PEAK Program Playbook DRAFT March 2022

PROGRAM
PLAYBOOK

THE KELLOGG PEAK INITIATIVE

DRAFT

NURTURING YOUTH L E
A D E R S H I P

OVERVIEW

WHAT IS A PROGRAM PLAYBOOK?

The Kellogg PEAK Initiative fosters exploration and discovery for
Milwaukee's youth through experienced-based learning. Over the
years, we have developed core values and best practices that
make PEAK programs uniquely PEAK. This playbook describes our
overall programmatic framework and serves as a high-level
implementation guide for staff. In short, it is a summary of PEAK's
approach for getting things done in the program realm and ensures
that all PEAK staff understand the critical elements of our programs.

WHO IS IT FOR?

The program playbook is primarily for PEAK program staff. In
addition, it is an internal documents that helps all PEAK better
understand and describe our programming to stakeholders.

WHAT'S IN IT?

OVERVIEW

SECTION !: WHERE ARE WE GOING?

SECTION 2: HOW DO WE MAKE IT
HAPPEN?

SECTION 3: HOW DO WE MEASURE SUCCESS?

RESOURCES

THE PEAK INITIATIVE PROGRAM PLAYBOOK

OVERVIEW

ABOUT PEAK

The Kellogg PEAK Initiative (PEAK) is a progressive leadership
program that helps youth, Grades 1-12, understand and practice
how to positively influence people and places. Since 2003, The
Kellogg PEAK Initiative has fostered exploration and discovery
for Milwaukee's youth through experienced-based learning.
Our primary audience is youth and families who identify as
Black, Latino and/or Indigenous who reside in the City of
Milwaukee. Serving over 500 youth per year, we offer
programming year round to allow participants to connect,
reflect and grow at no cost beyond a nominal refundable
deposit to all families.

PEAK's ultimate goal is to encourage participants to shape their
communities with poise, persistence and confidence by
creating a learning environment where kids feel safe,
connected and engaged. From building fires to leading
community service projects, PEAK offers a wide variety of
experiences that spark young people's curiosity and uncover
their strengths. PEAK's programs are designed to encourage a
deep sense of belonging and cultivate strong relationships with
and among our participants.

PEAK is headquartered in Milwaukee, WI. Our program center,
designed by kids, families, neighborhood residents and PEAK
staff, is located in Tiefenthaler Park, a Milwaukee County Park
and serves as a hub for programming throughout the year.
PEAK's overnight camp, Lake Valley Camp, sits on 650 natural
acres of rolling hills and forest in Boscobel WI, about a 3 hour
drive from PEAK headquarters.

THE PEAK INITIATIVE PROGRAM PLAYBOOK

WHERE ARE WE GOING?

PEAK's Guiding Lenses

PEAK's programming is based on the following values, goals and objectives that serve as the
guideposts for our decision making and program development. By using these guiding lenses as
our north star, we ensure high-quality programming that has a positive impact on kids and families
while leaving flexibility for program staff to respond innovatively to ever changing circumstances.

MISSION

PEAK's mission is to bring out the limitless potential in young leaders through extraordinary
experiences and nurturing relationships.

VISION

Our vision is for PEAK alumni to shape their communities with poise, persistence, confidence and
character and that the PEAK Initiative is the recognized expert

THE FOUR BELIEFS

PEAK's Four Beliefs are the organizational values that have been guiding our work since our
inception. The 4 Beliefs are infused into our programing at every level, serving as the foundation
of PEAK culture.

Everyone has the power to The community is
change their world. better when everyone

contributes.

We can only grow Every living being has
when we're honest inherent value.
about our mistakes.

THEORY OF CHANGE

A theory of change is a high-level road
map that describes our desired impact
and our approach to the work. PEAK's
theory of change (TOC) lays out the
context for our work, our desired
outcomes and the strategies that form
the foundation of our work. Please find
the Theory of Change in Resources
Section.

