celebrity today: children

Angels in our day and time!

Little Angels!

This week at Celebrity English we are fortunate to be able to interview Tammy Armstrong. Tammy is a highly educated expert from the field of “education and training for individuals who are severely disabled” and serves as the Director of Developmental Training at the world class Little Angels Center for ExceptionalCare in Elgin Illinois.

"Love, care and support, just like Family!" is one of the motto's at the Little Angels Center for Exceptional care. Let’s take a look inside the world of Little Angels

Interview

Alex Graham: Please tell us a bit about ‘Little Angels’ and the story behind this phenomenal center.

Tammy Armstrong: In 1958, Pat Wasmond, a registered nurse and mother, began her life’s mission to help children who could not help themselves — and to always love them like her own. Her passion began simply by opening her home to a prominent doctor’s child who required 24 hour care and support. It didn’t take long for word to spread about the exceptional care this child was receiving and soon others came to Pat for help. Pat, along with husband Bob opened their home to several disabled children in need. And with that, Little Angels was founded. Now, over 50 years later, Little Angels has grown into a 57 bed skilled care nursing facility caring for children and young adults with complex physical, developmental and medical needs. Our residents are all in wheelchairs, require total assistance for all activities of daily life and are in need of 24 hour nursing care.

Alex: The Little Angels Developmental Training Program has implemented the most modern and up-to-date training techniques for young adults. Can you give us some specific training methods or techniques used to create the best possible environment for the participants?

Tammy: First you need an environment and activities that address all 5 senses. Our residents learn best through a variety of sensory experiences, due to the physical and cognitive challenges they face. Our Snoezelen room is a perfect example of providing a multi-sensory experience through modern technology. (Pronounced Soo-zlen. This is sensory stimulatory equipment that was created, in Holland, specifically for individuals with severe sensory impairments.) We can customize the experience to meet a variety of individual needs. Secondly, you need to make use of the technology available now through a variety of adaptive devices and communication systems. These adaptive devices can give an individual independence and control over their environment with a small movement of an arm, leg or head. There are communication systems that will “talk” for individual using body movement and even just an eye gaze.

Alex: Also, Could you give us a general example of the day in the life of a Little Angel?

Tammy: Our resident’s days are not unlike yours and mine. They wake up and face the same activities and events we all do. School aged residents get ready for school in the morning. Eat breakfast, get dressed, and get primped and beautified… True, they need assistance with all these activities, but they help to the best of their abilities. Then it’s out the front door to their school bus. Our residents who are over age 21 get ready for their Day Training Program with the same morning activities. This program is adjacent to the Little Angels residence so they can just be pushed in their wheelchair directly to their program. At the end of the day they all come back home and have group activities, eat dinner, have quiet time to watch TV and listen to music and get ready for bed.

Little Angels Celebrity English Interview

Alex: Having a child is a life-changing event for parents and sometimes children come into this world in need of some pretty complex medical needs. If a new parent is facing this type of life challenge what advice would you give them.

Tammy: Learn how to look for and accept help and support. You know the saying “It takes a village to raise a child.” Well with a child with severe disabilities and health issues, it takes a large, compassionate, loving village. There are many folks out there who either have gone through similar experiences and can help you or who are put on this earth to help people like you. You may have to search a little bit, but there are many people out there who are able to and want to help you.

Alex: What are some of the biggest misconceptions you hear from people on a regular basis?

Tammy: People assume that our resident’s lives are sad or that our residents are sad. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Our residents are who they are. This is the life they have been given and the only life they know. They can’t walk, but they have fantastic, comfortable wheelchairs in which to get around; they don’t talk but they sure do communicate; they have likes, dislikes, they love and are loved in return. They lead happy, fulfilled, loving lives.

Alex: What have some of these wonderful ‘Little Angels’ taught the people around them?

Little Angels Interview Celebrity english

Tammy: Unconditional love – these individual love their families and caregivers, regardless of who they are, how much money they, where they come from or what they do. They demonstrate great perseverance. They work diligently to make best use of their skills and abilities, despite the many challenges to accomplish goals. How to simply just enjoy life!

Alex: I saw on The Little Angels website a very unique button called ‘Angel Songs’. What is ‘Angel Songs’?

Tammy: Angel Songs is a gala that we hold annually. It’s a fundraiser, but just as important, it’s a celebration of Little Angels. We celebrate our resident’s lives, their accomplishments and we celebrate the staff and friends who love and support these individuals.

