“The JNP Project™ is my passion. My professional focus is building this powerful Brand—working to create the tools that unlock our inner-awesome superpowers (healthy self-esteem = character, courage, and confidence) !”
I am Me? I am Me. I am “Me!”
By Dona Rudderow Sturn
How do we define our own inner-self—our inner awesome—our ME (our true me from the inside out)?
What we think of ourselves is a combination of how we think others perceive us and how they really perceive us. With this in mind, what drives us to become “Me”, and when are we happy with who “Me” is?
This is an extremely important topic within our society today. Just take a look at the headlines – kids are clearly confused about their sense of self. We know there is a significant issue with kids’ healthy self-esteem, and that deficit carries into adulthood.
Research shows this to be true, and actions within our society prove it. Starting with me, let’s explore how one defines one’s inner-self…who they are.
I define Me as:
I am creative. I am an artist, designer, and creative director. I am moved by visuals and colors; I am moved by music and words. Together, all this movement is awesome, and the effects of colors, words and music together enlighten my being. This light of being is my inner awesome.
I am a mother, daughter, wife, aunt, cousin, friend and business woman—my life’s experiences, both happy and not so pleasant, have had a significant influence on my self-esteem.
From a very young age, my experiences compelled me to start a movement to strengthen how we feel about ourselves, our confidence and self-worth. I’m determined to “pay it forward” to kids and their parents. That’s why I created The JNP Project™, a self-esteem discovery movement for kids (and adults) to provide tools to foster a stronger sense of self in our children. I am excited and passionate about this movement, and absolutely driven to bring these interactive, colorful and educational tools to the world.
The foundation for the program is interactive eBooks with engaging characters with whom both boys and girls can connect. The words, music, colors and interaction instill strong values in our children—inspiring them to be truly awesome.
As a bonus, this interactive website is a portal to esteem tools for parents, educators and anyone else vested in nurturing self-confidence and self-esteem in today’s kids.
Each day I work on my own personal esteem, whether I’m interacting with family, friends or business associates. I’m creating my legacy as each day passes by respecting the virtues of truth, kindness and harmony within my life’s circle. I work hard to forgive. I love all others in my world, and they love me back. And with the grace of giving, I am compassionate. I am strong and determined to make a positive difference, for all kids, worldwide. I believe in my own character—I am Me—and believing in myself is positively awesome!
I AM. I CAN. I WILL. EMPOWERED.™
Work with us, and let’s get all boys and girls to feel good about being themselves, and in turn become strong tweens…strong teens…and strong adults—making a positive difference in all they do to make our world stronger.
My JNP Goal
I strive to develop, deliver and support the “good-things”– those that are the most positively enriching tools for parents to strengthen their children’s confidence and fruitful learning experiences for children to grow stronger with insightful characters and adventures that will stay with them for their lifetime. The JNP Project™ promotes healthy self-esteem through stories and products that are fun, educational, inspiring, and enriching. I am working to do something good, do it right, and through my efforts and The JNP Project™, make a positive difference for children!
Over the last several years, my team and I have developed, refined and market-tested The JNP Project™ brand; and now we are thrilled to bring it to you, in your homes, and classrooms! My passion and commitment to building this movement have already been powerfully rewarding and energizing. Our project will be ongoing, ever-developing what you want and need to inspire kids to become confident, empowered leaders!
I am a mother, businesswoman, and a communications veteran with over 25 years experience. I have known the joy of reading to my children, and the difficulties kids experience in gaining self-confidence. My background as an artist, graphic designer and brand communications specialist has provided me with an extraordinary set of skills to apply to The JNP Project™, of which I am very proud. I am grateful that I get to practice my passion each and every day while developing this project—I absolutely love doing this! I am extremely passionate and energized to help this movement to reach all children (and parents) in a positive way. We are building around empowerment, not entitlement. We want to share with parents the tools that empower children to do for themselves instead of expecting things to be done for them. The JNP Project™ is more than just fun stories and fantastic website amenities, more than interactive. stimulating illustrations, more than sounds and colors. It is the substance of our self-esteem messages that really bring meaning to this confidence-enhancing program and excites me at the prospect of empowering kids…positively!! I look forward to growing this movement and invite your help to continue the momentum!
I knew that I had to determine the relevance of The JNP Project™ for today’s children.
To do that, I organized a children’s focus group. Through an art program, I test-marketed to pre-k (4 and 5 year olds) and fourth graders (9 and 10 year olds) in eight, one-hour focus groups. After reading to the children the original Jane NOT Plain® story, I presented an art lesson in watercolors and paper sculpture related to the story and the message of gaining self-esteem. It was an engaging experience.
Let me share with you one example of the program’s impact: I had been alerted by the teacher and administrator that a five year old “rambunctious child” would be in the class, and I was cautioned that it might be necessary to remove him from the class in order to keep the other children on task for the lesson.
My experience was quite the opposite. As the “rambunctious ” boy connected with the story and the characters, he produced the most incredible art relating to the lesson, the best of all the children. He clung to me, was a pleasure to be with, and at the end (as I had all the plush toys, small and life-sized, with me to illustrate the story), he tugged on my sleeve, and pointed to the toys. He was happy, excited and engaged with the story book, and asked, “Can you please tell me where my Mommy can buy this for me?” It was at that moment that I realized this product model had exceptional potential to alter children’s lives and enrich their lives in positive ways and on multiple levels, while also being a revenue-generating vehicle. I decided to commit my time, savings and passion, to bring this wonderfully positive, enriching project to you.
I hope you and your children enjoy these materials as much as those with whom I originally shared them. It is empowering.
