-respect as the cornerstones of growing up a nation of “creative thinkers.” The HUB/StarShine delegation was welcomed and well received by the press.

HUB and StarShine Academy partner to train 400 teachers in Liberia

Trish McCarty of StarShine Academy is a Founding Arc Angel HUBbie from Phoenix, Az

HUB has partnered with StarShine Academy, to provide a HUB/StarShine Quintessential Teacher Training Program to 400 teachers in Monrovia, Liberia August 19 to 21, 2009! StarShine Academy was founded by HUB Founding Arc Angel, Trish McCarty of Phoenix, AZ. Trish has built several successful companies based on creating long-term relationships with customers. She relies on her strong corporate and banking background at AT&T, Mellon, and Norwest to infuse companies with a “keep it simple” philosophy and an attitude of teamwork and accountability.

In 2000, acting on her belief that every person deserves to be educated with the best resources available, McCarty formed Education Resources to address increasingly complex and critical problems in the education market. She created joint ventures to produce proprietary educational

solutions for individuals, companies, government and schools. Partners included Gateway, Learning Station, MBNA, Insight Learning, Cox Communications and the State of Arizona.

In 2002, Mrs. McCarty opened a k-12 school for high-risk, inner-city Phoenix children to prove that with the right help, all children learn to reach for the stars, so she named the Community Learning Center: StarShine Academy In Sept. 2004, the academy hosted an international event for Peace with the United Nations Children Organization.

She has been featured in INC Magazine , the New York Times , Working Woman and several other publications. She has been recognized with awards including, Working Woman’s Entrepreneurial Excellence Award, Los Angeles Music Humanitarian Award, Arizona Interfaith Golden Rule Award for Education and named one of the Top 100 Women of Arizona of 2000.

StarShine Academy holds two exceptional and sought after Accreditations: NCA CASI and CITA.

Founded in 1895, North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement or NCA CASI (www.ncacasi.org) accredits over 8,500 public and private schools in 19 states, the Navajo Nation, and Department of Defense Schools. NCA CASI is an accreditation division of AdvancED. AdvancED is also the parent organization of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement (SACS CASI) and the National Study of School Evaluation (NSSE).

The Commission on International and Trans-Regional Accreditation or CITA (www.citaschools.org ) is a global leader in accreditation, providing systems of accreditation around the world. CITA Standards promote quality schools and continuous improvement to enhance student success. CITA accreditation engages CITA schools in the world’s largest network of accredited schools. CITA provides customized accreditation protocols and standards for schools across the USA and for national and international schools around the world. Today, members of the CITA Alliance accredit more than 32,000 schools in 100 countries, touching over 17 million students.

STARSHINE uses a diverse approach to inspire and educate children and teachers alike.

The StarShine Academy Principles are the foundation of everything we do, teach and stand for.

1. Every person born is unique and perfect and on their own road to discovering their dreams and highest calling.


2. We are on the planet to help one another toward achieving individual goals for the Greater Good of All.


3. We each do the best that we can on each day, depending on what we know and understand, according to Maslow’s Hierarchy.


4. Music is the first language.



5. Beautiful, safe environments that are clean and include art, music and nature inspire creativity and help to secure man’s sustainability.


6. Teaching and learning gardening is a necessary part of becoming one with nature and the environment and is a means for personal health and community building.


7. Celebrating local culture and global diversity allows for a rich life.


8. Practice Connect versus Convince; Exercise Compassion versus Judgment, Love versus Fear.


9. Individuals practice being Ambassadors for their own country as well as a country other than their own.


10. Co-learning demonstrates that every person is a teacher and every teacher is a student.



11. Financial literacy fosters hope, belief and abundance as it facilitates a wise use of assets.


12. Partnering and mentoring fosters interdependence toward building common ground, as in “the world agrees on time so everyone can communicate.”


13. Holistic education explains that each event reinforces all. The pursuit of success and happiness, both individually and collectively, must include body, mind, spirit, health and wealth.


