Back-to-School Smarty Women Showcase!

Today, we are sharing not one, not two, but SiX amazing women with you today! Each one is sharing her passion with our children and influencing the paths they take in life. Whether it’s through sports, education or philanthropy, these ladies are doing incredible things in our community every single day.

Fall is their big registration push, which helps keep their businesses alive and well. So make sure you check out each and every one of them. We couldn’t be more proud of what these ladies are doing for our little Smarties!

Ashley Armistead: Let Me Run

Ashley Armistead must have been born running. I have the privilege of being her neighbor and I have seen her running all over this city, for miles on end and always with a huge smile on her face.

In the late 1990’s, Ashley was a running coach for Girls on the Run and a mother of two young boys. She couldn’t wait for her boys to grow up and have a similar opportunity. A lightbulb went off and Ashley set off to start Let Me Run. LMR is a seven-week running program for pre-teen and teenage boys, led by trained coaches from our community. Each team meets twice a week for an hour and fifteen minutes, and the boys exercise and participate in fun activities, which help them learn how to express themselves, reach personal goals, and improve their overall wellness. At the end of the program, the boys celebrate their hard work with a 5k road race.

Ashley is leading this charge and is connecting boys all over the country one sole at a time. Let’s hear from Ashley!

What motivated you to start Let Me Run?
Because I saw that we were selling our boys short. My own boys opened my eyes to the fact that all males have a huge capacity for compassion, fairness, justice and respect. But what I was hearing on the playground, at parks, at the library, at school and on the ball fields was much different. So many times I heard, “Boys will be boys,” or “Too much testosterone in the room”? Society seemed to be setting an expectation that boys are not capable of settling down, being respectful of people and property, being caring, and having the ability to concentrate. We seemed to be telling our boys that we expect you to jump on the furniture, have behavior problems, and not be aware of those around you. I always seemed shocked by these beliefs, as I know that my boys far surpass me in their caring actions, integrity, and self-control. I was deeply disturbed by the low expectations that we were setting for our boys. I also became more aware of societal expectations of boys and of men. You’ve heard them: “grow up, be a man, suck it up, boys don’t cry, don’t be a sissy, stop being a girl, and always be in control!” The disturbing consequence of this “Boy Code” is that lack of emotional expression can morph into stress, sickness, a decreased learning potential, addiction and even violence. The good news is that if we choose to foster the emotional intelligence of our boys, they will stand a better chance of understanding emotions in others, allowing them to be more successful in relationships. My solution was to start Let Me Run, an after-school running program that offers a safe space, where boys can be themselves, express their fears and dreams, and feel the power of being connected to others through positive, healthy communication.

What is your favorite part about your job?
Knowing that I work to bring out the greatness in boys.

How do you think Let Me Run is changing the lives of children and families in our community?
I believe that Let Me Run helps boys live into their full, unique potential. We are giving boys permission to be empathetic, emotionally expressive, and vulnerable. This fosters boys that are more socially and mentally healthy. We are giving boys a chance to be more successful in relationships and this creates a society with less violence, and men that are successful in relationships, careers, and leadership. We also see families start to run together and have more discussion based on the lesson of the day.

What is your vision in 5 years with Let Me Run?
Let Me Run will achieve 8,500 boys participating in year 2020 for a cumulative total of 40,000 boys.

How has running your business affected how you are raising your children?
I would say not a lot. I will work strange hours or ask for help from my team in order to be consistently available for my boys. There have been times when I have required more patience and independence of them due to meetings.

How can I register my child in Let Me Run?

Fall registration begins August 28th, ages 4th grade and up. Register at www.letmerun.org.
Facebook: www.facebook.com/LetMeRunboys
Facebook Coach group: www.facebook.com/LetMeRuncoachgroup
Twitter: @LMRBoys
Instagram: #LetMeRun_Boys

Angi Davis: Carolina Flipz

Angi Davis was a competitive gymnast for eight years, a competitive and collegiate cheerleader for 10 years and a gymnastics coach with 18 years of experience in gymnastics, cheer, dance, and tumbling. You could say flipping runs through her veins. Last spring, Angi followed her passion and opened her very own gym, Carolina Flipz.

