From Vision to Reality: How My Mentorship Guide Will Transform Schools Across Newport News

Hopefully, you've read my posts about the origins of Unleash Your Inner Titan. After I finished the initial manual and got it approved for use by Newport News Public Schools, I was contacted by my contact there and invited to a meeting to discuss the manual further, and discuss helping them finish a curriculum for the boys they'd been putting together. At the agreed time, I arrived at the NNPS Administrative building. I was greeted by Mr. Nichols, the Youth Development lead, and escorted inside. Once inside we were joined by the Youth Development Supervisor., a kind woman whose name I don't recall.

During the meeting, they showed me the skeleton of an incomplete curriculum that a group of people had previously been working on but eventually abandoned. I was given a briefing on the general direction the curriculum was headed and the overall theme of the project.

Afterward, I was asked what my thoughts were on the project. Answering honestly, I told them it was cool but it was abandoned before any meaningful content was added. They shared more insight into what they'd like to see done with it, how collaborative efforts would work, and that the goal was to have it done by midsummer. This meeting was in May.

I listened intently, but at this point, I'd already formulated a solution I was sure would streamline the project, and reduce the number of people needed to get the project done drastically. After they finished their spiel about the project, I made a suggestion. "What if I provide you with a curriculum that goes hand-in-hand with the manual I created? I can have it done before school starts and I can do it alone." "That sounds great!", the supervisor said. She continued, "As long as the necessary edits are made and the finished product meets our quality standards, we'll purchase your curriculum and the manual from you."

Not gonna lie. My heart leaped in my chest at her words. I had landed my first big customer and I couldn't wait to get my Titan materials in their hands. The meeting concluded. I shook their hands, and I told them I'd be in touch when I had the curriculum ready for submission. I got in my truck and headed home. What an exciting ride home it was! My mind was racing and the creative juices were flowing. I couldn't wait to tell my family what had happened.

The funny thing is that I hadn't thought about a curriculum or anything else concerning the Titan manual until that meeting. I had no idea how I wanted to format a curriculum or anything. I just saw an opportunity and believed that I could do what's needed to churn out a curriculum for them. Later on, as I was winding down for bed, a thought came to mind. I started to think about the potential impact Unleash Your Inner Titan could have on the boys in the schools, and how much bigger this project is than myself. I considered the domino effect it could have on students, then parents, then teachers, and on and on. My vision grew that day and continues to do so to this day.

Fast forward a month or so and I had completed the curriculum. I met all the criteria and the covers looked amazing. Excellent quality. NNPS made their first purchase of my books, just as they promised, in October 2023. They received their materials and I knew that this was the beginning stage of my role in transforming the hearts and minds of students across Newport News Public Schools.