Dajana Begolli: 8-Week Guide 1 (Weeks 1 to 8)

VOICE UP

PERSONALIZED 8-WEEK PLANNING & READINESS GUIDE

Improving Children's Health, Early Development, and Overall Well-Being

Public Health-Aligned Edition: CEPH 2021 Foundational Competencies

We connect people to purpose. One conversation at a time.

https://voiceuplab.org/

COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Copyright 2026 Voice Up Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved. This personalized planning guide and all its contents are the proprietary property of Voice Up Publishing, Inc. It is prepared exclusively for the named student and may not be reproduced or distributed without written permission.

START HERE: ACTIVITIES ACROSS THE THREE PLATFORMS

Your Voice Up work happens across three platforms: voiceuplearning.com, voiceuplearning.life, and voiceuplab.org. This section lists the different types of activities you can complete on each one. Everything counts when it is documented on the platform. If it is not documented on the platform, it did not happen.

Required viewing at the beginning: watch both of these videos before you start the Week 1 work.

Video 1: Voice Up Student Introduction: The Eight Activities That Count. This video goes over all the different areas you can complete on and across the three platforms. Watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60YgUdhHnkY

Video 2: How to Complete Your Weekly Log. This video shows exactly how to fill out and complete your weekly log. Watch it here: https://youtu.be/uVOWI_4KrKY

On voiceuplab.org (Voice Up Lab)

• Meeting Attendance. Come to the required meetings. Your attendance is tracked and recorded automatically on the platform.
• Learning Modules. Work the learning modules here, including the trilogy modules and the video library modules.
• Video Library. Watch the interview videos in the video library.
• 7-Day Sprint Activities. Complete the 7-day Sprint that goes with each library video.
• The Trilogies. Read and work through the trilogies and their modules on this site.
• Case Studies on Voice Up Lab. Work the Lab case study walkthroughs and write your responses.
• Weekly Log. Submit your weekly log in the Intern Hour Logs, with 2 to 3 specific sentences for each day and your weekly reflection.
• Hours Logs. Log every hour in the Intern Hour Logs on this site.
• Special Projects. Work on special projects assigned or requested. They tie directly to your guide and the areas you chose. If you are stuck, ask through the help desk on this site.

On voiceuplearning.com (Voice Up Learning)

• Case Studies on Voice Up Learning. Work the scenario case studies and answer the reflection questions.
• Learning Library. This site also holds a library of its own learning modules, alongside its case studies.

On voiceuplearning.life (the Learning Site)

• Minutes Reflections. After each meeting, write your minutes reflection here: what was covered, and what it means for your work.
• Your Guide and Dashboard. Your personalized 8-week guide and your dashboard live on this site.

On Base44 (your own app)

• Base44 Planning and Creation. Plan and build your own site or app by talking directly to AI. This is where your weekly Base44 development block happens. Week 1 of this guide walks you through getting access.

Note: the Base44, video library, lifeline, and weekly log hours are part of the weekly total, within the 6 to 10 hour week.

START HERE: THE FIVE PRINCIPLES OF VOICE UP

Before anything else in this guide, start here. Voice Up runs on five principles. They guide every meeting, every project, and every week of this guide.

• Collaboration: all are welcome.
• Humility: we all have much to learn.
• Precision: all the details matter.
• Patience: we all need forgiveness; we all make mistakes and learn from each.
• Empathy: we must understand your why.

This is how Voice Up has achieved what it has to date.

Why these principles matter in an AI economy:

AI tools can now do many tasks. They can write, sort, plan, and answer questions fast. What they cannot do is care about people.

The people who succeed in this economy are the ones who work well with others, keep learning, get the details right, stay patient when things go wrong, and take time to understand people. That is exactly what these five principles teach.

These principles are how a person stands out. They are how a person earns trust. And trust is what leads to real work, real responsibility, and real pay.

One expectation matters most:

In today's economy, one of the most important expectations is how well a person reads and follows the exact directions provided. This is not a small thing. It can literally be the difference between doubling your earning potential and not being successful.

This guide runs on exact directions. Every week has required blocks, clear deliverables, and a weekly log. Following them exactly, from Week 1, is part of the work itself.

So read each direction before you start. Follow it as written. Then check your work against it before you turn it in.

THE TRILOGIES: WHY THEY MATTER

In these guides, a trilogy is three connected parts of one story or theme. Your anchor trilogy is Miracle Has a Monster: Theme 1. You return to it across the weeks, so each part adds to what came before.

The trilogy is the anchor for this guide. Each week's work connects back to it. That repeated return lets you see one theme from several angles instead of meeting it once and moving on.

Real change is seen over time and in parts. A trilogy shows that pattern. Place your own lifeline and fire statement next to the trilogy's story as you read and work. At the end, your portfolio draws on all three parts and on the way your own purpose grew beside them.

ONE SET OF RULES, EVERYWHERE

The same rules that apply in this guide apply on every Voice Up platform you use: voiceuplab.org, voiceuplearning.com, voiceuplearning.life, and Base44.

The required blocks, the deadlines, the logging, and the exact directions do not change from platform to platform. Follow the same directions in the same way everywhere.

Precision. All the details matter.

INTRODUCTION TO BASE44: A NEW SKILL FOR THE AI ECONOMY

REQUIRED FIRST STEP: When you begin the Base44 section of this guide, your first step is to submit an email to info@ellingtonbooks.com requesting access to the VoiceUp Base44 platform. This is an important and required step. Your Base44 work cannot begin until your access is in place, so send this email first, before you start the Week 1 Base44 block.

This work is designed on purpose to develop a new type of skill, one that is exceptionally valuable in the AI economy. The skill is learning how to talk directly to AI in specific ways. You learn to take the ideas in your head and explain them so clearly and in such detail that the AI can turn them into a real tool that other people can use. That is the heart of the Base44 work: you are not just using technology, you are learning to direct it.

Be patient with yourself in this process. Talking directly to AI in this specific way takes a while to learn. It is a skill you build step by step, week by week, through practice, clear words, and revision.

The reward for learning it is real. This skill has unmatched earning potential. It holds its value regardless of the field you eventually decide to pursue, and across multiple fields if you decide to pursue more than one, because every field now needs people who can turn their ideas into real tools that others can use.

