One of my favorite things about working with students is watching those little moments when something just clicks. Sometimes it's so subtle you could almost miss it. But you know something important just happened.
We've been working with students in Brewer High School's College 101 class through The D-Max Effect, and they've taken on a pretty special project called Warm Hearts & Hands. Their goal is to collect 120 coats and mittens for kids at the Boys & Girls Club of Bangor.
While I love what they're doing, it's what's happening along the way that really gets me.
The other day, we were talking about ways to get the community involved when one student mentioned that her dance studio had organized fundraisers before. As we kept talking, she started to realize that maybe the people she already knew could help make this happen.
It was such a simple moment, but I loved watching that connection happen.
Sometimes we don't recognize what's right in front of us. The people we know, the experiences we've had, the things we're already capable of. We don't always see how those things can make a difference until someone helps us look at them a little differently.
Before we started The D-Max Effect, we asked the students what they hoped to get out of the experience.
Their answers were simple.
Learn how to lead. Work as a team. Open my eyes. Help others.
I've thought about those answers more than once, especially as I've watched this project begin to take shape.
These students already want to do something good. They're just beginning to discover all the ways they can make it happen and that's what I love about this work. It's not about giving young people all the answers. It's about giving them the chance to figure things out, make connections, and surprise themselves with what they can do.
I'm also incredibly grateful to the New England Prevention Technology Transfer Center (PTTC) for funding this work. Their support is giving students the opportunity to have these experiences, and it's making those little moments of discovery possible.
And the exciting part? We still have room to bring The D-Max Effect into one more classroom! If you're an educator or know a school that would love to give students this kind of hands-on leadership experience, I'd love to connect.
Sometimes a little moment like that can change the way someone sees themselves and who knows where that might lead?
That's The D-Max Effect. ❤️
