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"Purpose: Today we are going to focus on being prepared to engage with members of the community that are part of our stakeholders. Start with a word game: Make a story with the group by using “fortunately” to begin each sentence and then “unfortunately” to kick off the next person’s addition. And example: “Fortunately, the bear had a nice hat to keep him warm. Unfortunately, it was the middle of summer and 110°F.” Game play proceeds in a circle and we can make the story about living in LC. Stakeholder map: How to create a stakeholder map… And create one for our project. Create a Stakeholder map.   Make questions for the group.  Discuss how to listen and be interested in the other person’s opinion.  Questions for the focus group: So far, Ofer and Demian are coming to the group. How has the change in the community affected your business? What state is the community in now? We will need to ask this question with different parameters such as social aspects, for business purposes, for living. We will discuss it before asking… What parts of Charle’s vision is coming through or is it not moving forward? Have you seen any changes during the time you have lived here in the different aspects above. If so, what are they and are they positive or negative?"

"Eitan and I are meeting with Gretel from Abriendo Mentes on Monday November 24th. Here are the list of questions that we have so far. What has been Abriendo Mentes’ most successful initiative? How has the growth of the community and changes in the community affected your organization? What state is the community in now? What are some of the initiatives that you are focusing on and how do they help the community? What initiatives have you not been able to get to that are important to the community now? Can you think of ways that we can help your organization? If so, what are they and how can we fit in? We can think of others this week and I will add them."

"We had a solid class on Wednesday. Things that I am proud of in this meeting: We got to everything on our agenda. The boys made the rules that we will follow with one plus one from me. The boys took on their roles for the project. The boys articulated why they are in this group. The boys wrote mission statements and utilized my tools to help them. The boys are excited to be here! Things that could have gone better: Continue to work on more focused work and less talking over one another. I would say professionalism in our interactions. Continue to work on deeper reflection of their work, not take the first try. Continue to utilize what we learn to make our project improve. For me, the time goes very quickly. This time I did post the agenda on a large piece of paper so that everyone could see what we needed to do and it was clear. I love their enthusiasm and their understanding of the purpose of this group. They stated the reasons that they were here: gain CAS and business experience to prepare for the IB. And they are excited to help Las Catalinas. To have that awareness is important so that they are motivated. Nate went right home and created an instagram account for us and created a logo. To have that motivation to do things outside of our group is excellent and exciting. The final mission statement and name that we settled on for now is: Town flippers: We direct our efforts around genuine hospitality and educate our team to create meaningful connections with every guest who walks through our doors. We can definitely workshop that more. Also, we created rules for our meetings: Minimal story time Listening when others are talking Mindful and reflective about what is happening No touching people with your feet I look forward to Wednesday when we will learn about SWOT analysis before having a focus group with members of the town.    "

"Connection before content: Opening activity: Have cards on the table from the Ungame.  Remove any of the questions that you think you already know about everyone in the group.  Choose 2 questions from the table that you really want to know about your teammates. Listen to the answers.  I watched a video with Chris Littlefield. He is a psychologist and helps teams create more successful interactions.  We are going to work on professional meetings today. I want you to think about how you are going to show up for this meeting. Think like you are an employee and not a student. – How do you want to act today? How would you like to be in this meeting?  I want to be organized and be a good listener.  Meetings:  Clear agenda – with goals Roles – who is in charge of what and who will lead the different sections of our discussions? HR – Marketing – Finance – Operations Stay on Topic Summarize action items before leaving.  _________________ Monday the 24th at 4:00pm we have a meeting with Abriendo Mentes?  Who wants to go? What questions do we want to ask Abriendo Mentes in the meeting in a week and a half. We can send some questions before – so that they are ready. __________________ Mission statement:  This is the statement that will guide us through our project. It is a sentence or 2 that states the aims and values of a group or organization. It states what it does, for whom and its goals.  It can be specific to the project or can just be about our group – and show the potential and goals that we want to achieve.  Read the mission statements from famous companies from the file. What is your favorite? Why? Before we start writing a mission statement – you need all the facts! On a piece of paper write down: The name that we have chosen for our group or project The purpose of our project The stakeholders that we will affect The goal that we would like to achieve And check to make sure that this aligns with our values  Choose at least 3 of the characteristics of a mission statement from below to use when you write your mission statement.  Visionary  Broad Realistic Motivational Short and Concise Easily Understood   Let’s write our mission statement – I am going to give you 5 words and at first you are going to use those to write a statement. Then we are going to compare our statements and evaluate – and do it again with another 5 words….  Hopefully, we have a statement at the end of the time. ___________________ Our roles – if we are going to do an event in LC in December – what do we need to do?  Who can we talk to in LC to help us? Mentors – Maybe have the meeting out there next week and see if we can ask a couple people to discuss our ideas? If so, we need to have a plan.  What do we need to do for next week’s meeting? – we can also do a SWOT analysis or a stakeholder analysis next week and get ready for the next meeting. "

