There is something nice about a fresh start at the beginning of a new year. But what happens when the newness wears off? As February comes into full swing, here are a few ways to make each day count. (And, by the way, we’re taking a cue from Nike’s challenge to “Make It Count” campaign with the launch of it’s latest and greatest, the Nike+ FuelBand. More on that below.)

1. Accountability. Nike’s “Make it Count” campaign encourages brand enthusiasts to share stories of inspiration via Twitter and using hashtag #makeitcount. There’s something about writing it down or telling a friend that at the end of the day, makes you just do it. Pun intended.

2. Measure performance. With the launch of the Nike+ FuelBand comes the ability to sync to a mobile app using the wristbands sport-tested accelerometer, and measure daily workouts based on steps or calories. Users set a fitness goal in “Fuel points” and must work to a certain level of physical intensity to attain that goal.

3. Love what you do. A person can do any form of activity—from running, to walking, to dancing, to soccer – you choose what you love. The FuelBand tracks progress and notifies the wearer of their success by changing from a red light to a green light when the goal is met. I can’t think of anything greater than hitting a goal by doing something I already love.

4. Make it a habit. We think Nike is on to something much greater than athletics. Having a “make it count” mindset could transform the way we approach our lives. After all, attitude is everything.

Our favorite part of the Nike+ FuelBand is the ability to translate your everyday moves into NikeFuel. We can choose to do simply what is required of us or to set the bar high and go beyond it. Make every move count.

You want incredible results? Are you craving to see positive changes in your world, your life? Make it count in the small, daily aspects of work and life and fuel your dreams and aspirations. We can’t think of a better reminder in this second month of 2012.

So, we ask you: how will you make it count in 2012? Comment below or Tweet at @seesparkgo with the hashtag #makeitcount.

For those who just so happened to drive by the Georgia Dome during Passion 2012 at the start of the New Year, initially the sight didn’t look too out of the ordinary. The 40,000 people walking around the Georgia Dome at night could have easily passed as Falcons fans, excited about the night’s game. But instead, this gathering was different: it was Passion 2012, where more than 40,000 students between the ages of 18 and 25 came to sing, worship, donate and pray in the name of Jesus. Among those tens of thousands of students, you could find the See.Spark.Go team hosting members of the press there to cover what these life-changing days in the heart of that significant “university moment” that has shaped so many of us.

The four-day gathering sold out the Georgia Dome at 42,000 collegiates, nearly double that of the 2011 gathering held at Philips Arena and the next-door Georgia World Congress Center. Lead worshippers such as Matt Redman, Chris Tomlin, Charlie Hall, Kristian Stanfill and Christy Nockels took the stage in music, while world-renowned Christian speakers Beth Moore, John Piper, Francis Chan and Passion founder and visionary Louie Giglio brought powerful messages to the Dome, inspiring attendees to live out their faith and also to “Do Something Now.”

This year’s event was dedicated to the cause of FREEDOM: freedom for the 27 million people around the world currently living in modern-day slavery. Passion’s goal was to raise $1 million for this cause, and the students of Passion far surpassed that goal, reaching a total of $3.3 million before the conference came to an end. The money will go to a variety of organizations that help victims of modern-day slavery find rescue and restoration and work to prevent human slavery all together.

A few of the chosen organizations are Tiny Hands International, A21 Campaign and Wellspring Living. The money donated to Tiny Hands International will build and fund eight border monitoring stations and eight safe homes in Nepal that will help intercept victims as they are being trafficked. Wellspring Living will use the money to renovate 12 apartment homes for survivors of sexual exploitation in Atlanta, Georgia. Finally, the A21 Campaign will fund a year-long prevention program that will reach 48,000 children who are at risk of being trafficked in Ukraine.

Louie Giglio said people had laughed at the thought of poor, Ramen noodle-eating college students donating their petty cash for this abstract cause. But as he announced the second morning that donations had already exceeded $1 million, I was particularly touched. I can admit, as can Louie, that people today have certain preconceived notions about my generation, the college students of today. Many believe we are self-centered and immature, only concerned with our cell phones and ourselves. But the college students at Passion 2012 proved that argument wrong. As this Atlanta news video agrees, “these are kids today.”

