Our unwavering mission is to empower growth and ignite greatness in individuals across the spectrum of age and experience. We believe in the transformative power of personal development, driven by the core values of empowerment, resilience, and purpose.
We stand committed to fostering self-awareness, cultivating empathy, and instilling life skills that propel individuals toward their goals and dreams. With a shared commitment to growth, together we rise above challenges, embrace change, and pave the way for a brighter future.
Welcome to 8 to Great®, where empowerment knows no bounds, and greatness is within reach for every individual, regardless of age, background, or aspirations.
We are proud to have been making an impact for over 20 years!
What if there was a program that got students so EXCITED about learning real life skills, that they started sharing those skills with everyone they met?
The 8 to Great 6-12 program has been having that impact on students for over 20 years.
“8 to Great should be required for graduation”
– Damian, Alternative HS Student
Now we’ve added the K-5 8 to Great SuperWheels Curriculum and are seeing students just as excited!
In today’s classrooms, there is a growing need to teach social-emotional skills. The benefits go far beyond what we can see immediately, into the future and beyond.
8 to Great not only changes behaviors, it changes lives. It empowers students to look at their options with new eyes and inspires them to practice behaviors that help them reach their goals and dreams.
This is internal rather than external motivation, and results in classes that students love, look forward to, and turn into lifelong habits.
have empowered hundreds of thousands of grateful students!
Our 20+ years of teaching 6-12 students from elite private schools to juvenile detention centers have shown us that students who are taken through the course with a trained facilitator will make significant positive changes resulting in
The K-12 Curriculum offers both live training and online training options. The hundreds of scripted lesson plans are interactive, easy to use, and guaranteed to inspire and delight your students when using the 8 to Great Rules of Respect. Students look forward to the classes so much that “Is it an 8 to Great day?” will become a common refrain.
Each school needs at least one Certified Trainer on staff to access the program materials. The training consists of a 10-hour Zoom course where teachers in training get to interact with other like-minded educators to learn the best practices of the program materials.
Those materials include:
8 to Great is the 8-step process that research has shown to be used by happiest, healthiest and most successful people. It helps each person who works it become great at whatever they dream: a great friend, a great teacher, a great parent, a great artist, a great athlete, a great scientist, etc.
Author, 8 to Great
MK Mueller spent 10 years as a high school educator and speech coach and loved it. But at the age of 34, she found herself in a domestic violence shelter. There she learned that her nearly straight A’s in high school had not taught her some of life’s most important skills.
After leaving the shelter, she began a support group in her home called, “Taking Care of Me.” Almost overnight, word of her empowering and uplifting message for adults in all walks of life grew, and she became a highly sought after speaker and trainer for businesses, community groups, and national and international conferences.
Using the insights from teaching and speaking, she wrote the award-winning book 8 to Great: The Powerful Process for Positive Change. Soon after, she developed a 6-12 curriculum and a training course for educators. Today there are over 3,000 Certified Trainers taking the 8 High-Ways Success Skills Process into middle and high schools, colleges, workplaces, health care organizations and community groups.
TODAY: MK is a TEDx Presenter with five books, a podcast and four original music CDs, speaking to educators, business leaders, and health care professionals around the world.
Master Trainer, 8 to Great
Active as a case manager, social worker and leadership coordinator in education for over 20 years, Patty’s life changed when a friend gave her a copy of 8 to Great®.
After she read it and started applying the 8 High-Ways, she realized “for the first time in my life I was truly happy!” She was so excited about how the process transformed her life that she asked to be trained to share it with others.
Subsequently, she was certified as one of our first Master Trainers, and now travels the world training coaches. Patty is clear that “As a health, wealth and dream coach, I love sharing this message of hope and inspiration that empowers us all to be the best version of ourselves.” Patty recently published her first book, Gratitude 101: The True Key to Happiness, available on Amazon. We are so proud to have Patty on our team!
Master Trainer, 8 to Great
With her 32 years of experience teaching and counseling, Roxie Smith is committed to guiding students and adults to becoming and doing their best. Once she discovered the 8 to Great® Success Skills 15 years ago, she knew she had to share it.
Her passion for the process led her to create a life-changing 8 to Great® Creative Writing Semester Course and the Bullet Journal Companion that any certified trainer can implement. Today, Roxie is legendary for her heart-hitting and practically powerful presentations. We are so proud to have her on our Master Trainer Team!
Some schools are only looking for 6-12 implementation, others, just for K-5. If you only want one or both of the curriculums, those options are available.
8 to Great is one of the most affordable and cost-effective programs in the country. We also offer partial scholarships if your budget is tight. We don’t want funding to keep you from bringing this life-changing program to your school or organization and will work with you. Your 8 to Great Master Trainer will go over all of your payment options on your call.
In addition, if you test it for one year using the 8 to Great Rules of Respect covered in the training and are not satisfied, we offer a full refund, minus materials and mailing costs.
The simplest and quickest way is to Schedule a Consult. You will be speaking with one of our Master Trainers. Rather than salesmen, they are certified educators who are passionate about helping students. In just 10-15 minutes they can answer all of your questions and help you determine if this is the right program for you.
We look forward to talking with you soon!
– MK Mueller and the 8 to Great Team
The 8 to Great philosophy and language is unique, and proven to make all the difference in a student’s engagement. It requires not just learning some new tools but unlearning some old habits that no longer work with today’s student population.
The minimum number of trainers for effective implementation is one per building. Our research shows that when you reach 20% of the faculty and administration trained, there is a positive shift in the entire school culture.
All 8 to Great 20-30 minute activities are scripted to the point that substitute teachers can teach them when a teacher is out sick. The fact that 8 to Great is a process makes it both simple and flexible.
Yes! First, the cost of turnover per teacher is an additional $20,000. Schools tell us that 8 to Great lowers faculty turnover. We regularly hear from educators who stay in teaching because of this program. See Jeff Hofeldt’s story on the Coaching Certification page.
Secondly, it costs $40,000 per year to keep a student in prison. (More than a year at Harvard!) 8 to Great has a reputation of being able to turn around the most hardened and hopeless students because it inspires internal motivation rather than relying on external motivation. In short, 8 to Great is a phenomenal investment for staff morale, student success and character skills that last a lifetime.
Click below to set up a 15-minute consultation with a team member to learn more about 8 to Great® and get your questions answered.
Click below to set up a 15-minute consultation with a team member to learn more about 8 to Great® and get your questions answered.
