MTW Blog
GOING GREEN: SAVE THAT STUFF HELPS RECYCLE OUR STUFF
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Posted by mtwmanager
5 days
ago
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By: Ted & Nathalia
For the past several months, the MTW team has been working with the Save That Stuff organization. Due to the hard work of this organization, MTW has improved in many ways. Save That Stuff recycles all our books and other items that we cannot resell in the store or online to keep them from ending up in landfills. They donate their time to help us recycle our products and take them to a place where they are most needed. Our business has grown over the years and our supporters are so important to us. Save That Stuff comes to MTW three times a week to pick up all the recycling. Such a tremendous effort has helped us evolve into a successful & green business. We are grateful to Save That Stuff for all their help as we continue to grow.
Host a meeting at MTW Boston!!
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Posted by mtwmanager
5 days
ago
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By: Ederson
On Tuesday, January 24th The Boston Foundation held a board meeting here at MTW in Boston where we hosted our first professional meeting. It was a great experience for me to represent MTW at the end of the meeting, where I got to tell The Boston Foundation about my life and how I was introduced to MTW while also giving them an overview of the business. It was great to hear the feedback they gave about our store and my presentation.
More Than Words’ Boston Warehouse Bookstore is available to host your next meeting or book club. If you are interested in hosting an event at our location please contact Shannan Smith at ssmith@mtwyouth.org.
We Dress For Success
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Posted by mtwmanager
19 days
ago
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By Ted.
On Tuesday, January 17th 2012, the MTW transitions team had the chance to go on a site visit to Solutions Wear. Each youth had the chance to get free professional outfits for future job interviews or any professional activity. We had the chance to pick 3 suits along with 3 matching ties and 1 belt, 3 shirts, a coat, and a pair of shoes. The outfits were really wonderful and we had amazing support from the staff at the site, and the youth really appreciated the effort from both MTW and Solutions Wear. We all completely took full advantage of the opportunity we had, and we left with some great clothes to wear for future opportunities!!
Trip to Skyzone!
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Posted by mtwmanager
32 days
ago
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As our site visit for December the MTW team visited Skyzone which was located in Hyde Park Skyzone was basically a big room set up with trampolines and borders. Our theme for this month was Self-Efficacy and this site visit tied into with Self-Efficacy because it was about exersize and being active as a way to cope with stress and be healthy we spent a half an hour there and most of us were shocked with how fatigued we were in such short time. I can tell you from expierience that it was an intense workout and many of us were pretty tired. I was really surprised in finding how much a great workout it was and how exhausted I was after and waking up the next morning. Not to mention drinking gallons of water. I learned that jumping is a more effective workout rather walk...
Fun-filled Weekend @ MTW - MTW blog (8/18/11)
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Posted by mtwmanager
172 days
ago
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By Wilmer
Come by this Friday, we are going to have Open-Mic, Aug 19, 2011. Sign-ups are at 7:30 and performances start at 8:00pm. Our features are going to be Masterpiece and Joker. They're rappers and it is a youth feature. Come by to have a great time!
We also have a great event going on Sunday, August 21, 2011. We are holding a coffee tasting from 1:00 - 3:00pm. We are going to be brewing coffee throgh a bunch of different methods so you can figure out which method you like best. We are going to have differents types of foods that you can taste so you can find out what goes best with your coffee. It's going to be an exciting weekend at MTW, don't miss it!
Dress For Sucess and Solutions Wear- MTW Blog (7/20/11)
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Posted by mtwmanager
201 days
ago
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By: Dj & Katya On Tuesday and Thursday the girls went to Dress For Success and the men went to Solutions Wear to obtain proffesional outfits. These tools will help them be dressed and ready for an interview or an important job. The girls recieved their own personal stylists. From the suits to the shoes to the classy jewlery to the accesoriess, they looked like proffesional young adults ready to take charge of their lives. The men recieved multiple suits, shoes, belts, ties, and accessories. Everyone had a great expierence and learned a lot about what it feels like and looks like to be proffesional.
Hitchhiking with Larry David-MTW Blog (7/14/11)
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Posted by mtwmanager
207 days
ago
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By:Robert
Paul Dolman, the author of Hitchhiking with Larry David, is coming to MTW to practice his John Hancock plus speak about his book. http://www.hitchhikingwithlarrydavid.com/ This is the link that will get you more connected with the knowledge of the book's origin. It's a true story of his painful break up and his halirous encounter with Larry David, the creator or our very own "Seinfeld" and "Curb your Enthusiasm". He will be making his appearance at MTW Tuesday, July 19th From 6:30 to 8:30. JOIN US!!!
Youth Led Screening of Co-Exist - MTW blog (6/29/11)
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Posted by mtwmanager
222 days
ago
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Thursday June 23, 2011 Jill and I hosted a youth led public screening of the documentary Co-Exist. Mishy Lesser was the brains behind the curriculum of the documentary and Adam Mazo was the film maker. We had a great audience and we had some great conversations about the Rwandan genocide and how we felt about it. There were quite a few audience members including some More Than Words youth that really got into the documentary and how it felt to watch these people talk about the awful things that happened. Mishy and Adam answered some great questions for Jill and I and the audience as well. Mishy and Adam thank you so much for taking the time to come to the store and be part of this event, It was greatly appreciated.
By Katya Krepelka
...
