Paradigm Shift

Paradigm – “The view or perspective of how you see things.”

What is, “Paradigm shift”?   Paradigm Shift, is the “Official” posting site for N.O.V.A. Principles Instructors, Students, or anyone who has had dealings with the N.O.V.A. Principles program.  The purpose of, “Paradigm Shift”, is to be an uplifting and enlightening, “Experience Sharing” or “Comment Posting” facility where you can share the incredible experiences that you have encountered because of N.O.V.A..

Please understand that if you submit a post it will be previewed first before it is posted.  This is done to ensure that the material is appropriate and fits within the guidelines of this sites purpose.

We welcome everyone to this site and hope that you enjoy the stories and comments posted herein.  Who knows, you may even have your own, “Paradigm Shift” because of it!

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June 2009 – KaCee, a 6th grade student in Utah wrote, “… N.O.V.A. is like the talk many kids never get from their parents, but is the one that will help them most in life… N.O.V.A. is good because I may have talked with my parents about the same stuff N.O.V.A. teaches, but kids with an unsupportive family probably never talk about this stuff.”

June 2009 -Parker, a 6th grade student in Utah wrote, “NOVA has helped me in many ways.  My grades are higher than before.  NOVA has also helped all my brothers and sisters.  My Two sisters liked it so much that they hung their NOVA shirts on the NOVA wall in my house.  So if I graduate, my shirt will be on that wall too.”

June 2009 – Nick, a 6th grade student in Utah wrote, “…Another thing we learned is how to be and always to be a NOVA lone wolf.  This means when your friends decide to do something wrong to tell them no, and to walk away.  I think this was one of the most important things we learned, because being a NOVA lone wolf can really affect the course of someone’s life.”

June 2009 – Ethan, a 6th grade student in Utah wrote, “In N.O.V.A. I have had a great chance to be able to know the right path to follow.  I have learned so many things and they have had a great influence on me, and I’m sure other students as well.  In my opinion N.O.V.A. is the best educational program that the school has to offer.”

June 2009 – Karelle, a 6th grade student in Utah wrote, “I was so inspired for what I was able to learn for what things were right and what things were wrong.  I’m glad that I was able to participate in something so incredible… I’m glad that I was able to learn stuff like, “Study the Situation”…  On difficult decisions I would think, “Should I be doing this?” or “Is this right?”

June 2009 – Zachary, a 6th grade student in Utah wrote, “With all our lessons, I learned that there is only one way to get to my path of excellence.  And that is making right choices… That is the best thing about N.O.V.A., it teaches you great values and it makes sense.”

June 2009 – Brianna, a 6th grade student in Utah wrote, “The N.O.V.A. program has helped me a lot.  I haven’t fought with my sisters a lot as much as I use to…”

June 2009 – Sandra, a 6th grade student in Utah wrote, “…I would hear lots of Rap and Hip Hop music, some of the songs had lots of swear words.  Now I hear only good music.  I swear a lot, now I don’t as much.”

June 2009 – Keysha, a 6th grade student in Utah wrote, “N.O.V.A. has really taught me a lot and I really do plan on using the N.O.V.A. principles for the rest of my life.”

June 2009 – Brenda, a 6th grade student in Utah wrote, “N.O.V.A. has helped me by teaching me to value myself and to avoid what is wrong, to make good choices and to think before making choices, and to do what’s right and to not do what’s wrong.  And to control my anger and stay on Stage 3, that means to forgive someone who makes wrong choices, do the right things for right reasons, is responsible and disciplined.  To be honest, trustworthiness, do the best, being positive, and to accept responsibilities for my actions.”

June 2009 – Amber, a 6th grade student in Utah wrote, “One of my favorite lessons is “True Colors”.  What I learned in that lesson was to be a NOVA Lone Wolf… choose good friends, stand up for things I know are right.  Most important, what’s wrong doesn’t become right just because everyone is doing it, and what’s right doesn’t become wrong just because no one is doing it.”

June 2009 – Jonas, a 6th grade student in Utah wrote, “When I go on a road trip with my family I have to make a road map to get to my desired destination.  My life is like a road trip.  I have to make a road map to get to my destination in life.  The N.O.V.A. program has help lead me to the path of excellence.  It’s helped me to STS (study the situation) when I make a choice or decision.  I want to be a hero in my life, to be a person others look up to like my brother, sister, and friends.  Another person I want to be is a lone wolf.  A lone wolf is a person who has the courage to say no to his friends when they ask you to participate in something that isn’t right.”