Carolina Flipz offers year-round gymnastics instruction through fun, flips, and focused attention to each student ranging from 6 months – 18 years within recreational instruction, AAU competition and competitive cheer. My daughter has been working with “Coach Angi” for several years with tumbling. She looks forward to her time with Coach Angi week after week. Angi has a gift with children and it shows with every thing she puts her hands on.

Let’s meet Angi Davis!

What motivated you to start Carolina Flipz?
As a gymnast we are trained that the word “can’t” should never be in our vocabulary. But instead, we should express what the hurdles are and try to work on those objectives to get where we want to be. When I was laid off from my full time advertising job in 2008, like many people, I came to a crossroads. Luckily, since the age of 13, I always had a part time job as a gymnastics and cheerleading instructor. My job, as a coach, was always more fun than a monetary necessity.

In 2010, an opportunity arose to become a partner as a business owner for an established gymnastics facility. We butted heads on things like most partners would but the things that were most important to me just did not matter in his eyes. Topics like special needs, military discounts, cheerleading athletics were a passion of mine that he would not want to waste any energy on or be bothered by.

The business partnership took an ugly turn in 2012 mostly due to the fact that I had my first child, a little girl. After some ugly and abrupt legal battles, I was once again without a job and at another crossroads. This time, I had my 10-month-old daughter and husband to consider before making an decisions. Since my departure was so abrupt we took a week to go see some family and unwind from the whole ordeal. My husband told me to take that time to consider all our options. Do I continue coaching elsewhere? Do I go back into advertising? Maybe I should stay at home with my daughter? That entire week I was getting calls, pictures and videos from my athletes on their skills that they had worked so hard on and finally achieved! After that week I came back and knew what had to be done.

For six months I pounded the pavement, did my research and networked; all with my daughter by my side. There was no thought of failure in my mind at any time. I knew that the past had prepared me for all that I was going to endure and to just stay true to myself and my passion! I had no income and no job but I was so happy to not have any negativity telling me what I could or could not do!

I had a drive for myself and my daughter. To my business partner, I was never seen as good enough or worse yet; an equal. This was my chance to prove to him and to my daughter that when you have a passion and a drive to do what’s right it can be done! My vision continued to pour out for a FUN gymnastics facility that teaches confidence, leadership and technique! My motivation was to create an athletic facility that could motivate a community to try and do that which they thought could not be done. To change the way we think. From the “I can’t” mentality to the “I will try” and finally into the “I can”. To not only help inspire kids to stay active but to maintain a health and wellness lifestyle for years to come.

What is your favorite part about your job?
My favorite part about being a business owner is having the power and the resources to help others. I don’t have to get anyone’s approval to try or open up a new program. But ultimately, I love being a coach! Working with kids can be such a joy as much as it frustrating sometimes.

How do you think Carolina Flipz is changing the lives of children and families in our community?
Working with kids can be a challenge but they have the best hearts. Yes, it is rewarding to know that I played a part in them getting a new skill or a 1st place medal. Although, I truly enjoy when I can coach them through the hard times to get them to their success. When I can change their mentality from a sad “I fell off the beam” to an excited “I fell off the beam because I tried to jump as high as I could” I know they are learning more then just gymnastics; they are learning life lessons.

Many adults come to me and say “When I was her age I could do a cartwheel.” Well when you were her age you also didn’t have computers, video games, cell phones, iPad’s, Internet and relentless homework pages. As 70’s & 80’s kids we were outside playing capture the flag, on playgrounds, Red Rover, Dodge-ball and Kickball. We were active! As the youngest of 3 girls I used to watch my sister and her friends do cartwheels over and over in the backyard. Since, I wanted to be like them I would throw my body around and around too. In Junior High and High School we had 2 weeks of gymnastics in P.E. class. Now a days physical education across our country is less movement and more teaching.