How To Manage Your Money - MTW blog (06/09/11)
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Posted by mtwmanager
242 days
ago
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By Wilmer. I read this article called 3 dangerous debt management myths that is about managing your debts. They say that no matter the way that you're trying to get out easily of debt you are always going to end up owing more. I think that they're right because the best way to get out of debt is to be on track with your payments. This month on tansitions we're working on financial literacy. We've been talking about our saving goals for the month and the future. This is very important because it help us to manage our money and stay out of debt.
A college degree but not a college job? - MTW blog (June 2, 2011)
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Posted by mtwmanager
249 days
ago
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By: Jill MacKenzie
I recently came accross an article on people in their mid twenties who are graduating with college degrees, but aren't finding jobs that require them. Only seventy-one percent of people recent graduates in the educational field are employed in jobs that require a degree. Due to the high demand in popular jobs, more people are working at gas stations, liquor + food stores, and limo + taxi services. This makes it harder for the less-educated to get jobs.
Employment statistics of college graduates under the age of twenty-five:
Not working: 22.4%
Working in jobs that do not require a college degree: 22%
Working in jobs that require a college degree: 55.6%
I think that the reason why common jobs are in such high employment demand is because of the fact that ...
Inspiration at the Town Hall Meeting ! - MTW blog (5/25/11)
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Posted by mtwmanager
257 days
ago
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By: Katya
May 24,2011 we went to the town hall meeting at Harvard. We all sat patiently and listened to the speakers about what they had in mind to change the way foster care works and how it effectes youths education. It was very inspirational and we even had two members from our team stand up and ask some questions and talk about MTW and what we do. Afterwards we went down to the lobby and met with everyone. Enjoyed some refreshments and had some very interesting talks with all these people that dedicate their time to move youths lives towards outcomes.
Rwanda Documentary-MTW blog (5/19/11)
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Posted by mtwmanager
263 days
ago
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By Robert- I watched the Rwanda documentary, "Co-Exist," on how life is like after the genocide. The genocide was caused by numerous aspects. After the Hutu Presedent Juvenal Habyarimana was killed and beleived to be murdered by a Tutis follower, who is the current Presedent Paul Kagame, the genocide began. The uprise lasted for 100 days. Now 16 years later Tutsis and Hutus are living next door from one another, learning how to reconcile and forgive. The movie focused on both sides, interviewing Hutu who killed and Tutsi who were abused and froced out of their homes. It was quite emotional and hard to see people telling their horrifying ordeals. Now Tutsis and Hutus are working together to rebuild what they've lost. It was a very educational and moving film.
Re-Envisioning Foster Care - MTW Blog (5/10/11)
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Posted by mtwmanager
272 days
ago
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By Jorge. Last week I went to an event about people trying to help kids in the foster care system. There were a whole bunch of organizations that got together and talked about the different ways they support youth with their programs. One of the programs I learned about was Rise Above. This program makes kid's dreams come true. For example, if your dream is to meet your favorite artist, they will do as much as they can to make it come true. I was really interested in these programs and what people are trying to do for kids.
Money Doesn't Buy Everything! - MTW Blog (5/5/11)
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Posted by mtwmanager
277 days
ago
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By Shanice. On May 3rd, Mark Albion came to MTW to talk about his book More Than Money. The book was about how you can work at something you love while still making money. Isabel and I hosted this event and many people showed up and got involved. Mark was very inspirational, talking about how sometimes you have to listen to your heart and not your head. I agree with that whole-heartedly. I've always been told to follow my heart and go for the things I desire in life. Explore the world and you can find answers to your questions and still find what you're really interested in. It's never only about the money. We want to give a huge thank you to Mark Albion for coming and donating copies of his book. We had a blast!
More Than Money - 4/28/11 (MTW blog)
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Posted by mtwmanager
284 days
ago
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By Wilmer
Hey everyone have you heard about the new event at MTW on Tuesday May 3rd? Our colleague Mark Albion is going to be at MTW presenting his book More Than Money. His sucessful book is about how you can make more money while doing what you love to do. He will be at MTW at 6:30 pm. Do not miss it please.
A Change in Students - MTW Blog (4/6/11)
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Posted by mtwmanager
306 days
ago
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By:Shanice I have read this article, Learning with Disabilities. It is about many students who are at Landmark, which is a two year college for young teens with disabilities or A.D.H.D. Only 30 percent of students graduate with a degree. Several drop out within the first or second semester. It tells how drop out is a serious matter because at the moment, several students are failing classes. Six percent were only taking noncredit courses, and another sixteen percent of this class was only taking partial credit courses that are based on writing or reading.
I can comprehend with this; one of my most recent middle schools didn...
Crisis Alert - MTW blog (3/30/11)
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Posted by mtwmanager
313 days
ago
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By Chris In this article, "Making Sense of the Japan Donation Frenzy" the writer is giving a brief report of the tragedy in Japan. The article consists of the disasters and conflicts Japan is now facing. There are many organizations that are aiding Japan so it can recover from all the mayhem Japan has faced. The United States and Britain are providing support towards this cause giving medical, shelter, and health support. The reason why I chose this article was because it seemed to be the most infamous and recent crisis at this time. Not to mention very important because these are people who are living in an insecure enviroment at this moment.
Students in Western Massachusetts: Authors of Their Own Education - MTW Blog (3/23/11)
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Posted by mtwmanager
320 days
ago
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By: Hanna
“As many as a quarter of American students are not finishing high school.”