June 2009 – Cassidy, a 6th grade student in Utah wrote, “I have learned many things from N.O.V.A. like how to deal with gangs, how harmful drugs really are, and how to take advantage of opportunities.  N.O.V.A. helps children know how to handle peer pressure, how to get out of bad situations, and some of the secrets of life.  The fun games really helped me learn about what life is like.  I admit that I was a little snotty and stuck up when I started N.O.V.A. but now that I’m pretty much at the end of it, I realized how much it has helped me, and how it has helped influenced some of my decisions so far in life… I can use that knowledge that I have obtained as power for the future.”

June 2009 – Sharon, a 6th grade student in Utah wrote, “After being in N.O.V.A. I have seen that there are a lot of things I need to work on.  I thank N.O.V.A. because they opened my eyes so I can actually to on my own path to excellence.  When the class was talking about the Windows of Opportunities, I learned that opportunities are always around us…  Now I am going to take advantage of every good opportunity that comes my way so I can become more successful in life.”

June 2009 – Miguel, a 6th grade student in Utah wrote, “It is all about the choices you make in your life no one is controlling you.  You can steer your car of life.  It all just comes back to your choice not anybody elses.  This NOVA Program can change your life, it has for me.”

June 2009 – Brooklyn, a 6th grade student in Utah wrote, “I will follow the path to excellence, because I know how to control my life in good positive ways from N.O.V.A.!  You do not need to worry a bit about me in my future!  I know all I need to know for a successful future from N.O.V.A.!  I will keep my standards high to become a great leader!”

June 2009 – Ryan, a 6th grade student in Utah wrote, “N.O.V.A. is a powerful tool that will help me be successful in my life… Everyone should know the things we were taught.  N.O.V.A. is an amazing program… N.O.V.A. has helped to get me started on my path to excellence, and by continuing to work hard, I’m sure I will get there someday.”

June 2009 – Brock, a 6th grade student in Utah wrote, “N.O.V.A. has been a great experience.  Its taught me how to live my life in a good and positive way.”

June 2009 – Marissa, a 6th grade student in Utah wrote, “One of the things I promise to do is to keep the N.O.V.A. principles and to keep my standards high.  N.O.V.A. has really changed the way I look at life.”

June 2009 - John, a 6th grade student in Utah wrote, “The nova program alone is a opportunity of a life time.  Because it teaches you what you need to know all throughout your life.  And they put it in a fun, and understandable way.   And parents love the program too because it teaches kids what parents want them to learn.”

June 2009 - Quinton, a 6th grade student in Utah wrote, “The N.O.V.A. program is really awesome and I’ve learned a lot of new things that can really help me throughout my life… To keep myself on the path of excellence I will always apply the N.O.V.A. Principles to my everyday life.”

June 2009 - Abby, a 6th grade student in Utah wrote, “I really want to express my gratitude to my NOVA officer for teaching me all of these valuable lessons that I will use for the rest of my life.  Some of my favorite lessons were:  about the gangs, maturity levels, drugs are harmful, media, and more.  I will for sure use these lessons later in life because I have been taught them and I know better than to accept bad things into my body and doing harmful things.  I truly can follow my path to excellence and I can pursue my dreams.  Opportunities are truly something that I can’t pass up in life.”

June 2009 – Jackie, a 6th grade student in Utah wrote, “N.O.V.A. has helped me understand things that I have not noticed before.  Like S.T.S. (Study the Situation).  I’ve never been more careful of what I do.  After the lesson with True Colors, I thought before I acted.”

June 2009 - Samantha, a 6th grade student in Utah wrote, “The N.O.V.A. Program helped me in so many ways!  Before I wasn’t taking advantage of all the opportunities that the world had in store for me.  I will now, and forever more, do all that I can do.

June 2009 – Hannah, a 6th grade student in Utah wrote, “The NOVA Program has helped me in my life by helping me deal with teasing because my brother used to drive me crazy!!!  He got control of my brain key, that’s how he did it.  This I learned that if you say “Thank you” then “So!”  They don’t know what else to say.  Then I finally got my brain key back from my brother!  Now I am really happy!!!

May 2009 – Harris, a 6th grade student in Utah wrote, “One of the things that stood out to me was including everyone.  I play football at recess and since the lesson on letting everyone play, everyone has been playing… Some opportunities to be successful for me and for others is to make good goals like in school-work get all A’s and pay attention.  And think about the future, I myself want to be a professional baseball play.  If I practice hard and stay healthy some day I could be one.  My point is N.O.V.A. has helped me map the way of my future and how to keep it good.”

May 2009 - Jessica, a 6th grade student in Utah wrote, “I think there is a hero in everyone, we just need to find it.”

May 2009 – Shelbey, a 6th grade student in Utah wrote, “N.O.V.A. helped me with a lot of things, like the anger management.  I am so glad that we did that because I usually hit my pillows when I’m mad, but whenever that happens, I notice how it wasn’t calming me down.  So I turn on my music.  I usually listen to Josh Groban or Yanni, and I notice how I seem to calm down a lot.”