"We created a business plan this week. The way that we did it was to identify our project and the reasons behind why we were doing it. Then thought about the marketing, logistics, human resources, and the budget. We each had time to fill out the papers above and we were quiet while we were doing it. But then it became a little crazy with too much talking and interjecting other stories. It was successful because we had a good time and finalized the plan. Nate added everything to our document and we have a way forward. In the upcoming week, we are going to work on having meetings that are more efficient and productive. We still want to have fun but we are going to work on being more professional. We are also going to write our mission statement. And then decide on a plan for the upcoming events - when do we want to have them - do we need to do a fundraiser - and so how to move forward. (Budget, interviews for next week or gantt chart.) Here is our business plan. Introduction:  Purpose To bring people together To create lasting relationships Revive the community To repair some hard feelings. Problem  Not enough activities  People are not excited about life People are mean to each other Everyone's old and sad Too many empty homes  Solution More activities/events Fundraisers Stronger communication between people   Marketing:  Target market Tennis/pickleball community LC community/Home owners People looking to buy Market research ideas Surveys Interviews - Eitan Statistics  Money raised in events Number of home owners Success rate of past events How to communicate  LC Instagram Flyers/Posters around town Whatsapp   Team: Who are we? Nathaniel Sawyer Rappaport — Structure, REALLY different perspective/autism  Eitan Ketter — Energy/Zest, Brings the vibes Connected to the community, People person Oliver Mark Helman Delacoste — Support/Organization, Realism,  Amy Jacobs — Time, wise, Knowledge, Expertise   Why are we a good fit for this project We all have past experiences with how special a strong LC community was We are all established in the community.   Finance: Raffles -  Sunrise Sniffers -  MONATIZE THE DOGS Car wash -  Clean porches - gardening - water plants   Operations: Ideas for activities Sports tournaments (tennis, soccer, pickleball,  Full moon parties Hiking Biking Dance party Beach days Work outs Yoga  Dog meetup Movie nights"

"The last meeting where the boys and did some reflection and some walking around town we decided on a few projects that might work for our group. Eitan was actually sick that day so we need to get buy in from him this week, but one of the ideas that seems to be the one that they are excited about is to have some community events for the Las Catalinas town. At the moment the town is experiencing some growth issues where people are not as respectful or connected as they have been in the past. It has created divisions and really a lack of community. The boys have really noticed it and hear about it from their parents. As we walked around the seemingly idyllic neighborhood, thinking about how we could make a positive change, the boys started to remember times in the past where kids were playing together in the evening, there were get togethers on the beach, and the FEEL of the neighborhood was different. They then decided that they know the Las Catalinas town and the people that live there - so they can directly affect the feel of the town by holding events, getting kids to play together, or really just get people to spend more time together so that they want to work together to make the town feel more like a town again. They also brought up that there are bats in some of the roofs so maybe they could make bat houses for the bats to have a different place to live. That would be a more crafty project. They also noticed that the monkeys are not as prevalent in the town as they were. So they thought about creating areas of biodiversity for the monkeys to return. There is an issue with the road to Las Catalinas and they could work with the municipality to fix the road. This one sounds a bit more challenging, but can be tackled. I loved that they came up with this idea through a 30 minute walk through town. Their memories and feelings helped them tell the story and helped them identify something that is missing in their world. I am excited to start to plan and engage the community through market research to see where the project goes!"

