Never Doubt Festival

Vital Stats

Sean A

North Berwick, ME

  • people helped900
  • People Doing It 20

The Problem

During my later years at Noble High School, I recognized that my fellow students suffered from an intense absence of motivation, with 310 out of 1090 students failing at least one class during the first semester of the 2008-2009 school year. Upon further investigation, it does not take long to identify the virus serving as the underlying cause of this apathy: discouragement. Unfortunately, many students at Noble High School have adopted defeatist attitudes towards their future. Disregarding their own passions and talents, these students expect nothing more than to follow in the footsteps of their parents, assuming unfulfilling job positions at factories and car dealerships.

Plan of Action

The Noble High School Never Doubt Festival was designed to be an event of encouragement for the student and adult residents of the MSAD #60 community. By attending the Never Doubt Festival, participants became aware of the incredible power and potential they carry inside themselves, regardless of the limiting component of our community. Working with the MSAD #60 Believe Committee, my festival planning team brought in more than 60 community members to engage and encourage the Noble student body. We received administrative permission to cancel regular classes for an entire school day and implement our own plan. The plan included a Noble alumni panel, facilitated discussion groups, an Opportunities Fair – where local presenters shared their journeys and accomplishments - and an address from Eric L. Knowlton School principal Ron Robert. Professional speaker and MTV Made Coach Jeff Yalden gave the keynote presentation to conclude the event. The planning team recognized the amazing opportunities and experiences that surround our area and utilized personal contacts to share those opportunities with students. The hope was for Noble students to return home May 11, 2010 confident that their futures are nothing short of promising. The feedback after the festival was absolutely incredible and truly improved the attitude of the Noble student body.
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Education
Education Inequalities
High School Dropouts

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