-President Barack Obama
Students in New Marlborough, MA are letting go of the classic high school experience, and taking the reigns of their education. Eight high school students, ages 15-17 have started a school within a school of sorts that they call "the Independent Project". These teens have been given complete power over their education. As a group ranging from honor roll students, to almost drop-outs they collectively brainstormed their own curiculum.
The curiculum the teens designed is not based on grades and tests, but rather advice from teachers, feedback on eachother's work, and evaluation of fellow students. During their newly devised eight week terms, students accomplished readi...
Saint Pattys Day is Here! - MTW Blog (3-17-2011)
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Posted by mtwmanager
326 days
ago
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by Mark M
Happy Saint Pattys day everyone! I am personally not Irish but I love Saint Pattys day and I hope you are all in the same spirit. Here at More Than Words we have green shamrocks all over the store and we are serving Irish Creme Flavor shots for your coffee or latte as a special for this special day. We also have unique Irish books on display through out the store. Please feel free to come by and learn a little something about this holiday and enjoy this cheerful day.
PluggedIn: Teaching Teens How to Perform in a Rock Band - MTW Blog (3/10/11)
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Posted by mtwmanager
333 days
ago
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By Hanna. Have you heard of PluggedIn? It’s a Needham, MA based non-profit organization focused on bringing teens together to perform in a band. Playing in a band acts as an opportunity for creativity, a place to make good friends, and a time to have fun while growing musically. PluggedIn began in 2002 as one band with five students, and has now grown to an organization of 90 students in 25 bands that have helped to raise thousands of dollars for charities all over the world through live concerts. To date, PluggedIn has supported the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Music for Relief (started by the band Linkin Park), Amnesty International, and Keep a Child Alive, along with several others.
Before programs begin, students come together at an event called “Charity Night” and br...
Invest in a Pig, Change a Life! - MTW Blog (2/24/11)
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Posted by jodi
347 days
ago
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By Jorge. I read an article called "Invest in a Pig. Change a Life." You can read it here: http://dutiee.com/invest-in-a-pig-end-poverty. This article is about helping the Mushahar people. They are a very poor group of people who live in a village in India and eat rats because they struggle with their food and living situation. We can help them out by donating $50 so that they can buy a pig for themselves. The Mushahar can raise the pig and then sell it on the market after it has piglets. They can then do the same things with all of the piglets and continue the cycle. This helps them by allowing them to have money and a better life. When I read this article I thought it would be a great help for the Mushahar people because then they won't have to struggle so much with their hunger and livi...
Terrific Training! - MTW Blog (2/16/11)
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Posted by mtwmanager
355 days
ago
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By: Hanna-Mia
This month I had the great pleasure of joining the MTW team on a new training round. With myself are five other youth eager to move forward, hit outcomes, and become a part of the business that is More Than Words. Yesterday we were shown a video documenting the first few months of MTW as a business. It was amazing to see the business transform from a one room online store in Watertown to the full store front that it is today. Following the video we were shown a Powerpoint Presentation featuring data around youth and their succcesses upon coming to and leaving More Than Words. The numbers were astonishing! The kids who had come through the program had flipped original statistics- the ones that deemed them as a failing demographic- ...
Winter Disaster! - MTW Blog ( 2/2/11)
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Posted by mtwmanager
369 days
ago
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By: Shanice
This article I read, " Thowing Out Business," is about how the snow is cutting into sales and many shops are trying to lure customers in. A lot of stores are offering discounts if costumers come in at an exact time that they are trying to market. For example Patrick Pezzati offered $10 for $20 worth of CDs, DVDs and LPs. More than 300 people took advantage of this offer, but it wasn't good enough to offset the 10 to 15 percent drop in revenue that has happened. This affected us because our numbers are low to due to the snow we've been having. On snow days we've been discussing having dsicounts on hot cocoa, coffee and tea. We are hoping that customers will come in the store despite the bad weather to take advantage of our awesome deals. It has been a to...
The Importance of Self-Efficacy - MTW Blog (1/6/11)
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Posted by mtwmanager
396 days
ago
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By Michael. Self-efficacy... well, if you look up the word, you'll probably find something like "the belief in one's capabilities to achieve a goal or outcome." BUT, if you're like me, you probably don't have time to look up words. To me, self-efficacy is something that you do for yourself to help yourself. It could be anything, from getting a bus pass to getting promoted at work to opening up a bank account. It's linked to self esteem. For example, picture two people walking down the street. One has high self esteem and self-efficacy. He has his head up high, knows where he's going, and is going with purpose. The other person has low self esteem and no self-efficacy. He has his head down and looks like he doesn't know or care where he's going. Self-efficacy isn't always getting something ...
Open Up a New Page and Start the New Year Fresh! - (MTW Blog) 12/31/10
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Posted by mtwmanager
402 days
ago
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By Yuri. Happy New Year from More Than Words! Is your New Year's resolution to start eating healthy, quit smoking, or maybe spend more time with family? No matter what your resolution is, you can get off on the right foot by going to MTW. My New Year's resolution is to start running again, run 45-60 miles a week, and attend a community college. My name is Yuri and I'm an Associate at MTW. I'm also recently cafe trained and worked my first cafe shift one week ago. I like working in the cafe because it enables me to use and learn new skills. Cafe also exposes you to many different people and helps you gain great customer service skills. In addition to gaining these skills, MTW is helping me attain my goals, or resolutions. More Than Words gives inside and outside support on life essentials a...
