A POWERHOUSE is a person of great ENERGY, STRENGTH or POWER.
The idea for the Powerhouse Program came to me after reading another sad news story, this time it was about a 12 year old girl in Florida who committed suicide after being cyber bullied. I was distressed and felt there had to be something I could do to help kids in my community who may be at risk and could use a confidence boost. So I called on some of my friends in the community to help. They said yes and asked me what to do and where to be and they would do it. I then devised a three week program that utilized all of our skills and experience, and the Powerhouse Program became a reality!
I would like to thank the following volunteers of Powerhouse Program. Without them, the program would not have happened and we would not have been able to reach as many children and teens as we were able to reach. So thank you from the bottom of my heart to these amazing community volunteers!!
Kim Trapilo – Owner, Norwell Athletic Club
Officer Christopher Horkan – Pembroke Police Dept.
Sergeant Wendy LaPierre – Pembroke Police Dept
Kim Mossman – Therapist – LICSW, EdS, RPT-S
Kimberly Gioioso – Fashion Focus Instructor
Cara Cipullo – Plymouth Area Chamber of Commerce
Mae Losee – Former Fashion Focus Program student and volunteer
Wayne Soares – Current spokesman for Boston Red Sox Hall of Famer Jason Varitek’s Pitching In For Kids Anti-Bullying Campaign.
Building self-confidence is a continuous process. As I have said many times in classes at Fashion Focus and in my public appearances, confidence is not a destination, it’s a journey. And most importantly that confidence is not given, it’s earned. As parents, you are wonderful role-models to your children and I know how much you love them and want to see them succeed. But the reality is that they will have to find their way on their own and “loving them” will not be enough. It’s so painful to watch. Believe me, I can relate.
I have three grown children of my own (Alexandra 29, Gabrielle 26 and Gregory 22) and I remember like it was just yesterday, the pain of witnessing some of their social struggles of exclusion and teasing. It was heartbreaking. But I remained diligent in my attempts to give my children every opportunity I could to build their inner strength and to teach them the importance of resilience. Was it a slightly different time? Sure it was. Social media was just becoming really popular and it was not the insidious danger it is now. My how times have changed. But adolescence has never been an easy or simple stage to navigate.
Parents please remain steadfast in your convictions to help your children succeed on every level but understand that no matter how much you love them and want them to be confident, they made need other sources to find that strength. Officer Chris Horkan was a key player in my son’s inner and outer strength and development. Gregory’s father and I reminded him every day how much we loved him and gave our advice on how to handle certain situations, but something about the way Chris Horkan said things resonated deeper with him. I could not be more grateful to have had Chris’ influence on my son. It changed his trajectory for sure.
I will always be here to help in any way I can. The very foundation of my program, Fashion Focus, is to offer proven techniques that empower and strengthen inwardly so children feel the joy of being a happy, successful, and fulfilled human being. Every child deserves that! Please do not hesitate to contact me for any advice on follow-up programs, small group instruction for both girls and boys, and private lessons (www.fearlessfocusprog.com). Call me at 781-826-0241 for a free consultation and I promise to try to work within your budget so we can come up with a plan for your child.
And stay tuned and check social media and the Fashion Focus website for another three weeks of The Powerhouse Program for a Back to School Boost!
All my best,
Maria Wood
Go VIP with Us!
We are so happy you're here!
Enter your name and email to get added to our newsletter list - and be the first to know about upcoming camps and promotions!