STUDENT INFORMATION

Name: Dajana Begolli

Email: [Student Email] (school)

Emergency Contact Name: [Emergency Contact Name]

Emergency Contact Phone: [Emergency Contact Phone]

College / University: Georgia State University

Program: Voice Up: Purpose, Planning & Readiness Pathway

Phase: Planning (Pre-Execution)

Selected Pathway: Purpose Builder (6 to 10 Hours / Week)

Selected Anchor Trilogy: Miracle Has a Monster: Theme 1

Competency Track: Public Health: CEPH 2021 Foundational Competencies (MPH)

Assigned Mentor: Voice Up Mentor

Community Focus: Families, Youth, Teens, Parents

A NOTE BEFORE YOU BEGIN: THIS GUIDE IS A LIVING DOCUMENT

This guide is a starting point, not a fixed path. As you move through the 8 weeks, you will encounter new information, new people, and new questions. That is the point.

Each week includes a Trilogy Connection box tied to Miracle Has a Monster, a Public Health Alignment box tied to the CEPH foundational competencies, reflection questions for your weekly log, and three hard coded required blocks that appear in every week of every Voice Up guide:

• BASE44 SITE DEVELOPMENT: the first steps are exploring. You learn all that the Base44 platform can do, then explore how it connects directly to your lifeline and your fire statement as you build your own project site week by week. Every week you post the live link and a build note in your weekly log, and your build note states how that week's Base44 work connects to your lifeline and your fire statement.
• LIFELINE: you write, revise, and review your lifeline, the short statement of your purpose in your own words, with formal revisions at Weeks 4 and 7 and a final review at Week 8.
• VIDEO LIBRARY + 7-DAY SPRINT: one assigned interview module and its 7-day sprint every week. You complete three separate module reviews at a minimum every week: the assigned module plus at least two more modules you choose from the library, and there are plenty to choose from. Your weekly log lists each module by title with your review and one takeaway from each, plus a short sprint reflection.

The goal is never compliance with a document. The goal is growth, connection, and purpose. This guide exists to serve that goal, and to serve you.

REQUIRED: STUDENT HANDBOOK & FOUNDER MEETING

BEFORE YOU BEGIN THIS 8-WEEK GUIDE, TWO STEPS ARE REQUIRED:

Step 1: Read and Complete the Voice Up Student Handbook: https://voiceuplab.org/StudentHandbook

Step 2: Schedule Your Founder Meeting with Art Fuller: https://calendly.com/ellingtonbooks-info

These two steps must be done before you begin Week 1. They are not optional. They are the gateway into the Voice Up 8-week journey.

OFFICIAL PROGRAM LINKS

1. Student Handbook (REQUIRED): https://voiceuplab.org/StudentHandbook
2. Schedule Founder Meeting (REQUIRED): https://calendly.com/ellingtonbooks-info
3. Submit References (REQUIRED BEFORE WEEK 2): https://voiceuplab.org/references
4. Join Saturday Meetings (1:30 PM or 9:30 PM Eastern): https://voiceuphub.com/
5. Voice Up Main Site: https://voiceuplab.org/
6. Competency Alignment & Standards: https://voiceuplab.org/CompetencyAlignment
7. Explore Video Modules: https://voiceuplab.org/ExploreVideoModules
8. Weekly Intern Hour Logs: https://voiceuplab.org/InternHourLogs
9. Submit Your Questions: https://voiceuplab.org/SubmitYourQuestions
10. Miracle Has a Monster Trilogy Page: https://voiceuplab.org/MiracleHasAMonsterTrilogyPage
11. Anonymous Student Feedback (End of Week 4 & Week 8): https://voiceuplab.org/StudentFeedback
12. Participation Waiver: https://voiceuplab.org/ParticipationWaiver
13. Support / Contact: info@voiceup.life

WHY THIS PLANNING GUIDE EXISTS

This section is personalized for the student from their planning entry, in their own words. Every element below reflects what the student told us about their cause, their goals, and how they work.

Your Fire:

"The cause I am committed to working on is improving children's health, early development, and overall well-being. I want to help children ages 3 to 14 build confidence, develop healthy relationships, and feel supported in their learning environments. I believe children should be active participants in their learning and development, and I want to contribute to projects that create positive, lasting benefits for their growth and future success."

Why This Cause Matters to You:

"This cause is important to me because I believe the early years of a child's life play a big role in their future health, learning, and development. Every child deserves the opportunity to grow, learn, and feel supported in their environment. I want to help children build confidence, develop healthy habits, and feel that they belong, both at school and in their communities. I believe that supporting children early in life can help prevent future challenges and give them a stronger foundation for success."

Your Community Focus:

Families, Youth, Teens, Parents

What You Will Accomplish in the Next 3 to 4 Months:

"Within the next 3 to 4 months, I would like to learn more about how to support children's health, emotional well-being, and development at an early age. I want to explore practical ways to help children build confidence, feel included in their school environments, and develop healthy habits. I also hope to contribute to projects that help children learn and grow while gaining a better understanding of how schools, families, and communities can work together to support their long-term well-being."

Your Vision of Success:

"Success would mean knowing that I have helped make a positive difference in children's lives, even in a small way. I would like to contribute to projects that help children feel supported, included, and confident in their ability to learn and grow. I would also consider it a success to gain knowledge and skills that help me better understand children's needs and how to support their development. My goal is to help create positive learning environments where children feel valued and have the opportunity to reach their full potential."

Your Research Approach:

"I will research how early childhood experiences affect children's health, emotional well-being, learning, and development. I plan to review reliable sources, including public health studies, research articles, and reports from organizations that focus on child development and education. I will also look into the challenges children face in school and the ways families, teachers, and communities can support them. This research will help me better understand children's needs and identify practical, evidence-based ways to improve their learning and development."

Your Communication Strategy:

"I believe the best ways to share my accomplishments are through social media, presentations, written reports, and community outreach. Social media can help reach a large audience, while presentations and reports can share important findings with teachers, parents, and public health professionals. I would also like to share information through schools and community organizations to reach families directly. Using different ways to communicate would help make the information easy to understand and show how supporting children's health, learning, and development can make a positive difference in their lives."

