Find Your WHY
A Teen Program to Guide Seniors in High School to Finding Their Why and to Learning About Their True Selves
Deanna van Klaveren
As my teens were walking closer to doors of adulthood, I began to reflect on my journey as a teen to present. I went into college at 17 years of age, with confidence that I was heading in the right direction. Changing my major three times and adding another 2 years to get my teaching credential and Masters, I realized I still had a lot to learn about myself and what my passion truly would be. It was the California Ag Leadership program where I took my first Myers-Briggs assessment and learned my personality type. This assessment helped me realize why I loved teaching and plants (horticulture major) and relationship building (sales & coaching). Wouldn’t it have been great to know that when I was heading off to college?! I think so many of us have that same epiphany as opportunities to learn more about ourselves arise in our professional lives. When do we find our WHY?
The Find Your WHY program has been created to give high school seniors insight about themselves, help learn about the foundation of their character and give them an opportunity to see how their dreams align with who they are…discovering their WHY. The idea of “WHY” comes from the word “Ikigai,” a Japanese concept meaning “a reason for being, encompassing joy, a sense of purpose and meaning and a feeling of well-being.” Also thought of as “the reason to get up each morning”; “Your WHY”. As Tess and I developed this program we realized that this is what we hoped our students would receive.
The Find Your WHY program is six sessions – three individual coaching sessions and three group seminars. This is done over a 10-month period during their senior year of high school. During this time, we cover topics related to their Myers-Briggs assessment to their ikigai; they create a decision-making plan, learn to share their story about themselves and who they are; they create a support team and talk about vulnerability, fear, and how to walk into transitions and challenges putting their strengths forward. They have embraced and working towards the Brené Brown quote, “Owning our story and loving ourselves through that process is the bravest thing that we’ll ever do.” And as they travel through that process, they have become open to what their future holds – to their WHY.
We are just weeks away from completing our inaugural year of the program. We are grateful for the 10 high school seniors that stepped into this program 10 months ago. They were hopeful to learn about themselves and what they can share with the others for their future. Through their commitment to being open to learning with the information shared, building relationships within the group, and being vulnerable through their personal journey – they have GROWN! This group will enter their next chapter with more confidence about themselves and with a strong foundation of character. They have overcome obstacles, struggled through challenges, and are now looking towards their futures with open eyes and arms. I am proud of the support they have given each other and the work they have done as they wrote their story of what their futures hold – leading to their WHY. From a counselor for teens, to a journalist, to an advocate for agriculture, a job in animal care, a future agriculture teacher, a horticulturist traveling to find new plants from around the world, a pediatric physician, a member of a generational farming operation, a medical administrator, and an agricultural economist – they will each walk down their path towards their WHY.
Because of these 10 students, we are seating our Class of 2021 group this summer. We are looking forward to watching more students learn and grow as they Find Their WHY.