Project Be the Change

Safe, predictable jobs won't get you into trouble, but they won't earn you any glory either.

John Paul Engel gave the keynote address at this years state HOSA leadership conference in Ankney, IA. Students from all over the state of Iowa came to develop their leadership skills at this annual event. West High School senior Jenny Joaquin and John developed a leadership workshop that used a simulated plane crash to demonstrate the value of team work. Each member of the team was given a disability and the students needed to work together to get each other to safety. The sessions were well received and one advisor said, "This is the best speaker we have had at HOSA in five years."

John Paul Engel presented a webinar on Social Entrepreneurship and how PBTC plays an important roll with Knowledge Capital Consulting. John highlighted by having a mission that was greater than one's own person interest can lead to greater engagement and satisfaction.  He discussed the power of partnerships and illustrated the important role WITCC has played in the early years of PBTC.  The event was hosted by the University of Northern Iowa's Regional Business Center's initiative Myentre.net.

John Paul Engel was one of the presenters for the National Council On Youth Leadership for the 3rd year in a row.  The organization honors the area high school seniors for their leadership and community involvement.    John's talk on leadership was so well received by the students that more than 80% of the students gave John the highest possible rating.  John's contribution to the program received the highest level of satisfaction among all the elements for the 3rd year in a row earning him the opportunity to keynote the fall awards ceremony.

This showcase will connect high school players with college coaches enabling the players to get a skill rating to use in recruiting, learn about the athletic scholarship recruiting process from a college coach, and get information on academic scholarships. The event is a fundraiser for the West High Indoor Team and Soccer For Siouxland which is building soccer fields in Sioux City Parks to promote the sport among young people in our community.

Soccer for Siouxland is committed to creating free places to play soccer in Sioux City, IA. The project is lead by a group of high school students. Working in partnership with the city of Sioux City this group is raising money and volunteering to provide soccer fields in neighborhood parks with the goal of promoting physical activity and reducing gang involvement by providing a better alternative for young people in this community.

This project will bring a group of volunteers from Western Iowa Tech together to do a social entrepreneurship project for the Ivory Park community in South Africa.

Over the coming year all the students at East Middle will be introduced to Project Be The Change in their 21st Century Skills class.