Your Tracking Commitment:

"I will keep track of the lessons I learn by documenting my work through written reports, presentations, and community outreach materials, and by reflecting on what the evidence shows about children's needs and how schools, families, and communities can work together."

How You Receive Feedback:

"I will receive feedback by communicating with my supervisors, team members, teachers, and other professionals who work with children. I will ask questions, listen to their suggestions, and stay open to different ideas and perspectives. As I work on projects and test different approaches, I will use their feedback to understand what is working well and what could be improved. I will also reflect on the results and make changes when needed to ensure my work is helpful, practical, and focused on supporting children's health, learning, and development."

Core Belief:

"Purpose grows through reflection, relationships, and repetition."

REQUIRED PARTICIPATION COMMITMENTS

• Reference Submission (REQUIRED BEFORE WEEK 2): Submit at https://voiceuplab.org/references
• Weekly Planning Work: Dedicate 6 to 10 hours per week to this guide.
• Saturday Global Meetings: Attend ONE weekly Saturday session (1:30 PM or 9:30 PM Eastern) at https://voiceuphub.com/. If you cannot attend live, watch the recording and submit your reflection.
• Weekly Log Submissions: Document progress every week at https://voiceuplab.org/InternHourLogs
• Submit Your Questions: Submit questions each week at https://voiceuplab.org/SubmitYourQuestions
• Community Engagement: Have meaningful one-on-one conversations with parents, teachers, pediatric professionals, mentors, and community members. Option C each week is built for this.
• Anonymous Student Feedback: Complete the feedback form at the end of Week 4 and Week 8: https://voiceuplab.org/StudentFeedback
• Participation Waiver: Required for any activity involving participants: https://voiceuplab.org/ParticipationWaiver

YOUR 8-WEEK PLANNING PATHWAY

Each week includes: a focus theme, THREE activity choices (select ONE), the three hard coded required blocks (Base44 Site Development, Lifeline, and Video Library + 7-Day Sprint), a TRILOGY CONNECTION box, a PUBLIC HEALTH ALIGNMENT box (CEPH 2021), and reflection questions for your weekly log.

WEEK 1: Foundation & Discovery

REQUIRED INITIAL SETUP: WEEK 1 (MANDATORY)

These setup steps are absolutely required. Complete every step below in Week 1, before the regular weekly work. This setup comes first, ahead of the weekly blocks that follow.

Required viewing at the beginning: before you start the Week 1 work, watch the two required beginning videos listed at the front of this guide in "Start Here: Activities Across the Three Platforms": the student introduction video on the activities that count, and "How to Complete Your Weekly Log" (https://youtu.be/uVOWI_4KrKY).

Part 1: The First Five Steps on voiceuplearning.com

Go to voiceuplearning.com and complete the first five steps on the platform. Here is what each of the five steps is:

Step 1: Official Sign-Up & Registration. This is the registration and demographic survey that opens your student record. Complete the full sign-up so your record is open before you do anything else on the platform.

Step 2: Find Your Purpose, Elevate Your Impact. This is the video interview application. You record and submit your video interview on the platform.

Step 3: Well-Being Assessment. This is the student well-being assessment questionnaire. Complete the full questionnaire.

Step 4: Share Your Talents. This is the talents inventory. You document your talents and strengths.

Step 5: Do You Have That Fire? This is the fire assessment. You write your fire statement.

The platform also shows a Step 6 (Create Your Lifeline) and a Step 7 (First 100 Hours in the AI Economy). Those two steps are optional on the platform. The lifeline is different: in this guide, lifeline work is required every week, starting with your first lifeline draft in Week 1. See the Lifeline block for each week.

Part 2: Set Up Your Account on voiceuplearning.life

You also need your own account on voiceuplearning.life, the Voice Up learning site where your guide dashboard and weekly work live. Set it up in Week 1, in this order:

Step 1: Go to voiceuplearning.life and open the registration page (Create your account).

Step 2: Choose how you will sign up. You can select Continue with Google, or you can sign up with your email address and a password.

Step 3: If you sign up with email: enter your email address, create a password, and enter the same password again to confirm it. The two passwords must match. Then select Create account.

Step 4: If you signed up with email, check your email. The site sends you a 6-digit code. Enter the code on the Verify your email screen and select Verify. If the code does not arrive, select Resend to get a new code.

Step 5: When your email is verified, you are signed in and the site takes you to the home page. Your account is officially set up.

Establish what children's health and early development look like today: who is supported, who is left out, what families experience, and what the evidence says about the early years.

Choose ONE Activity (A, B, or C):

OPTION A: Children's Health Landscape Review

Research the current landscape of children's health and early development. As one starting point, read Miracle Has a Monster (Theme 1): what does the story reveal about how a child experiences a health challenge, and how do the adults around her respond?

OPTION B: Early Childhood Data Dive

Find 2 to 3 publicly available sources on child health and development outcomes: for example, CDC child development data, school readiness statistics, or pediatric health reports. Note where the largest gaps appear.

OPTION C: Community Conversation: Meet a Child Health Voice

Have a 20 to 30 minute conversation with a teacher, school nurse, pediatric professional, or parent about what supporting children's health and confidence looks like in real life. Listen more than you speak.

BASE44 SITE DEVELOPMENT (REQUIRED, EVERY WEEK)

This week: Explore the Platform: What Base44 Can Do

Step 1 (required): Send an email to info@ellingtonbooks.com requesting access to the VoiceUp Base44 platform. This is an important and required step, and your Base44 work cannot begin until your access is in place. When your access is set, go on to Step 2, the exploration step below.

Your first step is to explore, not to build. Take a guided look at the whole Base44 platform and learn all that it can do. Go through your app part by part: pages, components, data and entities, forms, media and files, backend functions, integrations, sign-in, and publishing. Try the tools as you go, and for each part write down what it does and one way you might use it. Confirm your site opens correctly on a phone and on a computer, and note anything that does not work yet.

Deliverable: Post the live link to your site in your weekly log, with this week's build note: a short What Base44 Can Do capability map that lists what you found across the platform and what each part can do. In your build note, state how this week's Base44 work connects to your lifeline and your fire statement. In your build note, also record the date you sent your access email to info@ellingtonbooks.com. Log: https://voiceuplab.org/InternHourLogs

LIFELINE (REQUIRED, EVERY WEEK)

This week: Write Your First Lifeline Draft

In this week's log, write your lifeline in one to two sentences, in your own words, tied directly to your Fire. A lifeline says why this work matters to you and who it is for. It does not need to be perfect. It needs to be true. Save this first version exactly as you wrote it. You will return to it all guide long.