14. Leveraging technology facilitates connecting people; personal contact is vital.


15. World peace is a result of individual peace.

The Quintessential Teacher Training that will be delivered in Monrovia, Liberia August 19 to 21st was first taught on July 28, 2008 to 25 StarShine teachers. The focus of the training was to provide training for teacher’s individual, personal commitment toward body, mind, spirit, health, wealth and happiness and to give the teachers a foundation of support and vision for the change that they are creating within each of their students, as well as the world.

QTT has a proprietary and proven way to bring cutting edge solutions to administrators, teachers, volunteers or others who work, particularly in schools known for their high risk student population. Through reenergizing teachers, these students, in the US and around the world, are lead into the discovery and fulfillment of their very destiny. At the earliest ages students begin to live purposeful, passionate, prosperous…and peace-full lives.

CNN films HUB/YAI

HUB is to be on CNN!

CNN sent a film crew to feature Kimmie Weeks during the July HUB Purposing trip. The program, “Voices in Africa,” is projected to start airing worldwide on CNN towards the end of August 2009.

Kimmie has certainly become a major voice in Africa as probably the continent’s most acclaimed youth activist. Billboards with his picture and quotes to empower the youth of Liberia are located on road sides around the capital.

The feature was arranged by HUB UK’s Daniella Boutin and followed HUB and Kimmie’s YAI visiting multiple impact locations, as well as featuring one on one interviews. CNN is now in talks to produce a Social Enterprise program dedicated to the HUB business model.

Since its launch in 2008, HUB has attracted regular positive news features in the USA from FOX (Miracle on Main Street, Homeless in LA and The Obama Bracelet) as well as in Canada as HUB Calgary GAVE BIG http://www.divshare.com/download/5480143-5f7.

“As soon as we arrived in Liberia, Kimmie and I were featured on a 2-hour talk radio program across the country and then, after an initial press conference, HUB’s first year impact in Liberia was detailed prominently in the national newspapers. It is good to move from “we are planning” to “we have accomplished xyz and look forward to continued expanded programs,” states Charlie. ”The CNN pieces just continue to add credibility for our members to share HUB more effectively. Spryte and I were delighted to bring this attention to Kimmie and the extraordinary developments we witness in Liberia.”

Unlock Your Inner Wisdom, and Impact Our World!

This presentation has been designed to unlock our natural wisdom and provide us with powerful insights and tools that will help us manifest our highest visions in life. We will learn about three simple keys that can activate our true leadership potential: 1) The key of PURPOSE to help us connect us with our True-selves and discover why we are here on this planet. 2) The key of PRESENCE to help us connect with our team members and communicate from a place of power and authenticity. 3) The key of PASSION to help us connect with the people we are called forth to serve and take inspired action that will positively impact their lives. Finally we will learn how to align our purpose, presence and passion to become visionary leaders and co-creators of a more prosperous, peaceful and sustainable world. Listen to a clip from last week's session NOW: - Visionary leaders are those who operate from the vision that we are all One and understand that the best example of leadership is leadership by example. Instead of motivating others to change, they become the change themselves so that others feel inspired to follow their vision - a vision that is not fueled by any personal material gain, but by our desire to be of service to others. This Week: The Key of Purpose Last week's wealth teleseminar taught us about the events that Trigger people to buy: This week Craig Elias continues his four week series by sharing three simple strategies to get more customers and a bigger downline by getting to those who recently experienced a Trigger Event, before anyone else. Craig Elias is the winner of a $1,000,000 prize in a global Billion Dollar Idea pitch competition and the creator of Trigger Event Selling™, Craig has for almost 20 years been a top sales performer at EVERY company he has worked for - including WorldCom where he was named the #1 salesperson within six months of joining the company. Craig's knowledge of Trigger Events has resulted in coverage on NBC news, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Sales and Marketing magazine, and having his last company chosen by Dow Jones as one of the 50 most promising companies in North America.