HARBOR EPISODES
The Harbor, featuring Mike Smith and guests, facilitates the teaching of character development in classrooms by showcasing tangible life lessons through a school year’s worth of episodes with rich, raw and engaging video content. Designed for the classroom, Renaissance members have access to a downloadable critical thinking discussion guide to foster student-led discussions for each episode.
DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP
Social media has changed the way we look at the world and has done incredibly positive things, but we all know social media can also take a turn for the worse. On this episode of The Harbor by Jostens, Mike gives us five questions to ask ourselves before we post on social media and reminds everyone to Pause Before You Post™ to be sure that you’re being a positive digital citizen.
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It’s easy for teens and adults alike to struggle with body image. On this episode of The Harbor by Jostens, Paralympic athlete Lacey Henderson talks about how her […]
Mike challenges students to ask themselves tough questions and examine where their biases come from so that we can understand that while it’s okay to disagree with someone, it’s never okay to disrespect.
Country music singer-songwriter Kelsea Ballerini talks about the importance of individuality.
Mike shares his realization that learning to forgive and asking for forgiveness are signs of strength and maturity.
Mike recognizes that being aware of the needs of the community is everyone’s responsibility.
Former professional snowboarder Kevin Pearce shows his resilience as he recovers from a traumatic head injury.
Mike talks about the importance of service, and distinguishes between volunteering and being “voluntold.”
A high school student shares the pressure he had to pursue athletics and his decision to work toward his true passion: leadership.
Mike challenges students not to go into cruise control at the end of the school year, but to remember they have a limited amount of time to accomplish their goals.
Veronica Tolentino reveals her story of being in an unhealthy relationship and reminds everyone that they deserve to be treated with love and respect.
Ejay O’Donnell, Vice President of diecutstickers.com, reminds us that life is fragile and hopes that we focus on how we treat others – as humans, not robots.
Mike encourages students to define themselves rather than allow media, family, and peer expectations to control their choices.
Brent Camalich, CEO of DUDE. be nice, talks about the importance and power of kindness.
Nikki, the Outreach Director at The Bay, talks about the power of hope for everyone.
Mike describes some of the pressures to fit in and urges students to be true to themselves.
Motivational speaker Aaron Davis shares some of his experiences with intolerance and offers suggestions on how to talk about tolerance an diversity.
Mike talks about the importance of mentorship and how to be a good mentee.
Kat Harris, a fashion photographer and blogger, reflects on how true beauty is about much more than looks.
JR Galardi, Chief Visionary Officer of Wienerschnitzel, shares how the loss of his father changed the trajectory of his life.
Mike tells the story of how he befriended a boy named Calvin, an “invisible” student who ultimately shaped Mike into the person he is today.
Recent high school grad and slap poet Riley Westerholt paints a hopeful picture of the current high school generation.
Musician and actor Quincy Brown discusses the importance of working hard to achieve success, and stresses that greatness is not simply handed to anyone.
Mike emphasizes the importance of overcoming fear in order to fully pursue a passion.
Educator Matt Soeth, co-creator of #icanhelp, gives tips on how to take control of social media and turn it into a positive environment.
Professional skier Michelle Parker shares her story of success as a female athlete in a male-dominated sport.
A call to students to be present with people and take time away from their devices.
Professional skateboarder Ryan Sheckler talks about the struggle of going through his parents’ divorce.
Mike offers pointers on how to handle one of the greatest challenges for students: time management.
Tips on navigating high school from students who recently graduated.
A lesson on defining yourself through life experiences rather than the things you own.
Mike poses the question, “What legacy do you want to leave behind?”
The Dingo is an action sports personality who dreamed of becoming a pro athlete. When he realized that his dream was not realistic, he persevered and used his failures as a platform to achieve success.
Photographer Steve Rosenfield shares his journey culminating in the “What I Be Project,” a platform which encourages others to share their insecurity with the world.
Tommy Reynolds lost everything with the market crashed. It took hitting rock bottom for him to find his passion, and it took years of hard work with little return before he achieved his dream.
Youth mentor Brent Aragon believes that in order to change the world, you must first change your world, namely how you view yourself and those around you.
Photographer Quang Le describes how expressing his creativity through photography helped him channel his social anxiety.
Fitness professional Jen Aragon shares her journey toward feeling comfortable with her body and appearance, and the importance of spiritual and mental health in being able to truly love herself.
Youth motivational speaker Scott Backovich inspires viewers to “complain less, give more” and think about what they have to give back to others.
After losing several relatives to cancer in a six-month period, Rob Dyer took it upon himself to make a change. He started Skate4Cancer, which has raised millions of dollars for cancer hospitals and charities.
Azie Tesfai achieved her dream of becoming an actress, but she still felt unfulfilled. It was only when she learned about the needs of a school in her family’s home country that she realized her greater purpose.
Motivational speaker Aaron Davis outlines three important choices we have in our lives and how our responses to these choices will determine our path toward success.
Musician Davey Muise shares the story of where he came from, and why he has dedicated his life to helping people “find their shovel” to dig out from their hardships.
Mike describes the difference between the people who are critical of everyone around them and the people who create positivity wherever they go.
The way we talk to ourselves can greatly affect our mood, our behavior, and our day-to-day life. In this episode, Mike challenges students to think about how they talk to themselves.
Student Kyler Erickson shares how he reacted after living through a shooting at his high school and what he had to do in order to overcome his post-traumatic stress.
The incredible success story of Kevin Laue, a former Division I basketball player who didn’t let being born with one arm stop him from pursuing his dreams.
Mike Discusses his views on success and what we can do to get one step closer to fulfilling our dreams.
This week on The Harbor, Mike takes on the topic of distractions, namely those brought on by smart devices and social media. In this episode, Mike […]
Mike talks about how he founded his non-profit Skate For Change, its growth into a worldwide movement, and how youth can give their passions a greater purpose.
Professional snowboarder Pat Moore explains how he dealt with severe social anxiety both during and after high school.
Mike describes how judgement and prejudice impact people, both in and outside of the classroom, and how students can help resolve this problem in their schools.