I came into teaching filled with passion for inspiring young people at risk of failing. But totally unprepared to discover how complex the brain is, I naively pressed through learning special needs as an IPS guest teacher. That was more than 25 years ago before earning a Bachelors degree in elementary teaching with a mental health endorsement in K-12 Special Education for emotionally challenged children @EMU. And I am still amazed at how much there is to learn about reaching students with complicated odds against their success.

One thing I understand from being a US Marine is the power of high expectations when faced with threatening conflict. One thing I understand from developing successful start-up companies, as a young entrepreneur, is the importance of clearly defined goals with aggressive action plans. One thing I understand from overcoming challenges in my life is that I better replace bad habits with good ones if there is any chance of genuine change. And of course my parents taught me to understand all I have to stand on is my word.

All of these lessons make up who I have become. My experiences are all parts of what I write about, how I learn, and how I teach. When I greet my students with, “Welcome to success, great things are waiting for you to show up.” It's my truth. You see I'm still naive enough to believe putting in the work helps our complex brains make stuff happen.