b'IMPACTING CHANGE for several days, she emerged knowing that she could no longer allow herself to be shackled by her own insecurities and excuses. This isnt about placing blame, its about coming together to say our kids deserve better. These are our children, our families and our communities. We have to start somewhere and this is whereI am starting. Tizzie said. And start she did. October2017 marked the beginning ofproduct development for whatwould eventually be called the Spark TMShield, a lightweight bullet-resistant shield that fits We cant live in fear. into a childs backpack. The shieldI think we all agree is encased with a neoprene coveron that. We can make that can be personalized and usedable to equip classrooms with as a folder to transport paperschange happen ifSpark TMShields as an added level back and forth to school.we bring the rightof protection to existing safetySPARKINGIn addition to the shields beingpeople together. and lockdown procedures. light enough to carry, I alwaysWhen COVID-19 took hold, we had this vision that kids would beTIZZIE NUSSwore masks and began to social designing it in some way to makeB.S. Human Resources 06 distance in schools. We were able CHANGE it a point of pride rather thanwas completed by certifiedto create change fast. If we can something scary. I wanted kids approach this horrible thing with to feel like they have a part in thisthe same level of urgency and since they are the ones impacted. independent labs that test to compassion we can come upthe requirements set forth by with solutions.Tizzies quest to make this passionthe National Institute of Justice.project a reality has connectedTo date, all the Spark TMShieldsTizzie is a firm believer in the her with people who are willingtested have exceeded the 90%power of change and the fact that to get off the sidelines and shareindustry standard confidence ratingeveryone can contribute to this their knowledge, from executiveswhile successfully stopping bulletsmovement in their own way, from As the number of school shootings across the United States continues toand product developers tofrom .44 Magnum, 9mm, .22 caliberpicking up the phone or sending entrepreneurs and a ballisticsand .357 Magnum handguns. an email. Shes currently spending increase, Tizzie Nuss (B.S. Human Resources 06) is a mom on a mission. Anexpert. The final product wastime doing speaking engagements developed in collaboration and looking for additional entrepreneur fueled by compassion and the duty to do better for all children,with Bigger Tuna and The While the world grappled withopportunities to get moreCOVID-19, Tizzie embarked on a Tizzie founded the Spark Project, a change-minded social movementOhio State University.crowd-funding campaign to raiseshields in schools.committed to creating a new norm for in-school safety standards.I have a very good level of money to produce the shields. WithWe cant live in fear. I think we self-awareness from working inthe $27,000 that resulted, Ohio- all agree on that. We can make human resources. I know what based production commenced inchange happen if we bring the I am good at and what I am nottime to have shields ready at theright people together. good at. I signed up for businessend of 2021, as schools were re-In 2022, the National Center for EducationGun violence in the nations schools is aplanning courses and I networkopening for in-person learning. Statistics released a report that found thatproblem that many acknowledge but fewerlike crazy. Im fortunate that whenWhile parents can purchase shields shootings at public and private schools infeel a responsibility to solve. As a daughterI meet people, its not hard tofor their children from the SparkFor more the United States had reached a 20-yearof educators and a mother of two children,convince them to help. Project website, the next milestoneinformation high. From 23 incidents in 2000-01, whichTizzie Nuss felt called to help. Time passedin the Spark movement is to beon the Spark was the year data collection began, to atbut the desire to act never left her mindorTwo years of product 20 least 93 during the 2020-21 school year, her heart. Ironically, after a brief bout withdevelopment was followed byable to get shields in the hands Project, go to the number continues to rise.an eye infection left her without her visionperformance testing, whichof more kids. Tizzie hopes to be sparkproject.usClocktower | Impacting Change Clocktower | Impacting Change 21'