We, as coaches, make an impact when the child takes initiative to build their strength and flexibility in order to achieve their new skills. The progressive building blocks that are needed to reach the reward are what will grow our community. A physical skill is something that has to be achieved on their own. It is not anything that can be handed to them. We help them to work smarter and more efficiently.

What is your vision for Carolina Flipz in 5 years?
My vision is to have a facility that will cater to all forms of fun physical activities. I want to help grow an active community not just a recreational activity. I would like to be more involved in the school systems to help children and teachers incorporate safe, physical activity throughout the day.

How has running your business affected how you are raising your children?
Running a business and being a parent is not easy, and I only have one child. I make sure to praise her when she is quite while I’m on a phone call. I try and remind myself that she is only two and to not get frustrated with her when she just wants to be in mommy’s lap while I’m trying to write an email. When I am at home I need to put my phone down and make time for her. She is important. She is my motivation. I try and be as active with her as I can. We don’t let her say the “C-A-N-‘-T” word. Instead we try and help her work through her problems. Having my own business has really helped me to enjoy every minute that I do get to spend with her because it is so limited. Although, as the mom, I am still the bad guy and daddy is the fun one; go figure.

How can I register my child at Carolina Flipz?

We offer year round classes so you can join at any time! You can sign up online at www.CarolinaFlipz.com or the easiest way is to call 704-544-4511 and speak with Aaron or come to our facility located at 11812 Carolina Place Pkwy Suite B Pineville, NC 28134.

Like Us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/carolinaflipzgym

Melissa Dorsch: Foreign Language League

Hola, Ni Hao, Bonjour, Ciao! Is your child interested in learning a new language? Then you need to meet Melissa Dorsch!

As a Smarty Mama, Melissa recognized a huge void in how foreign language is being taught (or not) in our schools. Melissa is also an adoptive mother to a child from another country. Thirsting to learn this language and more, Melissa now leads Foreign Language League. Foreign Language League offers Spanish, Mandarin, French, and Italian Immersion Programs for children as young as 18 months old up to adults. With convenient locations all over Charlotte, including schools, FLL could be coming to a facility near you! If you don’t have this available at your school, I encourage you to reach out to Melissa!

Let’s get to know Melissa! She’s super Smart(y)!

What motivated you to get involved with Foreign Language League?
My children had been taking language classes through Foreign Language League for a few years. About a year and a half ago, I left my job at a financial institution and the previous director asked if I would help with business development (I was always telling her what schools to check out and where to set up new programs). I thought it was a great idea as I love learning new languages, love to travel and love learning about new cultures. Last October, I became the new director and I just love it! I really enjoy building relationships with families and schools and I have the best teachers working with me.

What is your favorite part about your job?
My favorite part about my job are the families that put their trust in us to teach their children a second language. I love it when a parent sends me a video of their 3-year-old counting to 10 in Spanish, or their 8-year-old singing a song in Mandarin or speaking in another language. My teachers really enjoy getting videos of their students using their target language outside the classroom. I also enjoy just getting to know my families. I have a few that just call to chit chat. I have several that are huge advocates of FLL and they also work to get the word out about our program. We love our FLL families!

How do you think Foreign Language League is changing the lives of children and families in our community?
I think we all know that learning a second language is such a gift. Unfortunately, language classes, along with art, music and P.E. seem to be the first programs cut from schools. We feel very fortunate that we can offer our program to schools as well as hold our retail classes, so children can have the opportunity to expand their minds through a second language.