May 2009 - Carter, a 6th grade student in Utah wrote, “The N.O.V.A> program helped me because I have not been myself.  I have tried to be a different person than I really am.  I have had a lot of things to go through in my life and it has been nothing but Chaos.  My Mother and Father, a couple of years ago went through the drug phase… I have learned valuable lessons from N.O.V.A…. All of the things I have learned in N.O.V.A. I want to take advantage of.  Before I came into this N.O.V.A. class program, I wasn’t thinking about my future.  I was thinking I’m not going to college, I’m a failure, and no one wouldn’t except me.  That was me not being me.  I have learned this class is a great arm’s open wide opportunity for me to take advantage of.”

May 2009 - Alex, a 6th grade student in Utah wrote, “N.O.V.A. has helped me toward a Path of Excellence because of all the things we learned… Some experiences that N.O.V.A. has helped me handle are ones where I’ve seen and heard a lot of swearing and flipping off.  It seems too normal.  Just like in one of the lessons, “Garbage In, Garbage Out”, what people put into their mind is what they get out of life.  I used to ignore it then it got to the point where I almost started doing it.  Then I got to the point when I did it.  I realized it wasn’t the right thing to do and I didn’t like the way it made myself… The biggest goal is not to do harmful things to others.  If I follow the lessons I’ve learned I will achieve my path to excellence.”

May 2009 - Tristen, a 6th grade student in Utah wrote, “The fact that I am in N.O.V.A. means so much to me, because there are so many kids in schools around the world that have similar programs, and I say that N.O.V.A. is the best program.  And I say that because I have personally been in other programs similar to N.O.V.A. and it has taught me a whole lot more.  Thank you N.O.V.A. for helping me and my life to make it a better one so I can live better than I would have before I had N.O.V.A..”

May 2009 - Vanessa, a 6th grade student in Utah wrote, “The N.O.V.A. program has helped me in so many ways, but one’s that are the most important are to do the right and that it’s okay to be the Lone Wolf, and before you ever do anything or say something you should STS, study the situation, because if you don’t you might regret it.”

May 2009 - Bridger, a 6th grade student in Utah wrote, “Have you ever wondered how to get to your path of excellence?  How to be the best you can be?  Well, I know of one way, which is taking the N.O.V.A. program. The N.O.V.A. program helped me to realize the opportunities I want to take advantage in life.  They also helped me learn what things to avoid.  Stick with N.O.V.A. and you’ll never get lost in life.”

May 2009 - Matthew, a 6th grade student in Utah wrote, “When I come home from school on Tuesdays, I always liked to share with my family what we did in NOVA that day and the lesson we learned.  We had a lot of good family discussions and my parents talked to me about how they felt about the lessons.  It made it easy for my parents to talk to me about things they hadn’t talked to me about.”

April 2009 – Shad, a 6th grade student in Utah, happened to meet his N.O.V.A. Instructor 4 months after being taught N.O.V.A..  The first thing Shad did when he saw his Instructor was to go up and tell him enthusiastically, “I stopped listening to Heavy Metal!”.  Shad’s Instructor was quite impressed by this declaration, and congratulated Shad on his accomplishment.  Several minutes later, it hit Shad’s Instructor that this “Paradigm Shift” Shad had meant a lot to Shad and was something Shad decided to “Change” in his life to help him get to his path of excellence.

April 2009 – Ms. Robinson, a 6th grade teacher in Utah, met the N.O.V.A. Instructor who had recently finished teaching N.O.V.A. to her students.  When this Instructor asked her how things were going, she related an incident she had with several students who got into trouble.  She said that as she was discussing the problem with these students, she told them to remember “True Colors” (one of the N.O.V.A. Principles), and continued by mentioning to the students that just because everyone else is doing something wrong, that doesn’t make it right, in other words, ”What’s right is right, and what’s wrong is wrong!”   She then told this Instructor, “The [N.O.V.A.] legacy lives on!”

March 2009 - Mrs. Miller, a Grandmother of a N.O.V.A. student in Utah, expresses her appreciation to her grandson’s N.O.V.A. Officer.  Mrs. Miller said that her grandson has been having a very difficult time in school and doesn’t like to attend because of being bullied, harassed and not being included at recess.   She stated that on March 11, 2009, her grandsons N.O.V.A. Officer gave a lesson about being nice to everyone and including everyone when playing.   Mrs Miller picked up her grandson from school that day and said that he was so happy!  She said that because of the N.O.V.A. lesson, other children in his class had been nice to him and included him at recess time.   Mrs. Miller was near tears when expressing her gratitude to this N.O.V.A. officer and couldn’t believe the change in her grandsons attitude.   Mrs. Miller wanted the N.O.V.A. officer to realize that this lesson made a difference in the life of her grandson.

