In this week's episode of the Find Your SPARK podcast, Mari discusses her experience working with at-risk and institutionalized young people, including the need for positive and consistent relationships, the joy and importance of serving this population, and a special thank you the Foundation of Caring for selecting The SPARK Initiative as a grant recipient to serve juveniles in our local detention facilities throughout 2025.

In this episode of the Find Your SPARK Podcast, Nicole reflects on her return to the middle school classrooms this year and discusses the importance of providing students at this age with a program like SPARK. She shares personal stories from her own classes, highlighting the impact it has on her students. Nicole also explains why she believes having access to such a program during her own middle school years would have been life changing.

This episode of the Find Your SPARK Podcast falls on Giving Tuesday - A day that follows the Thanksgiving holiday and the madness of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, with the focus of giving.

In this episode, Ashley highlights the level of appreciation organizations like ours have for the donations we receive. As a non-profit, we rely on these donations to continue implementing the programs that have changed the lives of so many. We truly believe that everyone has a SPARK inside of them and want nothing more than to spread this message. In order to do this, we are humbly asking for your help this Giving Tuesday.

To learn more about The Spark Initiative, visit: https://www.thesparkinitiative.com/

To make a donation, visit: https://www.paypal.com/fundraiser/charity/1435804

In this episode of the Find Your SPARK Podcast, Makayla is joined by special guest, Gabriella Reece.

In the spirit of Thanksgiving and the season of thankfulness, Makayla and Gabriella discuss all of the things they are thankful for within their own lives. 

The pair also dive into the tendency we have to spiral into a state of mind where thankfulness seems out of reach.

Listen as their conversation unfolds into a beautiful realization that even the worst of times often hold something to be grateful for – even if we don’t see it right away.

Happy Thanksgiving!

In this episode of the Find Your SPARK Podcast, listen as Ashley is joined by special guests, the Rebels for Peace. 

Rebels for Peace is a youth-led initiative committed to improving mental health, uncovering resilience, and providing credible and sustainable Social Emotional Learning skills to the next generation. 

The Rebels made a trip from Chicago to Florida following the postponement of the National Wellbeing & Resilience Conference. During their time in Tampa Bay, the Rebels were able to equip themselves with new tools and insights through 3-days of training with Ashley and the SPARK team.

Listen to hear their reflections from their week in Florida experiencing their SPARK. 

To learn more about Rebels for Peace, visit: https://www.rebelsforpeace.org/ 

Join host Brooke Wheeldon-Reece and guest Lynne Robertson in this special episode of the Find Your Spark podcast as they reflect on the unexpected challenges brought by Hurricane Milton. In a year marked by unprecedented planning, the SPARK team faced the heart-wrenching decision to postpone their biggest events in a decade.

In this episode, Brooke and Lynne share valuable lessons learned from navigating the storm, highlighting resilience, adaptability, and the power of accepting “what is”. They discuss the importance of prioritizing safety, reimagining event strategies, and finding hope in uncertain times. Tune in and discover how to turn setbacks into opportunities for growth!

In this episode of the Find Your SPARK Podcast, Jena shares a simple yet transformative insight about creativity that has led her to uncover her creative potential. 

Creativity is often an attribute that many people feel they lack; however, what if creativity is so much simpler than some artistic ability?

Listen as Jena explains how everyone has the potential to be creative. Then revel in the understanding that nourishing your creative thoughts is what allows them to come to life. 

In this episode of the Find Your SPARK Podcast, Stephanie shares a simple yet profound insight she had while on a walk yesterday. She was pondering how she could support more parents deal with stress, given the Surgeon General’s advisory that found that 48% of parents report that most days their stress is completely overwhelming. While in a state of relaxed curiosity about this, she had an interaction with a stranger that gave her the answer. 

Tune in to hear the story and perhaps start to see more opportunities in your own life to change the world.

​​​​​In this episode of the Find Your SPARK Podcast, Makayla references a famous quote by Erin Hanson that reads, "What if I fall? Oh but darling, what if you fly?" 

In this self-reflective episode, Makayla details personal narratives that illustrate the ways in which this quote has helped her state of mind. 

Listen as Makayla details a more optimistic approach to life, and the unhelpfulness of pessimistic thought. 

During this episode of the Find Your SPARK Podcast, the entire SPARK team sits in to celebrate 200 episodes.  

Veering off our typical style of podcast, Makayla hosts an interview-style session with the Spark team. Throughout the episode, team members reflect on the changes they've observed since their beginning at SPARK, key takeaways from our teachings, and what they hope to see SPARK become over the next 200 episodes.

Listen to this hopeful and reflective episode of the Find Your Spark Podcast to learn just how far we've come, and that we aren't stopping anytime soon. 

In this episode of the Find Your SPARK Podcast, Chad speaks about the importance of embracing your true self and breaking free from societal expectations. He delves into how often we feel pressured to conform to the standards and norms set by others, losing sight of who we truly are in the process. Through candid conversations and personal reflections, Chad encourages listeners to discover his unique strengths, passions, and values, and to live authentically in a world that often pushes for conformity. Tune in to be inspired to reclaim your individuality and ignite the SPARK that makes you, *you*.