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As Jan is finishing his Ph.D. in chemistry and simultaneously studying to be a high school teacher, I am thankful for the lucky students who will soon be sitting in a classroom where the teacher will be just as tuned into receiving feedback from his students as he will be in providing it.  He has already taught me a great deal!

Chance to Soar is committed to sending little sparks into our community in hopes of igniting a passion in a young mind. Who knows what small gift we might give a child that might light a fire similar to that of Stano Lajda!

I wonder how often we prepare for a figurative severe storm in our lives only to find ourselves enjoying a gentle breeze instead?

Young people need to be connected to something powerful to fuel them, to give them the support and the confidence they need to grab an opportunity when it comes along

We are daily participating in a figurative juggling act full of quickly moving balls…be clear about which balls are rubber and which are crystal. 

They were able to achieve success because they had the support of numerous committed people who helped them along the way. 

Instead of trading out one practice for another, we just stack the new idea on top of all the old ones until we find ourselves exhausted. The truth is that sometimes we need to declutter in order to make room for new possibilities.

Some learning curves are steeper or loopier or faster, but it is all those twists and turns that make the ride so exhilarating. 

The choice to smile is infectious and can improve the mood of a room just a little.  The choice to look for the silver lining can inspire others to find additional bright spots in a dark room.  The choice to love those that don’t deserve it, can change hearts and heal wounds. 

Knowing how important it was for my father to be an excellent provider for his own family, I am not at all shocked that the proudest accomplishments of his work includes helping his employees and co-owners provide for their families as well. 

I think there is also something quite special about being the audience for these snapshots of a young person’s life.  What a privilege we’ve been given, to be the witness to their moment of joy and pride. 

Plan to exceed the expectations of others. Work to exceed your expectations for yourself. Break a barrier. Don’t be afraid to explore the unknown in pursuit of your dreams. Build yourself of the stuff that is made to last.

If we let the distractions of today, get in the way, we could lose sight of the goal all together.  So what goal is your Pike’s Peak?  What distractions of today are you letting cloud your view of the peak? 

The more we talked, the more we realized that as educators and trainers, we were equipped to address these needs and inspire other educators to do the same.  We could make a difference for kids beyond the walls of whatever school we happened to be serving at the time. We had a chance to bring life to this dream by forming Chance to Soar, so we took it!

Is fear an enemy or a friend?  Maybe it’s neither.  Maybe it’s a catalyst, causing us to change or move, spurring us on in one direction or another.  The power to determine the direction is ours, and that is where the real power lies.

…As we made our way from one destination to the other by air travel, I was struck by the parallels between helping passengers get from one location to another and parenting kids from birth to college…