VIDEO LIBRARY + 7-DAY SPRINT (REQUIRED, EVERY WEEK)

MINIMUM REQUIRED EVERY WEEK: THREE SEPARATE VIDEO MODULE REVIEWS. Complete the assigned module plus at least two more modules you choose from the library.

Assigned module: Noguera Bridge Interview and the Noguera Bridge 7-Day Sprint (education equity). Find it in the Video Library: https://voiceuplab.org/ExploreVideoModules. Work the 7-day sprint across this week, a little each day. There are plenty of modules to choose from in the library.

Deliverable: In this week's weekly log, list each of the three modules by title: the assigned module and the two additional modules you chose. Write your review of each module, including one clear takeaway from each. Also include a short sprint reflection inside the log: what stayed with you, and one way it changes your work this week.

TRILOGY CONNECTION

Book: Miracle Has a Monster (Theme 1)

Miracle Has a Monster introduces a young girl facing a health 'monster.' How does her story connect to your fire: helping children ages 3 to 14 build confidence and feel supported? What does the story suggest about the role of the adults around a child?

APA Citation: [Write your in-text citation and full reference here]

Real-World Example: [Connect this week's insight to a concrete example]

PUBLIC HEALTH ALIGNMENT (CEPH 2021)

Public Health Alignment (CEPH 2021). CEPH Competency 12: Advance Health Equity and Social Justice. This week you examine who is served and who is left out when it comes to children's health, learning environments, and early support.

Reflection Questions (Answer in Weekly Log):

1. Which activity did you choose (A, B, or C) and why?
2. What is one fact about children's health or early development that surprised you?
3. Where do you see the largest gap in your own knowledge about children's health?
4. How does what you learned this week connect to your commitment to help children build confidence and feel supported?
5. What story, from Miracle Has a Monster or from real life, could help a child feel less alone with a health challenge?

1. Submit Weekly Log: https://voiceuplab.org/InternHourLogs

2. Submit Your Questions: https://voiceuplab.org/SubmitYourQuestions

WEEK 2: Building Your Knowledge Base

Go deeper into the evidence using your own research approach: compare reliable sources, public health studies, research articles, and reports from organizations focused on child development and education.

Choose ONE Activity (A, B, or C):

OPTION A: Early Childhood Evidence Review

Using your stated research approach, gather 3 to 4 reliable sources on how early childhood experiences affect health, emotional well-being, learning, and development. Compare what the sources agree on and where they differ.

OPTION B: School Environment Case Study

Investigate one concrete example of a school or community program that helps children feel included and supported. What makes it work? What evidence exists for its impact?

OPTION C: Community Conversation: Lived Experience

Have a 20 to 30 minute conversation with a parent or teacher about a child's experience with confidence, belonging, or health at school. Ask how it connects to the bigger picture of early support.

BASE44 SITE DEVELOPMENT (REQUIRED, EVERY WEEK)

This week: Keep Exploring: Map the Tools to Your Own Project

Keep exploring the tools of the platform inside your own app. Try the page builder, the data and entity tools, forms, media uploads, and at least one backend function or integration. For each capability you try, write one line that maps it to your own project: what it can do, and where it could fit in the site you want to build. If your exploring points you to a first page or feature, you may start it, but exploring comes first this week.

Deliverable: Post the live link to this week's build in your weekly log, with a short build note (what you built, what changed, what is next). In your build note, state how this week's Base44 work connects to your lifeline and your fire statement. Log: https://voiceuplab.org/InternHourLogs

LIFELINE (REQUIRED, EVERY WEEK)

This week: Lifeline in the Log

Write one paragraph in this week's log connecting your lifeline to the actual work you did this week. Where did the lifeline show up in the work? Where was it tested?

VIDEO LIBRARY + 7-DAY SPRINT (REQUIRED, EVERY WEEK)

MINIMUM REQUIRED EVERY WEEK: THREE SEPARATE VIDEO MODULE REVIEWS. Complete the assigned module plus at least two more modules you choose from the library.

Assigned module: Slater Commencement Interview and the Slater Commencement 7-Day Sprint (purpose). Find it in the Video Library: https://voiceuplab.org/ExploreVideoModules. Work the 7-day sprint across this week, a little each day. There are plenty of modules to choose from in the library.

Deliverable: In this week's weekly log, list each of the three modules by title: the assigned module and the two additional modules you chose. Write your review of each module, including one clear takeaway from each. Also include a short sprint reflection inside the log: what stayed with you, and one way it changes your work this week.

TRILOGY CONNECTION

Book: Miracle Has a Monster (Theme 1)

The Purpose Fellowship shows that purpose grows when people work alongside others who are different from them. In Miracle Has a Monster, who walks alongside the main character? How does that connect to your belief that schools, families, and communities must work together?

APA Citation: [Write your in-text citation and full reference here]

Real-World Example: [Connect this week's insight to a concrete example]

PUBLIC HEALTH ALIGNMENT (CEPH 2021)

Public Health Alignment (CEPH 2021). CEPH Competency 3: Use Qualitative Methods and Data Analysis. This week you practice qualitative inquiry: gathering stories, reading lived experience, and comparing sources the way you described in your research approach.

Reflection Questions (Answer in Weekly Log):

1. Which activity did you choose (A, B, or C) and why?
2. What did comparing multiple reliable sources reveal that a single source would have missed?
3. Which finding about early childhood felt most urgent to act on, and why?
4. How is your understanding of your research approach evolving as you compare sources?
5. How does the evidence connect to your goal of helping children feel included in their school environments?

1. Submit Weekly Log: https://voiceuplab.org/InternHourLogs

2. Submit Your Questions: https://voiceuplab.org/SubmitYourQuestions

WEEK 3: Developing Your Approach

Begin designing your support framework: the practical ways you described to help children build confidence, feel included, and develop healthy habits, grounded in evidence.

