Your Black World: Lisa Powell On Raising Caitlin

Lisa Powell: Education: A Road Map for the Future

By: Tolu Olorunda

YourBlackWorld.com

Lisa Powell is the mother of Caitlin Powell. Caitlin, as you many know, is a YourBlackWorld.com family member, whose exceptional talent is inspiring thousands of kids and parents across the country. At just 10-years of age, Caitlin Powell is a role-model, motivational speaker, writer, telecaster and singer. Alongside taking advanced-courses in school, she is also the host of her nationally-syndicated webcast, “Caitlin’s Corner TV,” which helps motivate students toward academic success. Caitlin has a rare gift, and her mom is the first to acknowledge that; but it takes the diligence, skill, dedication and patience of a parent, to help nurture raw talent into a resource of enlightenment and inspiration. Lisa Powell, a social worker, took the initiative of employing her occupational skills in the home, and help craft Caitlin into the jewel she is today. As a mother of three, Powell has also had to face the challenges that child-rearing can incur.

Lisa Powell says she first noticed an “excitement” in Caitlin at a very young age, which always took everything she did “to the next level.” Being her first child, she always “set goals” for Caitlin, because she wanted to see her “be the best that she could be.” As an experienced social worker, Powell knows the dangers of “pushing kids too hard,” or not “pushing them hard enough.” Finding the right balance, between those two tangents, was the key to success in raising Caitlin. At a young age, Powell remembers how Caitlin was very interested in a lot of things, but had to be more specific in her interests. “She [Caitlin] would ask a lot of questions,” and this being the “key to a critical mind,” led Powell to “dedicate” her “life and time to seeing my daughter attain the best [that she could be].” Powell sees it as very important for parents to “tune in” to the characters and interests of children, instead of trying to impose certain qualities upon them.

When it came to setting goals for Caitlin, Powell was very concerned with the school-choice for her daughter. Deciding to take the public school route was not easy, but Powell found a way to work within the public school system. By sacrificing financially, though hard at the time, Powell was able to spend more time with Caitlin and mentor/tutor her, as she navigated the, often turbulent, terrain of the Public School system. “When she was younger, I worked full time, but when my second daughter was born, I had to step back – I now work from home – to make sure that I was at the school, making close contact with the personnel and things like that,” she says. “My first goal was to make sure that if we [Lisa and her husband] could get her into the advanced-placement program, we got her that route.” This would take “advocacy, and [Caitlin’s] high test scores” to earn that spot in advanced-placement.

As Lisa Powell sees it, a healthy self-esteem also goes a long way in achieving educational achievement for children. “I talk to my girls about the things that they like,” she says. “I don’t push them into anything that would put them down, or make them feel less than what they are.” Powell says that children are capable of learning from birth, and it is the responsibility of parents to begin the process of “bonding with them and letting them know they’re special,” from the date of conception. “For instance, my middle daughter was able to skip kindergarten, because she was so far ahead of the game – partly because of some of the things that I’m doing at home,” she says. “A lot of times, parents think that schools are the sole-responsible entity for educating our children, and it definitely starts at home, first.” As Powell sees it, every child is distinct, and only a parent knows the emotional soft-spots of a child. Teachers are not paid to parent, and are therefore limited in their abilities to reach children.

Powell believes that another element that plays a key-role in the mental development of young students is, communication. “Generations ago, when children were raised by the community, there was a neighbor involved with the children, – somebody was involved with the school – while holding the child accountable,” she says. “For me, I found that being at the school, and being a voice and an advocate for my children” has played a large role in their successes, “because they tend to fall through the cracks [if that voice is missing].”

Lisa Powell also believes that planning ahead helps one remain grounded and ready for the challenges that come with raising a child. Powell, who took a temporary retirement, to spend more time with her kids, understands, firsthand, how financially-challenging such a decision might be. Nevertheless, the future of the next generation must be protected at all costs, and “critical-thinking” can help parents strategize on the most feasibly successful plan to accomplish that objective.

Your Black World: Motivational Speaker Caitlin Powell Speaks To YBW

Interview with Youth Motivational Speaker, Caitlin Powell, by Tolu Olorunda.