What is your vision with Foreign Language League?
I have so many thoughts running through my mind about our 5-year plan that they can probably keep me busy over the next 10 years. One of the items on the list is opening a full immersion childcare center. My teachers and I talk about this a lot. It’s a huge undertaking and there is still a lot of research that needs to be done, but I think is such a fantastic idea. I don’t think we have anything like that in the Charlotte area. We also want to start a book series with our FLL Characters. I am very lucky to have talented teachers who are wonderful writers and artists. We have a very creative team and I think we could come up with some great stories for Daniel, Lin, Pepe, Monique and Tito!

How has running Foreign Language League affected how you are raising your children?
I have always stressed the importance of learning a second language to all of my children. My younger son joined our family speaking a language other than English and we tried really hard to keep up his first language, but he worked so hard to learn English that he forgot it (even with language lessons once a week). He now wants to learn French. The other aspect of running a language program is that is opens up lot of opportunity to meet people from all over the world as well as learn about other cultures. My children have the opportunity as well to practice on my teachers, so they really enjoy actually knowing how to speak a second language.

How can I register my child in Foreign Language League?

To register your child, you can go to our site at www.foreignlanguageleague.com and click on the “Classes” tab. If you would like for Foreign Language League to offer an after school enrichment class at your school, you can contact me at Melissa@ForeignLanguageLeague.com or call me at 704-500-0143.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/Foreign-Language-League/116127688535893

Miki Osherow: Charlotte Ambush

Miki Osherow has been playing field hockey her whole life. She has been coaching it for 16 years and now heads up the biggest up-and-coming sport to hit the QC. Charlotte Ambush was started in 2008 under Miki’s direction and has exploded in such a short period of time. The coolest part – they are growing the middle school programs so that the high schools have a solid pool of athletes coming in year after year. Aside from being a highly competitive sport – many girls love it young because you get to wear a SKIRT! Move over soccer and LAX, fockey is in the house!

Let’s meet Miki!

What motivated you to start Charlotte Ambush?
Field hockey has always been a part of my life. Being part of a team and being on the field together with my teammates was the best part of growing up. I still love being on the field whether I am coaching or playing. After I had my children and decided to stop working full time, I realized that there was no club in town. I started offering clinics for youth and scrimmages for adults (I wanted to play too!). It just developed from there. I met lots of other women who had a similar passion for field hockey and we worked together to offer playing opportunities. We wanted other young girls to develop a passion for field hockey and enjoy the community, sense of team and active lifestyles we all gained from the sport!

What is your favorite part about your job?
My favorite part is seeing the light bulb click for a kid. Sometimes the quiet recognition of a little 3rd grader striking the ball for the first time and it actually going where she wants it to! She scans the field to see if anyone saw it and smiles when we make eye contact. I see the confidence just start to beam through her eyes! Other times it’s watching a player score a goal using a shot she’s been working on every day for a year. Even if it’s at practice, I am so excited that I jump up and down! What other job allows me to “let it all go” like that?

Both are the same light bulb…both are girls taking risks to do something new, to challenge themselves and it feels so good to be there to see it happen!

I also love working with other women/moms who have a passion for the sport. It has been really neat to meet women from all over the country who played field hockey. I love learning their stories and helping them find their way into our field hockey community either as a coach or a parent!!

How do you think Charlotte Ambush is changing the lives of children and families in our community?
The intent of Charlotte Ambush is to provide a youth sports experience where children feel confident, a community where they can make friends and a place where they can take risks. Not a high pressure youth sports organization, Ambush was designed to create a positive team environment for supporting the student-athlete to have a healthy lifestyle, whether it is at the recreational or elite level! Whatever level, I hope that we are challenging young people to take risks, be active, and learn life skills.

I receive calls and emails from parents who tell me that “their child found her place in our program; not an athlete, she is now doing things never imagined.” In addition over the past six years, we have helped over 40 young ladies go on to play in college – several of whom never thought college athletics was an option!

What is your vision in 5 years with Charlotte Ambush?
Ambush has a two-pronged mission: 1) Grow field hockey by exposing young girls/boys 2) Help field hockey players with a strong passion to take their game to the elite level. Our elite level teams have recently broken “barriers” in the club world that have given our members access to opportunities only available to top level clubs. This year our three top teams qualified for the National Club Challenge and our U14s came home with a 2nd place finish! I hope this success will continue to grow.