RELATIONSHIPS FIRST

We know that meaningful connections is what
helps young people thrive. At PEAK, we prioritize
building strong, positive relationships with our kids
that help them discover who they are, develop
abilities to shape their own lives and learn how to
engage in and contribute to the world around them.
Research shows that, all other things being equal,
nothing has more impact on a child's life than
positive relationships. We know that relationships
are built over time which is why retention and
progression are core components of our program.

EVERYONE LEADS

At PEAK, leadership is defined as understanding,
developing and using your power to positively
influence people and/or places. Everything we do is
grounded in the belief that everyone leads. Young
people should be given opportunities to explore
their innate capacity for leadership at an early age
and PEAK programs offer an environment that
offers leadership opportunities, big and small,
formal and informal, for all participants.

GUILEDADIENRSHGIP ILN EACNTIOSN ES
PEAK's approach to leadership development is based in the belief that we learn through doing.
We must have opportunities to try out our skills in order to nurture the leader within. We also
know that there are too leadership skills to cover meaningfully in our programs so we focus on a
few facets of leadership that reflect our four beliefs:

Vision

Everyone has the power to change the world.

Value in Action
We practice this core belief through imagining the ideal future

and building toward the results we want to achieve.
Leadership Skills

We aspire to build skills in problem solving
and cultivating a growth mindset.

Community Building

The community is better when everyone contributes.

Value in Action
We practice this core belief through getting to know
a community and its people, characteristics and strengths.

Leadership Skills
We aspire to build skills in communication and collaboration.

Honor

We can only grow when we're honest about our mistakes.

Value in Action
We practice this core belief through exhibiting integrity in our
beliefs and action and exhibiting courage to do the right thing.

Leadership Skills
We aspire to build skills in self-awareness and resilience.

Advocacy

Every living being has inherent value.

Value in Action
We practice this core belief through supporting

the interests of a person, group or cause.
Leadership Skills

We aspire to build skills in empathy and recognizing and
appreciating strengths.

HOW DO WE MAKE IT HAPPEN?

PEAK's Programmatic Approach

THE WHO

PEAK is a progressive youth leadership development program that offers a variety of enrichment
programs tailored to the needs of youth at different stages of life. Most participants join PEAK in
elementary school and stay with the program through high school, accessing critical learning
experiences and positive support systems. Participants are grouped in following age cohorts:

Pathfinders (Grades 1 & 2)

The Pathfinder years are focused on establishing a foundation for their journey with PEAK,
building familiarity and trust with PEAK’s programming, participants and staff. For many of our
participants, this is their first experience outside of their immediate community (family and school).
During the Pathfinder years, we focus on fostering a sense of belonging at PEAK and
strengthening executive function skills such as self-awareness, self- regulation and problem
solving that are the foundational cornerstones for success in life and leadership.

Pioneers (Grades 3-5)

During these years, Pioneers are building self-awareness, developing confidence in leadership
abilities and pursuing short-term goals based on the growth mindset philosophy. The Pioneers
will experience their first overnight resident camp experience and practice the strategies and
skills necessary to work with others to accomplish shared goals.

Voyagers (Grades 6-8)

During these Voyager years, we set the stage for failing forward. This phase relies heavily on
experiential education in its truest form and focuses on Voyagers actively taking on challenges as
a group in less controlled environments, allowing them to make discoveries about themselves,
their peers and the world in a supportive context.

Leaders In Training/High School (Grades 9-12)

The Leadership Trainee (LT) Program, our flagship high school program, is based on professional
development through paid internships, with accompanying coaching and training, and service.
The LT program builds on the skills, knowledge and experiences from previous years to
intentionally support growth and readiness for adult life.

WHO WE SERVE INFORMS HOW WE SERVE

Nearly 100% of our participants identify as black and/or Latino. We believe that our
commitment to cultivating leaders from within communities of color dictates that we
consistently offer an inspiring mirror of leaders and leadership that reflect their backgrounds
and experiences. That reality should inform all of our program decisions--- from the music
we play during activities to the overarching program design.