Caitlin Powell is a role-model, motivational speaker, writer, telecaster and singer – all packed into one. The catch: She’s a mere 10 years of age! Though a fifth grader, Caitlin’s exceptional intellect is inspiring kids and parents across the country. Caitlin, who loves reading and studying math, is also the host of her very own webcast titled, “Caitlin’s Corner TV.” As one who takes advanced courses in her school, Caitlin knows, first hand, how challenging school can be. In her nationally-syndicated webcast, Caitlin offers tips and advices to her peers, on how to lead a fruitful life and embrace the challenges that come. Caitlin Powell is also a role model to her two younger siblings, who look up to her, being the oldest, for leadership. YourBlackWorld.com recently had the opportunity to speak with Caitlin on her interests, the joy of reading, motivational speaking and much, much more:

Thanks for joining us, Caitlin. Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

Well, I’m involved in my courses at my school; I love to sing; I’m on the telecast – it’s a lot of fun. I do the announcer #1, announcer # 2, camera-director and sound. My favorite is actually announcer #1, because you get to share a lot of information about what’s going on in the school.

How did you begin telecasting?

In Kindergarten, when I began schooling, I saw that people were doing it, and I really wanted to do it. Once I got to the fifth grade, I applied for it, and actually got in, because they said I’m a good speaker, and I do well in front of a crowd. So, it’s just a lot of fun, and I have a good time doing it.

What do you talk about in the telecasts?

I talk about the after-school activities, and clubs.

In your latest webcast, you mentioned math as your favorite subject. Why is that?

Well, it gets my brain working; it’s really hard and challenging – and I love a good challenge. So, I stay really smart, and I hope I have a good future.

A lot of your peers dislike math for this reason. Why? And how can you help them come to love it, just as much as you do?

Well, people say that they don’t like math because it’s too hard, and too challenging, but I tell them that if you keep on practicing, you’ll get better and even come to like it; and It’ll build your self esteem. If you try something hard, you’ll bring yourself up, and will have a good future.

You also enjoy reading. Why?

Reading helps you be creative, and understand how you’re supposed to write and make sense; and if you do research, it would build up what you know about it.

How has reading helped you in the classroom?

Reading has helped me, because they give me definitions, and when my teacher asks me about certain words, I already know them from what I’ve read.

Why do you think most 10-year-olds are not too fond of reading, and how can you help them gain interest in it?

I think that they don’t like it because they like to play more video games and things like that. So, they should just stop doing that and read more to build up their knowledge. Reading could be fun, because most authors try to make it fun for kids, at their age. It also makes you use your brain, such as in mystery, where they give readers clues to figure it out. But video games don’t teach you anything. You just sit down, wasting time, and getting addicted to it. So I think people should read more, because it’ll build your knowledge, vocabulary, and how you speak.

Besides reading and telecasting, though, what other interests do you have?

Well, I like to write short stories and plays. I like to speak a lot and sing. I do anything I can with my voice and hand. In 6^th grade, next year, I would love to play the violin, because it just sounds really pretty, and I would love to play instruments.

What are your plans for High School and College?

I plan to focus on math, reading and writing, so when I grow up I can be a mathematician, a singer, and/or a writer.

What does it take to be a role model – especially at such a young age?

Well, you have to make the right decision, and learn from your mistakes. You have to learn what to do and what not to do. You have to do the appropriate things. You also have to choose your friends wisely. Don’t hang out in gangs, or at bars that sell alcohol. Don’t do any kinds of drugs or anything like that. So, you have to think wisely and be smart about your decisions.

As a role model and motivational speaker, what is missing in the younger generation that you plan on impacting upon them?

You have to set goals for yourself, and follow them to achieve them; and I think a lot of people either don’t make goals, or don’t follow them. For instance, I just did a webcast on my New Year’s resolution, and I was talking about what things to do at a certain age, and all kinds of things.

So, young people should become more interested in their future?

Yes, because they would have a more successful future if they do those kinds of things. You have to know where you are going, so you can make the right steps and be the right person.

Thank you very much for the opportunity, Caitlin. Pls. visit her blog, and subscribe to her webcasts.

Watch Caitlin in Action:

This interview was conducted by Tolu Olorunda, Staff Writer for YourBlackWorld.com.