Spark- Student Pathways to Adventure, Resilience & Knowledge

03/26/2026

03/23/2026

Tuesday nights are art nights at SPARK. Stay late with us and make art.

03/23/2026

Every Tuesday we play the medicine game at the Bad River Health an Wellness Gym. Join us! Sticks provided.

02/11/2026

Come to SPARK at 4:30 on Wednesdays to learn the basics of jiu Jitsu

10/23/2025

High schoolers! Stay late with us on Thursday nights 6-8. Play games, grab a snack, (do homework) or just hang out

10/23/2025

Join us Thursdays for art night where we stay late and make some magic! Open to teens of Ashland County ages 12-18

01/31/2025

Dear SPARK Families,

Over the past few months, we’ve been reflecting on SPARK’s culture to ensure it remains a safe, welcoming, and fun space for every teen who walks through our doors. While SPARK has always been a place of belonging, we noticed that some behaviors—like teasing, bullying, and unkindness—were beginning to affect the supportive environment we strive to provide.

Rather than focusing on individuals, we took a community-wide approach to address these challenges together. On November 21st, we temporarily paused regular programming to create a plan. In early December, we launched SPARK Quest—a three-level series of talking circles and activities designed to help teens reflect, reconnect with SPARK’s values, and recommit to a positive culture.

SPARK Quest – A Journey to Strengthen Our Community
Each level of SPARK Quest builds on the last, helping teens grow in their awareness and leadership:

🔵 Level 1 – Understanding how teasing, bullying, and roughhousing impact the SPARK community and learning how to foster a safer, more supportive space.
🟢 Level 2 – Exploring belonging and community-building by sharing personal experiences and brainstorming ways to make SPARK even better.
🟡 Level 3 – Recommitting to the SPARK 5 (Safety, Passion, Accountability, Respect, and Kindness) and learning how to support and hold each other accountable.

We’re inspired by the response—75 teens participated in the first week alone! Since then, over 50 teens have completed all three levels, and nearly 100 have completed at least one. This process has equipped participants with tools to reflect, grow, and actively contribute to a positive SPARK experience.

To continue fostering this culture, we’re also reinforcing our online reservation system to ensure all participants are fully committed to the SPARK 5.

To read the rest of this post: https://www.sparkashlandcounty.org/quest.html

01/31/2025

Dear SPARK Families,

Over the past few months, we’ve been reflecting on SPARK’s culture to ensure it remains a safe, welcoming, and fun space for every teen who walks through our doors. While SPARK has always been a place of belonging, we noticed that some behaviors—like teasing, bullying, and unkindness—were beginning to affect the supportive environment we strive to provide.

Rather than focusing on individuals, we took a community-wide approach to address these challenges together. On November 21st, we temporarily paused regular programming to create a plan. In early December, we launched SPARK Quest—a three-level series of talking circles and activities designed to help teens reflect, reconnect with SPARK’s values, and recommit to a positive culture.

SPARK Quest – A Journey to Strengthen Our Community
Each level of SPARK Quest builds on the last, helping teens grow in their awareness and leadership:

🔵 Level 1 – Understanding how teasing, bullying, and roughhousing impact the SPARK community and learning how to foster a safer, more supportive space.
🟢 Level 2 – Exploring belonging and community-building by sharing personal experiences and brainstorming ways to make SPARK even better.
🟡 Level 3 – Recommitting to the SPARK 5 (Safety, Passion, Accountability, Respect, and Kindness) and learning how to support and hold each other accountable.

We’re inspired by the response—75 teens participated in the first week alone! Since then, over 50 teens have completed all three levels, and nearly 100 have completed at least one. This process has equipped participants with tools to reflect, grow, and actively contribute to a positive SPARK experience.

To continue fostering this culture, we’re also reinforcing our online reservation system to ensure all participants are fully committed to the SPARK 5.

Looking Ahead – How Families Can Support
We are committed to making SPARK a space where every teen feels safe, valued, and supported. Moving forward:
✅ SPARK Quest will continue – Circles are available weekly during SPARK hours and lunch periods at local middle and high schools.
✅ Ongoing conversations matter – We encourage families to talk with their teens about SPARK’s values and the importance of a positive community.
✅ We welcome your feedback – If you have questions or thoughts, we’d love to hear from you!

Thank you for being an essential part of this journey. Your partnership and support mean everything as we work together to build a stronger, kinder SPARK community.

With gratitude,
Scott Griffiths – Program Director
& The SPARK Mentor Team