Choose ONE Activity (A, B, or C):

OPTION A: Support Plan Design

Draft a one-page plan for one practical way to support children's confidence or inclusion in a school setting, for example a classroom belonging activity or a family engagement idea. Ground each element in something your research supports.

OPTION B: Evidence-Based Practice Mapping

Map 3 to 4 evidence-based practices for early childhood support (from your Week 2 sources) to the specific needs you named: confidence, inclusion, healthy habits. Note which practices have the strongest evidence.

OPTION C: Community Conversation: Practitioner Insider

Have a 20 to 30 minute conversation with someone who works with children daily (teacher, counselor, pediatric nurse, after-school leader) about what actually works in practice versus what looks good on paper.

BASE44 SITE DEVELOPMENT (REQUIRED, EVERY WEEK)

This week: Connect Base44 to Your Lifeline and Fire Statement

This week, begin exploring how Base44 relates directly to your lifeline and your fire statement. Read your lifeline and your fire statement again, then turn them into the heart of your site: the purpose stated on your home page, the pages that carry your story, and the features that serve the people your lifeline names. Build or revise your case study or story page so a first-time visitor can see your lifeline and your fire statement in the content itself. Add the images and links your plan calls for.

Deliverable: Post the live link to this week's build in your weekly log, with a short build note (what you built, what changed, what is next). In your build note, state how this week's Base44 work connects to your lifeline and your fire statement. Log: https://voiceuplab.org/InternHourLogs

LIFELINE (REQUIRED, EVERY WEEK)

This week: Lifeline Wording Revision, With Mentor Feedback

Bring your lifeline to your mentor or supervisor and ask for direct feedback on the wording. Revise it. Keep both versions in your log, and note what changed and why.

VIDEO LIBRARY + 7-DAY SPRINT (REQUIRED, EVERY WEEK)

MINIMUM REQUIRED EVERY WEEK: THREE SEPARATE VIDEO MODULE REVIEWS. Complete the assigned module plus at least two more modules you choose from the library.

Assigned module: Neufeld Purpose Interview and the Neufeld Purpose 7-Day Sprint (purpose in practice). Find it in the Video Library: https://voiceuplab.org/ExploreVideoModules. Work the 7-day sprint across this week, a little each day. There are plenty of modules to choose from in the library.

Deliverable: In this week's weekly log, list each of the three modules by title: the assigned module and the two additional modules you chose. Write your review of each module, including one clear takeaway from each. Also include a short sprint reflection inside the log: what stayed with you, and one way it changes your work this week.

TRILOGY CONNECTION

Book: Miracle Has a Monster (Theme 1)

Miracle Has a Monster shows a child confronting something scary with support. As you design your approach, ask: what would it look like for a child to face a real challenge the way the story's heroine does, with the right people beside her? How can your plan create that kind of support?

APA Citation: [Write your in-text citation and full reference here]

Real-World Example: [Connect this week's insight to a concrete example]

PUBLIC HEALTH ALIGNMENT (CEPH 2021)

Public Health Alignment (CEPH 2021). CEPH Competency 4: Apply Evidence-Based Approaches to Public Health. This week you move from evidence to practice: designing an approach grounded in what the research shows works for children.

Reflection Questions (Answer in Weekly Log):

1. Which activity did you choose (A, B, or C) and why?
2. What is the core of your approach in one or two sentences?
3. Which piece of evidence most strongly supports your approach?
4. What did the practitioner (or your mapping) teach you that your research alone did not?
5. How will you know whether your approach is actually helping a child feel more confident or included?

1. Submit Weekly Log: https://voiceuplab.org/InternHourLogs

2. Submit Your Questions: https://voiceuplab.org/SubmitYourQuestions

WEEK 4: Mid-Point Reflection & Calibration

Pause and take stock. Review your journal, your conversations, and your emerging plan. What is getting clearer? What needs to change? Calibration is part of the work, not a detour from it.

Choose ONE Activity (A, B, or C):

OPTION A: Mid-Point Journal Synthesis

Re-read everything you have written so far: logs, notes, reflections. Write a 2-page synthesis: what you have learned, what surprised you, what you would now do differently, and what comes next.

OPTION B: Audience Mapping

Map the audiences for your work. For each, note what they care about most and how your message should differ for them.

OPTION C: Community Conversation: Mentor Check-In

Have a 20 to 30 minute conversation with a mentor, supervisor, or trusted advisor. Share your mid-point synthesis and ask: what am I missing? Where should I focus for the second half?

BASE44 SITE DEVELOPMENT (REQUIRED, EVERY WEEK)

This week: Build Review and Fix List

Review everything you have built so far against your Week 1 site plan. Write a fix list of at least five items (wording, layout, links, images, order of content) and fix the top three this week.

Deliverable: Post the live link to this week's build in your weekly log, with a short build note (what you built, what changed, what is next). In your build note, state how this week's Base44 work connects to your lifeline and your fire statement. Log: https://voiceuplab.org/InternHourLogs

LIFELINE (REQUIRED, EVERY WEEK)

This week: FORMAL LIFELINE REVISION 1 (REQUIRED CHECKPOINT)

Submit your before and after lifeline versions in this week's log, with three to five sentences on what the first four weeks taught you that the new wording now carries. This is a required checkpoint, reviewed with your mentor.

VIDEO LIBRARY + 7-DAY SPRINT (REQUIRED, EVERY WEEK)

MINIMUM REQUIRED EVERY WEEK: THREE SEPARATE VIDEO MODULE REVIEWS. Complete the assigned module plus at least two more modules you choose from the library.

Assigned module: Doyle Pandemic Purpose Interview and the Doyle Pandemic Purpose 7-Day Sprint (purpose under pressure). Find it in the Video Library: https://voiceuplab.org/ExploreVideoModules. Work the 7-day sprint across this week, a little each day. There are plenty of modules to choose from in the library.

Deliverable: In this week's weekly log, list each of the three modules by title: the assigned module and the two additional modules you chose. Write your review of each module, including one clear takeaway from each. Also include a short sprint reflection inside the log: what stayed with you, and one way it changes your work this week.

TRILOGY CONNECTION

Book: Miracle Has a Monster (Theme 1)

Halfway through the story, the heroine of Miracle Has a Monster must decide whether to keep going. Reflection is that decision point for you too. What has this journey taught you about your own persistence, and how does that shape the support you want to offer children?

