AYI is our CORE and ultimate end for the other two parts of the program, we call Astonishing Young Innovators.  As much as we love education and simulations in entrepreneurship and leadership, sooner or later one must enter the real world to apply their knowledge.  The theory in leadership and business schools isn’t real until it is taken to the streets.  A theoretical lemonade stand can make millions of monopoly money, but until the cart is built and rolled out onto Main Street, we can never know if someone would actually buy it.  As a student of business at ASU, during discussions with the teachers I would ask, “Have you ever tried this?  What does it look like?”  One day I received a quality answer.  This teacher was doing what was only theorized in my classes.  It became real.  We discussed his business ideas along with his current thriving business experiences.  Reality can be an exciting thing, because it’s real.  It is during these moments when we too are real, and it’s only at those times when we discover what we are made of.  I want these youth to find that.  I want them to see exactly who they are, the good the bad and the ugly.  After they see who they are, like it or not, I want them to then pick themselves up, brush off all the debris, and say, “Okay Mr. Brooks, I’m ready to do this for real, I’m not scared any more.  I know who I am and I know what I want to create.”  Then I will wipe away the tear on my cheek and put my arm around them as we move to the next step of their Creation.  “Vision without action is daydreaming and action without vision is a nightmare.” – Anon