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THE WHAT

PEAK is a progressive, year-round program. Year after year, our participants have access

to a variety of activities in different locations that allows them to discover where they

shine. While our annual program offerings are flexible and responsive to what our kids

and families need at the moment, PEAK has six major program areas that are the

backbone of our organization.

Major program areas include:

Resident Camp Day Camps

Lake Valley Camp (LVC), PEAK’s resident camp, Our Day Camp program, housed in our program
sits on 650 natural acres of rolling hills and center in Milwaukee, is offered to participants in
forest in Boscobel WI. LVC operates seasonally, Grades 1- 8 and offers sessions by cohort and
offering multi week sessions in the summer and topic area in the summer months. Day Camps
weekend retreats in the spring and fall. encourage participants to explore their interests
Examples of program areas offered at LVC are and build on their strengths while learning more
nature/ecology, garden, equestrian, performing about the Milwaukee community.
arts, visual arts, outdoor living, boating,
swimming, archery, and team sports. Community Programs

Teen Programs Our Community Programs harness the
resources of our city and activate our program
PEAK provides a variety of programs for high center year round to provide a platform for
school students to connect and grow. The exploration, leadership and connection. Action
Leadership Trainee (LT) Program, our flagship projects, community service opportunities, and
high school program, is based on professional exploration of the various activities, destinations
development through paid internships, with and cultures in Milwaukee are essential
accompanying coaching and training, and components of the programs. Community
community service. programs includes events, drop-in programs
and project-based learning programs for all
School-Based Programs ages.

School-based programs provide students with Expeditions
authentic leadership opportunities that provide
the skills and support to help them improve PEAK expeditions push perceived limits through
their school climate and culture. PEAK offers exploration of places that are not readily
partner schools a platform for youth-led projects accessible. From bike camping to travel camp,
that require reflection on issues that matter these programs present natural challenges
most to the students and guide them in the intended to stretch comfort zones and empower
necessary planning, collaboration, and decision- youth to overcome uncertainty and fear.
making to execute effective projects.

SIGNATURE PEAK

PEAK programs span a variety of ages, topics, outcomes and locations. However, whether it is Pioneers
playing kickball at Lake Valley Camp or LTs learning to how develop and facilitate workshops, there are
programmatic components that are a common thread throughout our various activities. Building a strong
sense of belonging is central to PEAK's approach so many of PEAK's signature components are focus on
intentionally structure time for the connection building create that help young people thrive. Regardless of
the arena, there are a few ways that you can spot a PEAK program:

CIRCLING UP
The physical formation of a circle means you're standing shoulder to shoulder to your team, looking at your
peers and forming a cohesive unit. We often use the circle, rather than lines, to organize a group to give
instructions, have a discussion and transition to a new activity. From flagpole at Lake Valley Camp to quick
staff huddles, the circle is an important tradition at PEAK.

CHECK IN QUESTIONS
Checking in at the beginning of an activity helps the leaders get a pulse on the participants, can help set the
tone for the program and serves as an opportunity for everyone to get to know each other better. These
questions, which can be short or long, simple or complex, fun or serious, can help set the stage for
upcoming activities, help staff and youth get their minds into the present moment and/or just be a fun way to
get the energy moving at the beginning of a program or activity.

LEARNING BY DOING
There aren't many lectures at PEAK! Extraordinary experiences is a pillar of our mission because we believe
that the most impactful learning happen when people are able to directly experience a challenge and have
the space to reflect on their participation. We purposefully engage our participants in direct experience and
focused reflection to increase knowledge, develop skills, clarify values, and develop their capacity to
contribute to their communities. Our programs are based on active learning with a eye on allowing
participants to try, reflect and try again as much as possible.