APA Citation: [Write your in-text citation and full reference here]

Real-World Example: [Connect this week's insight to a concrete example]

PUBLIC HEALTH ALIGNMENT (CEPH 2021)

Public Health Alignment (CEPH 2021). CEPH Competency 9: Communicate Public Health Information. This week you practice tailoring your message: the same evidence, communicated differently for parents, teachers, and public health professionals.

Reflection Questions (Answer in Weekly Log):

1. Which activity did you choose (A, B, or C) and why?
2. What is the most important thing you have learned in the first four weeks?
3. What feedback have you received so far, and how has it changed your thinking?
4. Which audience (parents, teachers, administrators, public health professionals) do you understand best now, and which needs more work?
5. What will you do differently in Weeks 5 to 8 based on this reflection?

1. Submit Weekly Log: https://voiceuplab.org/InternHourLogs

2. Submit Your Questions: https://voiceuplab.org/SubmitYourQuestions

WEEK 5: Connecting with Your Community

Move outward. Your cause lives in community: families, schools, and the professionals who serve children. This week is about relationships, partnerships, and listening at a larger scale.

Choose ONE Activity (A, B, or C):

OPTION A: Resource and Partner Inventory

Build an inventory of 8 to 10 organizations, programs, or people in children's health and development: local nonprofits, school programs, pediatric practices, parent groups. Note what each offers and where the gaps are.

OPTION B: Family-Facing Content Pilot

Create one small piece of family-facing content: a one-page handout, a short social post, or a simple graphic that helps a parent support their child's confidence or healthy habits. Share it with one real person and note their reaction.

OPTION C: Community Conversation: Organization Partner

Have a 20 to 30 minute conversation with someone at an organization that serves children or families. Ask about their biggest challenges and where a partner like you could genuinely help.

BASE44 SITE DEVELOPMENT (REQUIRED, EVERY WEEK)

This week: Second Feature Build

Build the second feature from your site plan, for example a form, a resources page, a booking link, or a gallery. Connect it to your earlier pages so a visitor can move through the whole site without getting stuck.

Deliverable: Post the live link to this week's build in your weekly log, with a short build note (what you built, what changed, what is next). In your build note, state how this week's Base44 work connects to your lifeline and your fire statement. Log: https://voiceuplab.org/InternHourLogs

LIFELINE (REQUIRED, EVERY WEEK)

This week: Lifeline in Practice

Use your lifeline out loud in one real conversation or presentation this week. Write in your log what happened: how you said it, how the other person responded, and what you noticed about yourself.

VIDEO LIBRARY + 7-DAY SPRINT (REQUIRED, EVERY WEEK)

MINIMUM REQUIRED EVERY WEEK: THREE SEPARATE VIDEO MODULE REVIEWS. Complete the assigned module plus at least two more modules you choose from the library.

Assigned module: Plough Public Health Interview and the Plough Public Health 7-Day Sprint (public health leadership). Find it in the Video Library: https://voiceuplab.org/ExploreVideoModules. Work the 7-day sprint across this week, a little each day. There are plenty of modules to choose from in the library.

Deliverable: In this week's weekly log, list each of the three modules by title: the assigned module and the two additional modules you chose. Write your review of each module, including one clear takeaway from each. Also include a short sprint reflection inside the log: what stayed with you, and one way it changes your work this week.

TRILOGY CONNECTION

Book: Miracle Has a Monster (Theme 1)

No one defeats a monster alone. In Miracle Has a Monster, community matters. Who are the people and organizations in your inventory that could walk alongside the families you want to serve? How does collaboration make the work stronger than any one person could?

APA Citation: [Write your in-text citation and full reference here]

Real-World Example: [Connect this week's insight to a concrete example]

PUBLIC HEALTH ALIGNMENT (CEPH 2021)

Public Health Alignment (CEPH 2021). CEPH Competency 10: Engage in Interprofessional and Team Practice. This week you practice working across roles and perspectives: parents, teachers, health professionals, and community organizations.

Reflection Questions (Answer in Weekly Log):

1. Which activity did you choose (A, B, or C) and why?
2. Which organization or person in your inventory most excites you as a potential partner, and why?
3. What did the real person who saw your pilot content tell you, and what did you learn from it?
4. Where do you see the biggest gap between what families need and what currently exists?
5. How has working with others changed your understanding of your cause this week?

1. Submit Weekly Log: https://voiceuplab.org/InternHourLogs

2. Submit Your Questions: https://voiceuplab.org/SubmitYourQuestions

WEEK 6: Documenting Your Progress

Organize what you have learned into a clear record. Documentation turns experience into evidence: what the data shows, what you tried, what worked, and what comes next.

Choose ONE Activity (A, B, or C):

OPTION A: Annotated Resource Library

Build an annotated library of your 8 to 10 best sources: for each, a 3 to 4 sentence summary, why it matters for children's health and development, and how you used it.

OPTION B: Lessons-Learned Summary Report

Write a 3 to 4 page summary report of your journey so far: your question, your methods, your key findings, and your recommendations. Write it as if a school administrator would read it.

OPTION C: Community Conversation: Storyteller Voice

Have a 20 to 30 minute conversation with someone who communicates for a living (a writer, teacher, advocate, or content creator) about how to tell the story of your work so that it moves people to act.

BASE44 SITE DEVELOPMENT (REQUIRED, EVERY WEEK)

This week: Polish Pass: Mobile, Accessibility, Plain Wording

Check the full site on a phone: layout, tap targets, and reading order. Check accessibility basics: headings in order, alt text on images, and enough contrast. Rewrite any hard wording into plain words a first-time visitor understands.

Deliverable: Post the live link to this week's build in your weekly log, with a short build note (what you built, what changed, what is next). In your build note, state how this week's Base44 work connects to your lifeline and your fire statement. Log: https://voiceuplab.org/InternHourLogs

LIFELINE (REQUIRED, EVERY WEEK)

This week: Lifeline Evidence Check

Hold your lifeline up against your documented work: your logs, your hours, your site build, and your reflections. In this week's log, name two places where the evidence matches your lifeline and one place where it does not yet. Name the next step for the gap.

