Lifeplan Institute | 10 Million Teenagers in 10 Years

Learning to Dream Again

2012-02-01T06:00:00.000-08:00

Imagine being a young person who finds himself or herself homeless. Every day is a struggle to attend school, to fit in, to seek privacy and calm at a shelter, to handle constant uncertainty and change. Day-to-day living takes all your energy. A path forward is the last thing on your mind.

In my new book, A Plan for Life: Why Every Young Person Should Have a Lifeplan, I share the story of some adolescent girls who faced those obstacles and more. But due to the extraordinary caring of the Greater Phoenix Youth at Risk organization, and its New Pathways teen mentoring program, these girls were introduced to Lifeplan. And one step at a time, they began to fashion a path forward in life.

The role of mentors in the New Pathways program is to show what life can be like outside the shelter, with the emphasis on education. Lifeplan was a perfect fit with the curriculum because it added the tools to help young people set goals and make life changes. In fact, the program motto mirrors what Lifeplan is all about: helping kids “learn to dream again, then learn how to make those dreams a reality.”

Attendance was mandatory at the Lifeplan workshops that New Pathways offered every other Saturday. The girls were completely committed; during the 4-week program, only one missed a day because she was sick. And the girls blossomed. Because kids living in homeless shelters crave privacy, these young women especially treasured their confidential Lifeplan journals. Soon, they began to trust that Lifeplan was truly going to help them. One extremely introverted girl went from refusing to participate to becoming a group leader. When it was time for her to invite people to join her Board of Directors, she bravely picked up the phone and called her dad, her aunt, her mentor, and the New Pathways director who recalled, “It was just incredible to hear that conversation.”

Setting achievable goals represented huge gains in responsibility and self-esteem for these girls. Now, their achievements might be something kids in other circumstances take for granted. But these girls’ progress was breathtaking: they went from being hopeless to fashioning a path forward and preparing themselves to fulfill their commitments on that journey.

And there’s the lesson for all of us: When dedicated mentoring programs like New Pathways team up with Lifeplan, there’s no limit to ways we can help at-risk youth learn to dream again and make those dreams a reality.

All the best,
Andy

It's a Wonderful World

2012-01-11T06:00:00.000-08:00

Thought you would enjoy this to start the New Year with hope and optimism!

All the best,
Andy

A Time for Optimism

2012-01-02T06:00:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! The beginning of a New Year is always a time for optimism and an opportunity to renew our commitment to support those whom we treasure: our society's young people.

I'm excited to see the extraordinary 8th graders at Mount Tamalpais School who, along with thousands of young people across the country, are going through the Lifeplan program. Before they left for holiday, they went through the Values exercise and chose their individual top five values. Then they negotiated the class's top five, which were Love, Family/Friends, Live Your Dreams, Determination, and Diversity.

They have been working in five groups, crafting a storyboard and shooting a 60-second PSA that tells a story reflecting each group's value. The 8th graders will share these PSA's during their Lifeplan celebration at the end of the school year when they will invite their Board of Directors to come and hear their story of building a Lifeplan.

As we resume the Lifeplan "Journey of Choices, Decisions and Consequences," these young people will begin the module that helps them think about their dreams. Once they have identified a dream (I have them write it in pencil, acknowledging that it may change), they will learn about short-term and long-term goals. They will also learn about SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Timely) goals.

We will then move on to concrete steps on the journey and begin thinking of those individuals they want to be on their Board of Directors. During this process, the young people will learn about networking, and how to nurture their network and Board.

I can't think of a greater way to start the year than by helping young people think about their dreams, build a thoughtful plan, and gain the real confidence from succeeding in this process.

I said the New Year is a time for optimism. My grandfather always said that, "Optimism is the only philosophy that justifies getting up in the morning." Well, more than that, it also invites us to light up the eyes of our extraordinary young people with a Lifeplan journey that will truly help them reach their dreams.

All the best,

Andy

Give Of Yourself

2011-12-01T07:00:00.000-08:00

Happy Holiday Season!

I was recently part of a conversation regarding self-esteem and the role it plays in youth development. Questions abounded about what it is and what promotes it.