January 2009 - Teirza, a 6th grade student in Utah, thanked her N.O.V.A. officer by saying, “I cannot fully express my gratitude your lessons told me how to do many things.  I can now be successful in what I do.  I especially appreciate your lesson on self-esteem.”

December 2008 – Claire, a 6th grade N.O.V.A. student in Utah, stated, “I value my education because it gives me knowledge, which gives me potential power and if I use it correctly I believe I can make the world a better place if I choose to use my knowledge constructively.  This N.O.V.A. program has helped to lead me to my path of excellence in extraordinary ways.  It has taught me so much about who I have been in the past and who I want to be.  Without this program I would not have learned many valuable things that I have wanted to know…  My thoughts have changed to more positive ways of thinking and made me more aware of how I influence others.  I plan on following my N.O.V.A. road map, and because it is not just a good plan for staying off drugs, it is an excellent plan for a happy life in general.”

December 2008 – Midori, a 6th grade N.O.V.A. student in Utah, stated, “You’re the only one driving your life, turning it the direction you want.  It’s your fault if you make wrong decisions, never anybody else’s.  You decide if you want to turn right or left, wrong or right, either way it’s still your decision.”

December 2008 – Kayla, a 6th grade N.O.V.A. student in Utah, stated, “The N.O.V.A. program has helped me so much.  I know now that I can be smart and be safe or be dumb and be hurt.  I also find myself reading more and going outside more often than sitting in front of the T.V. all day.”

November 2008 -  Megan, a 6th grade N.O.V.A. student in Utah, related a story about how N.O.V.A. helped her deal with a bully.  She said that of the many things that N.O.V.A. taught her, the lesson on how to deal with bullies helped her a lot and, “Saved my life”.  Megan said that before taking N.O.V.A. she didn’t know what to do about a bully that was constantly picking on her and being, “Mean” to her.   She said that N.O.V.A. taught her not to hide in a corner all day being afraid, but to stand tall, look confident, and don’t appear weak and timid.  Megan said that the bully respects her now and that she can deal with this bully, even though he can still mean to her from time to time.

September 2008 – My name is Deputy Damian Openshaw and I work for the Cache County Sheriff’s Office in Utah. For the past 3 years, I have been teaching drug awareness lessons to students in Elementary and Middle School.

This past summer, Deputy Brandon Douglas and I became Certified N.O.V.A. Principles Instructors. We really like this program and our Agency decided to pilot it in several schools to see how it would be accepted. Our plan was to teach N.O.V.A. at 2 schools, and to continue teaching the previously taught program at the other 8 schools.

As I met the teachers of the non-pilot schools, some of them had already heard about the N.O.V.A. program from teachers from the Logan School District. They said that the Logan teachers that had N.O.V.A. loved it, and that because of this they wanted N.O.V.A. in their schools as well. In fact, they wanted to know why we couldn’t teach N.O.V.A. at their school.

I explained to them our original plan to pilot N.O.V.A. in just 2 schools, but that I would see what could be done. I made a few phone calls, and after speaking with my Lieutenant, the decision was made to teach N.O.V.A. at all 10 schools because that’s what the teachers wanted. I was excited about this chain of events because now I don’t have to teach two different programs, and I know the kids are going to benefit from the N.O.V.A. program a lot more.

Posted by:  Charlie Wakamatsu, Founder of N.O.V.A. Principles LC – July 30, 2008

Having had a hand in creating the N.O.V.A. Principles program, and having taught N.O.V.A. for the past 5 years, I have been so fortunate to have encountered hundreds of wonderful positive experiences that I will never forget.

My business associate, and Co-Founder of N.O.V.A. Principles LC, Dr. Paul Jenkins, or, “Dr. Paul” as he is known, deserves the lion’s share of the credit for this, for if it wasn’t for Dr. Paul’s contribution to the N.O.V.A. program, N.O.V.A. would just be another good program, instead of the GREAT program that it has become.

I would also like to thank every N.O.V.A. Instructor for your desire, dedication, commitment, and hard work for making N.O.V.A. Principles what it is today, and for what it will become tomorrow.  It is all because of you!  All of the positive messages you are teaching to the thousands of students who participate in N.O.V.A. have such a positive effect on them, as well as their family, friends, and everyone that they come in contact with.  However, all this does not overshadow the positive effects it has on you, your family, friends, and everyone that you come in contact with as well.  All of this is truly causing a wonderful, “Paradigm Shift” for good!

Comments from students I have taught such as, “This lesson has changed my life forever!”, and, ” I used to argue and fight with my brother all the time, but now since I’ve had N.O.V.A., I don’t any more.”  are permanently embedded in my heart.  The comments I receive from parents about how N.O.V.A. has helped their son, or daughter also inspire me and uplift me as well.

N.O.V.A. has, “Illuminated my path to excellence” !