Tuesday, February 12, 2013

The story of Haile

Tonight is the State of the Union address by President Obama. There will be a special guest in attendance this evening, Haile Thomas. Haile was invited to attend by First Lady Michelle Obama. What an honor! Haile has done some amazing things, and she is only 12. Today, she is in Washington D.C. getting ready for her big night! Read the article in the Tucson Daily Star

Haile and her little sister Nia started their adventure with a web show called Kids Can Cook.  This idea was seeded in a Girls Making Media session when Haile was 9.  In the session she learned how to edit this video of her and her friends talking about the importance of Literacy.
Haile expressed interest in having a cooking show with her mom. After seeing her speak to the camera in the above video, Quin (Quynn) encouraged her because she felt she had the personality, the interest, and the help to do it.  Haile's mom helped her start, and continue, her dream of helping other kids.

Girls Making Media, as an entity, has come to a close in 2012, but the lessons, learned and shared, linger. This great news of Haile's next step has brought to mind some ideas about success, support, and media that can be helpful to anyone.

Key Ingredients for Dream Building:
1) Notice what you are good at, and that feels good to do. Find a way to do more of it :)
2) Recruit at least one person around you who can hear your ideas and encourage/guide you.
3) Connection with a loved one (family or otherwise) who is absolutely supportive of you.
4) Inner persistence and faith in oneself, even when it is hard or seems like your Dream isn't happening.
5) Use the tools you have available to you.  Do not think you have to have 'the best of ' tools to move forward.
6) Resiliency comes from being open to where your Dream takes you, even when it changes, and brings things beyond your wildest dreams!
7) The power of these times is that your message can get out in the world because of social media. 

All of us can achieve so many things!   Trust yourself and your Dreams!

Here is the promo Haile, Nia, Mom and Quin created in 2010. If you watch the State of the Union address, look for Haile sitting with the First Lady! So cool!!!