"Holy peak"

"Oct. 15:   Which one of these 4 decision making tools will help us in the long run. Opportunity cost Will be used mostly for big decisions like deciding what project we are going to do for our project.   Decision tree  Gantt charts Will probably be used more times than opportunity cost but for smaller things to figure out timelines while working on our project.  morals/values   Did using these tools change the way that you think differently about decisions?    Learning these tools makes me think about what could be lost not only what can be gained. In the case of thinking about jobs in the future – if there is a job available to work on an oil rig and make a lot of money, there is also the loss of a normal life.    Are any of them challenging to use or apply?   None of them are really challenging – the most challenging is gantt chart. Understanding the timeline – where they have to be located on the chart. Now that we have done it once and made mistakes – it is easier to understand that you really need to focus on the timeline and where to put it in the graph.    How does knowing the values influence your decisions?    The values decision making tactic is not as conscious as the other tools. And therefore there is always a bias toward your values that have formed over time, through experiences. "

"Which of these 4 decision-making tactics do you think will be useful, or can these be useful, and why? Opportunity cost GANT chart Values Decision trees I believe that opportunity cost and decision trees are the absolute most important and useful decision-making tactics. Opportunity cost is especially important in big decisions to make sure you figure both sides of a choice and make the choice in a rational, educated mind to ensure validity in the selected choice. Decision trees are a more unconscious way of thinking, as you’re finding a quick way to decide on a situation, you unconsciously figure out all options before making your choice. It’s especially helpful when trying to make a decision with the knowledge of all the other choices you have before the final decision. Opportunity cost and decision trees are, in my opinion, interestingly similar as they can both affect your decision-making strategies as well as your way of deciding between choices as a whole. Both tactics force you to consider all your options, while making a decision tree you must think ahead and consider what choices you have now and what choices may come from your future choices, complicated, but I believe that with training your brain runs through these scenarios unconsciously. Whereas opportunity cost shows you your options where you need to then decide the better choice depending on what you gain and lose from choosing either one.   Did using these decision making tactics change the way thaty you think about/consider decisions?   When learning different ways to make decisions, you become able to think and analyze all your choices before deciding definitely. Before I learned these tactics I sort of unconsciously considered options when making a choice. Now that I have learned the brain process beind my decision making, I have been able to reflect on my decisions and if I make a mistake in my decision making process, I can then improve next time."

"This week we had a special guest to teach us about decision trees. Brandon comes from a background of professional gambler and today CEO of a crypto market company. He created a decision tree that showed how decisions are made at every stage of Texas Hold 'Em. It was fun to play cards with him and the boys while looking at the different decisions that could be made along the way - either on the flop, the turn or on the river. We all needed to make some decisions during the game and we needed to make those assuming different values. The boys were excited about the card playing and engaged with Brandon throughout. Once Brandon left, we did a couple decision trees - one about deciding which market to enter and then a fictitious one about should we go to college and used Oliver as an example. They know how to draw a decision tree and they know the formula for the expected value for each chance node. I would like to revisit this topic in a few weeks. However, next week, we are going to do a reflection of these decision making tools and see if they are helpful in daily life. Then we are going to go do some exploring in the community. We will start in Brasilito, then off to Flamingo and Potrero. I am looking forward to seeing what is out there to see."

"The boys all know how to do Gantt Charts. They successfully completed the IB Business Management practice case studies and know how to plan an event using time and tasks to understand time constraints and maybe delegation. :) They are quick learners and we used this tool for cooking so they saw it in action! We then moved to values and what is important to them. I had an exercise where I had scenarios for each value. I thought that it would be interesting to see how they would react in the scenario and then identify the value that it corresponded to, however, that was difficult - because it could correspond to many and the boys actually are very good kids and so they believed in most of the values. The whole thing was saved by Owen who was on the call and had some great insights for the group. The boys also responded in kind with some insights of their own. At the end of the day - the highest values on the list for Eitan were compassion, kindness and joy/play. For Oliver - family, joy/play and respect. And for Nate they were loyalty, contribution and integrity. I have written these down to use in future lessons and to reflect upon soon. This week Brandon is coming to discuss decision trees and using probability and statistics to make decisions. I think that this is our last decision making lesson but should be fun. I have a meeting with him tomorrow and will post the lesson plan then."

