Stone Soup Leadership Institute
on Martha's Vineyard
July 10-11, 1999
What started out as a group of strangers who shared little more than a similar
interest in service, ended with a community of dedicated, impassioned and prepared
leaders who were ready to take their schools and communities off of a diet of apathy
and cynicism and nourish them with action and hope - the main ingredients in any good
batch of Stone Soup.
Leadership and action were the sole focus of the Stone Soup Leadership Training
Program, held in July on Martha's Vineyard. From all over the country and from all
walks of life people came to learn how to make their world better for the young
people in their lives. Educators, business people, former gang members turned
community leaders, students and guidance counselors all answered the call. Then,
for two inspiring and information-packed days, they worked side-by-side putting
plans into practice.
Anyone searching for tools to build healthier communities and ways to involve young
people in the process found their heart's desire. The program introduced participants
to the book and the Stone Soup Leader's Guide, a hands-on curriculum for service
learning. The guide brings stories from the book to life by offering values-oriented
discussion points, character-building reflection questions as well as direction for
academic and community service activities for each of the 100 stories in the book.
Participants were coached by men and women who walked their talk. Heroes from the
acclaimed book, Stone Soup for the World, were on hand to share their time, their
life stories and their insights with these heroes-to-be. The weekend was definitely
inspiring, but it was also much more. The outcome for the leadership trainers was to
equip a new batch of Stone Soup heroes to carry the spirit of service into classrooms
and communities. For seminar attendees, goals for the weekend took on many different
forms. Each found a way to realize their own dreams of building a better world by
sharing the spirit of Stone Soup.
The weekend culminated with participants sharing and committing to their action plans:
o Americorps training coordinator will conduct a Stone Soup Leadership Training in Texas;
o Teens at a church group are getting other kids to "swing with each other vs. at each other."
o A middle school Spanish teacher is featuring Hispanic stories on cultural understanding.
o A Teacher of the Year is developing a new multicultural curriculum in her high school.
o A university professor will use the book and guide in her language arts curriculum.
o Vineyard teachers will work together to develop Island-wide community service projects.
What touched people most? "The Stone Soup people cared enough about us and our world to give
this time and energy," said one. Another added, "The honesty and genuineness of the presenters
and participants." Several were touched by "Marianne's words on commitment and the reminder of
how we're each a critical link." All agreed, "The candor of the high school students and hearing
their personal triumphs restored my soul."
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