DISCLAIMER: This is a tentative schedule, and is subject to change.

Coaching Session: These sessions will be made based on the availability of the storyteller and the coach. Every week,
local coaches and storytellers must commit TWO HOURS per week of building up student confidence (using the
backwards model approach) and practicing their speeches.

Even Preparation: Although the Pontiac Speaks panel are expected to work on decorations throughout the entire
month, this week is purely dedicated to ensuring all the details are worked out, and the finalized touches are being made.
In addition, this is a the week where storytellers and coaches can make finalized touches to their speeches.

Still Serving Session: Every week, (days will be established based on the availability of the storyteller and the Still
Serving Mentor), A Still Serving Speaker and a Pontiac Storyteller must dedicate ONE HOUR through the internet (Digital
platform being ZOOM), and this hour should be dedicated to building student confidence, and practice.

Day of the Event: The actual event will take place during school (During third and fourth hour). It will be a two hour
event where the main office will announce dismissals to the auditorium, where the event will take place.

JANUARY 2020
SUN Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1 2 3 4

5 6 7 8 9 10 11

12 13 14 15 16 17 18
PROGRAM
START
DATE
*Meet and
Greet:
Storytellers
and
Coaches

19 20 21 22 23 24 25
Coaching Coaching STILL Coaching Coaching
Session 
 Session 
 SERVING Session 
 Session 

(2:20-3:20) (2:20-3:20) SESSION (2:20-3:20) (2:20-3:20)

Coaching
Session 

(2:20-3:20)

26 27 28 29 30 31
Coaching Coaching STILL Coaching Coaching
Session 
 Session 
 SERVING Session 
 Session 

(2:20-3:20) (2:20-3:20) SESSION (2:20-3:20) (2:20-3:20)

Coaching
Session 

(2:20-3:20)
 FEBRUARY 2020
SUN Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Coaching Coaching STILL Coaching Coaching
Session 
 Session 
 SERVING Session 
 Session 

(2:20-3:20) (2:20-3:20) SESSION (2:20-3:20) (2:20-3:20)

Coaching
Session 

(2:20-3:20)

9 10 11 12 13 14 15
Coaching Coaching STILL Coaching Coaching
Session 
 Session 
 SERVING Session 
 Session 

(2:20-3:20) (2:20-3:20) SESSION (2:20-3:20) (2:20-3:20)

Coaching
Session 

(2:20-3:20)

16 17 18 19 20 21 22
Event - Event - Event - Event - DAY OF
preparation preparation preparation preparation THE EVENT

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 Pontiac Coach Checklist

Week 1
Introduce yourself: Background in Pontiac, motivations for being a coach for this
program, how your experienced shaped you into the person that you are today.

Ice breaker: Prepare an ice-breaker activity which is centered around: making the
storyteller comfortable, and allows you to get an idea of who the storyteller is as a
person.

Food and Drink: Generally, it is easier for people to bond over food and drink. For
this session, you will be allotted $10 per storyteller to spend on food and drink
through a visa gift card. Be prepared to use this card to purchase snacks and a
beverage. Note, please avoid allergens such as nuts, dairy, eggs, and meat.

Listening session: Ask the storyteller to introduce themselves, and tell their story.
Prepare to be an open ear for the storyteller, remember that the point of this program
is to listen to the student, rather than having the student listen to you. Make no more
than inquiries while students are telling their story.

Week 2
Listening session: Ask the storyteller how their week has been so far. Follow up
with any details which the storyteller had disclosed to you during the previous week.

Model a Good Story: Open up to the student about how your week has been. Be
careful not to share too much information. Whatever you share, make sure it is
relevant to the student’s progress at creating a good story. (Model what a good story
sounds like through these moments)

Coaching session: At this point, you should begin your official coaching session.
Listen to the storyteller’s story, and begin asking questions about their stories (what
did this mean to you, how did this make you feel, etc.)

Week 3
Listening session: Ask the storyteller how their week has been so far. Follow up
with any details which the storyteller had disclosed to you during the previous week.

Model a Good Story: Open up to the student about how your week has been. Be
careful not to share too much information. Whatever you share, make sure it is
relevant to the student’s progress at creating a good story. (Model what a good story
sounds like through these moments)

Community Events: At this point of the program, we are trying to open up the
student’s mind to a global perspective. In order to do this, it is important for the
students to think critically about what is going on in the Pontiac community. Open up
to the student about a current event which is affecting the Pontiac community.(You
may also share with them a video, or an article relevant to the event.) Just explain
the event, and ask the student how the event makes them feel, and what solutions
should be implemented. Allow the students to think of a solution, and do not offer
any of your ideas. Support the students’ ideas, and make their suggestions valuable
(even if you disagree with their suggestions.)

Coaching Session: After discussing the community event, tie in your discussions
with the student’s story. Try to have the students connect that if their thoughts alone
are valuable, how important must the thoughts of a community (a gathering of many
people) be. In this session, you should really emphasize the meaning of human
value, and also the great value of a community.

Week 4

Listening session: Ask the storyteller how their week has been so far. Follow up
with any details which the storyteller had disclosed to you during the previous week.

Model a Good Story: Open up to the student about how your week has been. Be
careful not to share too much information. Whatever you share, make sure it is
relevant to the student’s progress at creating a good story. (Model what a good story
sounds like through these moments)

The Meaning of Justice: Ask the storyteller how they believe justice can be
served in an imperfect world. Listen to the student, and make inquiries if necessary.
Afterwards, provide a story which centers around the following moral: The moment
where there is silence, there is no justice.

Coaching Session: After discussing your prompt centering around justice, tie in
this story with the student’s story. Talk about how the student’s story is not merely a
story about their lives, but their decision to speak is what many revolutionary leaders
did as well: Speak for the sake of achieving justice. Frame their decision to speak in
a group not as a way to show face, but rather do what is just. Finally, tie in the
problems of mental health in the Pontiac high school community, and emphasize
how their speech is not only a speech, but a call for change.

Week 5
Listening session: Ask the storyteller how their week has been so far. Follow up
with any details which the storyteller had disclosed to you during the previous week.

Model a Good Story: Open up to the student about how your week has been. Be
careful not to share too much information. Whatever you share, make sure it is
relevant to the student’s progress at creating a good story. (Model what a good story
sounds like through these moments)

Final Coaching Session: After listening to the student’s speech, talk about the
student’s growth, and remind students about why they are doing this: To speak for
the need for mental health awareness in the Pontiac High School community.
Remind them the differences between a safe space and a brave space, namely that
though a safe space is what your sessions have been for the student, the real
change occurs in the brave space (the day of the event.) Take this time to encourage
the students, celebrate their growth and their accomplishments, and most of all, tell
them how much you are proud of them!
Week 1

Week 2
Week 3

Week 4
Week 5