"I am planning our meeting for this week and working to make sure that the objective continues to center around decision making. In the past I feel like I have made the first month about the students and their strengths, values and passions, which I continue to add to these first meetings. But this time, I also am diving into decision making as the clear objective – with knowing oneself a means to making good decisions. They have already identified their strengths. That is always a good start. Especially for me to get to know them. But this group was excited to learn some business tools – so I went right into opportunity cost – and then Gantt charts. Slowing down, planning and really thinking about decision making is a good skill. This week my plan is to dive into Values. What are their values and how does that influence decision making. I believe that this works on a personal and business level so we can move right into Mission Statements either this week or next. Here is my plan: Gantt Chart reflection –  What did you learn last week?  What about the process? How did preparing the Gantt Chart help our cooking process? Give a Gantt Chart case study so that they can practice on a couple business case studies and draw the Gantt Charts. This way I can see their understanding.  _____________________________________________ Values? How does that affect our decisions? Read a scenario aloud or have them read them silently and choose from the answers below. Have students walk  to sides labeled: * Yes, I’d do that * No, I probably wouldn’t * Optional: Maybe / Not sure   Or choose one of the answers above. After they answer the question, Let them know the value behind the scenario. Have then note the values that resonate with them.  Can ask some reflection questions * Was this hard or easy to choose by answering the scenario? * Do you see yourself living this value in your life? * Were you surprised that this is a value that you exhibit when making decisions? 1. Family You’re in the middle of an online game with your friends, and you’re doing really well. One of your parents asks for your help bringing in groceries or setting the table for dinner. Do you pause the game to help? 2. Grace A teammate messes up during a game and costs you the win. Afterward, they apologize. Do you accept it without holding a grudge? 3. Loyalty Your best friend is being gossiped about by others in your group. Do you speak up to defend them, even if it risks your spot in the group? 4. Connection Your classmate seems quiet and always eats lunch alone. Do you go out of your way to talk to them or invite them to join your table? 5. Creativity You’re working on a group project and want to try a completely new approach no one has seen before. Your groupmates want to play it safe. Do you push for your idea? Your teacher assigns a project with clear instructions, but leaves some room for how it’s presented. Most students are doing slideshows. You have a unique idea—like making a short video, building something, or writing a story. It’ll take more effort and might stand out. Do you go for the creative option? 6. Diversity You’re placed in a group with people from very different backgrounds, interests, or cultures. Do you embrace the opportunity to learn from them, or stick with your own views? During lunch, some classmates are joking about a culture or accent that isn’t their own. It makes you uncomfortable, especially since you know students from that background are nearby. Do you speak up, change the subject, or stay silent? 7. Respect A substitute teacher gets some facts wrong. Your friends start laughing and mocking them. Do you join in, or stay respectful? 8. Generosity You’re doing a community service project at a local shelter. Most of your classmates are just going through the motions, taking photos for their portfolios. You notice one of the staff members is struggling to carry supplies. No one else offers to help. Do you step in quietly, even though no one is watching — and even if it means missing out on the “cooler” part of the activity? 9. Integrity You’re working on a take-home assignment that’s meant to be completed independently. A friend sends you their answers in a group chat “just in case you need help.” You didn’t ask for them, but now you have them. Do you ignore the message and complete the work on your own — or do you use what they sent to double-check your answers? 10. Love A friend is going through a really hard time. They’re acting distant and angry. Do you show up for them anyway? 11. Joy/Play You’ve been studying hard all week for multiple exams. A group of friends invites you to join them for a casual game of soccer or a silly TikTok video challenge just to blow off steam. You feel like you “should” keep working — but you also kind of want to have fun. Do you let yourself take a break and enjoy the moment? 12. Forgiveness Someone betrayed your trust, but they’ve apologized and seem sincere. Do you try to move on and rebuild the relationship? 