VIDEO LIBRARY + 7-DAY SPRINT (REQUIRED, EVERY WEEK)

MINIMUM REQUIRED EVERY WEEK: THREE SEPARATE VIDEO MODULE REVIEWS. Complete the assigned module plus at least two more modules you choose from the library.

Assigned module: Tegmark and Esvelt Interview and the Tegmark/Esvelt 7-Day Sprint (systems and power). Find it in the Video Library: https://voiceuplab.org/ExploreVideoModules. Work the 7-day sprint across this week, a little each day. There are plenty of modules to choose from in the library.

Deliverable: In this week's weekly log, list each of the three modules by title: the assigned module and the two additional modules you chose. Write your review of each module, including one clear takeaway from each. Also include a short sprint reflection inside the log: what stayed with you, and one way it changes your work this week.

TRILOGY CONNECTION

Book: Miracle Has a Monster (Theme 1)

Stories are how humans remember what matters. Miracle Has a Monster endures because it tells a hard truth through story. As you document your progress, ask: what is the story of your eight weeks so far, and who needs to hear it?

APA Citation: [Write your in-text citation and full reference here]

Real-World Example: [Connect this week's insight to a concrete example]

PUBLIC HEALTH ALIGNMENT (CEPH 2021)

Public Health Alignment (CEPH 2021). CEPH Competency 2: Use Quantitative Methods and Data Analysis; Competency 1: Apply Epidemiological Methods. This week you organize evidence systematically: what the data shows about children's health and development, and what your own work adds to the picture.

Reflection Questions (Answer in Weekly Log):

1. Which activity did you choose (A, B, or C) and why?
2. What does your documented evidence show most clearly?
3. What is the strongest recommendation you can now make, and what backs it up?
4. How did thinking about story change the way you present your findings?
5. What is still missing from your evidence, and how would you fill that gap?

1. Submit Weekly Log: https://voiceuplab.org/InternHourLogs

2. Submit Your Questions: https://voiceuplab.org/SubmitYourQuestions

WEEK 7: Refining & Strengthening

Strengthen your plan using everything you have learned: feedback from mentors, evidence from your research, and insight from the community. Refining is how good plans become strong ones.

Choose ONE Activity (A, B, or C):

OPTION A: Support Plan Revision

Revise your Week 3 support plan in light of everything since: new evidence, mentor feedback, community conversations. Track every change and write one sentence for each explaining why you made it.

OPTION B: Access Barriers Brief

Write a 2-page brief on the barriers families face in supporting their children's health and development: cost, time, information, trust, language, access. For each barrier, propose one practical way to lower it.

OPTION C: Community Conversation: Peer Exchange

Have a 20 to 30 minute conversation with a peer doing similar work (a fellow student, intern, or young professional). Exchange plans, challenge each other's assumptions, and note what you will borrow for your own work.

BASE44 SITE DEVELOPMENT (REQUIRED, EVERY WEEK)

This week: User Testing and Revisions

Ask one real person (not a teammate) to use your site while you watch. Give them two tasks to complete. Write down where they hesitated or got lost, and revise the site from what you saw.

Deliverable: Post the live link to this week's build in your weekly log, with a short build note (what you built, what changed, what is next). In your build note, state how this week's Base44 work connects to your lifeline and your fire statement. Log: https://voiceuplab.org/InternHourLogs

LIFELINE (REQUIRED, EVERY WEEK)

This week: FORMAL LIFELINE REVISION 2 (REQUIRED CHECKPOINT)

Submit your before and after lifeline versions in this week's log. Revise from the Week 6 evidence check and everything the work has taught you since Week 4. Note what changed and why.

VIDEO LIBRARY + 7-DAY SPRINT (REQUIRED, EVERY WEEK)

MINIMUM REQUIRED EVERY WEEK: THREE SEPARATE VIDEO MODULE REVIEWS. Complete the assigned module plus at least two more modules you choose from the library.

Assigned module: Kubansky and Thewlis Interview and the Kubansky/Thewlis 7-Day Sprint. Find it in the Video Library: https://voiceuplab.org/ExploreVideoModules. Work the 7-day sprint across this week, a little each day. There are plenty of modules to choose from in the library.

Deliverable: In this week's weekly log, list each of the three modules by title: the assigned module and the two additional modules you chose. Write your review of each module, including one clear takeaway from each. Also include a short sprint reflection inside the log: what stayed with you, and one way it changes your work this week.

TRILOGY CONNECTION

Book: Miracle Has a Monster (Theme 1)

In the hardest part of any story, the heroine must adapt. Miracle Has a Monster's turning point comes when she tries something new. What is the equivalent turning point in your plan? What are you willing to change because the evidence and the people you serve are telling you to?

APA Citation: [Write your in-text citation and full reference here]

Real-World Example: [Connect this week's insight to a concrete example]

PUBLIC HEALTH ALIGNMENT (CEPH 2021)

Public Health Alignment (CEPH 2021). CEPH Competency 7: Assess and Apply Public Health Policy; Competency 5: Compare Public Health and Health Care Systems; Competency 11: Apply Systems Thinking. This week you think in systems: barriers, policies, and how schools, families, and communities fit together.

Reflection Questions (Answer in Weekly Log):

1. Which activity did you choose (A, B, or C) and why?
2. What is the single biggest change you made to your plan, and what drove it?
3. Which barrier in your brief feels most urgent to address, and why?
4. What did your peer see in your work that you had missed?
5. How does systems thinking change your answer to 'what will actually help children'?

1. Submit Weekly Log: https://voiceuplab.org/InternHourLogs

2. Submit Your Questions: https://voiceuplab.org/SubmitYourQuestions

WEEK 8: Launching Your Impact & Completion

Bring it together. Your Purpose Portfolio is the record of these eight weeks: what you set out to do, what you learned, what you built, and where you go from here. Launch it with the confidence of someone who did the work.

Choose ONE Activity (A, B, or C):

OPTION A: Purpose Portfolio Creation

Assemble your Purpose Portfolio: your Fire statement, your final lifeline, your 8 weekly logs, your revised support plan, your resource library, your summary report, and a one-page 'where I go from here.' Organize it as a single document or site you would be proud to share.

OPTION B: Public-Facing Summary Brief

Write a 2-page public brief on your cause: the problem, what the evidence shows, what you did across eight weeks, and what you recommend. Write it for a school board member or a parent leader.