As you may guess, Passion 2012 attracted the attention of more than just the pedestrians on Northside Drive. In addition to the 11Alive coverage, and many other articles and blog posts, the CNN Freedom Project took notice and did an international segment regarding the event. Also, the Atlanta Journal Constitution was especially impressed by Passion’s $100,000 donation to the Atlanta Police Department’s Child Exploitation and Online Protection squad here. Overall, Passion 2012 did powerful things in the lives of countless college students and also in the lives of those all over the world…in the name of One powerful Savior of the world, Jesus. We can’t wait to see what’s in store for Passion 2013!

Photos courtesy of Passion

Today we have a guest post from one of our fall interns, Amy Dodge. She has been a wonderful addition to our team and has signed on to join See.Spark.Go in the spring as a part of our apprentice program. We’re thankful for her and look forward to the upcoming semester. Enjoy!

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This semester, my fellow interns and I have been blessed to work with a variety of See.Spark.Go’s amazing clients. As I learn about their core missions and values, I begin to appreciate more and more the incredible stories that these clients have to tell.

Boosterthon Fun Run is one of those clients: a fitness, leadership and character development program that helps boost funding in schools throughout the country. It’s far from just selling wrapping paper or cookie dough—Boosterthon Fun Run helps students embrace strong character and teaches them what it means to be a leader.

Last month a local Athens school, Prince Avenue Christian School, hosted the Boosterthon Fun Run. I was excited to see with my own eyes the enthusiasm and motivation that I have learned about over the course of the semester.

When we arrived at the school, I could hear the loud music from 500 yards away but still didn’t know quite what to expect. But as we walked into the gym, I saw hundreds of kids running laps around the gym, donning their Boosterthon All-Star jerseys. The teachers checked off every lap on their jerseys as they whizzed by with smiles on their faces. The stands were full of parents and grandparents to check out the program—and there’s no doubt in my mind that they were all quite impressed.

Their children were getting exercise and raising money for their school, all while learning valuable principles about teamwork and leadership.

This year’s character theme at Boosterthon is “Epic Adventure.” EPIC is an acronym Boosterthon uses to represent four key actions: Encourage, Play, Invite and Celebrate. By teaching children to encourage their peers daily, play together outside, invite others to play and celebrate the success of friends, Boosterthon is establishing a foundation of leadership and teamwork early on.

As we left the Prince Avenue gym that day, I couldn’t help but wish my elementary school had participated in a Boosterthon Fun Run. Boosterthon is so much more than just holiday wrapping paper or double-chocolate chip cookie dough; it is a revolutionary program that is changing the lives of elementary school children in more than 1,500 schools throughout the country.

In the true fashion of a See.Spark.Go client, Boosterthon has a great story to tell. To learn more about the Boosterthon story, visit their website.

It’s that time of year again! The weather has started to cool, Athens is full of red and black and a new semester has begun at UGA. While all this is happening, we’re excited to welcome new interns into the office. This semester kicks off something new in our internship program.

For the first time in See.Spark.Go history, we have three talented interns on our team! We’d like to introduce you to Amy Dodge, Heather Kevern and Libby Wilson, three Grady students with a passion for PR. Each of them brings unique skills and talents to the table and has proven to be a huge asset to our team!

Amy, a senior public relations and Spanish major from Roswell, Ga., has an extensive resume in the communications industry and is the kind of employee who you can count on to get the job done.

Fun Facts about Amy:

• She is originally from the Cape Cod area in Massachusetts and sailed as a child.
• To relax, you can find Amy with a cup of coffee and a magazine.
• She was a collegiate swimmer at University of Richmond for a semester.
• Her PR dream is to work for an international PR agency in Boston.

