Mission Statement
To help young people find their inner North Star and build the real-world skills needed to thrive, supporting their growth emotionally and socially so they can move into adulthood with confidence and purpose.
ABOUT THE NORTH STAR INITIATIVE
The North Star Initiative is dedicated to helping young people develop the clarity, self-awareness, and real-world skills they need to navigate life with confidence and purpose.
At its core is a simple belief: young people need both an inner compass and practical tools to thrive. Through thoughtfully designed, school-ready programs, the Initiative supports the whole person—academically, emotionally, socially, and developmentally—while honoring each individual’s experiences, values, and identity.
Across its offerings, including self-leadership and sports leadership pathways, the North Star Initiative helps students and athletes strengthen their mindset, build emotional intelligence, and develop the habits and skills that carry into every area of life.
Rather than prescribing a single path, the Initiative empowers young people to reflect, think critically, and make aligned choices. Whether in the classroom, on a team, or beyond school, participants learn how to lead themselves, navigate challenges, and move forward with resilience, direction, and a strong sense of who they are.
The Self-Leadership Series
A Transformative, School-Ready Curriculum for Grades 9–12
The Self-Leadership Series: The 10 Initiations is a research-aligned, student-centered curriculum designed to help high school students reconnect with themselves, build emotional intelligence, and develop the confidence to lead their own lives with clarity and integrity.
The Sports-Leadership Series
A Transformative, Team-Ready Curriculum for Grades 9–12
The Sports-Leadership Series: The 10 Initiations is a research-aligned, athlete-centered curriculum designed to help student-athletes build the mindset, emotional intelligence, and character needed to lead both on and off the field.
The Leadership Series is not about fixing young adults.
It is about helping them remember who they are and teaching them how to lead from that place.
FOUNDERS
Amie Heatherton, EdS
Now working as a curriculum designer and content developer, Amie specializes in creating standards-aligned, student-centered learning experiences that invite reflection, self-awareness, and meaningful engagement. Her work skillfully bridges practical classroom structure with thoughtful, human-centered design, supporting both learners and educators in today’s educational landscape.
Amie is deeply passionate about helping students develop their inner voice, trust themselves, and cultivate the skills needed to navigate both school and life with confidence and integrity. Through her work with The North Star Initiative, she brings warmth, clarity, and wisdom to a program designed to support teens in becoming who they are inside and beyond the classroom.
Dr. Tassel Faith Shanebrook, PhD
Dr. Tassel’s work integrates psychology, mindfulness, and experiential learning to help students understand their emotions, regulate stress, and make aligned choices, skills that are essential for leadership, healthy relationships, and lifelong well-being. Her approach is practical, engaging, and empowering, meeting students where they are while guiding them toward greater responsibility, self-trust, and emotional maturity.
She is the creator of The Ten Initiations, a developmental framework designed to support young people as they navigate identity, relationships, boundaries, purpose, and self-direction. She has lectured internationally and appeared in the film Zero Limits.
Dr. Tassel is deeply committed to helping the next generation learn how to lead themselves with awareness, integrity, and confidence—so they can meet life’s challenges with clarity, agency, and self-respect.