A 6 month Reflection

By: Sterling Ta’Bon, Healthy Schools Manager at Cairn Guidance

I have been given the opportunity to express what it has been like the  last 6 months with Cairn Guidance. My initial thought is, “How do I express moments of laughter, learning, and love of all things Whole Child based?”. This might be my most daunting task yet. However, reflecting on the many opportunities Cairn Guidance has presented, I am grateful to share.

When you interview for a role such as “Healthy Schools Manager”, you may find the title vague and complacent, but Cairn Guidance is a place that gives life to this role. I have had the privilege of working at the intersection of change and hope across the school communities of our nation. In the last few months, I was able to see the running engines of educators and professionals. Honored to learn more about the efforts in our communities, it further highlighted the mission to provide skills based education in schools. Their experiences and ideas gave me current examples of how communities incorporate skills-based methods that encourage positive physical, nutritional, and mental wellness. 

My journey started with our Cairn Guidance Retreat held in Louisville, KY. Those two days laid the foundation of the culture of collaboration and mutuality to gain the best product for our shared partners. I left feeling equipped with the proper tools and perspectives to meet the needs of school communities. Not only equipped with the professional tools, but I also left with an understanding of how Cairn Guidance’s culture of healthy relationships is important to our work. 

One of my first assignments was to attend Shape America’s Speak Out Day at Capital Hill in Washington D.C. Once again, the power of two-day active training and engagements gave me insight into what educators across this country need, especially in continued funding. One of my many takeaways was that learning the language around ESSA funding in our school communities could bring further change in the environment and skill sets of students. SHAPE has become one of the many networks in which I have developed professional relationships with educators, organizations, and students as well. Shortly after that trip, we traveled to SHAPE America’s Conference in Seattle, WA. This time, Jessica Lawrence and I presented “Shine Light on Depression: Depression and Anxiety Educational Curriculum”. Cairn Guidance along with Erika’s Lighthouse hosted an amazing social. Importantly, being able to meet our shared partners and develop threads of connections further pushes the importance of working together for the good of our school communities. This trip we enjoyed our share of dumplings for meals and the opening night baseball game with the Seattle Mariners. In these few months I have been able to upkeep and manage ambassadors promoting Shine Light on Depression: Depression and Anxiety curriculums in school communities. Since my arrival, we have added 2 more states to our Ambassador cohorts, and hope to continue the trend. As I manage the work of Shine Light on Depression Ambassadors, I take pride in knowing that there are educators, advocates, and stakeholders actively promoting and assisting schools to take up charge in teaching or engaging in depression and anxiety curricula.

As the months added up, I found myself really enjoying the endless possibilities of research and studying topics like “School Discipline, Physical Activity, and Recess: Best Practices”. I also took part in systems simulations. I spent one full week taking part in Systems Thinking, and Systems Change simulation with the Waters Center for System Thinking and then traveled to UNC-Chapel Hill to take part in “Friday Night at the ER”  simulation. The world of game simulations has a profound effect on the learning experience of the participants. The moments dived in trying to create change on a game board translated into life’s realities of working to build healthier schools and organizations. 

My experience in these last 6 months is filled with gratitude for our great leadership and excitement for what is to come. I hope that my journey here will allow me to reach communities across our country who are desperately wanting assistance and resources. Each day I feel that a thread of hope can be formed between communities, families, educators, and students. I believe here at Cairn Guidance, we all find ourselves threading the needle for hope daily.