The Activities Starter Kit

Give your teen a calm, confident start on the activities that matter, whatever grade they’re in.

A simple set of resources that helps your teen discover what they already do, grow into leadership in their own way, and start new things on purpose, so they reach application season prepared and confident instead of scrambling. This is the groundwork that makes the writing so much easier later.

Get the Starter Kit for $27 See what’s inside

Instant download  ·  Seven resources  ·  Fill-in worksheets and guides  ·  Yours to keep

A spread of pages from the Activities Starter Kit, including the welcome guide, the Level-Up Ladder, Keep Cut Grow, and My Climb Map
Why start now?

The strongest activities aren’t invented at the deadline.

By the time most students sit down to fill out a college application, the activities part feels like a scramble: trying to remember what they did three years ago, padding a thin list, and quietly wishing they’d been more intentional all along.

This kit gives your teen a foundation now, calmly, so the hard part later is so much easier.

What’s inside

Seven resources, each with one job.

A mix of fill-in worksheets and quick-reference guides. No 200-page workbook nobody finishes, just the few pages that build a real foundation, ready to print or fill in on your computer.

Discover what counts Grow & focus Get ready before applications Six resources for students One just for parents
0
Start Here
A friendly welcome that shows you exactly where to begin and how the pieces fit together.
1
Activities Brainstorming Inventory
Pulls out everything your teen already does, including the stuff that never felt like an “activity.”
Worksheet
2
Is This Even an Activity?
A 60-second decoder that settles what counts and what doesn’t: jobs, caregiving, side projects, hobbies, and more.
Guide
3
Add an Activity Now
Easy, honest activities your teen can start this month, with intention, even if they feel behind.
Workbook
4
The Level-Up Ladder
A picture of what growth looks like in any activity, from showing up to leading and building real impact.
Guide
5
My Climb Map
Tracks every activity and the next move on a single page, so growth stays visible across all four years.
Worksheet
6
Keep, Cut, Grow
Helps an over-scheduled teen decide where their time should actually go.
Worksheet
7
The Calm Parent’s Activities Handbook
Your playbook for helping without hovering: the lingo, the mindset, a 30-minute family meeting, and the questions that draw out your teen’s best stories.
Guide + worksheet
Who it’s for

For families who’d rather prepare than panic.

Purposeful planners
Families who want a thoughtful, intentional approach to activities. Start early with plenty of room to grow, or pick it up later, there’s even a resource for adding an honest activity close to the deadline.
Students in grades 9 to 12
Earlier is better, since it leaves room to grow. But it works just as well for the teen who feels behind and wants a calm way to start.
Parents who want to help
Without nagging, hovering, or quietly doing it for them. The handbook is written straight to you.
Robert Powers, founder of College Torch
Who made this
“The strongest applications don’t start with a perfect essay. They start with a student who finally sees everything they’ve already done.”

I’m Robert Powers, founder of College Torch. I’m a college counselor who knows what colleges want to see from students, and who cares just as much that they have authentic journeys of growth toward their futures, without stress, “packaging,” or turning them into robots. For over a decade I’ve helped my students, who call themselves Luminaries, turn their high school experiences into a future showcase for their college applications.

This kit is the very beginning of that work, the part I wish every family had as a resource as they try to prepare for college. It’s the gentlest, lowest-pressure way I know to help your teen start with intention, hopefully enjoying their experiences and learning about themselves along the way.

Johns Hopkins, M.A. Member, NACAC 10+ Years Guiding Students 300+ Students Guided
What families say

The same guidance hundreds of families have trusted.

The Starter Kit distills the exact activities approach Robert uses one-on-one. Here’s what students and parents say about that work.

“I didn’t have any activities in March when I first started preparing for college, but I had ten activities to write down by the end of the process. Those activities also helped me when I was writing my essays. I’m really happy with the final result.”
Laura H.
Laura H.
Student
“Robert was there from day one, when I first began to work on my college and activities lists. Having that head start helped immensely. He genuinely cared about my success and made himself available for any question, no matter how small.”
Remy R.
Remy R.
Student
“He pushed me to finish essays early, keep up with my activities sheet, and create a college list, things my freshman self would have never imagined doing so far in advance. With his guidance I got into my dream schools!”
Erin F.
Erin F.
Student
“Robert helped ease the burden of us having to nag about essay rewrites and deadlines and allowed us to take a more supportive role in the process. We’re thrilled that our son was accepted to his top choice school.”
Kellie Y.
Parent
“I came into college applications with zero knowledge about how anything worked, but he made the whole process run smoothly. He takes great care to understand your interests. For the activities list, he gave thorough instruction and was really helpful.”
Jaclyn N.
Jaclyn N.
Student
“Robert has a well-thought-out plan for the entire process. Having him keep our son on track meant far less tension for our family. This was our first time through it, and we never could have navigated it without him. His services are worth every penny.”
Kristin H.
Parent
Get the kit

Give your teen a thoughtful place to begin their activities growth.

Seven resources, a clear path, and a calmer start, yours to keep and reuse every year of high school.

$27

One-time payment · Instant download · 14-day happiness guarantee

A single afternoon with a college counselor to do this same work runs well over a hundred dollars. This is the same approach, in pages your family keeps and reuses for every kid, every year.

Get the Starter Kit for $27

You’ll check out securely, then get an instant download link right on the confirmation page. You’ll also get an email with a link to your Customer Access Center, where the kit is stored for you to download anytime.

If it doesn’t help, you don’t pay.
Open the kit, sit down with your teen, and if it doesn’t make starting activities feel clearer and calmer, just email me within 14 days and I’ll refund every penny. The only risk is leaving things the way they are.
Where it leads

The foundation first. The writing when you’re ready.

This kit gets your teen ready. When it’s time to actually shape and write the activities section of the application, the Dazzling Activities course is where that happens, step by step. Start here, and climb when the moment comes.

Explore the Dazzling Activities course
Questions

Good questions, honest answers.

What does this kit actually do?
It helps your teen build a strong foundation around their activities: discovering what they already do, seeing where they can grow and lead, and starting new things with intention. It’s preparation, the calm groundwork that makes the application work later far easier. It does not write or assemble the application itself; that’s the job of the Dazzling Activities course.
Is this the Dazzling Activities course?
No. This is the foundational step that comes before the course. The course teaches your teen how to shape and write the activities section of the application. This kit gets them ready for that work, and the two fit together naturally.
What grade is this for?
Any year of high school. Earlier is better, because it gives your teen time to grow what they start, but it works just as well for an older student who wants a calmer, more intentional way to begin.
My teen swears they have “nothing.” Will this still help?
That’s exactly who it’s built for. The Brainstorming Inventory and the decoder are designed to surface the activities almost every teen already has and overlooks, and the rest helps them grow from there.
Do we print it or fill it out on the computer?
Either. The kit is a mix: some pages are fill-in worksheets you can type right into, and some are guides to read or print. Use whatever works for your family.
How do I get it after I buy?
Right after you check out, your confirmation page gives you an instant download link, all seven resources plus the Start Here guide, ready to open, print, or fill in. You’ll also get an email with a link to your Customer Access Center, a secure area where the kit is stored for you to download anytime. It takes a couple of extra clicks to get in there, but between the two, you shouldn’t have any trouble finding your files. If anything goes wrong, just reply to the email and I’ll make sure you have it.
A calmer, more intentional start

Help your teen begin with purpose, not pressure.

Seven simple resources that lay the groundwork now, so the application later feels like the easy part.

Get the Activities Starter Kit for $27