DEBRIEFING
The best learning often happens when we reflect on our experiences, especially when that reflection is
guided. Debriefing is a standard practice at PEAK because it enables staff and participants to gain deeper
self-awareness and develop insight on how they can navigate future experiences. While there is not one
set time to debrief or a set of guidelines that fits every situation, we encourage frequent debriefing for all
ages and aim to use repeated processes that give participants the knowledge and power to take the lead
in their debriefing process

SHOUTS & APPRECIATIONS
People do awesome things all the time! We have dedicated time and structures for public acknowledgment.
YOUTH LED ACTIVITIES & PROJECTS
We are continuously creating formal opportunities for youth to positively influence people and places.
Leadership may look like being your table clean-up leader as a Pathfinder to designing and leading your
own program as an LT. No matter the program, there should be examples of youth leadership.

THE HOW- PROGRAM FRAMEWORK

PEAK has foundational documents that guide our program development and execution. The
following four categories help to make our mission actionable and to ensure that we have a
shared understanding of what constitutes high-quality programming.

Program Quality Program Objectives
Standards
Our program objectives identify, by
Based on the research from Weikart program and cohort, the outcomes
Center for Youth Program Quality, PEAK that we are looking for. This allows us
has identified 20 Program Quality to design programs that work toward
Standards (PQS) which are the indicators the mission and to evaluate the
of a high-quality program at PEAK. effectiveness of our programs.

Behavior Approach Curriculum Design

We are dealing with real people in our Our curriculum design takes some of
programs and people, inevitably, the guesswork out of planning by
exhibit a wide range of behaviors. Our laying out the framework of a program
approach to behavior management overview, a program plan and an
ensures that honoring our mission and activity plan. it also ensures that we
values when we are addressing are intentionally planning programs
challenging behavior. and preparing properly for our youth.

PROGRAM QUALITY STANDARDS

Our program quality standards (PQS) explicitly set the bar of expectation for how PEAK staff set the
stage and interact with participants during programming. We use PQS as a planning tool and an
evaluation tool. These standards are the basis of our assessment and feedback system. The data helps
us to identify strengths & challenge areas and build safer, more supportive, interactive, & engaging
environments for youth. Our twenty standards are separated into three tiers, according to observed
level of difficulty for staff to execute. The full PQS includes multiples items for each category illustrates
exactly how a staff member can demonstrate excellence in each category. Below is a summary of the
items and descriptions. Please find the full Program Quality Standards in the Resources section.

Tier 1: Foundational Tier 2: Intermediate

CATEGORY DESCRIPTION CATEGORY DESCRIPTION
Emotional Safety Skillbuilding
Warm Welcome Pyschological and emotional Interaction with Staff supports youth in building skills
Staff Circulation safety is promoted.
Adults Staff engages youth in positive ways.
Session Flow Staff provides a welcoming
Belonging atmosphere. Encouragement Staff supports youth with
encouragement.
Tier 3: Advanced Staff pays attention to youth. Reflection
Active Learning Youth have opportunities to reflect.
Session flow is planned, Activities support engagement and
presented and paced for Emotion Coaching
learning.
youth. Staff provides coaching and support

Youth have opportunities to for emotion management.
develop a sense of belonging.

CATEGORY DESCRIPTION CATEGORY DESCRIPTION
Choice Planning
Youth have opportunities to make Youth have opportunities to make
Collaboration choices based on their interests. Problem Solving and revise plan.
Responsibility
Youth have opportunities to Mindfulness Youth have opportunities to solve
Leadership collaborate and work cooperatively Reframing Conflict problems.
Empathy
with others. Staff supports youth in developing
skills of mindful awareness or
Youth have opportunities to take attention.
responsibility for tasks.
Staff uses youth-centered
Youth have opportunities to act as approaches to reframe conflict.
group facilitators and mentors.