Heather, a native of Memphis, Tenn., moved to Athens as a freshman in college and has never looked back. Now, Heather is a senior public relations major with a communications studies minor and a certificate in new media. But don’t worry, she still has some Memphis roots in her, as her favorite food is Memphis-style barbeque nachos.

Fun Facts about Heather:

• Her favorite place (other than Athens) is Verona, Italy.
• Her passion is dancing. She’s got some great skills.
• She has an affinity for local coffee shops and farmers markets.
• She has a dream of starting her own Not-Just-for-Profit company that has a business model to support a philanthropic goal.

Libby, from the Golf Cart Capitol of the World (Peachtree City, Ga.), is a fifth year public relations major and speech communication minor who will graduate in December. As she finishes up school, we are thankful she is dedicating some of her time to See.Spark.Go.

Fun Facts about Libby:

• One of her favorite scents is the smell of honeysuckle trees.
• Her favorite food is sushi, which is great, because she works at RuSan’s on the side.
• Her family vacations at her cottage in Northern Michigan on Lake Huron, one of her favorite places.
• She dreams of being a travel writer. What could be better than seeing the world and writing all the time?

As the fall season comes closer, we are already seeing how talented and high-caliber these interns are. We’re thankful for their constant desire to learn and ability to achieve. We can’t wait to see all they accomplish this semester!

In addition to celebrating our fall interns, we are accepting applications for the spring 2012 internship.

To apply for spring 2012, please send your resume to lauren@seesparkgo.com. We look forward to hearing from you!

After countless hours of preparation and training, six young men, staff and alumni of the Paul Anderson Youth Home have officially set off on a 1,500 mile bike ride to encourage parents to take the FamilyStrong Parenting Pledge to “make parent a verb”. On the 50th anniversary of the same route that Paul Anderson rode in

1961, this team will bike from Vidalia, Ga., to Omaha, Neb., to honor Paul Anderson’s legacy as an Olympic gold medalist, “World’s Strongest Man” and founder of the youth home.

These young men hit the rode today for the Paul Anderson Cycling Challenge and will stop in several cities, including Atlanta, Chattanooga and Nashville, Tenn., St. Louis and Kansas City, before arriving in Omaha, Neb., on July 29.

“This ride will be a test of strength and yet, a true honor. The young men who participate in this feat will never forget the moment that they reach Omaha,” said Drew Read, Executive Director of Paul Anderson Ministries and fellow rider. “As they follow the path of a man who has changed their lives forever and the lives of thousands of others, they will learn perseverance, discipline, teamwork and endurance.”

The Paul Anderson Youth Home prides itself in being a living laboratory for the past 50 years. Each of the young men in the youth home has faced incarceration at some time, and the PAYH staff has watched as dangerous trends affect youth everyday. Now, the six young men are out to share their stories across the country and encourage parents to take action in their children’s lives before it’s too late.

I know that our team was most shocked when we learned that over 90,000 teenagers are arrested daily in the U.S. The incredible thing to hear about PAYH is that 90 percent of the young men who participate in the program never face jail time again.

“Like” Paul Anderson Ministries on Facebook and “Follow” @PAYHMinistries on Twitter to hear more interesting statistics and stay updated on the progress of the Paul Anderson Cycling Challenge.

Additionally, you can track the bikers live on their trip to Omaha at http://www.payhbikeride.com/. We are looking forward to seeing all that these young men accomplish over the course of the month!

Have you ever tried to go a day without water? I took on that challenge earlier in the year in honor of those who don’t have access to clean water and failed miserably. It’s a lot harder than you think. Even things like brushing your teeth, making coffee and flushing the toilet use more water than many people across the world have access to each day.

Nearly one billion people lack clean water, and every day 5,000 children under the age of five will die as a result. Wash Away Thirst, a new client of ours, is tackling this water crisis by donating one day of clean water to one person for every car wash at participating car wash locations.

This one-for-one-for-one campaign has united approximately 100 car wash locations under one philanthropic umbrella to provide five million days of clean drinking water to people in need. That’s pretty impressive!