13. Excitement Your school is offering a last-minute chance to go on a new, unexpected trip. It’s out of your comfort zone. Do you go for it? 14. Patience You’re teaching someone how to do something you’re good at, but they keep making mistakes. Do you keep calmly helping them? 15. Faith Things aren’t going well lately — with school, sports, or friends. Do you still believe things will get better, even if there’s no clear proof? 16. Wisdom You have a choice between what’s fun right now and what’s better long-term. Do you choose what’s wiser, even if it’s boring? 17. Beauty You see something really simple — like the sunset or a street performance — and pause just to appreciate it. Do you take time to notice beauty? 18. Caring A friend doesn’t say anything, but you can tell they’re not okay. Do you check in with them even if it’s awkward? 19. Commitment You signed up to help organize a school event, and the team is counting on you. A few days before the event, you’re invited to something else — a concert, game night, or relaxing day out with friends. It sounds more fun, and you’re tempted to cancel your original plan. Do you stick with your commitment, even if the other option feels more appealing? 20. Honesty You accidentally break something at school. No one sees you. Do you report it or stay quiet? 21. Adventure You’re offered the chance to try something you’ve never done before — like rock climbing, traveling, or performing. It feels risky. Do you go for it? 22. Kindness A classmate is being picked on. They’re not your friend, and no one else is stepping in. Do you show them stand up for them? 23. Teamwork You’d rather work alone, but your group assignment depends on collaboration. Do you make the effort to truly work as a team? 24. Communication You feel hurt by something your friend said. Do you bring it up in a respectful way or just let it sit and grow? 25. Learning You bomb a test. Instead of brushing it off, do you ask the teacher for help so you can actually understand? 26. Excellence You finished an assignment that’s “good enough,” but you know you could make it great with more effort. Do you go back and improve it? 27. Innovation Your club has always done things one way, but you see a better way. Do you speak up and try to change the system? 28. Quality You’re making something — maybe art, music, or a build — and you want to rush it. Do you slow down and focus on making it great? 29. Contribution Your class or team needs someone to volunteer time or effort. You’re not required to help. Do you step up anyway? 30. Strength You’re going through a tough time — maybe you’re overwhelmed with school, facing problems at home, or feeling isolated. Part of you wants to just shut down or pretend everything’s fine. But another part knows you need to talk to someone or ask for help. Do you find the strength to open up and keep going, even when it feels really hard? 31. Cooperation You’re paired with someone you don’t like for a project. Do you try to find common ground and work together? 32. Friendship A friend starts making choices you don’t agree with. Do you talk to them honestly, even if it might create distance?   33. Encouragement One of your teammates has been practicing hard but still struggles during games. After they make a mistake, you notice they look frustrated and discouraged. Do you take a moment to quietly offer some positive feedback or support to help them keep going? 34. Charisma You’re in a group setting and everyone’s being quiet and awkward. Do you step up and bring energy to get people talking? 35. Humor The room feels tense or people are upset. Do you try to lighten the mood with a joke or something funny — without crossing the line? 36. Leadership You see a group losing focus and falling apart during a task. Do you step up, organize, and guide — even if you’re not the assigned leader? 37. Balance You’re overloaded with school, sports, work, and social stuff. Do you set boundaries and create space to rest? 38. Courage You witness someone being treated unfairly or bullied at school. Speaking up might make you a target or cause problems with your friends. Do you stand up for that person anyway, even if it feels risky or uncomfortable? 39. Compassion Someone is acting angry or mean — but you know they’ve been going through a lot. Do you respond with compassion instead of defensiveness? 40. Gratitude You realize a teacher, coach, or friend has quietly helped you a lot. Do you take time to actually thank them? List of Values Some reflection questions – This value matters to me because…. If I ignored this value I’d feel…. What’s the long-term outcome? What’s the short-term outcome? What is an example of a decision that you have made that matches this value? And then at the end of the day – ask them which of these values feels like a guide for your decisions right now? And we will not have any time after this I am sure. I am hoping to have them add their values to the values path. https://thewonderment.com/opportunities/values/ Of course if we have time we will dive into reading and analyzing mission statements – but I don’t think that will happen – so I will just leave it here. Mission Statement? verbs  And there is always a chance that I have a guest speaker come and explain Gambling Theory as a way to make decisions. (I know a former professional gambler. And the boys are all interested in math.)"

