"The words with which a child's heart is poisoned, whether through malice or through ignorance, remain branded in his memory, and sooner or later they burn his soul." -Carlos Ruiz Zafon, Spanish author of The Shadow of the Wind

Mary Reynolds, M.S., Educational Consultant and creator of the world renowned Internet videos, Teddy Stallard Movie and Blue Ribbon Movie -- both amassing over 10 million views within a few short months of their releases, has just launched her comprehensive 96 page gift book for professional educators and parents. It is a book that instills the power of Connection and calls out the greatness in today's youth, one child at a time.

Mary spent many years as a classroom teacher in K-8 and then as a counselor for K-12. For the past 20 years she has taught educators how to create an ALL engaging, highly productive classroom and to individualize instruction. Her techniques empower parents to bridge effective communication and leadership with teachers. She also teaches leaders and managers how to be more effective in leading improvement in their organizations. She has written six books and has spoken to over 20,000 people in two year period in every major city in the U.S.

Make A Difference with the Power of Connection Gift Book & DVD is designed to be integrated into a school's core curriculum and everyday language so that it isn't "one more thing" teachers and administrators have to do.

Drawing on the many "connecting" techniques and examples that have already seen incredible success around the world, Make A Difference with the Power of Connection shows how easy it is to incorporate effective and compassionate understanding and skills into daily life. It is a timely answer to many of the challenges facing today's youth, businesses, parents, and educators - one that is perfectly matched to the now, ever increasing global demands of the twenty-first century.

Studies have identified what is referred to as a "skills gap" - a difference in how students are prepared for the workforce and the skills and character employers are seeking to match the demands of today's global economy.

Make A Difference with the Power of Connection helps develop the essential life skills and characteristics students need in order to thrive in the 21st century.

Thinking in terms of "connection" quickly becomes part of the culture, gaining momentum and producing improved results year after year, benefiting schools and students in the following ways:

• Develops students skills and self-confidence to step fully into their greatness.
• Students want to stay in class: decreases discipline referrals.
• Teaches and develops community consciousness and leadership through existing core curriculum.
• Improves academic achievement.
• Raises levels of connection, accountability and engagement among both parents and educators.

"When I viewed your movie, The Power of Connection, it brought tears to my eyes. Our Superintendent believes in educating the whole child and has been a very innovative leader since she arrived. Each year, she assigns to leadership, reading material that is designed to clearly set the tone for change. I was very impressed with the critical elements you captured that I personally have experienced make a huge difference in the hearts of young people. I have shared this with our key decision makers in leadership as a possible convocation presentation for ALL staff. I plan to use it and your companion book, in our dropout prevention and intervention site for staff to be reminded of how important their interactions are for discouraged youth, and I plan to use it in my speaking to reach many people. As you can see, Make A Difference with the Power of Connection struck a loud chord within me. Thank you very much for creating this masterpiece." - Vern Kennedy, Professional Development Trainer "I was so pleased to receive a copy of Make A Difference with the Power of Connection Gift Book and DVD. Your work is helping so many parents and educators connect with students that are often difficult to reach. Thank you for your hard work and tireless dedication to our schools and students." - Elizabeth Burmaster, State Superintendent, State of Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction "We are a small rural elementary school in Los Banos, CA. Each year I provide my teachers with a motivating / positive book from your company. Last year I purchased your first book which was really great for my staff. I expect they will enjoy Making A Difference" with the Power of Connection as much, if not more. I will meet with my staff after they have read this book and we will discuss things we can do to touch the lives of every student in our school. Thanks!" - Lou Ruiz, Charleston Elementary "Fabulous, absolutely fabulous movie about Randy the Lost Cause Kid from your Make A Difference with the Power of Connection Gift Book. I moved my family out of Newton after 10 years because there were so many students like Randy and many teachers who labeled instead of connecting to teach the whole child. And my three kids are better for it. I have shared your movie with many of my friends. I just had to say THANK YOU and well done." - Sincerely, Donna King "Thanks for the information about your gift books... I found your books to be the best gifts in my life, ones that I can treasure forever." - Fernando M. Pantino, Department of Education, Pasig City, Manlia, Philippines "Your latest book is an absolute treasure! I wish every person entering the teaching profession were able to read it -- able and REQUIRED to read it! It's a book for ALL people. Wonderful bit of writing. I repeat! Your parents would be so proud of you! Keep up the good work, Mary and a big "thank you" for my copy. I shall read it again many times. I especially enjoyed the story about Randy -- and haven't we all had a Randy in our classrooms? Bless you for changing this kid's life." - Doris Wiens, Retired Educator "I'm hoping that your new book is receiving a marvelous reception in the educational community. Everyone I've shown it to is really quite enthralled with the message." - Heather Kibbey, Northwest Publishers Consortium "I just got done reading your newly released book Make a Difference with the Power of Connection. Wow! I had so many light bulb moments as I was reading it. I would like to get your book called No Labels, No Limits next. I am a 45 year old mom of two girls. My oldest daughter is 16, and I can see where I have not been connecting with her, and can hardly wait for her to come home from her band camp to start connecting. My baby is just 18 months old, and I can see where I have already started the same sad way of reacting to things. But now I am certain I can change that too. I really appreciate the help your writing is giving me. Thank you." - Kelly Harris, Parent "This is the first time in my life that I get a mail with such a delicate touch of care. To me they were a great surprise. I will share the movie with my colleagues. I did show your movie during the opening of school for teachers. We want to help our children grow in all aspects of their lives and compassion is nurturing as you said in the book. - Martha Tamayo de Vergara, Bilingual Social Worker I had to write to let you know how touched I was by your "Make a Difference" movie and gift book. It was given to me by one my many adult nephews for whom I have been a lifelong teacher. I am 57 years old, and have spent my entire career as an attorney and business executive. Last year I retired, and am now pursuing my dream of becoming an elementary school teacher. I have always had a passion and aptitude for leading children on adventures of discovery - rather than just imparting information. Your epiphany about "teaching children" rather than "teaching subjects" resonated with me very deeply. My goal is to combine my passion for instilling in the children a lifelong love of learning, but to also work with the parents on understanding how to appreciate and implement their roles in the process. A lifetime of working in the "adult world" with very difficult interpersonal challenges will hopefully assist me in this endeavor. I would love to support your mission and your organization. Please let me know if there's anything I can ever do to help. Thank you, - Philip Simmons - CA