Shop-a-Thon Recap - (MTW Blog) 12/16/10
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Posted by mtwmanager
417 days
ago
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By Domingo. Our goal for the Shop-a-Thon on Dec. 8th was to make $2,000 in 3 hours. We surpassed that by almost $200 and ended with a grand total of $2,161!! Thanks to all of our customers for coming out, supporting us, and spending money here so that we could hit our goal! We had roughly 100 of the nicest people in the world come out and support us. In addition, thanks to all of our youth and adult staff members who worked together to make sure the store looked its best. Matt and Kayla on the mic kept track of our progress and made everyone feel welcome. Joseph and Jorge read seasonal books to the children in the store. We provided great customer service and free samples throughout the night. We also had trivia with raffle prizes, and gave informative tours. Overall, our Shop-a-Thon was a...
Shop til you drop! - (MTW Blog) 12/1/10
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Posted by mtwmanager
432 days
ago
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By Jorge. My dream gift this year would be to get a car for Christmas. Do you want to be able to get your friends and family their dream gifts? Come by our Shopathon and check out our great deals! Shopathon is next Wednesday, December 8th from 6-9pm. Sip your favorite toasty drink, shop, and learn more about MTW on a youth-led tour of our business. We have whatever you may want to give to your friends and family. For example, we have an amazing selection of books, cds, dvds, games, travel mugs, puzzles, MTW tshirts, and gift cards in any amount you want! By the way - our average book price is only $3.95, which makes MTW a really affordable place to do all your holiday shopping. So make sure you come to our Shopathon! Hope to see you there!
HP Fans at MTW! - (MTW Blog) 11/19/10
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Posted by mtwmanager
444 days
ago
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By Linda. This is a little update for all Harry Potter fans! Come to MTW for all the Harry Potter books for a little refresher before you go see the newest movie! The first of 2 movies to come out for the last Harry Potter book (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows) just came out today and I can't wait to go see it. I really love Harry Potter. They are great books. I own and have read every single book in the series! If you need to catch up or brush up on your Harry Potter, you can get all the books here at MTW!
Great Green Gift for the Holidays! - (MTW Blog) 11/11/10
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452 days
ago
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By Leakia. Running out of ideas for holiday gifts? Problem solved! Stop by More Than Words and grab a gift card! You can also go on our website and order them from the comfort of your own home: http://mtwyouth.org/store_info/. Shipping on gift cards is free! All you have to do is choose the amount you want to put on the card and then continue shopping. On our website we're also selling MTW Travel Mugs and Tshirts. Be unique this year! Our gift cards can be used on anything in our store and cafe. From coffee and cupcakes to books, dvds, and puzzles, a gift card is the way to go. Not only will your gift make your loved one smile, but you'll also be saving the environment and supporting our non-profit youth-run business. Make a socially conscious choice this holiday season. Shop at ...
Transforming MTW into a Winter Wonderland - (MTW Blog) 11/4/10
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Posted by mtwmanager
459 days
ago
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By Devon. On November 1st, youth from More Than Words came in to change over the store from Halloween themed to winter holiday themed. Youth put up fake snow, snowflakes, Christmas lights, and special displays all around the store. I helped clean out the store and put up a bunch of snowflakes. Other people made holiday signs and sprayed snow on our storefront window to make the store look extra festive. We also set up a giant display of our holiday cards - they're only $4 a box! Decorating the store was a lot of fun and we all had pizza when we finished to celebrate our hard work. After all of our teamwork, we turned the store into a winter wonderland. Make sure you come by to check out all of our great holiday decorations and deals!
Halloween Tricks and Treats - (MTW Blog) 10/28/10
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Posted by jodi
466 days
ago
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By Yuri. Halloween is right around the corner and I'm really excited for it. My three favorite things about Halloween are the free candy, seeing all the scary costumes, and going out with my friends. I love watching scary movies and seeing my favorite shows do spooky Halloween episodes. Also, every Halloween, I go to Screamfest with my friends. Screamfest is a great amusement park in New Hampshire where you're guaranteed to have a good, scary time on Halloween! I'm especially excited for Halloween this year because More Than Words is hosting a Halloween event here at our store! On Halloween, bring your kids to MTW for fun and spooky stories. From 12-3pm we're holding our special family event. While you're there, enjoy free candy and free samples of our delicious fall beverages! We've also ...
The MTW Van Gets a New Look! - (MTW Blog) 10/21/10
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473 days
ago
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By Matt M. The More Than Words book pick-up van has never been distinguished from other boring, white vans. Until now...
Youth and managers joined forces and brainstormed ideas for how the van wrap should be designed. What colors, where the text should be, and how to transfer the cool, modern MTW style onto our van were some of the main topics discussed. After numerous drafts, concepts, and renders, we finally came up with the final, gold-master design. The whole point of this new van design is to promote and advertise our business everywhere we go (events, book pick-ups, etc.), encourage people to donate books (this means you!), and obviously because it looks really cool.
