KID-GRIT THE BOOK

When we conceptualized this project that is now known as kid-grit, one of the essential things that was important to us was that student voices should be represented in this process. We wanted people to hear the voices of the most important people involved; our youth- especially in the areas of social-emotional learning, mindfulness, youth development and character development.

The stories presented in kid-grit THE BOOK were written by students that we have taught, mentored or coached in the last 5 to 15 years. We know these young authors individually and we love them all. We could not be more thrilled to provide our former students with the opportunity to share their private stories and use these writings as an opportunity for helping others.

This collection of essays comes from young people who have graduated from high school and are currently in college, in the work-force or in a graduate program. These stories come from individuals from across the country who have overcome challenges and obstacles from their elementary school years all the way through to their college years. They have described sometimes painfully the challenges situations they have had to navigate in order to complete high-school and college and to function successfully in the 21^st century – in school environments, in the workplace, and in their personal lives.

We believe that these essays show what true character, resilience and grit looks like. This is the core of kid-grit!

Introducing kid-grit the BOOK^TM . kid-grit the BOOK is a collection of 25 authentic, soul-searching stories from students across the nation. Inspiring stories from the voices of our youth ages 17- 27. These young authors describe challenges and victories and words of wisdom to our next generation of leaders. You will find topics dealing with everything from depression, bullying, substance abuse in the home, physical violence, digital addiction, anxiety disorder, isolation, abuse of social media, transgender challenges, poverty, and more listed below. All of these issues could be recipes for failure- they can ruin the trajectory of a young person’s future if effective interventions are not available and on target. You will also see how each author handles her/his challenges and struggles. It is part of our mission to provide real-life testimonials from the very people who have overcome their challenges. kid-grit: THE BOOK can be used to engage middle and high school youth in important and timely conversations focused on their own social-emotional growth, feelings and how to navigate challenges successfully. Read reviews here.

Additionally, our young authors transparently presented challenges that included, but are not limited to:

kid-grit the book is one part of our curriculum package that is used in educational communities throughout the U.S. Additionally it is available on Amazon.com as well as kid-grit.com as a stand-alone purchase.

Kid-grit THE BOOK Training for Staff:

kid-grit offers a one-hour book training as a part of our suite of services. The one-hour book training is an interactive and discussion-based training where we share how to use the book with staff and students. Participant outcomes:

• We will share how these stories can be used as an intentional strategy for social-emotional learning.
• We will identify which stories are applicable to the youth you serve and share activities students can participate in.
• We will also share how to use the stories as a tool for professional development with your staff.

THE ACTIVITY BEYOND THE STORY: DYNAMIC CONVERSATIONS AND DISCUSSIONS

There are a set of questions in the back of the book that can be applied to each student story. You will also find a key of life skills that are aligned to the story that each author used to manage their challenges. Use this to engage your students in a lively discussion about how to build resilience and grit in their own lives.

We are proud to present these stories from our first time young authors and each will receive financial compensation in the form of royalties therefore making them paid authors as well.

A note, please read these stories prior to sharing with your students. You will want to use your discretion as to what is appropriate for your students. You might share with their guardians or parents that you will be discussing these topics in depth before you begin.