Staff engage in practices that
support development of empathy

PEAK BEHAVIOR MANAGEMENT

THE FOUR BELIEFS & BEHAVIOR SUPPORT

PEAK uses social and emotional learning as the platform for leadership development. Therefore, our behavior
support policy is based on using our participants’ behavior as an opportunity for learning and growth. We
intervene with behavior that diminishes the safety of the environment and the participants and use those
inevitable moments as stepping stones to more successful outcomes. Every circumstance and child is unique.
Therefore, you will not find a one size fits all policy that goes across cohort, program, location and staff. Instead,
we ascribe to a few principles regarding youth behavior and, yes, you guessed it! They are correlated to our four
beliefs. Here’s the foundation of PEAK's behavior support in a nutshell:

EVERYONE HAS THE POWER TO CHANGE THE WORLD.
They can do it...we can help!

All children have some capacity to make positive behavioral choices with support. They are able to make
progress with the proper guidance and environment. Therefore, PEAK staff's primary lens when dealing with
behavior that does not meet the communicated expectation is thinking about how we help increase that child's
capacity to meet the expectation.

We are focused on discipline, not punishment. Discipline is helping a child solve a problem. Punishment is
making a child suffer retribution for having a problem. As a leadership organization focused on nurturing problem
solvers, we focus on solutions, not retributions.

EVERY LIVING BEING HAS INHERENT VALUE.
PEAK Behavior Detectives

All behavior is goal-directed. Whether consciously or unconsciously, we are all trying to accomplish something
with our actions. When a young person is having behavioral problems, think of it as a poor game plan. Don’t
confuse the behavior with the person. By getting curious about what they’re trying to accomplish, PEAK staff can
help them bring their highest value to the space.

THE COMMUNITY IS BETTER WHEN EVERYONE CONTRIBUTES.
Looking for the Good

Positive reinforcement, intentional relationship building and appropriate structures are the foundation of behavior
support. Your relationship with the individual and the group are the keys to your success. Your role is to create
structures that help them to contribute well as as a group and as individuals and use every opportunity to
acknowledge when they are contributing well to build both individual relationships and group identity.

WE CAN ONLY GROW WHEN WE'RE HONEST ABOUT OUR MISTAKES.
Loving Boundaries

Boundary and limit testing are central to a child’s development. In other words, a child not doing everything
they’re supposed to do exactly how you should all of the time is perfectly healthy and normal. Think of all limit
testing as them pushing a big button that says: If I do this, what is this environment going to give me? When (not
if) that button is pushed, your role is to be firm and caring, keeping both the boundary and their dignity intact.
Loving boundaries help children realize clearly when they've made a mistake that causes harm to themselves,
other or the environment and feel like they have the capacity and support to make a different decision next time.

PEAK BEHAVIOR MANAGEMENT

PEAK CULTURE & BEHAVIOR SUPPORT

At PEAK, we believe the environment strongly influences behavior. The behavior we see is often a result of the
systems that we have created. The more we can create environments that encourage the behavior we want to
see, the fewer behavior challenges will arise. PEAK Culture provides fertile ground for the extraordinary
experiences and nurturing relationships that are at the core of our mission. Our programs are an environment for
personal growth. Fun is a byproduct of a safe and playful environment. The two best tools for behavior support
are 1) an established relationship 2) a compelling, well-structured program. To set participants up for success,
staff pay attention to key elements of a strong culture: structure and interactions.

PEAK Culture is fun, positive and
relaxed while also being
structured, organized and

focused. PEAK staff members are
always asking ourselves:

"How can I strengthen PEAK
culture?"