Well, in the late 80's I had the privilege of chairing the California Task Force to Promote Self-Esteem, Personal and Social Responsibility. The initial response to this work was a bit of "only in California would they study self-esteem" - and being parodied in Doonesbury for two weeks. In the end, the three years of work earned considerable respect for our scholarly findings showing that self-esteem, and personal and social responsibility are core to one's health and a vibrant society.

The three core ingredients that promote self-esteem are simple and yet profound: a feeling that you belong, being acknowledged for your efforts, and being recognized for your achievements.

Realizing this, it then becomes apparent that isolation is the most debilitating wound a young person, or anyone, can experience. The only way we can combat isolation is to be involved with our children, not abandon our older adults, and be inclusive everywhere and every way we can. This is a siren for why mentoring is so important, and for communities to come together and become places where people feel they belong, are acknowledged for their efforts, and celebrate their achievements.

My wife, Kate, founded a school 35 years ago and has worked tirelessly to have it be not only an exemplary school but also an extraordinary community. Everyone feels like a valued member of this school community. During challenging times, I have observed this very special community excel in pulling together on behalf of those who needed support. A community like this models both personal and social responsibility.

Working with the 8th graders at the school, I marvel at how resonant they are to understanding the myriad choices they have each and every day, and recognizing the consequences of every decision they make. This is the very core of Lifeplan, a journey of choices, decisions and consequences. In the end, our lives are defined by the choices we make and they are ultimately OUR responsibility. Having a young person understand that is indeed a gift.

I firmly believe it is at our core to be there for one another, to give of ourselves. What an appropriate time it is, during the holiday season, for us all to celebrate community and foster inclusiveness by giving the greatest gifts of all: our time, our thoughtfulness, and our love.

Happy Holidays!

All the best,

Andy

That Special Someone

2011-11-01T08:00:00.000-07:00

This is the third Thanksgiving I have had the opportunity to share a musing with you. It is certainly a time of year when each of us can take a moment to give thanks for all that we have, including the challenges we all face during this tumultuous time in the world.

In the Lifeplan program, one of the most potent aspects that young people love is building their own “board of directors.” A personal board nurtures the Lifeplan process and helps a young person navigate these challenging times. A personal board provides wisdom and support to help someone reach their dreams.

It is wonderful to see that those who are invited to be on a young person’s board of directors always feel honored and touched by the invitation — much like a mentor who always feels he or she has gotten more out of the relationship than the young person.

When I speak around the country, I always invite people to take a moment to think about those people in their lives who made them feel they could achieve their dreams. They may not have been made into a formal “board” back then, but you know who they were. A parent, grandparent, teacher, coach, minister, aunt or uncle - someone who took the time and held aspirations for you.

So, think for a moment about that person in your life who made you feel special and who knew you COULD achieve your dreams. Who was that special someone? Now, when was the last time you called or sent them a note to say “thank you” and let them know what they meant to you?

At this season of giving thanks, I invite you to take a moment and send a note or make a call to that special someone. This might also be a good time to recognize those around you for whom you can play the same special role. After all, the greatest gift we can give the young people we care about is our time – and perhaps even a Lifeplan.

Happy Thanksgiving and remember my grandfather’s favorite maxim to live by: “The loudest statement any of us can make about the world we dream of is what we do in our own lives.” I believe you can ALL be the change you dream about!

All the best,
Andy

Spread the Word About Lifeplan

2011-10-03T07:00:00.000-07:00

Deep thanks to all of you who have expressed excitement about my new book, A Plan for Life: Why Every Young Person Should Have a Lifeplan. You’re making this author pretty proud – as I am of everyone profiled in the book. What an inspiring journey Lifeplan continues to be!

Ever since I wrote the book’s predecessor in 2008 (Lifeplan: Tools Every Teenager Needs to Thrive, Not Merely Survive), all of us in the Lifeplan community have been immersed in a period of exciting – sometimes breathtaking - growth.

