1.  Field trip preparation:   This Friday we will leave Hope High at 10am for a field trip to the amazing office of “TeeSpring” in Providence, Rhode Island.  We will return to Hope High shortly after 2pm.  You are expected to research “TeeSpring” on Wikipedia, the TeeSpring web site and any other credible source you can find.   Part of the search should include the founders of the company and any other important people or products associated with the company.   This will prepare you for our question and answer session with the TeeSpring staff.  Finally, check with Ms Lora to make sure you have passed in your permission slip.  You don’t need to write anything to send to me for this part of our homework.  I simply ask you to prepare for this field trip as you would for any important event.  Preparation enables you to get the most out of an event as well as maximizing your brand and our Hope Life Skills brand.  Finally, preparation will enable you to successfully complete your assignment on page 55 and 56 in your “My Story” textbook to design, market and sell your KG3 North American division teeshirt on TeeSpring.

2.  Metaphor:   As you have probably been informed in an English class long ago, a metaphor is “something used, or regarded as being used, to represent something else; a metaphor is a symbol representing something else“.   Examine the cover of your newest textbook, “A Study of Change“.  The cover is a photograph by the famous Rhode Island photographer, Richard Benjamin.   Explain why you believe the author of your textbook chose this photograph for the cover of this book and if you feel the photograph may serve as a metaphor for something.   As always, your explanation must be well written with perfect spelling and capitalization, good grammar and NO RUN ON SENTENCES.   Thank you.

3.  Read pages 1 through 33 in your new textbook, “A Study of Change“.   The author presents his perspective on ‘change’ throughout these pages.    In a well written paragraph with perfect spelling and capitalization, good grammar and NO RUN ON SENTENCES, compare your perspective on ‘change’ with the author’s stated perspective on ‘change’.  If the perspectives are different, explain how your perspective is different from the author’s.  If they are similar, explain the similarities of your ‘change’ perspective and the author’s.

4. After reading the assigned pages in “A Study of Change“, please tell me in one well written sentence what you believe your “Element” is as defined by Sir Ken Robinson.  Thank you.

5. I am always looking for feedback on our conversations with our class guests.   Please give me your feedback on our conversation with Sydney Flanagan yesterday.   Did the conversation make you think and reflect and, as a result, did Sydney’s story help you refine or embolden your plan for success?  As always, I expect your candid, constructive opinions.   My objective for our class is to provide an experience for you to improve your skills, expand your perspectives, and build confidence in your ability to extend yourself out of your comfort zone.  In the process, you will be better prepared to create and exploit opportunities for success, both now and in your future.  Thank you for your feedback.

1.  Read the article distributed in class today entitled “Graduate of the Year” by New York Times columnist, Nicholas Kristof.  Refer to a specific line in the article that resonated with you the most and CAUSED YOU TO REFLECT.  Next, explain in a well written paragraph why this particular line in the column affected you the way it did.  AND BY THE WAY, ‘Thank you’ JENNIFER, for your recommendation about providing links to the articles.   IT WAS VERY HELPFUL.  Click Here.

2.   Last week, I was teaching a ‘Personal Branding‘ seminar to a class of Boston high school students in Cambridge.  I was showing pictures of various people and companies, from Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and the Nike logo to England’s King George the Third, and asking the students what their opinions were of the personal and corporate brands they saw.  When I held up the picture of King George the Third of England, a student’s reaction was “a tyrant, an evil leader.  He was brutal.  He was a person who did bad things to America“.   I then gave this student a copy of your textbook, “My Story“,  and asked him to read King George’s telling of his own story.   The next day, the student returned to class to once again share his perception of England’s King George the Third’s brand.   I AM ASKING YOU TO READ KING GEORGE’S STORY AS TOLD BY THE KING HIMSELF FROM PAGES 25 TO 47.  IN A WELL WRITTEN PARAGRAPH WITH PERFECT SPELLING, GRAMMAR AND PUNCTUATION, STATE YOUR PERCEPTION OF KING GEORGE THE THIRD’S BRAND.   The intended lesson of this assignment is the important of getting all sides of a story before drawing any conclusions about anyone or anything.

3. Thanks to TRAVIS for the constructive criticism on this site.  Today’s guest, Nick DeCesare, and I await examples of other sites to look to for improvements.

