My name is Ron King….

As someone who has spent my life working with youth… and those who work with youth,  nothing is more passionate to me than caring about the mind of each family member.

Today, there’s a bored angry student that will become either a workplace statistic or even possibly a prison casualty. Today, there is a teacher that is growing numb to the fact that they can still could be a change agent in the life of a child they had set out to teach and to train…and they will quit. Mentally, physically or both. And today, there is a paralyzed body of educational support…spectators… not quite sure what the next move is to rescue hurting children or their teachers.

When I started my work with youth in 1991,, my goal was simple. To be a change agent catalyst for youth that had encountered setbacks… to make a comeback… Because I was one of those children. But on the journey as I grew…and my work grew and I met and was exposed to wonderful people like Nadia Lopez who founded Mott Hall Bridges Academy in Brooklyn…who was working and decided to found a school.in one of the most under-served and violent communities in all of New York City.  Her goal was also simple…___________________________.  To open a school meant closing a prison. So I came to realize I shared her goal but for me… it was… to open a mind also meant closing a prison. Not just the physical prison but the mind system prisons of informal training and learning that sub-culturally all youth and adults fall victim to.

I today, still have a dream…to change that Learning Game. I believe the goals to that dream start with an against the odds mentality. A mentality set on re-directing the 15 billion dollars being spent on locking up unreached minds instead channeling that money into what I refer to as “gold standard” re-tooled teachers… but not only that. It must be a mentality passionate about creating a new project movement involving great adults mixed with fantastically mature young people as well. I repeat…. a game changing factor is the mix and the blending of adults with mature youth project driven teams.

That is why I ask you to join us in the first in a series of ATOMIC sessions in the community. ATOMIC is an acronym for three strategies already in process with tremendous outcomes already being experienced. And we know now that it’s time to channel that into a community movement.

By receiving this email from a credible colleague… you have been validated as someone who wants to make a difference in the community. And I encourage you to accept our invitation. And not just an invitation to sit… but an invitation to participate in what we know will not be just another meaningless exercise to just whine about the problems… without any serious “then what” plan of change needed after the meeting.  Nor are our sessions to blame or shame teachers, educators or trainers in the community. We simply ask you to join us because your participating voice will fuse with others, both youth and adult… to build an Atomic voice… that is atomically game changing for the learning of those in your circle of care …and for yourself.