By: Vashti Summervill – Parent Coach – Confluence Daily is your daily news source for women in the know.
In the digital age, we are in a state of constant engagement with information. The news that is reported and repeated is often bad and scary. Many kids are not optimistic about their future. What can parents do to cultivate a type of hope that leads to action? How do we introduce our children to the voices and stories that aren’t being told in the news? Chuck Hagele, director of Project Patch, talks about a program he created with this very mission. It is called The School of Opportunity. Chuck finds people who are engaging in a hard world in a proactive way and are willing to share their stories with teens. His advice to parents is to find that spark – the small things that are fueling our kids and then connect them with success stories that will inspire them to chase opportunity. There are small miracles and unsung heroes everywhere.
I consider it my life’s work to build community and connection. I am a warrior mom of two teenage girls, a passionate educator and musician seeking inspiration and to inspire. I have recently embarked on a journey to combine my experiences as an educator, artist and as a parent to help develop programs to support and educate parents, especially those struggling in their relationship with “tweens” and teens.
I am a graduate of The Parent Coaching Institute and I am member of Building Connected Communities where I trained to facilitate the Conscious Parenting Workshops. My husband and I both currently serve on the St. Luke’s Pediatric Family Advisory Council representing families with children hospitalized due to a mental health crisis.
I also have an extensive performance as well as teaching/directing background. I currently own and operate Open Door Music Studio where I teach voice, Piano, Percussion Ensemble. I also co-founded and co-directed the BIG (Boise Inter-generational) Choir.
I am a voracious lifelong learner. I received a Bachelor of Arts in Music from Colorado Mesa University in Grand Junction, Colorado and a Master’s of Music/Vocal Performance from Western Washington University in Bellingham, Washington. In addition to receiving my Parent Coaching Certification ®, I also have an Idaho Elementary Teaching Certificate with a K-12 Music Endorsement, an Orff Level 1 certificate, World Music Drumming Level 1, and I am a trained Music Together ® teacher.
I continue to compose and perform regularly.
My current higher calling is to combine all of these experiences to help improve the lives of parents, children and families.
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