Dorian with Bangor Savings Bank- a reminder of what happens when you ask for help and your community shows up.
I couldn't stop smiling when I heard what happened after we left Brewer High School.
Earlier that day, Dorian and I had visited a different College Prep class to introduce the D-Max Effect, and although our first group of seniors had enthusiastically said yes, there was no guarantee these students would feel the same way.
I was nervous all over again, but when we asked if they were in, they said yes almost immediately, and I breathed a huge sigh of relief.
Then came the fun part: exploring community needs, local nonprofits, and what they might accomplish together. We quickly realized that not everyone knew which organizations served their community, so Dorian and I shared our experiences to help them see what was possible.
Throughout the conversation, I kept reminding them, "You are the leaders. You get to make the decisions." I even tried handing over the whiteboard markers because I wanted them to understand that we were there to guide them, not choose their project.
We left with some exciting ideas taking shape, and I thought that was the highlight of my day.
Then I learned that a couple of students wanted to pitch a different nonprofit to their classmates the following week.
They were ready to do exactly what Dorian and I had done: believe in their idea, speak up, and earn the buy-in of others.
Looking at this photo of Dorian surrounded by cereal donations, I think about how many times he's had to find the courage to ask for help. Those boxes didn't appear on their own. He had an idea, shared it with others, and invited people to be part of something bigger.
One of the things Dorian and I have learned over the years is that asking for help takes courage, and when young people find their voice and realize people are willing to listen, pretty amazing things can happen.
And now these Brewer students were finding that courage for themselves.
I can't tell you how proud that made me.
This is the D-Max Effect.
Of course, the donations students collect and the difference they make in their communities matter tremendously. But what matters even more to me is the growth happening along the way: the confidence to speak up, the courage to advocate for something they believe in, and the realization that their voices can bring others together.
The donations will eventually be delivered. But the confidence these students are building? That's something they'll carry long after the project ends.
I can't wait to return and hear their pitches. We don't know which nonprofit the class will choose, and that's exactly how it should be.
Thanks to funding from the New England Prevention Technology Transfer Center (NE PTTC), one funded high school pilot opportunity remains. We provide teachers with a facilitator guide, check-ins, and support for the kickoff, pitch practice, and celebration, so they're not doing it alone.
If you're a teacher who wants to give students this opportunity, or know someone who might, send me a message!
Start small. Be seen. Create real impact.
