A 12-week course called “Boss Academy “taught 15 eighth-graders to “channel your inner tiger” and to never stop chasing their dreams.
Students of Faith Preparatory School in New Milford were given this message at the pilot course’s graduation celebration Wednesday.
Boss Academy is a newly launched program of the nonprofit student motivational program Brave Enough to Fail. It was originally developed at Hillhouse High School in New Haven; the plan is to make it available this coming year at Hillhouse, Wilbur Cross, and Amistad.
The Wednesday graduation was held in person at Faith Prep which offers in-person, hybrid, and remote learning options to its students. Some students joined the graduation via Zoom.
Those who attended class remotely stayed involved by sending reactions via Zoom. As students walked up to receive their graduation gifts their classmates clapped and sent hearts on Zoom.
The class had many guest speakers who offered their advice for success from a variety of career fields. “These are thirteen years old that’s now have access to successful people,” said Brave Enough to Fail CEO Wayne Winsley (kneeling at front in top photo).
Throughout the class each student worked to strategize a plan to one day accomplish their own goal.
Veronica, for instance, wants to be an animator. Luis wants to work with animals. Robin wants to be an activist. Gabriel wants to be an engineer. Gabriela wants to be an artist. Darnell wants to be a professional athlete or a coach.
The final guest speaker of the program was the Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo Education Curator Jim Knox. Knox talked with the class about his favorite animal the Amur tiger. A tiger with the strength of 17 humans Knox said.
Knox’s lesson with the class was about a tiger’s two major goals: to survive and thrive.
“What do you guys think is the hunting success rate of these powerful animals?” Knox asked.
The students guesses ranged between 20 – 40 percent. However the room filled with gasps when Knox told the students that wild Amur tigers fail to capture their prey 95 percent of the time. But “the tiger doesn’t know what quitting means,” Knox said.
Knox reminded the class that they won’t always achieve their dream right away but when they fail they have to get back up and “channel your inner tiger.”
The students were encouraged to have the courage and persistence of a tiger when working towards their dreams.
To conclude the graduation celebration the students each received a personal road map from Winsley of their plans developed in class to chase. “Here is the blueprint for your success,” Winsley said while handing out the personalized workbooks.
Winsley also presented each student with a hoodie with the phrase, “I am the boss of my dream,” as a graduation gift.
Due to the success of the pilot course, Faith Prep has decided to extend its partnership with Brave Enough to Fail and will continue to offer Boss Academy to the cohort of students to dive deeper into their future plans said Winsley.
Boss Academy is a 12-week course that schools can rollout as an elective or an after school program. Twice a week the students learned to step out their comfort zones, strategize, effectively communicate their goals, and basic networking skills.
By the end of the course the students learn to feel confident in their dreams and their ability to achieve them Winsley said.
The course is free of cost to the school and student. Boss Academy class will be offered to other schools in Bridgeport, Danbury, and New Haven soon, said Winsley. Schools can bring this program to them by clicking here.
Winsley started the nonprofit Brave Enough to Fail in 2015 with a motivational speaking and scholarship programs. The first motivational speech event was for freshmen at Hillhouse High School.
“This will narrow the achievement gap by encouraging students to take charge of their future,” Winsley said.
Winsley was raised in the housing projects of Cleveland by his great-grandmother. When his great-grandmother could no longer care for him, he was placed in an orphanage. Due to moving around, Winsley said, he failed the eighth grade. During his second try around to complete eighth grade, Winsley’s total number of days in school totaled only about two weeks. “I was 14 and had no plan,” he said. “Statistically I was going to end up in one of two ways, prison or the cemetery.”
Winsley was over a friend’s house one day when his friend was getting lectured by his father about his grades in school. “When his father told him he has to always strive for excellence, it stuck in my head,” he said. After being disengaged in school for two years, Winsley decided to go back and got decent enough grades to graduate. At 15 he reconnected with his mother, who brought his to Stamford for a summer. He never went back to Cleveland.
After high school Winsley served two Navy tours, then made a career as a radio broadcaster, motivational speaker, and middle school history teacher.
“Boss Academy is here to cultivate a new generation of leaders and creators,” said Winsley. “It’s all about teaching these kids to be a person who is not afraid to go after what you want in life.”
We need more individuals who are willing to use their personal life experiences to help children, teens and young adults strive for more in their lives to overcome adversity. It's programs like these that will help young people to avoid the things that drag them down and to continue to pursue their dreams and their successes in life.