Planting Great Seeds at Reaching Higher

If you walk past a Reaching Higher classroom in Royal Oak, MI, it is everything but conventional!  You may just hear many, chanting very loudly:

"I plant great seeds in the corner of my mind,

My seeds are my thoughts, they are the winning kind.

My thoughts help me focus when I am still.

I say yes I can, yes I will.

I am a winner

I will succeed

Because I use my mind to

Plant great seeds!"

I once believed seeds were only planted in the soil…until I discovered Reaching Higher.  Four years ago I responded to an ad in my local newspaper by Susie Dahlmann, Founder and Executive Director of Reaching Higher.  Susie was recruiting volunteers interested in becoming trained Reaching Higher instructors so I called to express an interest.  Since then, I have had the distinct honor and privilege of working with youth from my local middle and high school.   Just like gardening, Reaching Higher strikes an unexplained chord deep in my soul!  

Reaching Higher’s unique curriculum is a well-designed nine-session program that is progressive and cutting edge.   The thing I love most is that it is love-based.   Hands down, The Beatles were “right on” when they crooned “all we need is love!"  

During the eight-week period, two instructors, five assistants and twenty-some students explore uncharted waters and endless possibilities, together.  Here's a brief synopsis:

SESSION 1
You Are a Miracle - Students explore their miraculous and unique nature and begin to create a positive community within the group.

SESSION 2
Remembering - Students put away negative messages they have "learned" about themselves and begin to remember the precious parts of themselves.

SESSION 3
Managing Stress - Students learn techniques for impulse intervention and stress relief as well as ways to overcome worry.

SESSION 4
Purpose In Life-Setting Goals - Students look at their unique gifts and explore how those gifts can be expressed through setting and attaining goals.

SESSION 5
Changing Limiting Beliefs - Students look at negative beliefs about themselves and experience techniques to replace them with positive beliefs.

SESSION 6
Fear to Freedom - Students explore the impact of fear in their lives and learn techniques for releasing fear.

SESSION 7
Positive Life Choices - Students have the opportunity to hear experiences that have involved poor life choices and learn to make good choices for themselves.

SESSION 8
Happiness Through Giving and Loving - Students will give to one another, through kind action and communications, and experience the happiness that results.

SESSION 9
Graduation Celebration - On this special evening, parents, friends and faculty come together to celebrate the children and to hear how the students have benefited from the Reaching Higher program.

Front Row:  Jan Bills, Lisa Bahm, Marie Churchill;  Back row:  Sarah Goodwin, Dawna Tennant, Sarah Rothenberg, Carrie Selinski

So when I am not planting seeds in the soil during the growing season in Michigan, you will more than likely find me and many others planting seeds of love and hope for one another!

 

Bravo, Reaching Higher, for putting the memorable words of The Beatles into action!  I am grateful and blessed to be a part of this awesome program!  

Together we can plant great seeds!   After all, to nourish and grow, all we need is love!