In addition, we have recently signed a lease on a new indoor facility in South Charlotte. Indoor field hockey is a faster version of outdoor field hockey played on sport-court. College coaches love to see that potential athletes play indoor as it helps improve the speed of stick skills and decision making. This new facility will also give our club a home base that will help develop our community by allowing us to offer additional training opportunities, fun game nights and more. I am excited to see where this can take our club!

How has running your business affected how you are raising your children?
With two children, an 8 year old boy and a 10 year old girl and working with pre-teen and teen age girls on a daily basis, I realize that it’s okay to put my children into situations that challenge them physically, socially and emotionally.

I have learned that it will be okay for my children to try out for something and not make it! In fact, I hope there is a time in their lives when they don’t make the team as I have seen more kids not make the team and come back the next year and be the strongest one on the team! I honestly believe that these type of experiences help them develop self-worth and grow in a way that I personally cannot teach or give them. I want them to recognize that a challenge or even a failure is not the end of the world.

Going into 5th grade, my daughter will soon be a middler schooler, and I want her to reach outside of her comfort zone. I want to expose her to friends and people outside of her natural school community so that she has confidence to handle any situation.

How can I register my child with Charlotte Ambush?

All details can be found at www.charlotteambush.com. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Jane Singleton: The First Tee

Jane Singleton is the Executive Director at The First Tee of Greater Charlotte. The First Tee of Greater Charlotte was established in 2003 to teach children life skills through the game of golf. It is one of 196 chapters of The National First Tee organization. The First Tee program is based on nine core values that are taught through the character education program: responsibility, respect, honesty, judgment, courtesy, integrity, confidence, perseverance, and sportsmanship.

Let’s get to know Jane!

What motivated you to join First Tee?
Working in corporate America in Charlotte for 18 years provided a wide variety of experiences from which I was fortunate to gain many gifts. In 2013, I moved into my toughest corporate role from a human interest capacity. So with the philosophy of you get when you give, I turned that challenge into a new volunteer role with The First Tee of Greater Charlotte. In time, I realized I had evolved beyond being satisfied with working for a company’s interest and preferred human interest. And I fell in love with the Core Values and community collaboration I found as part of The First Tee of Greater Charlotte. So when the Executive Director announced he was retiring, I enthusiastically pursued the opportunity.

What is your favorite part about your job?
Even in the hardest parts of the work day, I know what I am doing impacts kids’ lives and their future.

How do you think First Tee is changing the lives of children and families in our community?
The First Tee’s goal is to provide character education and life skills lessons to help young people be successful in school and in life. Integrity, sportsmanship, honesty, respect are some of the core values taught to young people to empower them in dealing with everyday life. Technology in today’s society is creating generations with less social skills or the sense of accomplishment in working for what you need. Our program is instilling the value of values; such as responsibility, perseverance and judgment! We are teaching young people how to be highly regarded members of our community.

What is your vision for First Tee in 5 years?
My intent over the next five years is that we accelerate our retention and growth with teenage participants so that young people in those years feel empowered to handle all the social pressures and expectations of today’s world. We should be well over 2,500 participants; with hopefully 15% of that group in the teen years. We may also be operating at over 12 locations by that time so providing more opportunity across the greater Charlotte community.

How has running your business affected how you are raising your children?
I don’t have children, but I certainly have gained a sincere appreciation for volunteers that generously give time and energy to children’s development and fun. As they say, it takes a village and volunteers are always needed – everywhere!

How can I register my child at First Tee?

Any child ages 5 – 18, can register online for fall, spring and summer programming at www.thefirstteegreatercharlotte.org; We also offer scholarships for young people that need assistance.

