Own It! Course Empowers Teens to Stay in School

September 2, 2014 - Just weeks into a new school year, and already a large percentage of high school students are struggling, many dealing with chronic challenges and a seeming inability to succeed in school.

These students are part of a national trend. Statistics show that more than 8,000 students drop out of high school every day. Among those who do begin some form of post-secondary education, one-third quit in the first year.

Yet, such failure is not inevitable, said Dennis Deaton, long-time corporate educator, co-founder of the Mesa, Arizona-based Grand Key Education and creator of Own It!, a never-before-offered, dynamic teen accountability and empowerment training course that is already making a difference for more than 6,000 students across the nation.

"What is missing for many high school students is a particular skillset. More specifically, they are missing a set of thought processes that produce successful skills and traits," Deaton said.

The highly interactive, online Own It! course is based on principles Deaton describes in his book, The Ownership Spirit: The One Grand Key That Changes Everything Else, the same principles he has used over the past 20 years to teach empowerment skills and accountability to thousands of corporate leaders.

Lifelong educator Dana Van Deinse first heard a presentation by Dr. Deaton in 2010. She said she immediately realized what a difference this message could make for high school and college students. Together they formed Grand Key Education (GKE) to deliver the Ownership Spirit training to today's students.

"Own It! instills real-world success skills, including mind management, problem-solving and goal setting. It teaches students to overcome mental barriers and ineffective habits and replace them with traits of tough-minded owners-all in a format that resonates with today's students," Van Deinse said.

The 10-module Own It! course has been implemented as part of the required curriculum of online schools like the Atlanta, Georgia-based Provost Academy. It is also being used in traditional classroom settings and by homeschoolers, and was recently released for individuals to purchase and use on their own. (See www.GrandKeyEd.com.)

The response from has been overwhelmingly positive, Van Deinse said.

"The course underscores the importance of finding ways to engage kids so they can be successful from the start," said Provost Academy superintendent, Dr. Monica Henson.

One student said, "It's helping me look at certain situations in a whole new different light and switch my thinking process. I'm glad it's a requirement this year because it's going to help me concentrate even better than before."

"Own It! opens a new world for students," Deaton said, "Suddenly, they see that they can have success. They can develop the skillset and thought processes that will allow them to realize their hopes for a quality education and a meaningful career. They can finish what they start."

Learn more about Grand Key Education and the Own It! course at www.GrandKeyEd.com and like them on Facebook at facebook/com/Ownitwow