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Janet Bray Attwood and Chris Attwood have inspired thousands of people with their national best selling book The Passion Test, but perhaps none more profoundly than a team of five young Canadian cyclists who plan to give the soon to be completed, The Passion Test For Teens to thousands of kids in American detention center schools in 30 states across the country this summer for a project they have named Unleash America’s Passion.
It is a story of the alignment of stars and planets that brought this group of passionate young Canadians, Nicole, Christy, Ali, Kristian and Shah to Janet Attwood…linked them to a woman in Miami Florida and sparked this life-changing journey for them all…and all the young lives this project will touch.
So where to begin?
In Toronto, Ontario just four short months ago the five cyclists called Janet while she was up there presenting her Passion Test program and asked her if they could take her to dinner. They said they had some exciting news to share… It has been a whirlwind trip since then that boggles the mind of even those involved. How that all happened is a story in itself for another article, but suffice to say that the hand of fate brought five people together to impact the lives of thousands.
The Passion Test inspired them to follow their passion, and they intend to return the favor in spades. Why? Because they are all from challenging backgrounds themselves and want to turn that experience into a positive for others.
It’s easy to understand why these five young people are all quitting their jobs and heading down to the U.S. to—in their words— “come to America with the spirit that the world is our family and we are all here to support one another.”
They continue, “We’re going to end the tour in Washington DC in conjunction with the memorial of September 11th bringing a wave of hope and healing.”
But the healing will begin far sooner than that, as they methodically stop in juvenile detention centers across the country to give the Passion Test to kids who—without support—are on a track to becoming the criminals and hopeless of tomorrow.
With a recidivism rate approaching 80% for juvenile offenders, that it is a destiny that far too many of these young people will face. But they don’t have to. They have options and hope and choices…they just don’t know it yet. But they will soon.
This bold group of five tells us that “the Passion Test has transformed our lives and opened up a world in which dreams became realities. The opportunity to share this simple powerful tool with at-risk kids who have so much untapped potential is the most exciting opportunity of our lives.”
Phase 2 will be an online virtual resource center where ex juvenile offenders can go to get information about companies who will hire ex-offenders; student loans; trade schools; life skill training; job skills training (how to prepare resumes/interviewing skills, etc.); housing; and an 800 hotline where they can reach counselors who will walk them through the process and help them address their individual issues.
Phase 3 will consist of on the ground resource centers in as many cities as funding will permit, which will offer all of the abovementioned resources, as well as computers where kids can apply for jobs and school funding; on site counselors; a library that offers literacy services; a clothing outpost where they can get clothing for job interviews and work, etc.
The goal of the Unleash America’s Passion team is to demonstrate to these kids that they have potential and options in Phase 1…to help them identify their dreams; and to give them the tools they need to make those dreams come true in Phases 2 and 3.
In the words of the Unleash America’s Passion cycling team, “Our vision is that this tour will bring a profound wave of hope and healing to America…and we invite you to join us in this amazing adventure to transform lives.”
To make donations to the Unleash America’s Passion Foundation or for more information about corporate sponsorship, please contact Colleen Adams at the Brainstorm Group (786-317-4160) , or email Colleen at colleen.adams@pery.com