Becoming a Big Citizen! - MTW Blog (10/14/10)
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Posted by jodi
480 days
ago
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By Shanice. On October 6th, the co-founder of City Year, author of Big Citizenship, and former Senate candidate, Alan Khazei, visited us here at More Than Words. He spoke to us about his new book, Big Citizenship, and what it took to start City Year. My co-worker, Richard, and I were lucky enough to be the ones leading the Q&A session. From my experience interviewing Alan, he seemed very inspired by our bookstore. The main question that we wanted to ask him was "What is a big citizen?" He explained that to him, it is someone who stands up for what they believe in, works with others in their community to make change happen, and doesn't give up. Alan talked about how it's important to follow your dreams and that it's helpful to have a team when you're starting something so that you have ...
Apple Cider Picking - MTW Blog (10/7/10)
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487 days
ago
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By Domingo. We have a new drink in our cafe - apple cider! You can get it hot or iced and can add caramel if you like. You can also garnish it with whipped cream and cinnamon for a sweeter taste. This is a perfect treat for the chilly fall weather and upcoming freezing winter season. As a barista, I love to make apple cider. My favorite part is the smell when I steam it because it smells like fresh apples. I think of apple picking when I get a whiff of this tasty cider. I also love it because it's so easy to make! All you do is steam the cider, pour it into whatever size cup you want, and garnish it with as much or as little as you'd like. You can also add a dash of milk to intensify your drink. There are so many different ways you can try it! Prices start at only $2.50. It's cheap and del...
Let's Take Charge and Go Head First! MTW Blog (9/9/10)
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Posted by mtwmanager
515 days
ago
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By Shanice. Let's all go back to our youth and think about where you could go on wicked site visits, learn how to be independent, take control of your life, and move your life forward. Well, here at More Than Words is where I can do all those cool things.
To help us accomplish our goals every day, expectations are made. For example, we have the SCORD board, which is our inventory. SCORD stands for Store, Cafe, Online, Receiving, and Donations. The SCORD board is here for all youth to set and reach our goals everyday, and each day is different. I think of the SCORD board as a way to take baby steps in our business, which can also be applied to our everyday lives. We also have Transitions, where we individually take baby steps to move our lives forward. College professors and Ed...
Summertime: When The Living's Easy - MTW Blog (7/17/10)
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Posted by jodi
569 days
ago
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By JasonSummer is by far my favorite season for a number of reasons. First and most importantly, there is no school. Having no school is great because I have much more free time to pursue other things and also have more fun. Another great thing about the summer is of course, the weather. This aspect of summer is universal for everyone, not only students. The amazing weather of the summer calls for activities like the beach, cookouts, concerts, festivals and things of that nature. Here at More Than Words we love summer and we have a number of displays on different aspects of summer fun. For example we have a display on Barbequing, one of the books titles is “The Ultimate Barbeque Bible”. Towards the end of the month More Than Words is hosting a barbeque the whole team will be at...
The Importance of Public Speaking - MTW Blog (7/1/10)
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Posted by mtwblog
585 days
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The Importance of Public Speaking
By Jaime
People say that standing up in front of people is nerve racking, but that it also build character, and I strongly agree. On the 23rd of June my teammate Kirk and I cohosted the Question Zero night event here at More Than Words. I had to stand up in front of a crowed of people and introduce myself, as well as talk a little bit about how I heard about MTW and what I have accomplished since being here. I was already used to talking about my life and how it is changing for the better, but I still was nervous and at the same time. In the end it felt really good to represent the business during the event and it helped me to be prepared when events like this happen. In the end I do think public speaking is truly important if you ever plan on work...
MTW and the Celtics - MTW Blog (6/17/10)
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Posted by mtwblog
599 days
ago
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By Marceline and Jen,
TONIGHT at 9PM the Celtics will be playing the Lakers in game seven of the NBA finals. I (Jen) am from Boston and personally don’t follow the Celtics team but I (Marceline), a native New Yorker, think that the Lakers are good, but the Celtics are better. In fact I am confident that the Celtics are going to beat the Lakers. They have Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Rasheed Wallace, and Rajon Rondo. As a New Yorker I am rooting against the Celtics, so I hope the Lakers will win, but I think they’re going to have to bring their A-game because I can tell Kobe Bryant really wants that 2010 ring. Even though I’m not a fan, I’ve noticed that the Celtics work together kind of how MTW works to empower us youth. MTW is a youth run business to he...
To Go To College or Not To Go To College - MTW BLOG (6/12/10)
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Posted by mtwblog
604 days
ago
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By Jaime,
I recently read an article in the New York Times about making a very important decisions: to go to college or not after high school. Both sides made valid arguments, talking about what should a high school student should do with the next step in his or her life. I read that there is a ratio if a high school student is ranked among the bottom quarter of their high school classes 80% will probably never get complete bachelor's degree or even a two year associates degree. So thinking about it if you do go to college after high school and you were one of those students who are in the lower percent you'll be paying for college and possibly not even get your degree. I also read about that professor Rosenboum at Northeastern said that the job market will be needing thousands of nurse's...
MTW Blog - Help Spread the Word (5/9/10)
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638 days
ago
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HELP SPREAD THE WORD!!!
By Francis and Henry
The MTW team has a chance to win tickets to a Red Sox game!!! The TOP 5 reasons why the MTW team deserves to win the tickets are:
• To celebrate the end of a good school year. (Everyone on the MTW team has an educational goal)
• To celebrate the end of an awesome Fiscal Year. (We work hard every day to reach our business goals)
• To celebrate our teamwork. (MTW works as a team to run our business, and sets good examples for other youth)
• MTW is very youth-driven (The youth push themselves to hit their outcomes)
• MTW is all about Empowerment, Community, and Leadership (We can show these skills even at a Red Sox game).
