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WORDS of WISDOM
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"The Toolbox Project is a seminal work in translating the great wisdom traditions into a secular 'common language' for children, their families and communities.
Toolbox brings a re-humanization and transformation of our culture through the teaching of universal concepts of self and other."
-- Angeles Arrien, PhD, President, Foundation for Cross-Cultural Education and Research
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FEEDBACK
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"These Tools are essential for children who are struggling academically and socially. These Tools aren't something I would see as secondary to everything else I teach. For me, these are primary."
-- School Resource Specialist
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RECOGNITION
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This year, Toolbox was a finalist for the prestigious Ashoka Changemakers� Activating Empathy--Transforming Schools to Teach What Matters Award! From 628 entries in 74 countries, The Toolbox Project was selected as one of 16 finalists.
The Family Toolbox social media application concept was selected as a semi-finalist in the 1440 Challenge from 168 entries. The 1440 Foundation supports programs that cultivate authentic relationship skills in education, wellness, and the workplace.
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RECENT TRAININGS
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We trained 18 more schools in Richmond, San Francisco, Ross Valley, Santa Rosa, Kenwood, Petaluma, San Rafael, Monterey, and Chico. We serve over 25,000 students and their families in 75 schools, 7 counties, 17 cities, and 22 school districts.
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EXPANSION
Next Six Months...
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Our Train-the-Trainer program will be designed this winter with a start-up planned for summer 2013. Training others to lead schools in Toolbox skills, practices, and methods will expand our reach exponentially.
We have an expanding list of schools requesting Toolbox for the 2013-2014 school year.
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OFFICE UPDATES
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Our team is growing! We have a number of new additions to our already stellar staff. In April, we welcomed Danika McKenna as our Director of Development. She is leveraging us to new heights by expanding our support base.
In June, we welcomed Cimon Selhorst as Program Manager. Cimon is a critical member of the team, working directly with school leadership.
Makena Collin brought her amazing skills to Dovetail Learning through a summer internship while preparing her application for a Fulbright Grant to teach The Toolbox Project in France.
Lia Tamminen, is our newest intern. She is translating Toolbox for our Spanish speakers.
Anne Woodward, volunteer extraordinaire, joined our team in September. Her graphic design skills are being well put to use in a myriad of ways (including the design of this newsletter!).
David Donica is now our Business Systems Manager. He is helping us use new technology in a unified, efficiency-focused manner.
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PLEASE HELP US GROW!
...and *add* your comments.
Thank you!
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Dovetail Learning E-Newsletter News from the home of...
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Dear Friend,
It is with gratitude that I write you today.
After many years of support, from people like yourself and the hard work of the Toolbox Community of Schools, Dovetail Learning staff, interns and volunteers, we are now in over 75 schools serving over 25,000 students and their families.
Dovetail Learning has discovered a way to recognize and cultivate each child's unique self-expression and self-mastery. Through this paradigm-shifting work we are challenging core assumptions, within the public school system, of what it means to be an educated person in the 21st Century.
There is a life force, a wellspring of hope and wellness within all children; a part of each child that is unbroken, regardless of socio-economic, familial, or cultural background. Yet this inner strength, or resilience, often goes unattended due to lack of awareness and understanding of this innate capacity within.
A child's hopes and dreams are often suppressed into a faint vision of what is possible. For many, this loss becomes a life of unnecessary suffering and tragedy. The downstream social cost is staggering -- beyond imagination -- in terms of human capital, physical and mental health, productivity, and potential contribution as a world citizen.
Our work is a catalyst for realizing, manifesting, and preserving the inherent resilient nature within children. Toolbox guides children to discover and empower their authentic voice, kindness, and empathy for others. After 18 years of development, research and implementation, we are seeing that once this authentic "Self" is discovered and awakened within a child, it is never diminished and becomes a guiding compass in their life. The Toolbox Project is contributing to the evolution of systemic change within education and culture: it is what we call the "missing piece."
If you have not done so already, please view our latest documentary films. Let the children and their families tell you their stories...
 | | Toolbox Project Introduction (2012) - 6:30 |
It seems that everyone who learns about Toolbox wants Toolbox. With more requests than we can fulfill and inquiries from around the world, we are scaling our infrastructure and program delivery to replicate and sustain this vital work in schools and communities.
We depend on your financial support.
We are launching our Fall Annual Appeal with the goal of raising $175,000. We ask that you please make a contribution to help bring this work to more children and their families and to bring hope and wellness to more school communities. Most of our schools receive Toolbox due to the generosity of personal donations and through foundation grants.
With your help, more children will have the Tools they need to achieve what we most want for all children:
Happiness
To believe in themselves
Meaningful contribution
Passion for learning
Confidence
Belonging
Safety
(or mail us a check payable to Dovetail Learning)
With warm regards and deep appreciation,
-- Mark A. Collin, MA, MFT
Founder/Executive Director
Dovetail Learning, Inc. is a 501 c(3) nonprofit organization.
Donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.
Our tax identification number is: 68-0673821.
825 Gravenstein Hwy. N., Suite 2; Sebastopol, CA 95472
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A Teacher Shares Her Experience with Toolbox
Hello Toolbox [Peaceful] Warriors,
I have worked in inner city public schools with marginalized populations for ten years and feel a deep anger towards the State and our society for the way our children are being left behind and left with a world that is unraveling.
...For me, Toolbox represents resilience. [T]his year I have dug deeper than ever before to find my tools to lead myself and my students with grace. ...I feel so grateful to have [Toolbox as] a source of wisdom and strength as I navigate through the challenges of public education.
- I intend to use my words to give voice to this vibrant and beautiful and painful journey of growth.
- I intend to forgive my students for the markers thrown, talking back, and mistakes made.
- I intend to forgive the State for the abandonment of our children.
- I intend to throw away my resentment in the garbage can. I think its time to let this go.
- I intend to be courageous and believe in hope.
- I intend to listen with my ears, eyes, and heart to myself and my students.
- I intend to empathize with my students and their parents.
- I intend to be patient. I am strong enough to wait.
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What Kids Are Saying About Toolbox...
 "The ears and eyes [do] their job--they listen and look. But the heart is taking all that information... and when it comes to the heart then the brain knows what to do!" -- Kindergarten Toolbox participant
"You should stop being a bully. You should just look into your heart and deep down you'll find that love and kindness."
-- Richmond 3rd grade Toolbox participant "Toolbox helps me understand what's going on around me. It helps me face some of my fears." -- 4th grade Toolbox participant "If there was no Toolbox, I think everybody would be arguing and fighting all the time and this would be a really depressing place. I would be sad every day of the year." -- Richmond 6th grade Toolbox participant |
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With Gratitude and Appreciation...
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I want to take this opportunity to acknowledge with my deepest heartfelt gratitude our wonderful and devoted staff at Dovetail Learning, all of our donors big and small, and all the children, teachers, parents and community members who have made this work possible. I wish I could mention you all by name. If it were not for your patience and gentle caring, this gift would not be moving steadily into the world.
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Thank you to some of our most recent funders:
- Stuart Foundation
- Risk Press Foundation
- Kalliopeia Foundation
- The California Endowment
- Irene Scully Foundation
- La Gioia Fund
- East Bay Community Foundation
- Quest Foundation
- and many others
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(or mail us a check payable to Dovetail Learning)
Dovetail Learning, Inc. is a 501 c(3) nonprofit organization.
Donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.
Our tax identification number is: 68-0673821.
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