Jim Dudley, owner of Wash Me Fast car washes and founder of Wash Away Thirst, is thrilled to connect car washes throughout Georgia, Florida, Connecticut, Texas and Alabama. Wash Away Thirst is partnering with Rotary International’s Water & Sanitation Rotarian Action Group (Wasrag) to provide clean water to areas that are in desperate need of this precious resource.

“Through this campaign, we will provide community members with the opportunity to make a difference in others’ lives by doing something as simple as going to a carwash,” said Dudley.

And Dudley has a great point. Since we first met him and the members of the International Carwash Association, I’ve learned that the car wash industry is on the forefront of water conservation practices, such as recycling.

Car washes in general, and particularly the ones participating in this campaign, are dedicated to practices that don’t waste water, but rather will recycle about 90 percent of the water.

That’s 90 percent more than I can recycle by washing my car at home and 100 percent easier and more philanthropic. It looks like I’ll be visiting Swifty Car Wash in Athens, Ga. quite a few times during the months of July to December!

To learn more about the Wash Away Thirst campaign, “Like” Wash Away Thirst on Facebook here and “Follow” @washawaythirst on Twitter here.

I present to you a post by our interns, Jessica Seagraves and Heather Green, who you can meet here. They are absolutely talented and wanted to share a recent SSG experience with you. Hope you enjoy!

A couple weeks ago, we traveled to Macon, Ga., with Lauren Locher to spend the day with Mutual of Omaha’s Aha Moment Tour, a client we have been working on since the first day of our summer internship.  We were excited to see first-hand the story we have been learning so much about.  Plus, we got to spend the 3-hour car ride getting to know each other better and swapping stories!

We quickly found the site upon spotting the large, 34-foot silver Airstream trailer that is the Aha Moment Tour “mobile television studio.” We were able to meet all of the team members and experience the early morning frenzy of setting up a new tour stop.  While tour producer Jessica Henry was running around preparing for the first guests to arrive, we helped another crewmember, Natalie Webb, set up the registration area.  It was only 11 a.m. and already, it felt like it was 100 degrees outside—fans were a must.

The crew driver, Gary, told us that the truck they drive to pull the trailer has over a million miles under its belt. Holy cow! It’s literally a legend.

We also got the chance to meet and get to know six guests who came to record their “aha” moments, and personally hear their stories. It was interesting to see some guests prepared with a story to share and others racking their brains for the right words to say. Before we left we were lucky enough to tour the trailer and sit in on a guest recording her very own “aha” moment.

We later grabbed lunch at none other than Chick-fil-A, a See.Spark.Go hot spot, but our final stop on the trip was Lane Peach Orchard where they pack and distribute the most delicious peaches we had ever tasted. We could not leave without indulging in their homemade peach ice cream. What can we say? We are weak! So, with full tummies, we headed back to Athens. Of course, all that talk of ‘what will we do when we grow up’, accompanied by lots of laughter and some philosophical discussions made one of us (Heather) a little sleepy on the way home.

All in all, we were so excited to meet an SSG client face-to-face and we can’t wait to see what other adventures the summer holds for us here at See.Spark.Go!

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You can follow Jessica Seagraves and Heather Green on Twitter for more updates on their internship at SSG. Be on the lookout for future posts by these girls!

Each semester and summer we are so fortunate to have incredible interns in our office. We love being able to develop our interns and even more, to learn from them! Now that the school year is over and summer has officially started, we have two wonderful interns to introduce you to. They both have awesome talents and personalities that truly add to our office and we couldn’t be more thankful to have them on board.

Meet Jessica Seagraves and Heather Green, two rising seniors at the University of Georgia.

Jessica, born and raised in Marietta, Ga., is a Public Relations and Political Science major with a contagious positive attitude. After returning from a semester of interning for Congressman John Barrow in Washington D.C., we are thrilled to have her in the SSG office.