Alex: For people who want to get involved or help out, what can they do? How can they connect with you?

Tammy:

Please check out our website at www.LittleAngels.orgSign up to receive our newsletters. If you live in the Northern Illinois area we’d love to give you a tour of our facilities and introduce you to our wonderful residents and staff. For questions or information please contact Mary jean Adkins at 847.741.1609 x 101.

Alex: Thank you Tammy Armstrong for this wonderful, informative interview!

Tammy: You are welcome and thanks again for this opportunity.

Alex: Special thanks to Mary jean Adkins, Director of Development at Little Angels, who was an indispensable part of this fantastic interview!

I am Alex Graham of Celebrity English and privileged to be blessed by the "Little Angels" today! Best wishes and love to these extraordinary people!

Never met an Angel?

Here is the Little Angels Family Video

See you next week!

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Mark Papadas

Highly successful author, speaker, coach and businessman Mark Papadas has worked with world class self-help authors and motivational leaders like Tony Robins, Brian Tracy, and Zig Ziglar. After years of improving the lives of adults, Mark turned his focus to the most important people in the world — OUR KIDS!

Mark Papadas created I AM 4 Kids

to fulfill

the needs of children!

Let’s find out more about this incredible educational foundation and the man behind it!

Interview

Alex: Please tell us a bit about yourself and what motivated you to create this phenomenal non-profit organization known as I AM 4 KIDS?

Mark Papadas Bio:

Mark Papadas is an author, speaker, coach and founder of I AM 4 Kids™, an innovative children’s empowerment program that is revolutionizing elementary education. After years of training and coaching adults, he’s delivering those same self-empowerment tools to children.

Being blessed to work in the self-development field for over 20 years, working with and for such leaders as Brian Tracy, Zig Ziglar, and Anthony Robbins, Mark has been witness to countless success stories by those who realize their power and achieve their goals using proven tools and strategies.

When introduced to the concepts of personal growth and self-empowerment in high school, Mark was immediately hooked. Growing up in the 70’s, his parents worked hard to keep food on the table and make ends meet. Frequently, Mark was in the care of two older brothers – one of which often got his point across with his fists. Many times, he was beaten severely. While it was a difficult period growing up, he learned to control his mind and look inward for strength. Those tough childhood years are the threads that help Mark relate to the challenges many children face today.

Mark is an engaging leader, great motivator and superb teacher. His creative energy has compelled him to create several innovative programs that are helping tens of thousands of people today.

Some of his career achievements are:

Created I AM 4 Kids – an innovative new children’s empowerment program taught in elementary schools teaching each child how to create their own empowering identity.
Authored the book 10 Secrets to Empower Kids and Awaken the Child in You!
Nominated for 2011 Chicago Innovation Award for I AM 4 Kids.
Wrote final chapter in collaborative eBook, "The Way Out…Your Guided Path to Success" with Brian Tracy, Bill Bartmann, Jim Cathcart, Steve Siebold, Hyrum Smith, Marsha Petrie Sue, Ivan Misner, Don Hutson, & others.
Appeared with legends such as Zig Ziglar and Brian Tracy.
Hosted live talk radio show - The Motivational Hour - on AM 560 WIND on Sunday mornings from 2005 – 2007.
Managed the operations of Anthony Robbins & Associates - Chicago.
Designed programs such as I AM…The Power of Your True Identity™, The R.A.P.I.D. Sales Method™, and Their Lips are Moving™ - which have changed the lives and fortunes of individuals and businesses.

Mark is bringing his message of identity, empowerment and leadership to the most important people in the world — OUR KIDS!

Why I AM 4 Kids:

As someone who has been a student of personal development for decades and trained/coached adults successfully for years, I can’t tell you how many times people have said, “Why didn’t they teach me this stuff in school?” Also, as a parent of three amazing kids and a coach of multiple youth sports, I had been teaching kids “informally” for a number of years. Then, one night as if by fate, I had an epiphany - a stream of consciousness in which the program, the characters, the format, and the business model came to life. I realized that I had found my life’s purpose. The reason I was on the planet. The “why” of all the things I had learned and experienced up to that moment. All that was left was to build an organization and execute the plan.

Alex: This may seem like a simple or naive question but why does empowering kids at an early age work?