Registration here.
Facebook: here
Twitter: @TheFirstTeeCLT
Blog: https://thefirstteegreatercharlotte.wordpress.com/
YouTube: www.youtube.com/TheFirstTeeCharlotte

The First Tee of Greater Charlotte
2661 Barringer Drive, Charlotte, NC 28208
(704)-348-2515 (p), (704)-348-2516 (f), 704-458-5934 (c)
www.thefirstteegreatercharlotte.org

Rebecca Wofford: The Lunch Project

Rebecca Wofford has moved mountains for a school in Tanzania with her non-profit, The Lunch Project. Can you ever imagine that $85 can feed 900 children? I was floored when I learned that tidbit of information. Rebecca ditched her law career to help children halfway across the world. And she doesn’t get paid a penny. But what she does get paid with is far more valuable than any salary. She can say with conviction that she is changing the world one meal at a time.

Here’s Rebecca!

What motivated you to start The Lunch Project?
As a law professor, I traveled to Tanzania with law students as part of a research and writing class. While there, we spoke with members of a Maasai community whose children were a first generation to attend public elementary school. The biggest hurdle was lack of food at school, which caused low attendance and poor test results. We learned that this community wanted to operate their children’s school lunch program if we could help fund it. Because it would be locally sourced, the cost per meal would be 9 cents. In telling my children about this, I realized we could do something so we formed a nonprofit called The Lunch Project to fund a lunch program for kids on the other side of the globe whose parents have the same goals for their kids as we do for ours – obtaining an education and have choices in life different from their own.

What is your favorite part about your job?
Sharing the story of The Lunch Project. Each time I have an opportunity to tell the story of The Lunch Project, I feel immense joy. Telling the story of the people we have met in Tanzania has brought us a fantastic team of volunteers who have become our TLP “tribe” and wonderful supporters. Most importantly, kids light up when they hear the story of The Lunch Project. Kids want to know about others kids who live on the other side of the globe. They relate to them and celebrate their differences. They also want to be a part of The Lunch Project because they see that kids in Tanzania play an important role in making lunch happen each day and because they know a full belly helps them learn in school.

How do you think The Lunch Project is changing the lives of children and families in our community?
The Lunch Project is an easy way to empower kids to help other kids. The need for lunch at school is a common denominator while cultural differences offer a unique learning experience. Whether hearing about kids in Tanzania through our Education Program offered to elementary schools or watching our online videos, kids here can become connected to kids who seem very different from them but yet with whom they also have so much in common. This allows kids here to develop empathy. Kids who want to go further can put empathy into action through a service project. At 9 cents a meal, kids have an attainable goal for raising funds through any creative, kid-led project. Whether it is hosting a lemonade stand, selling products they make or putting spare change in a bowl, kids can put empathy into action and do something that really does make a difference in the world. It is as simple as a willingness to share your bowl with someone else.

What is your vision in 5 years with The Lunch Project?
We hope other communities will replicate our “Share your Bowl” concept and engage members of their communities, especially kids, in global empathy education and service.

How has running your business affected how you are raising your children?
The Wofford kids really cannot remember life before The Lunch Project. It has been a part of the fabric of their formative years and has given them a perspective about life I could not have provided on my own. Our family includes kids in Tanzania as part of our community and my kids frequently bring them up in conversation in healthy ways and without prompting. I have never wanted them to feel guilty or sad about what we have and about what the kids in Tanzania don’t have so that is not our focus. Having said this, we are grateful and practice showing gratitude as often as possible. Our focus is on how our actions or inactions can positively affect others. Both host annual service projects (my daughter hosts a talent show and my son a soccer tournament), which allow them to be empowered leaders. They have also started finding their passions and causes and using problem-solving skills on a daily basis for problems big and small. We rarely say we can’t do something in this house because we know God has allowed us to play a small role in something much bigger than ourselves that has made a difference in the life of someone else.

Thank you to all of these amazing Smarty ladies for sharing your story and your Saturday with us!!