STRUCTURE INTERACTIONS

The structure (or the program design) should be The element of interactions speaks to the interpersonal
appropriate for the outcomes of an activity and the relationships in the program or activity. What is the
desired behavior during the activity. For example, the quality of the interactions in the room, both staff to peer
structure of a nighttime debrief in a LT cabin at and peer to peer? How does the staff motivate and
resident camp should be completely different from the connect with participants? It is critical to our programs
structure for a group of Pathfinders playing Capture that the energy is positive. Positive energy comes from
the Flag. What is universal is that PEAK staff are a strength-based approach and modeling PEAK’s Four
thoughtful about how they are setting up a program to Beliefs in all interactions (see above). A program where
ensure the best possible outcome for all participants. youth are focused on the task at hand but only out of
fear of getting into trouble does not reflect PEAK culture.
Conversely, we do not want an activity where youth are
having fun but are not getting the full benefit of the
activities because of negative and/or chaotic group
dynamics.

We are always keeping our eye on how these two elements are interacting and what impact that
is having on participants and staff. Our goal is a Quadrant 1 environment which is explained on
the next page.

PEAK BEHAVIOR MANAGEMENT

PEAK QUADRANT 1 ENVIRONMENT

Keeping the pulse of a space is one of the most important skills that a program leader can learn. Understanding
where the group is in any moment in terms of how the structure and the quality of the interactions are supporting
or not supporting a positive environment. The better we get at pinpointing where the group is, the better we are
able to influence the environment. To help us think in concrete terms about this, we have put both aspects on a
spectrum and identified the four quadrants that arise from different levels of each.

QUADRANT 4 QUADRANT 1

Chaotic , unfocused, INTERACTIONS Fun, positive, engaged,
high energy, engaged organized, structued

STRUCTURE

Chaotic, negative, disengaged Rigid, negative, low energy

QUADRANT 3 QUADRANT 2

We train staff on how to identify the status of the interactions and structure? How do you know if the group is in
Quadrant 1, Quadrant 2, Quadrant 3 or Quadrant 4? If you know are not in Quadrant 1, how do you get there?
What are the staff habits that help to create a Quadrant 1 environment from the beginning? These skills are
addressed in one of core trainings, PEAK Culture and Behavior Support, offered at least two times per year. The
quadrant system is also a lens that program staff can use to provide feedback and support to their peers or direct
reports. Overall, this structure is meant to equip staff with a tool to successfully manage a program in real time.

PEAK BEHAVIOR MANAGEMENT

WHO HANDLES WHAT?

Role clarity in behavior management is critical. While these lines are not set in stone and can and will change
depending on the circumstances, different roles are expected to be the primary leader of various behavior
challenges, depending on the frequency and severity of the behavior.

Direct Service Zone FREQUENCY

Behaviors in green indicate participants behaviors that RARE REPEATED CHRONIC
direct service staff will strive to handle independently. While
planning and reflection support from supervisors is always SEVERITY MINOR
available, these are behaviors that direct service staff
should expect to manage during their programs. Most MODERATE
participant behavior challenges fall into this category
including but not limited to: MAJOR

Active non-compliance/disrespectful behavior that is not
immediately harmful to self or others
Not following directions
Name-calling/arguing with others
Inappropriate language
Violation of cell phone policy

Program Leadership Zone

Direct service staff and program leadership will work together to mitigate challenging participant behavior that
continues to be a significant program disruption after quality interventions and accommodations by the direct
service staff. Program leadership will work alongside direct service staff to support the participant. If the behavior
is detrimental to both program culture and the participant’s engagement and enjoyment of the programming,
program leaders should be notified and involved. At this point, interventions will likely (but not always) include a
parent communication component. The following behaviors become a shared responsibility between program
leadership and direct service staff when they are significantly disruptive and show no signs of improvement or
progress over time despite direct service staff interventions. This includes but is not limited to:

Active non-compliance/disrespectful behavior
Not following directions
Name-calling/arguing with others
Inappropriate language
Violation of cell phone policy
Physical Aggression/Intimidation

PEAK BEHAVIOR MANAGEMENT

Administrative Leadership Zone

Administrative leadership should be informed immediately of major behavior challenges. Due to the severe
nature and resulting liability, administrative leaders will take the lead in resolving all situations that involve the
following:

Physical fighting or aggression
Risk-taking behavior or disobedience that threatens serious harm to themselves or to others
Possession or suspected use of drugs, tobacco, or alcohol
Intentional major damage to facilities, equipment or property
Sexual misconduct
Persistent bullying or teasing of another camper to the extent that the other camper is experiencing
significant distress or stress

Regardless of role, all staff members should treat our participants with respect. Here are a few examples of ways
of interacting that we encourage and forbid at PEAK:

YES! MORE! ALL THE TIME! NOPE. NOT HERE. NEVER.

Give the camper daily words of encouragement. We believe that discipline should
Praise more than you criticize. never diminish a participant’s dignity.
Look for and acknowledge small changes and successes. Strive to Examples of unacceptable forms of
create positive motivation for participants to adopt new behaviors discipline:
rather than threats.
Get your participants into a routine right away. Routines provide Yelling at a participant
security for campers and allows leaders to plan ahead. Emotional and/or Verbal Abuse
Recognize and praise the effort as well as the achievement. Humiliation
Stay calm and be cautious of not allowing your emotions to affect Physical Abuse or Intimidation
your decision making. Threats of any of the above
Explain the consequences ahead of time! (Make them clear and
consistent.)
Stand firm in explaining the consequences.

For more resources on tactical behavior management tips and tricks, please see the
Resources section!

CURRICULUM DESIGN

A complete PEAK program curriculum has three components:
Program Summary
Curriculum Overview
Session Plans

Please find documents in Resources section.

PROGRAM OBJECTIVES

Our program objectives identify, by program and cohort, the outcomes that we are looking for. This
allows us to design programs that work toward the mission and to evaluate the effectiveness of our
programs.

Please find the Program Objectives in the Resources section.

CORE TRAININGS

PEAK's professional development offerings are dynamic based on changing circumstances. However, these core
trainings are foundational to understanding the basics of PEAK programming and offered to annual and seasonal
program staff each year.

PEAK 101

A workshop designed to give critical context to the work
covering organizational history, who we serve, guiding
lenses and how staff make the vision a reality.

Introduction to Experiential Education

Experiential education is at the core of our programmatic
approach This introductory workshops explains the why,
what and how of EE

Program Quality Standards In Action

These set of interactive workshops based on PEAK's
program quality standards and are designed to give
program staff practical methods for implementation.

PEAK Culture & Behavior Support

The objective of explain PEAK's behavior approach,
offer useful strategies, and provide opportunities to
practice with common scenarios.

Database Training

A critical mass of our program staff will use our database
in some capacity. This workshop trains people on how to
find useful information in our database and where to
input data.

WORKING TOGETHER

Our work is collaborative in nature and the appropriate structures and norms help us work together better. Team
meetings, observations & feedback, and one-on-one meetings between direct reports and their supervisors are
all ways that we ensure that we staying on the same page as we work toward our mission together.

Observations & Feedback

PEAK strives to uphold a culture of continuous improvement. Continuous improvement means
setting a clear bar of expectation for how we would like perform, collecting quantitative and
qualitative data on how we did, reflecting on our performance, making tweaks and trying again! Our
program quality standards and program objectives are the goals. In order to ensure that all program
staff are able to continuously develop their skills, observations and feedback are the norm at PEAK,
not only for supervisors but for peer to peer relationships. We have program observation forms,
ranging from the simple to the complex (see Resources) and a belief that constructive feedback that
highlights what we are doing well and what we could improve is central to staff development and
high impact programming.