Mark Papadas: First off, let me tell you that I believe every child is born with all the traits and characteristics they need to be successful throughout their lives. It is the stuff they learn from adults as they are growing up that handicaps them.

There is a reason why we chose the age group of 2^nd thru 5^th graders. It is the optimal time to reach kids. It is the point in where they are developing both their cognitive thought processes as well as their belief system. Unlike adults who have to “unlearn” their disempowering patterns, belief system, and lack of identity, kids are a blank slate at this point in their development. The identity that a person develops as a child is the identity they will have as adults. The younger a child develops an empowering identity, the more likely he/she is to succeed…not just now but as teens and adults.

Alex: What are some of the educational results parents and teachers can expect by implementing I AM 4 KIDS strategies?

Mark: Children will do better in school. By capitalizing on the Mind/Body connection, the child will be in their peak learning state in school. In our pilot classrooms, over 60% of the kids grades improved and disciplinary actions decreased by over 70%. As the program is implemented in more schools across the country, we fully expect that attendance will improve as well.

Alex: How long does a typical I AM 4 KIDS program take and what are the costs associated with the program?

Mark: The I AM program only takes a couple hours of in-class time but is a lifelong gift for anyone who goes through it. The DVD portion of the program takes between 90-120 minutes – depending on the class size. After that, it literally takes less than two minutes of time in class each day to keep anchoring the identity. All other aspects of the program are extracurricular. We designed the program with input from classroom teachers as well as administrators. We have eliminated all of the objections that a school would have to implementing the program… including cost. The program costs the school ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!!! The costs of implementing (about $3,500 per school) are paid by corporate sponsors and philanthropic donors.

Alex: What does a typical I AM 4 KIDS class look like?

Mark: I think you are asking what happens in the class rather than the socio-economic demographics. So, that’s the direction I’ll go with this answer. The program consists of an interactive DVD of me interacting with the 5 animated I AM 4 Kids characters. It is divided into several short engaging segments with each followed by an exercise to be done in class or for homework. After that, we use technology to communicate and challenge the kids and their family to live up to their identity each and every day.

Alex: I ‘m sure there are many, but can you tell us a few of the success stories from the I AM 4 KIDS graduates?

Mark: Due to privacy laws dealing with minors, I cannot give specific details of individual children. There have been several children who went from failing grades to Honor Roll within a year. But the real successes come from the projects the kids do in the final step of the process. For examples of projects that kids have come up with:

http://www.iam4kids.com/schools/theprogram/iam4kidsprojectexamples.html

Alex: The I AM 4 KIDS supporters/sponsors are people and companies that embrace the mantra “Make a Difference EVERY Day!” Who are some of the big name supporters for this phenomenal foundation?

Mark: Some of the big name corporations who have supported us to date are Jones Lang LaSalle – the world’s largest commercial real estate company and Goldman Sachs.

In terms of celebrity backing, there is Barbara Niven – one of Hollywood’s busiest actresses, celebrity fragrance designer Geir Ness, and several former NFL players like Emery Moorehead and Shafer Suggs.

Alex: IAM4KIDS works within the educational system how can an interested educator or parent become involved within the United States? Would it be possible to recreate the IAM4KIDS experience overseas?

Mark: Absolutely. That is part of the reason we chose animated characters. This is becoming a movement that will spread across the globe. It is too important not to.

Alex: Mr. Papadas your new book, “10 Secrets to Empower Kids & Awaken the Child in You!” has been receiving accolades from various educational stakeholders, can you give us a few practical parenting tips that we could start on right away?

Mark:

1. Expect greatness and let your kids know it. For many years, the last thing my wife and I say to our kids when they leave for school each day is “Be Great!” to which they reply enthusiastically, “I AM!” It is a little thing that has an amazing impact over time.

2. Lead by Example. This is important for many reasons. We all know the old quote, “Action speaks louder than words.” If your words are not congruent with your actions, your kids will doubt what you tell them. They hear one thing but see another. If you are not the trusted source, who then fills that void? Gangs? Cliques?

3. Decisions have consequences. We have to let our kids learn from their mistakes and accept the consequences for their choices and actions. If kids never experience the “bad” of a bad choice, how can we expect them to consistently make good ones?

Alex: Where can we get hold of your new book “10 Secrets to Empower Kids & Awaken theChild in You!”?