We believe that all human beings have unique gifts and perspectives to contribute to the greater good.

As a Youth Empowerment, our mission is to empower youth, parents and educators with the mindset, skillset and toolset to cultivate and express their unique gifts in the world.

Our Story

Power On is a Youth Empowerment that works to help children who are facing more pressure than ever at school, home and society. We believe that all individuals have the potential thrive in school and in life, but there is a void in education that focuses on empowering children and supporting their social-emotional health. We solve this problem by working with school communities to provide a holistic approach to education, facilitating transformative experiences that help youth discover and leverage their intrinsic strengths.

Our programs are designed by a team of seasoned educators and self-development experts determined to change the way we evaluate each other and ourselves. We take students on a journey of self-discovery, helping them tap into their inner-strengths, authentic selves, unique potential and purpose. Through this, we hope to equip as many individuals as possible with the tools they need to become confident and resilient so that they can contribute their gifts to their own benefit and to the benefit of their communities and the world at large. 

Our Values

Curiosity

Curiosity

We desire to learn about the world, its people and its cultures; we are introspective about self, inquisitive about others; we ask first, share second.

Diversity

Diversity

We believe that all human beings have unique gifts and perspectives to contribute to the greater good. We actively seek out the opinions of others and embrace the differences that enrich our communities.

Alacrity

Alacrity

We adopt a spirit of service and attitude of cheerful willingness in our work with others.

Our Approach

Our transformative, inquiry-led, educational experiences focus on the following topics and skill sets: 

Social Emotional Intelligence

  • Self awareness
  • Behavioral control
  • Communication
  • Empathy 
  • Resilience

Creative Problem Solving

  • Analytical thinking
  • Solution based perspective
  • Collaboration
  • Conflict resolution

Self-Actualization

  • Application of strengths in service
  • Agency and Action
  • Transference of skills
  • Self advocacy

Why Us?

Power On leverages decades of research in social emotional intelligence and positive psychology to inform the development and delivery of our coaching and educational programs. There is significant data showing the impact of adopting a positive approach including:

Youth:

  • Greater happiness and engagement at school
  • Better transitions - kindergarten, elementary & middle school
  • Higher levels of academic achievement in high-school & college
  • Increased levels of life satisfaction and self-esteem
  • Greater resilience and self-confidence
  • Reduced risk of depression
  • Enhanced ability to cope with stress and adversity

Adults:

  • Greater levels of happiness at work
  • Greater likelihood of staying at work
  • Better work performance
  • Greater likelihood of staying married
  • Better recovery after illness

To see the research, click here.

Why Now?

We are living in a climate of great uncertainty – socially and politically. Youth fear for their safety in schools and there is a distinct lack of trust in parents and authority figures. Student suspension rates are high and the school to prison pipeline increasing. Mental health challenges are also on the rise as the pressures of today’s society increase.

Bullying

  • 1 in 4 kids in the US are bullied at school.
  • About 30% of students in the United States are involved in bullying on a regular basis either as a victim, bully or both.
  • 77% of all students experience verbal bullying and abuse. Of this 77%, 14% have a severe reaction to the abuse and many experience low self-esteem and even suicidal thoughts.
  • In 85% of bullying cases no intervention or effort has been made by a teacher or school administrator to stop the bullying.
  • Cyber bullying (on-line) is on the rise, with 80% of high-school students having experienced bullying of some sort on-line.

Depression

  • Anxiety disorders affect 25.1% of children between 13 and 18 years old. Research shows that untreated children with anxiety disorders are at higher risk to perform poorly in school, miss out on important social experiences, and engage in substance abuse.

Violence

  • Gun: 10,000 children are killed every year through gun violence in the US. The mortality rate is nearly 10x higher than the rates in other wealthy nations.
  • Sexual: In a recent national survey, 87% of respondents reported they had been the victim of at least one form of sexual harassment – this included catcalled, insulted with sexualized words and being touched without permission by a stranger. 76% of the same survey respondents (72%men/80% women) reported they had never had conversations with their parents around avoiding sexually harassing others or other forms of misogyny.
National-Youth-ConfidenceDay-40

Support Our Mission

The world is a challenging, confusing place. More than ever, we need to help youth build the confidence, resilience and skills needed for them to take accountability for their success.

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