OPTION C: Community Conversation: Forward-Facing Partnership

Have a 20 to 30 minute conversation with a potential long-term partner (an organization, a mentor, or a GSU faculty connection) about continuing this work beyond the eight weeks. Ask what a next step together could look like.

BASE44 SITE DEVELOPMENT (REQUIRED, EVERY WEEK)

This week: Final Build Review and Launch Summary

Do a final review of the whole site against your Week 1 site plan. Write your launch summary: what the site does, who it serves, what you built across the 8 weeks, and what you would build next.

Deliverable: Post the live link to this week's build in your weekly log, with a short build note (what you built, what changed, what is next). In your build note, state how this week's Base44 work connects to your lifeline and your fire statement. Log: https://voiceuplab.org/InternHourLogs

LIFELINE (REQUIRED, EVERY WEEK)

This week: FINAL LIFELINE REVIEW (REQUIRED)

Place every version of your lifeline side by side: the Week 1 draft, Week 4 Revision 1, Week 7 Revision 2, and your final version. Write a short review of how your words changed as your work deepened. Your final lifeline goes into your closing portfolio product.

VIDEO LIBRARY + 7-DAY SPRINT (REQUIRED, EVERY WEEK)

MINIMUM REQUIRED EVERY WEEK: THREE SEPARATE VIDEO MODULE REVIEWS. Complete the assigned module plus at least two more modules you choose from the library.

Assigned module: Student choice: pick the interview and 7-Day Sprint most connected to your cause, or complete a sprint you missed earlier in the guide. Find it in the Video Library: https://voiceuplab.org/ExploreVideoModules. Work the 7-day sprint across this week, a little each day. There are plenty of modules to choose from in the library.

Deliverable: In this week's weekly log, list each of the three modules by title: the assigned module and the two additional modules you chose. Write your review of each module, including one clear takeaway from each. Also include a short sprint reflection inside the log: what stayed with you, and one way it changes your work this week.

TRILOGY CONNECTION

Book: Miracle Has a Monster (Theme 1)

Every story needs an ending that is really a beginning. As Miracle Has a Monster closes, the heroine carries what she learned forward. Your portfolio is that carrying-forward: the proof that these eight weeks changed how you understand children's health, and the plan for what you do next.

APA Citation: [Write your in-text citation and full reference here]

Real-World Example: [Connect this week's insight to a concrete example]

PUBLIC HEALTH ALIGNMENT (CEPH 2021)

Public Health Alignment (CEPH 2021). CEPH Competency 8: Demonstrate Public Health Leadership; Competency 6: Plan and Manage Public Health Programs. This week you step into leadership: owning your work, presenting it clearly, and planning what comes next.

Reflection Questions (Answer in Weekly Log):

1. Which activity did you choose (A, B, or C) and why?
2. Looking back at Week 1, how has your understanding of children's health and development changed?
3. What are you most proud of from these eight weeks?
4. What is the one recommendation you would make to a school or community organization, and why?
5. What is your next step after this guide, and who will walk with you?

1. Submit Weekly Log: https://voiceuplab.org/InternHourLogs

2. Submit Your Questions: https://voiceuplab.org/SubmitYourQuestions

CLOSING THOUGHTS

Dajana, what you have chosen is not simply an academic exercise. It is a calling rooted in the belief that every child deserves the chance to grow, learn, and feel supported, and that the early years shape everything that follows.

Your fire is clear: improving children's health, early development, and overall well-being for children ages 3 to 14, so they can build confidence, develop healthy relationships, and feel supported in their learning environments. You bring the precision of a public health student and the empathy of someone who believes children should be active participants in their own growth.

Over these eight weeks, you are building the foundation of a life's work characterized by precision, compassion, and trust, aligned to the CEPH foundational competencies and to the five Voice Up principles: collaboration, humility, precision, patience, and empathy.

Voice Up exists because purpose grows through reflection, relationships, and repetition. Keep going. Your work matters.

"Success would mean knowing that I have helped make a positive difference in children's lives, even in a small way. My goal is to help create positive learning environments where children feel valued and have the opportunity to reach their full potential."

With gratitude,

Art

EVIDENCE BASE & STANDARDS ALIGNMENT

Miracle Has a Monster Trilogy

Miracle Has a Monster (Theme 1) and its companion volumes form the narrative spine of this guide: a child's health journey, the adults who walk beside her, and the community that makes healing possible. Explore: https://voiceuplab.org/MiracleHasAMonsterTrilogyPage

CEPH 2021 Foundational Competencies (MPH Track)

This guide aligns to the Council on Education for Public Health 2021 foundational competencies, the national standard for accredited MPH programs. Full standards: https://voiceuplab.org/CompetencyAlignment

• 1. Apply Epidemiological Methods: Weeks 1, 6
• 2. Use Quantitative Methods & Data Analysis: Week 6
• 3. Use Qualitative Methods & Data Analysis: Week 2
• 4. Apply Evidence-Based Approaches: Week 3
• 5. Compare Public Health & Health Care Systems: Week 7
• 6. Plan & Manage Public Health Programs: Week 8
• 7. Assess & Apply Public Health Policy: Week 7
• 8. Demonstrate Public Health Leadership: Week 8
• 9. Communicate Public Health Information: Week 4
• 10. Engage in Interprofessional & Team Practice: Week 5
• 11. Apply Systems Thinking: Week 7
• 12. Advance Health Equity & Social Justice: Week 1

Video Modules Referenced

• NogueraBridgeInterview / NogueraBridgeModule: education equity (Week 1)
• SlaterCommencementInterview / SlaterCommencementModule: purpose (Week 2)
• NeufeldPurposeInterview / NeufeldPurposeModule: purpose in practice (Week 3)
• DoylePandemicPurposeInterview / DoylePandemicPurposeModule: purpose under pressure (Week 4)
• PloughPublicHealthInterview / PloughPublicHealthModule: public health leadership (Week 5)
• TegmarkEsveltInterview / TegmarkEsveltModule: systems and power (Week 6)
• KubanskyThewlisInterview / KubanskyThewlisModule (Week 7)
• Week 8: student choice, or a missed sprint completed

Explore all: https://voiceuplab.org/ExploreVideoModules