Compassion is an old idea made new, because science has caught up to ancient literature and philosophy to prove that "the only way out" of resentment, anger, harmful or unskilled behavior is through compassion. It makes you protective rather than controlling and when this occurs, you simply stop using fear and shame to modify unskillful behaviors, which dramatically advances focus and productivity.

This beautifully illustrated book shows how everyone can make a difference with a simple act of compassion and positive attention toward any challenging person or situation. Compassion plus attention gets it done!!

There is probably nothing more challenging for any adult - professional and/or parent - than feeling the stresses of day-to-day life and work pressing upon them and simultaneously having a child or several children needing an appropriate dose of time and attention.

There is an old, worn out authoritarian model - still being subscribed to - that says that if you give a child too much positive, affirmative attention, you will spoil them and teach them to be self-absorbed to the point of being arrogant and narcissistic. Even though research has proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that it is the “lack of positive regard, affirmative attention and unconditional love” that actually instills those unwanted, self-absorbed behaviors within an individual, we still think withholding love and attention will somehow correct unwanted behaviors.

It's been said that life is like a carousel slide projector. The size of one's carousel depends on all the un-resolved snap shots of our life experiences. The carousel keeps going around and around inserting one unresolved scene after another - being played out in real life time - through our repeat experiences. Over and over until we are able to resolve, re-frame and/or forgive.

Healing Today's Children ...and Ourselves means that through our children, we get to live out anything in our past that we have not resolved, re-framed or forgiven. As we do our own personal work, our children automatically experience immediate freedom from generational legacy's of pain, shame and fear.

Whether we are an adult working in a professional setting with children, or a parent, when we have children in our immediate field of influence, anything that's not inwardly resolved within ourselves will most assuredly be played out.

This book gives you concise, simple ways you can immediately begin "thinking differently" to positively affect children and heal anything unlike what is wanted.

A Personal Message... from Mary

I wanted to write you about a Question I get often:

Dear Mary,

I am a nurse educator in Yankton, SD and I found your BEAUTIFUL and inspiring movies on-line! Can I purchase your videos and use them in presentations that I would like to do for health-care facilities (hospitals and nursing homes)...it's so hard to find heart-warming movies to add at the end of a power point presentation that has a WOW factor, leaving participants a feeling of awe. Is it acceptable for me to do this with your movies? I looked on your site and couldn't find anything indicating that it would not be allowed. Please return my email ASAP, as I am in the process of purchasing media for presentations. Thank you in advance! GM, RN


Dear GM,

Yes, when we first started making our movies it never occurred to us that people would want to buy them and show them. Then the emails asking to have them to show started coming in. We either have them available on a DVD inserted into the back of the gift books they belong with, or as High Def, High Res Downloadables for public presentations and/or personal use, as well as full-movie Screensavers to play quietly on your computer screen when its inactive.

Thanks for asking ... you can click on the MOVIES button at the top of each webpage to see all of the movies with links to purchase either the DVDs or the downloadables.

Mary

Our intention with our movies is for people in health-care facilities, hospitals, nursing homes, churches, schools and businesses to feel peace and renewal from very basic, heart connecting, tried and true concepts.

We heard from one family that their father had so loved our www.ASilentNightMovie.com that he watched it daily throughout his transitioning. They played it at his funeral in August. That was truly an amazing gift that his life brought us.

The musical artist for our Silent Night movie, Dana Cunningham's CD is also available at our website after the movie. If you haven't listened to her samples yet, I think you will find her music creations are quite transformative and uplifting at the Success Store Button at the top of every webpage.

JUST A NOTE:

I would like you to know that each email I receive from you is another steppingstone in my journey. I found out that if I read each message there is something in it to guide me further on. I get the books, I do the studies, I make the thinking change, and things happen.

I am now saving my home from foreclosure; I am going into the classroom with students at risk with more confidence and more tools to help them; I am utilizing books such as Think and Grow Rich and applying Wattles statements to my own daily life.

Things are changing for me and there is more hope and more certainty of success for my life.

I want to express gratitude to you all for making the communications leap off the page. I wish to tell you how that some days when I read your e-mail I do not know if I can make it, and then I get your e-mail in the night or morning and I go forward.

God has directed you to your purpose and I know He will me as well.

Thank you for being obedient and listening to Him and helping all of us....and even me.

Showers of blessings on you and yours.....Merrilyn M