You c...
MTW Blog - Spring Cleaning Challenge (4/22/10)
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Posted by mtwblog
655 days
ago
under FrontPage
By Chloe,
So here's the deal guys: this weekend is More Than Words 2nd Annual Spring Cleaning Weekend. No worries - It doesn't involve windex and cobwebs, tt's all about the books! Our goal is to have 6,000 items donated to our store, just this weekend. Yes, we know that's a big number, but were pretty good at creating high expectations for ourselves. A lot of people come into More than Words asking how this business came to be, and how we continue to run it? Our answer: "We are empowering youth to take charge of their lives by taking charge of a business." Everything here is youth led; so help us take charge. Your donations will help us to continue running training sessions for other youth, helping them become determined that they can reach for high expectations, just like we've learned ...
MTW Blog - My Favorite Five (4/15/10)
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Posted by mtwblog
662 days
ago
under FrontPage
By Edwin:
As a book enthusiast, I wanted to share my list of must read top 5 novels. In the 5 position is The Crucible, if you're into witches and the 18th century, check it out. Number 4 is Of Mice of Men, two old friends search for work in rough economic times and their friendship is tested. Third place has to go to Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens and it’s a must if your interests include classics. My second must read has to be The Scarlet Letter, it includes adultery, plans for murder, and redemption. Even though I haven’t finished this, The Great Gatsby book is definitely my favorite so far. I think F. Scott Fitzgerald was a great author in his time and this was probably his best work, and a reflection of his life. So those are my favorites, please come in and check us out...
Blog: Phoebe Russell's Philanthropy (4/7/10)
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Posted by mtwblog
670 days
ago
under FrontPage
By FrancisPhoebe Russell is six years old, and when it comes to the true meaning of "Service" she knows what she’s doing. Phoebe has raised $3,736 dollars in two months, and 35,000 pounds of food. Thanks to Phoebe, her family, and friends helping to spread the word more than 123,000 people will have meals. Phoebe became “Tyson’s Hunger All-Star “When she raised 15 tons of chicken for 120,000 people in her San Francisco community. I'm so happy Phoebe's inspiration continues to spread! What a gift this little girl has & I can't wait to see what her future holds. It’s so rare that a child this young can spark a fire of inspiration in adults around the world.For more information and to watch Phoebe in action follow the link below:http://www.huffing...
MTW Blog - 4/3/10
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Posted by mtwblog
674 days
ago
under FrontPage
Conscious Leadership, by Charissa:
The Authors globe recently joined More Than Words for an author event and afterward posted a blog article about the visit to our store. I just read a article about the article. I found the blog post to be very insightful, and included a lot of information. In this article I found several things interesting. Surveys had shown that 80% of Americans believe business is too concerned about making a profit and not enough about responsibilities to workers, consumers, and the environment. I find this part of the article interesting because I didn’t know that 80% of Americans thought that way. Over all this article was great, and we’re glad to have events that continue to shape More Than Words into a beautiful community!
Follow thi...
MTW Blog - 4/1/10
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Posted by mtwblog
676 days
ago
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April Fool's Day, By Edwin
April 1st, otherwise known as April Fool’s day; a day full of pranks, lies, and watching your back. Google decided to kick today off with a prank that could possibly confuse all its users. They announced that they officially changed their name to Topeka in respect to a town in Kansas who changed their name to Google. They said they have a lot in common and is the only way to show back respect to this town. The Google name is way too well known for them to just change it; they would lose money with that mistake. Watch out for pranks – everyone’s a target!
MTW Blog 3/25/10
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Posted by mtwmanager
683 days
ago
under FrontPage
Millions of people drink coffee everyday, it wakes people up and gives them an energy boost in the mornings. Recent research also shows it's saving lives! Scientists have proven that women who drink 3 or more cups of caffeine lost less brain tissue called white matter than those who didn't. That's the part of the brain that helps people's memory and coffee stops your brain from aging. Strangely men who consume the same amount don't show any benefit from drinking it. The exact reason isn't known for the gender difference but scientists think its something to do with hormones. Something to think of when you're offered a second cup.
MTW Blog - 3/23/10
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Posted by mtwmanager
685 days
ago
under FrontPage
Blog by Devon. Last week, Francis & I, gave a tour of MTW to Jeffery Simon, the Director of Infastructure Development for Massachusetts, who is going around the state seeing how stimulus money is affecting people. The tour was a big deal - we got to show a very important man what More Than Words means to the community and to us youth. The tour started off as a normal tour, then we got into why we are here and how More Than Words has been helpful to our lives. Also, we got to show how the money from the stimulus, that people donate, and from customers in the store is real helpful and going to good use. More Than Words is a very important place for us youth to work and to change our lives. We found out Mr. Simon wrote an article on the state blog! We want to thank Mr. Simon for coming to...
