Recognition Leads to Hope
By Randy Odom We had over 450 youth participate in CoreFire Rescue Training events. Many of our youth leaders commented on how some of the kids came out of their shells and did things they didn’t think they could or would do. Our kids were so surprised to see themselves in the CoreFire Trading Card game. That was one the highlights for many of the youth. It’s a really cool idea and the kids never expected to have their own face on a card they used in the game.
Having your own personized trading card, with your photo and stats, is exciting for youth. For the youth who are living in poverty or in under resourced situations it is really uplifting because, unfortunately, they typically don’t receive positive encouragement. Our youth love playing the card game, but I believe the real benefit will be in the next phase because it will encourage effort even when they are not playing. The game is connected to the CoreFire App so parents, coaches, teachers can access it on a mobile device and record when the youth spend time training.
Time spent training increases the youth’s scores on their card, thus making them more valuable in the game. The kid who is always picked last when choosing sides on the playground, or the youth who never seems to get a high test score, can now be measured by effort. The game is designed to reward discipline. Sometimes, all it takes is a little recognition to give a student hope for their future.
