Why Us | Why You

Studies show that youth make major decisions between 6th-8th grade that greatly dictate their future behavior, financial success, and likelihood to achieve their goals.

There are many wonderful organizations that interact with children between the crucial years of 0-3, such as Strive, where major brain development occurs. There are non-profits and programs, such as City Gospel Mission's "Whiz Kids", who build into youth up until 6th grade.

heartprints looked at where the gaps were, studied research, and decided that focusing on serving youth during the years where there weren't many groups with a targeted approach existed. The 6th-8th grade years have been shown to be where youth greatly define their goal setting, decisions with friends and peer groups, how they begin to handle greater life challenges, articulate a more clear personality, and begin thinking about jobs and higher education.

During these years, they also have tremendous influence on how they begin looking at life in a macro view, treat others, engage the world in more interactive ways, and participate in certain sports, programs, hobbies, and extra-curriculars. With an array of opportunity to have so many decisions thrust upon youth during these also crucial development years - heartprints felt that providing the ability to connect with a positive opportunity to shape and mold them into the best leaders they could be was key.

"Building Future Leaders". We are connecting youth to lesson plans, activities, and a partnership with City Gospel Mission's gifts of modeling success of the Whiz Kids program and "Unplugged" to create a curriculum that builds into kids, our city, and region in a moving way - focused on:

• Leadership
• Decision Making
• Higher Education
• Jobs
• Participation

Empowering youth to understand the importance of goal setting, plan building, and actionable movement towards these dreams are key. Helping them understand that college is reachable, and the average graduate earns more than $1.5M over their career if they attend a higher education opportunity is pivotal. It's more than going to classes and getting a piece of paper. Life is more than going through the motions and applying to just any job. There is real power to how you assess challenges, make decisions, and exhibit leadership throughout your life personally and professionally. Getting involved in opportunities, programs, reaching out, learning, asking for mentorship, and connecting with others who genuinely care can enlighten kids to game changing situations.

Transforming lives through education and being present in youth's lives can truly "build future leaders". heartprints inc. exists to lead these efforts. We cannot  succeed without the support of volunteers who share the spirit of changing lives through investing a couple hours every couple of weeks. I challenge you to get involved in our cause.

We have the BHAG's (Big Hairy Audacious Goal's) of helping youth not only improve grades, attendance, graduation rates, but also formulate a vision for their lives, articulate their purpose, adjust their behavior to successful character traits, pursue access and support for college, and earn jobs that they are passionate about and can leverage their gifts for good. Leading efforts like this helps youth who are in poverty escape it, and along their journey - help others learn, become mentors, and inspire others to emerge from hardship.

If you get excited thinking about utilizing your time to get involved with a group that cares in this way, then we have been eager to hear from you. We have opportunities for you to apply to be on our Board of Directors, get involved on a project we are leading, advocate, and or get you plugged into one of our sites! We don't have a shortage of needs, and we'll find something fitting for you to do!

With enthusiasm,
Brian Siegel
Chief Giving Officer, (Volunteer, Advocate, and Fan), heartprints inc.
brian@heartprints.org

Also visit: 
www.heartprints.org
www.facebook.com/heartprintsinc
@heartprintsinc