MTW Blog - 3/11/10
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Posted by mtwmanager
693 days
ago
under FrontPage
Response to the article Youth Today: They Won't Stay Outside Forever: Black Young Men and Unemployment by Karen Pittman and the Forum For Youth InvolvementBy Edwin: A poor white kid has a better chance of getting a job then a middle-upper class African American. I think people are too judgmental and need to give others a chance. 34.5% of African Americans are unemployed. I think they need to do better in education and things would work out better in the world for them. Barack Obama is passing a new bill starting jobs for many people not just blacks. He is doing the right thing and he shouldn’t have to point out one race only to step it up.http://forumfyi.org/content/youth-today-they-won%E2%80%99t-stay-outside-forever-black-young-men-and-unemployment
Blog - 3/9/2010
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Posted by mtwmanager
699 days
ago
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By Devon. More Than Words is having the Brandeis Slam Team for our open mic night. What is slam poetry? It is one of the most virtal and energetic types of poetry there is. Slam poetry is strong, with rhythm! An actual Slam is like a battle between one another or two teams competing against each with the poetry they have written . So stop by More Than Words Friday March 19th - 8pm - to witness the Brandeis Slam Team. Check out our events page for more info.
Blog March 4, 2010
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Posted by mtwmanager
704 days
ago
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National Grammar Day? lol...
Today is National Grammar Day so march forth on March 4 to speak well, write well, and help others do the same*! Grammar has changed a lot over the years from old English to slang text messaging. The question is now why? Well my opinion is in the 1400s and 1500s people use to use big complicated words and lots of them because authors got paid by word so they just blabbered every word they can think of. Now people are always busy and on the move, so when you write something like a text message you just want to get the point across with the person understanding what you are saying in the least amount of letters. Sometimes this quick and unclear new form of writing can be confusing to the reader if they dont know what your intent is. Therefore grammar is importan...
MTW Blog - 2/25/10
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Posted by mtwblog
711 days
ago
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My name is Vince and a few weeks ago I met with a professor from Brandeis that assisted in the process of completing my college essay. Her name was Professor Tetrault and brought forth a lot of her own experiences to aid me. The colleges look at every detail in an essay and the edge I had by having Professor Terault to lend me helped me to work out the kinks to make a clear and effective essay. My advice to those who are taking part in the college process is to always seek help or guidance from someone who has a good understanding of what needs to be done so that you get a feel of what is happening. The essay is a big part of the whole process, it gives the colleges an understanding of a lot of qualities and attributes you are going to bring to their college. It is always good to have id...
MTW Blog - 2/23/10
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Posted by mtwblog
713 days
ago
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March Madness, By Jesie.
Well as most of us know March is upon us and yeah, St. Patrick’s Day, but me as a sports fan it’s time for March Madness! This brings up a good book that became a movie: Glory Road - which is a great & inspiring basketball story about Texas Western Miners in the year of 1966, changing African American athletes forever. Glory Road is the true story about how the Texas Western Miners got a bunch of great African American basketball players, but due to racial problems coach Don Haskin has some second thoughts about even playing his African American players, even though they dominated the court when they stepped on. All and all they make it to the NCAA final four but ended up losing 67-69 and UC went on to the finals. I liked this book bec...
MTW Blog - ANITA DIAMANT
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Posted by mtwmanager
718 days
ago
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As the host of the event, and on behalf of More Than Words, we are proud to welcome back Ms. Anita Diamant on this coming Sunday, the 21st of February! She will be answering questions composed by our own youth, and asked by you, our proud customers, reading a segment from her newest book, Day After Night, and signing books for anyone who has a copy, or buys one from our store!
The event begins at 3pm and lasts until 5! Come sit, chat with Anita, and enjoy our fabulous café treats!!
Kindle - Wow!
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Posted by mtwmanager
720 days
ago
under FrontPage
Hi my name is Jesie, I am a partner at MTW and today’s topic is "Kindle." After researching about kindle I found out that not only do you have to pay $300 for the device but every book that you download is at least $9.99. Why should we have to pay for the device and still get additional fees for the books we download? I can easily download as many songs as I want to my iPod for free! In addition, the memory space is low - only holds about 200 books, and a book shelf can hold a lot more. Nowadays people don’t even have to leave there house for anything: food gets delivered, TV and movies can be watched online, and now you don’t even have to leave your house to get a book! Personally, I say get out and get some fresh air.
MTW Blog - 2/11/10
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Posted by mtwblog
725 days
ago
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Third Time's a Charm! By Kirk,
Hi, my name is Kirk and I am a trainee at More Than Words. I have attempted to become an associate two times before but this time around I have confidence that I will make it though. MTW really helps you set up your life and helps you create goals and achieve them. Now being here for a full month I feel like I am making a big difference in my future by getting my life essentials such as getting my Massachusetts I.D and opening a bank account. Also MTW transitions shifts have a new set up which I really enjoy called affinity groups. Affinity groups allow me to work with youths on the same level as me in education which is very helpful. I look forward to becoming an associate so I can further my self efficacy on transitions!
MTW Blog - 2/9/10
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Posted by mtwmanager
727 days
ago
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A Day with TFA, By Francis
Over the weekend we had a Teach For America event, which was an awesome experience. The TFA alums came to enjoy coffee, tea, read books and volunteer their time which was very helpful to our store. They also made a lot of book donations to help move our business forward. They even helped out with some of the regular MTW operations, such as pre scanning and managed sections. We really enjoyed having the alums to teach them more about what More Than Words really is. Everyone was energetic and willing to help - it made the day go by smoothly, and was a lot of fun!
