The
Beginning

Toolbox Project curriculum was developed over eight years while Mark Collin was a counselor in a rural school district in Northern California. In his words, “the children were struggling with many personal and family challenges, in addition to the usual struggles of growing up. They had no tools to recognize and name their feelings and deal with them constructively.”

With Mark’s guidance, the children began to identify and tap into their own inner capacities, strengths, and natural resilience. Mark used the metaphor of a personal toolbox and the symbols of real tools that translated easily into the idea of inner tools. The children “got it” immediately and loved it. They identified and named the 12 Tools together. Over many years, the Toolbox Project became a written curriculum and was implemented in more schools. Each school taught Mark more about ways to help teachers and students be kind and empathetic towards one another as well as using the Tools for their own personal empowerment.