4. You, once again, were great in class today.  You always make me proud.  Every guest we’ve had in class this year has given me the same feedback on your brand:   “Wow.  These students are impressive.  They’re bright.   They present themselves well.  They’re so respectful and curious.  I’ve never met 16 year olds like this;  in fact, I don’t find many professionals who act like this.  Their eye contact during introductions and handshakes.   Their genuine smiles.  They say ‘Please’ and ‘thank you for coming to our class’; they’re great hosts.  And, they’re so curious.  An impressive bunch of young people.   I’m glad I met them……..”.    You all are developing great networks and brands for yourself and the school.

1. Part ONE:  ‘The Ask’.    From pages 20 to 22 in your “My Story” textbook, I introduce the concept of ‘the ask’.    Please write a well written paragraph explaining your understanding of ‘the ask‘.

2. Part TWO:  Please state if you have or have not had the opportunity to ‘ask’.  If you have had the opportunity and did, in fact, ‘ask’, please share in a separate paragraph how you felt about asking and what the result was.    Jessica did during our networking segment at the end of yesterday’s class with Adriana.

3.  Permission slip:  Make sure you have passed in your permission slip for our field trip to TeeSpring next Friday morning after class.   Bus will leave at 10am.   I anticipate this trip being an exceptional experience.  I know all of you will have done your research on TeeSpring prior to our trip.

1. On the Wall Street Journal infograph I distributed in class today, which one of the four recommendations in ‘How To Project Intelligence’ infograph surprised you the most?   Please state your answer in a COMPLETE SENTENCE.  Thank you.

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2.  After reading the article entitled “The Brand Called ‘YOU’” from the November 2o14 edition of Fast Company Magazine I distributed in class today, please tell me what you are presently doing to develop your personal brand to create your opportunities for success.  Please state your answer in complete, well written sentences.  Thank you.

3.  Please think about our class today on preparing for a successful job or internship interview with Ms Nan Quinlan.   Please list 4 things you will keep in mind as you prepare for your next interview for a job, internship or even college admittance.   As always, please state your answer in complete, well written sentences.    Thank you.

1.   Preparing for your entrepreneurial venture:   Read Activity 6 on page 55 and page 56 in your new textbook “My Story“.   This activity will begin with our tour and meetings with the leaders of the highly successful company, TeeSpring, in Providence, Rhode Island on January 30th.   This activity will enable you to employ many of the skills and attitudes we’ve been developing in class:   networking, branding, collaboration, telling your story, creativity, measured risk taking,  data collection and analysis, value of diversity in your network, stepping out of your comfort zone, hard work, dependability, on-time-all-the-time, social media and putting mistakes and failure in the proper perspective – i.e. opportunity to learn valuable lessons for your development.   I’m excited about your opportunities with this activity.   Start thinking about the team you’ll assemble for this entrepreneurial venture – will you recruit a diverse group of people with diverse skills and perspectives YOU CAN COUNT ON or just a group of friends with no consideration of their skills and attitudes?   How many people do you want on your team – just you?  Two?   Three or more –  what works for you?  You’ll be the leader of the team.   Will your team share the same values and work ethic you have?   Is their creativity identical to yours or is their creativity somewhat different, i.e. diverse?  Your team does not have to be composed of students.  Your team can be any person in your network.  Don’t pick your team yet;  I have some new people I’ll be introducing you in the near future you may want to consider.  Tough decisions to make.   Keep thinking about the success you want for your company when you are deciding who you want on your team.

2.  Read page 1 through page 24 in “My Story“.    Please pay special attention to the section referencing ‘the ask’ on (pages 20 to 22).   Your ability ‘to ask’ will be critical to the success of your entrepreneurial success in Activity 6 and, believe it or not, with most of your endeavors throughout the rest of your life.   How you ask and how you tell your story has a lifetime impact on your success.

3. Share with me any reaction you had, anything you reflected upon, while reading pages 1 through 24 in “My Story“.  As always, you need good sentence structure, no ‘run-on’ sentences, perfect spelling and capitalization and proper grammar.  Please send me your response by Tuesday, January 13, midnight.  Thank you.

4. On page 16 in the “My Story” textbook, in a well written statement, answer the question –  What is Malala Yousafzai‘s WHY?  Please send me your response by Tuesday, January 13, midnight.  Thank you.

5.  I continue to be proud of you.   You all continue to step our of your comfort zone.  I see your networking skills improve each week.  This all shapes your brand:  homework fulfillment, on-time-all-the-time, taking measured risks out of your comfort zone, how you present yourself in each networking opportunity: your smile, eye contact, asking for and presenting your business card, your follow up email or hand written note to each new person you meet, saying ‘thank you’.   Did you hear what Donna Mumma from CVS said about her perception of the Hope brand?   The brand can be the best in the state.  Seguro!  Keep up the good work.