Fun facts about Jessica:

• She had the incredible opportunity to study abroad in Bejing, Shanghai and Xi’an.
• She is passionate about photography and learning the technical aspects of her camera.
• In fact, the best gift she ever received was her DSLR camera.
• Her dream job is to be the First Lady of the United States of America .
• If First Lady doesn’t work out, she would love to own a bakery.

Heather, a native of Hiawassee, Ga., is a Public Relations major who is never seen without a smile on her face. She previously interned with the Georgia Club in Athens and learned quite a bit about event planning. We are thankful she has decided to stay in Athens for the summer to intern at SSG.

Fun facts about Heather:

• The coolest place she has ever traveled was Ireland, with a remote part of Belize as a close second.
• She actually experienced a 7.1 magnitude earthquake when in Belize. (yikes!)
• She loves Mexican food – specifically cheese dip.
• Her parents own Hightower Creek Vineyards in her hometown.
• Her dream job would be to have her own talk show, but her PR dream job would be to work in an hospitality and entertainment public relations agency.

Now that you have met our new summer team members, be on the lookout for some updates from them in the future!

Guest blog post by SSG’s very own digital engagment expert, Rebekah Coons:

Have you ever finished a workday a better person than you began? The SSG team had one of those days a few weeks ago.

For the past 7 months, we’ve had the incredible opportunity to join forces with Chick-fil-A Leadercast and engage with leaders worldwide through social media. Chick-fil-A Leadercast is a one-day leadership event that reaches over 85,000 leaders across the globe through a live event in Atlanta, Ga., broadcasted to over 600 host sites.

Each year, a line-up of world renowned leaders share the peaks and valleys of their leadership journey and challenge their audience to settle for nothing less than radically influencing the world around them.

This year was no exception, the blockbuster line-up of speakers included: John Maxwell, Seth Godin, Sir Ken Robinson, Suzy Welch, Frans Johannson, Alison Levine, Muhtar Kent, Erin Gruwell, Coach Mack Brown, Dan Cathy, and Dave Ramsey. We knew the day of Chick-fil-A Leadercast would be exciting as we were tweeting, posting and live blogging to over 85,000 people worldwide! However, what we didn’t anticipate was what we would absorb from ‘sitting at the feet’ of world-changers for a day.

It was incredible to share ‘real time’ reflections from the sessions but at the same time we found ourselves gleaning so much from Chick-fil-A Leadercast’s ‘friends’ and ‘followers!’ Why did we leave better people than when we arrived? Check out some of our ‘lessons learned’ from the day and you will see why:

• “Successful people position other people well in the organization…instead of positioning themselves.” – John Maxwell
• “The problem with thinking inside the box is it’s really dark in there. It is at the edge of the box (not inside or outside) where the magic happens.”– Seth Godin
• “With imagination you can anticipate the future”.” – Sir Ken Robinson
• “Everyone has a story. There is power in telling your story.” – Erin Gruwell
• “Your values are like your fingerprint. They are the legacy you want to leave.” – Suzy Welch
• “If you don’t teach leadership everyday, your worst behaving employee may be your best ‘leader.’” – Coach Mack Brown
• “Fear is okay, complacency is what will kill you.” – Alison Levine
• “What are you going to do with the dash between the dates on your tombstone? It matters deeply what you do with your dash.”– Dave Ramsey

You can join the Chick-fil-A Leadercast leadership conversation on Twitter, Facebook and Linkedin!

Today marks the day of the first Aha Moment Tour stop of the season in Waco, Texas. We are so excited to hear the incredible ‘aha moments’ the team will surely capture over the course of the summer. They will be traveling to 25 cities across the nation, ending in Salt Lake City, Utah, in September. The tour has hardly started and the crew has already visited The Church Under the Bridge, eaten at a few delicious local restaurants and met the people who truly make the city of Waco a unique place to live and visit.

This is the third year that Mutual of Omaha’s Aha Moment Tour has hit the road across the country in search of real stories from real people. We will be updating you along the way, but be sure to check out the tour site here and follow the crew on Twitter. Oh, … And make sure to stop in to tell your aha moment if the tour comes to a city near you!