"At the end of the day yesterday, the group was successful. Everyone understood what we were doing when we started cooking because of reading through the recipe and breaking it down. Each of the boys participated in the process so they felt a sense of accomplishment. They learned about a business tool that they can use in the future. It took us a little while to plan, make dinner and eat together, but it was worth the extra effort to be prepared for the task. The food was great and everyone had a great meal."

"Spark: Opportunity Cost - how did it go? “What’s a decision you made recently where you didn’t think about the opportunity cost — and regretted it?” “Is opportunity cost always obvious? Can it sometimes sneak up on you?” “Do you think adults are better at thinking about opportunity cost than teens? Why or why not?” Objective: To understand what is a Gantt Chart and then to be able to draw one to map out our cooking plan. Recipe - What is a Gantt Chart - How to draw one - Use the large paper…  A Gantt chart is a bar chart that shows a project schedule. We will use one to figure out timing for our recipes today.  We will make the chart and then discuss and then cook and see how it goes!"

"Today I am deciding what we will do on Wednesday. I am making power points for our video production tomorrow with Cloe and I just made one about the power of knowing your strengths and areas for growth. The boys have just identified their strengths so I would like to start out with that in mind. I am going to make a jar with questions in it about strengths in daily life. We are all going to answer questions while having our snack. What is something you’ve done recently that made you feel proud? When do you feel most confident? What’s one thing you do that feels easy for you but hard for others? Share a time when you helped someone and it made a difference. What’s an activity that makes you lose track of time because you enjoy it so much? When friends or family ask for help, what do they usually come to you for? What is one challenge you faced that showed your perseverance? What’s something you’ve learned quickly or taught yourself how to do? When have you felt “in the zone” and fully engaged in what you were doing? What is something others often thank you for? What is a compliment you’ve received that really stuck with you? When was the last time you showed courage, even in a small way? What kind of problems do you enjoy solving? What is one thing you do that makes people laugh or smile? When do you feel like a leader? What’s something creative you’ve done that made you feel good? What personal quality do you think your friends value most in you? What’s one way you’ve made your school or community better? What kind of group projects or roles do you enjoy most? When do you feel the most energized? What’s one habit or skill you’ve developed through practice? Share a time when you showed kindness without being asked. What’s one risk you took that paid off? What’s something you’ve accomplished that others might not know about? When do you feel the most curious or eager to learn? Then we can connect our answer to our VIA strengthfinder test by connecting our answer to the strengths on our test. _______________________ I would like them to fill out the strengths area of their Wonderment page. ________________________ Alex will come over to discuss opportunities at ACCAI _________________________ Then we will do the opportunity cost lesson. 🙂 And then we will wrap up the day by talking about decision making – using our knowledge of our strengths and assigning the homework of filling out the opportunity cost worksheet for 5 days after school."

"Here is what we did yesterday and how I ran the hour and 30 minutes that we had together: Before the meeting - I made sure that we had some food for them - banana bread and drinks. I created a scavenger hunt in our neighborhood with little stickers, candy... It was meant to see how students work together and who takes a  leadership position. I created a document with ideas of what we were going to do during that day. What happened during the meeting:    The students arrived and they had some snacks and we talked about what was needed for them to bring to each meeting and what our goals were. We did this very loosely because they don't really have too many expectations - they want to learn some business skills and put them into action. I had them sign into the platform with the Project Wonder link. That was a little tricky because we had an incorrect link to sign up in the video - which we are fixing... Here is the link: https://thewonderment.com/collectives/project-wonder/ Here is the link to the YouTube video just in case you have people that need to sign into the platform - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3qBI0jAKzik. They created their profile and then we did the https://thewonderment.com/paths/strengthsfinder-activity/ which took a bit of time. They made their posters. But we were almost out of time at this moment and I wanted them to do the scavenger hunt. They did the scavenger hunt and then it was time to go. They worked well together finding the clues and figuring out where to go in the neighborhood. Next week: We will put their work from the strengthsfinder test on Project Wonder, take a picture of us  - then we are going to dive into opportunity cost - https://thewonderment.com/paths/opportunity-cost/ Because I want them to think about the decisions that they make during the week - they will have homework from this. I will add a couple games during this time related to their strengths. I will finalize these ideas on Monday. It was a successful first meeting. I need to write to their parents to explain how the day went. Let them know what we did and what we will do next week."

"Our second cohort of inspired youth is ready to start working together to find ways to learn business skills and employ them in community projects. Here is the documentation of our progress."