One on One Team Meetings

One-on-one meetings between supervisors and Program delivery is a dynamic process with many
direct reports are a key component of maximizing moving parts and different players. It is critical that
every staff member's professional potential and teams who are working together toward the same
better equip people to serve our kids and families. goal are able to meet on a regular basis to clarify
Relationship building, clarity on priorities and roles, processes and goals and build trust. The
coaching on specified skills and goals are three frequency and agenda of meeting are fluid based on
main purposes of the one on one. These types of circumstances but there should be established times
meetings are important for people to feel like they where teams are able to touch base. Team meetings
have a space to collaborate and discuss important are designed to be productive spaces that team
issues directly with their supervisor and vice versa. members leave with more clarity about what they
should do and how they should do it.

HOW WE SHOW UP

PEAK Program Staff Expectations

The young people we serve deserve the highest quality of programming and investment. PEAK staff
are committed to showing up and engaging with youth in the following ways:

What We Do What We Avoid

Stay present and engaged when Use our cell phones for non-work
interacting with young people. purposes when engaging with youth.
Circulate with young people, making sure Put in earbuds and listen to music when
all are included engaging with youth.
Take the time to learn others' names and Disengage during meal times or group
pronounce them correctly. Frequently activities.
greet and address young people and staff Physically separate ourselves from youth,
by their names. “clump” with other staff members, only
Use respectful tone and language and interact with some youth but not others
express sincere affection and interest in Only greet some individuals but not
youth’s well-being. others, or address the whole group but not
Use warm body language (eg generally specific individuals. Mispronounce names
smile, use friendly gestures, make eye or fail to learn one another’s names.
contact) Use a negative tone or disrespectful
Offer encouragement, affirmations, and language or talk down to campers
support Respond with sarcasm, criticism,
Treat youth with respect, actively include punishment, or teasing when youth make
all youth, and intervene when youth are mistakes or struggle,
being excluded. Give differential treatment to youth based
Arrange our physical spaces to include on race, ethnicity, class, ability, gender,
everyone (sitting in circles, getting to appearance, or sexual orientation. Make
campers’ eye level when interacting, etc) comments based on stereotypes or
Offer youth have opportunities to get to assumptions.
know each other, and peer interaction is Arranging physical spaces so some
Ensure the emotional climate is positive, participants are on the outskirts and not
supportive, and characterized by fully included.
teamwork Youth have no opportunities to talk among
Embrace a variety of learning and themselves, or doing so is discouraged
engagement styles (hands-on, reflection, Negativity, rudeness and other such
experiential learning) actions are not mediated by either youth
Give youth opportunities to lead, to ask or staff.
questions, and to try new things. Support Teach through lecturing
youth to attempt higher levels of Always do things for young people, taking
performance. away opportunities for youth to engage in
productive struggle.

HOW DO WE MEASURE SUCCESS?

PEAK's Key Metrics and Evaluation Process

The PEAK Data Dashboard tracks metrics in the

following three areas:

IMPACT SUSTAINABILTY

Participants Organization

QUALITY

Program

PEAK 40 WHO
The PEAK 40 is a selected group of
WHAT approximately 40 participants through their
To add more context and color to the hard data, PEAK journey: 10 Pathfinders, 10 Pioneers, 10
we will be closely following a selected group of Voyagers and 10 High School participants.
participants through their PEAK journey.

WHY HOW
The goal is to tell a more personal story of how We gather information about the PEAK
PEAK influences the lives of young people and through surveys, interviews and school data.
gather important anecdotal data that helps us to From this group, we will share with the
both refine our programs and communicate our experience of a few participants from each
impact to stakeholders. class to share their experience, growth and
trajectory in a more vibrant way that brings
all of our data to life.

RESOURCES

RELATIONSHIPS FIRST
PROGRAM OBJECTIVES
PROGRAM QUALITY STANDARDS
STRATEGY SCREEN
DEBRIEFING TIPS
EXPERIENTIAL EDUCATION OVERVIEW
DEPARTMENT SPECIFIC
CURRICULUM DESIGN: SESSION PLAN TEMPLATE
CURRICULUM DESIGN: CURRICULUM OVERVIEW
CURRICULUM DESIGN: PROGRAM SUMMARY