Moving forward: My passion and commitment focus on building this movement to enrich children’s learning experiences and enhance their self-esteem. The project is powerfully rewarding and energizing. My next goal is to continue to develop the interactive eBook series, and then roll that into interactive APPs for kids to enjoy.
I AM. I CAN. I WILL. EMPOWERED.™
THE WORLD NEEDS YOU! OWN IT. ™
I am Me? I am Me. I am “Me!”
By Dona Rudderow Sturn
How do we define our own inner-self—our ME?
What we think of ourselves is a combination of how we think others perceive us and how they really perceive us. With this in mind, what drives us to become “Me”, and when are we happy with who “Me” is?
This is an extremely important topic within our society today. Just take a look at the headlines – kids are clearly confused about their sense of self. We know there is a significant issue with kids’ esteem, and that deficit carries into adulthood.
Research shows this to be true, and actions within our society prove it. Starting with me, let’s explore how one defines one’s inner-self…who they are.
I define Me as:
I am creative. I am an artist, designer, and creative director. I am moved by visuals and colors; I am moved by music and words. Together, all this movement is awesome, and the effects of colors, words and music together enlighten my being. This light of being is my inner awesome.
I am a mother, daughter, wife, aunt, cousin, friend and business woman—my life’s experiences, both happy and not so pleasant, have had a significant influence on my self-esteem.
From a very young age, my experiences compelled me to start a movement to strengthen how we feel about ourselves, our confidence and self-worth. I’m determined to “pay it forward” to kids and their parents. That’s why I created The JNP Project™, a self-esteem discovery movement for kids (and adults) to provide tools to foster a stronger sense of self in our children. I am excited and passionate about this movement, and absolutely driven to bring these interactive, colorful and educational tools to the world.
The foundation for the program is interactive eBooks with engaging characters with whom both boys and girls can connect. The words, music, colors and interaction instill strong values in our children—inspiring them to be truly awesome.
As a bonus, this interactive website is a portal to esteem tools for parents, educators and anyone else vested in nurturing self-confidence and self-esteem in today’s kids.
Each day I work on my own personal esteem, whether I’m interacting with family, friends or business associates. I’m creating my legacy as each day passes by respecting the virtues of truth, kindness and harmony within my life’s circle. I work hard to forgive. I love all others in my world, and they love me back. And with the grace of giving, I am compassionate. I am strong and determined to make a positive difference, for all kids, worldwide. I believe in my own character—I am Me—and believing in myself is positively awesome!
Work with us, and let’s get all boys and girls to feel good about being themselves, and in turn become strong tweens…strong teens…and strong adults—making a positive difference in all they do to make our world stronger.
Let’s tell them as a community – The World Needs You! Own It.™
My biography as it pertains to The World of Jane NOT Plain™
To understand my commitment to The JNP Project™, you need to know something about my life.
Born in Camden, NJ, and raised close by in South Jersey (not a community noted for encouraging a strong sense of self). I am an only child, reared by two loving parents, in a neighborhood of lower-middle income families.
As a young child, I was skinny, leggy and petite for my age– shy and timid—characteristics that made me insecure about myself; and, like many of us, I was not as strong in character as I could have been (and would liked to have been) growing up. Through the year positive reinforcement from adults in my art classes helped me to overcome shyness and stand up for myself just the way “I was.” I learned early that I needed to be strong in character and self in order to be successful. I admired professional women in business even as a young girl.
I vividly remember my favorite toy, Barbie, an “anatomically incorrect” doll, not the best role model for a young girl to emulate; but that was all I had. There were few toys then designed to enhance self-esteem, and there aren’t many now either.
As I grew up, I developed confidence—for the most part. Educated in the New Jersey public school system from third grade through high school, I came to understand that education was my portal to all things better “Knowledge is power,” my parents would say. ”Study; do what you like, and like want you do. Do it right.” And, I did have an opportunity to develop my creativity. I can remember back to two or three years old, drawing with crayons under my Mom’s coffee table. Fortunately, I had opportunities for mentored education through the years: I attended St. Mary’s school from pre-K through second grade. That art experience drove my desire to be tutored in the fine arts for several years during my teens, in a barn (literally), in Haddonfield, NJ. The art class and the mentoring encouraged my creative nature. Those early education experiences are fundamental to my philosophy of learning. Education in the arts, under the guidance of wise mentors, altered my life and professional career path. I took the creative road to further my education and pursue my profession.
My childhood experiences gave me the inspiration, the concept for Jane NOT Plain® in 2001. My first-hand experiences informed my understanding of the esteem struggles children still face in our culture. I spent four years developing the initial brand, the initial characters, and the marketing path that would begin to hit a target market — the correct demographic — and reach children in need of books and toys that enhance their self-esteem. The JNP Project™ was headed in a positive direction; even headlining in the Wall Street Journal in 2004. The article noted, “Today there is a wealth of choice for toy-shopping parents—we can offer our children the Jane NOT Plain® confidence enhancing dolls, and the extravagantly trashy Barbie that we ourselves once worshipped.” Positive for JNP, but not so much for my only childhood roll-model, Barbie.
All life’s challenges have given me yet another level of self-esteem, gratitude, and appreciation for life’s purpose. Through JNP, I can share my hard-won insights with children. I am striving to get this fantastic esteem model to market through interactive eBooks, iBook’s and more… so the story continues… let’s build the movement together. More than a Village, it takes a cultural revolution to change a child’s sense of self.
Please, support JNP. Make JNP a little part of this cultural movement. Do something good. Do it right. Let’s make a positive difference, together.
PS. Please FOLLOW and LIKE us on social media @JNPinnerAWESOME
You can check out our pages on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube to follow the creative process—help us get noticed and keep the Movement moving!!
Thank you.
