Professional Development

Years ago I worked in a school-based program and at the start of each new school year I organized a parent workshop related to helping your child have a successful school year.  Topics included things like the importance of school and home partnership, parent-teacher conferences, homework and study tips, understanding your child’s report card, and the […]

Mastering certain life skills is essential to successful independent living.  Life skills includes more than learning how to prepare a meal, drive a car, schedule a doctor’s appointment, or dress for a job interview.  Our last blog post explored Common Core Standards And Youth In Foster Care. The Common Core Standards are skills acquired for use

King Holiday by King Dream Chorus and Holiday Crew   Watch: King Holiday Music Video Once a year we celebrate Washington and Lincoln on their birth dates And now a third name is added to the list A man of peace, (Drum Major for Justice) Now every January on the third Monday We pay homage

We’re not a full month past the most celebrated holiday season and most of us have to admit that family celebrations can be stressful.  You may not have wanted to invite the sister who criticizes everyone, the uncle who challenges everyone to an arm wrestling match, the aunt who uses profanity at the dinner table,

I remember working with a group of youth a few years ago who had been given a school assignment to write their obituary.  How morbid! I remember saying to myself, “Why would you ask teens to think about their deaths instead of their lives”.  Young people surrounded by crime, poverty, and disappointment don’t need to

Dictionary.com defines a mentor as a wise and trusted counselor or teacher.  During National Mentoring Month, I want to offer to you that your life is either a cautionary tale or a positive example.  With that being said, you can be a role model or a mentor to someone you may not know personally based on

Here we are in the second week of January and most people have already let their New Year’s Resolutions fall by the wayside. According to some statistics about 45% of Americans make New Year’s Resolutions and only about 8% of us keep them.  Nearly 25% of resolutions are broken in the first week of the

Expressing your individuality and challenging social norms can be difficult in a culture that emphasizes conformity and fitting in.  I am writing this blog to challenge you to begin the New Year with a renewed commitment to living life with purpose and pride.  Take some time today to set the tone for how you want

HAPPY NEW YEAR! I have said my good-bye to 2012 and welcomed in 2013 with an expectation of abundance in all areas of my life.  I am grateful to all of the people who helped shape my values, views, and victories.   The one sentence that sums up my 2012 is “leap and the net

SPOTLIGHT Teen of the Month Jordan W. December 2012     Jordan W. is a 19 year old college freshman attending McNeese State University in Louisiana on a Division I basketball scholarship.  Jordan began playing basketball during his sophomore year in high school.  Basketball has given him a goal to strive for and a more