Sarah Davidson helps write 'destiny planbook'
A book designed to help high school freshmen and sophomores make decisions will contain significant contributions from a Marion resident.
Sarah Davidson, daughter of Greg and Rose Davidson and a junior at Marion High School, was one of nine people selected nationwide to help develop the planning book for Aspire2b, Inc.
The company has published "Stepping Up: How to Survive Middle School or Junior High" and "The Destiny Planbook: A Teen-ager's Guide to Focusing on the Future."
They contain brief chapters on a wide range of topics. The middle school book addresses issues such as loneliness, studying, parents, and dealing with failure. The high school book focuses on developing personal and community responsibility, benchmarks for success, and long-term dreams.
Both were written by J. Russell Krueger but rely heavily on opinions shared by teen-agers and recent graduates.
Volume needed
The problem, Davidson said, was that the high school book proved popular only with juniors and seniors.
"They found freshmen and sophomores had no use for it," she said. "They weren't thinking about long-term goals."
Krueger decided to produce another volume strictly for freshmen and sophomores. He arranged the team to meet June 10-14 at the Future Force Leadership Institute, held in Atlanta at Georgia Tech.
Applications were accepted from throughout the nation. Since the institute was sponsored by Communities in Schools, local director Linda Ogden heard about the program in the spring and notified guidance counselors and teachers in the county.
Sarah was interested and submitted an application. In mid-May, she was notified that she had been selected for the trip, all expenses paid.
"They were really looking for someone from Kansas and Sarah was the only one to step forward and use the opportunity," Ogden said.
Sarah flew out of Wichita June 10, arriving in Atlanta that afternoon to meet the other eight participants — five guys, three other girls, all either upper class students or graduates. They included two from Detroit, two from Pittsburgh, and one each from Georgia, North Carolina, Arizona, and Texas.
"We clicked immediately," Sarah said. "Within 10 minutes, it was like we were best friends."
"They were a very diverse group, but they bonded," said Nina Powers, director of training who served as facilitator. "It amazed me that a group of kids could stay so focused."
Many topics
Over the next several days, the group came up with about 40 topics, and each wrote a paragraph on each topic. They included dating, responsibility, attitude, gossip, family, and prejudice.
Those paragraphs will make up much of the book, which will be divided into several sections. One is "The People Around You," which covers dating, family, and other issues. Another is "Nuts and Bolts," which offers tips on homework and self-discipline.
The group also came up with creative touches for each section. They offered the world's worst pickup lines for the dating sections, and Sarah helped write a story showing how attitudes affect other people.
They selected eight potential titles for the book, which will be used in test markets to determine the final title. They ranged from serious ("Jump-start Your Future") to silly ("Dude, Where's My Class?").
"Sarah was a wonderful contributor," Powers said. "She's very mature and wise beyond her years. She added a great deal to the project."
All the material will be put into manuscript form by Krueger. The students will review the manuscript, suggest changes, and return it. The team will probably meet again for a final review plus photographs for possible inclusion in the book. Publication is expected in about a year.
About 300 students were attending the leadership institute. Sarah and her team weren't able to attend any seminars but did get to enjoy the evening activities, such as swimming and movies.
She and the other team members continue to visit and expect to remain friends, despite the distance.
As for her own future, Sarah is still setting her goals. Abercrombie and Fitch awarded her a college scholarship for participating in the book. She's looking at the medical field, but her heart isn't set on a particular university.
"If there was a good school with a full-ride scholarship, I think that would be the one," she said with a laugh.