MTW Blog - 2/4/10
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Posted by mtwblog
732 days
ago
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Employee of the Month Dinner
By Edwin
Being employee of the month requires hard work but the reward is worth it in the end. Being able to pick any restaurant for a dinner is a big perk. I’m excited and have a lot of options in mind. Earning employee of the month means you have had good punctuality and attendance, worked hard with a positive attitude which I am proud to be acknowledged for it. I’m going with a group of youth from More Than Words that also won the award and I’m looking forward to going to an all-American restaurant and enjoying sirloin steaks and burgers.
MTW Blog - 1/30/10
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Posted by mtwblog
737 days
ago
under FrontPage
Michael Jackson's More Than Words Resurrection
By Reynaldo A. Rodriguez, stage name "Michael JUDGM3NT Jackson"
Starting as a Trainee here at More Than Words a year ago wasn’t that bad; I got to learn a lot of new things right from the beginning. I always came to work on time, was ready to work, and, to be honest, kind of childish because I was new to the team. But I continued to grow with both my behavior and professional skills. From then to now, as a Senior Partner, I’ve made a lot of new good friends and, at the same time, learned a whole lot more about the King Of Pop (the one and only Michael Jackson). Almost everybody at More Than words calls me Michael Jackson not because I like his music; I can dance like him, sings like him and talk like him. Not to me...
MTW Blog - 1/25/10
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Posted by mtwmanager
742 days
ago
under FrontPage
--The True Heart of More Than Words--My name is Heather, and I have had the honor of being a part of the More Than Words team for almost 5 months now. I have completed my training, and am due for a performance review very soon. However, I am very distractable and often need to be refocused because, as a singer, I find it difficult to go through my day without randomly emitting a tune. I hum, whistle, or sing whenever I can, and often don’t realize I am doing it until I am asked to refocus on the task at hand. In fact, I am so musically minded that I feel most at home at More Than Words Open Mic nights. Performers from all over Boston come to our store to read or recite their poetry, prose and essays, sing songs, rap, and even perform comedy routines. I perform at every Open Mic, and ...
No Sharing! - by Francis
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Posted by mtwmanager
755 days
ago
under FrontPage
I have never heard of e-books until reading about Kindle. It is so simple to buy books on Kindle: just press a button to take you to Amazon’s store, type in a title or author, and press buy. Many people find e-books more helpful because of its convenience and it takes little time to get your favorite books for $9.99 or less. There are about 240,000 titles available for on Kindle. The only negative about it is that you can only buy books from Amazon’s store. Also, when you’re done with a book you will not be able to sell or trade it. According to company stats when people buy a book on Kindle, they keep buying the same number of physical books as they did before. They buy nearly twice as many e-books as paper books. When you buy a book, you can share it with a friend freel...
The Coffee At More Than Words Is Good For You!
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Posted by mtwblog
762 days
ago
under Awesome
A recent article in the Wall Street Journal called Good News in the Daily Grind states that coffee has some surprising health benefits. Most people think coffee as a energy boost or a fast way to wake up, but what if there was a way coffee could help you with a health problem you may face one day in life? You would think a person who drinks zero cups a day would be healthier then the person who drinks five cups a day, but studies show the different amounts of coffee one may drink will have different health benefits - for example averaging three cups a day can lower your risk of Type 2 Diabetes by 25%. So stop on by More Than Words Bookstore and Cafe to get some freshly Starbuck's brewed hot or cold coffee and toss your health risk out the window!
On Becoming Cafe Trained
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Posted by mtwmanager
775 days
ago
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Hi my name is Charissa, and I am an associate at More Than Words. To be cafe trained is one of the most exciting and excellent experiences you can have while working at MTW. It is excellent because you get the chance to interact with customers, and work up on the storefront for an entire shift. I slowly went through a process of training with some of my youth teammates - Heather and Phillip. During training I was surprised to learn how simple brewing coffee actually is, and also how fast our cookies bake. I also love counting out money in the register because it gives me time to practice working with change.
Today was my first time being independent in the cafe, and it went great! I made three drinks for customers: a small coffee with cream, a large moc...
Our Blog - Favorite Things
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Posted by wendy
811 days
ago
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Hi, my name is Jesie, and I thought I’d start our blog off just by sharing with you my favorite things about More Than Words. I started working at MTW four months ago, and I have really enjoyed the ups and downs of maintaining a good and steady job. I have taken away a lot from the transitions shifts, because our transitions (case) managers really help us stay on track and set the bar high for ourselves so we can be held accountable. On the business side, I’ve just finished training in the café, and I’ve learned a lot about marketing and customer service. The business meetings we hold once a week with the entire staff team is great because we learn how to work as a team to figure out how we can improve the business. At MTW we have to have some type of education plan, which at first, I have...
About Our Blog
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Posted by wendy
811 days
ago
under Intro
More Than Words is a place we learn job skills for running a business and other professional skills to take forward into our next jobs. Through our blog we would like to show what we do and how we do it, and connect to other youth and prospective employees, customers and volunteers. Since our blog is written by the youth, it will give our readers an insight of what it is like to work at MTW.
More Than Words is a unique bookstore and café that helps youth take charge of their life by taking charge of a business. Working at More Than Words can be a very difficult but worthwhile opportunity to learn through an outstanding job training, punctuality and attendance expectations. In this youth blog we will talk about our experiences here at MTW, what it’s like to m...
Test different year
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Posted by admin
1363 days
ago
under Awesome
Testing