The Lifeplan ideas laid out in the first book have become the basis of a series of extremely successful young adult learning modules. We’ve realized that how we teach is crucial, and that the “discovery learning” notion that underpins Lifeplan – which encourages youths to share their dreams and actively engage in dialogue about their lives - really resonates with young people. The Lifeplan modules are now used in schools, mentoring programs, and sports clubs around the country. More and more educators, community leaders, nonprofits, and mentoring organizations are tapping into this scalable, cost-effective way to empower the young people they work with every day.

Many things have become crystal clear during this period of growth. For example, that Lifeplan has the power to create a societal shift. That it can help break the back of the debilitating social epidemics that plague our youth. That when young people have a “game plan” for life, they have a flicker of hope that can burst into a powerful flame of opportunity.

In a way, none of this should be a surprise. If we could give every young person a tool that ensured them a future replete with choices, a sense of security, and a new awareness about themselves and the world in which they live – wouldn’t that be an obvious path forward to success on so many levels? Absolutely! And I sincerely believe Lifeplan is that tool.

You can help grow this opportunity for young people! Click here or go to Amazon.com to order A Plan for Life: Why Every Young Person Should Have a Lifeplan. Help us spread the word about Lifeplan. Contact us to discuss ways to implement the Lifeplan program in your community.

Join us in contributing to the strength, diversity, and opportunity of our nation’s fabric – one child at a time.

All the best,
Andy

Some Aloha Spirit for Back-to-School

2011-09-06T06:00:00.000-07:00

So summer is over and a new school year is upon us. While we all want to hold onto those precious moments of childlike summer, it is time to refocus on all the wonder every new school year brings.

Kate and I just returned from a wonderful summer in Hawaii. Besides the sheer natural beauty, the reasons Kate and I love Hawaii are the people and the loving Aloha Spirit they share with us.

After 40 years of visiting the Islands and now having a home there, we still hold each day in awe for the wonders that present themselves. Paddling has become a daily joy, swimming with the dolphins, watching the whales. And, of course, marveling each evening at the glorious sunsets!

We have become very involved with the local Ohana Foundation that provides emergency medical support and educational scholarships for the children of everyone working at Hualalai.

A new project the Ohana Foundation is supporting is Lifeplan! We are now in the third year deploying Lifeplan to every school on the west side of the Big Island. This summer, we held the second annual Youth Summit during which 50 young people who had gone through Lifeplan participated in a one-day session to gain more insight and assets to grow their Lifeplans.

This new school year will see more than 1,000 young people participating in the Lifeplan program. The Lifeplan Institute of Hawaii will grow this island-wide, and in two years, take the program statewide.

It is gratifying to see this program take root in our own backyard! I would be remiss not to acknowledge the incredible leaders of this work. They include Kei Lin Cerf, Robin Mullen, Ellen Cunningham, Mark Geist, Alice Bratton, Art Souza, Will Murakami, Trish Champagne, Beth Mehau, Susan Wood – and, of course, our own Jim and Lee Kooler.

It is thrilling to see the benefits young people are deriving from the Lifeplan program. I look forward to keeping you apprised of the progress here in Hawaii and across the country.

Here's to a productive and revealing new school year!

All the best,
Andy

Foreword

2011-08-04T07:00:00.000-07:00

Once again, I have been honored by the offer of my friend, George Lucas, to write a foreword to a new book I've authored. The book is A Plan For Life: Why Every Young Person Should Have a Lifeplan. Here is George's gracious introduction:

We are on the cusp of a huge societal shift.

In the past, educators have been so keen on what they are delivering to kids rather than how they are delivering it. The standard paradigm feeds children chunks of data for forty minutes straight. But what if we allowed young people to engage in a dialogue around information as a discovery process? What if they became part of the conversation, with space to contribute their ideas, hopes, and dreams?

Undoubtedly, young people would have more ownership and excitement about their education.

This is the goal of Andy Mecca's innovative Lifeplan, which uses the powerful tools of discovery learning to nurture and shape lives.

It was almost 15 years ago when I wrote the foreword to Andy's book, The Mentoring Revolution, which lays out the miracles of mentoring. A few years later, I penned another foreword, this time to his groundbreaking book, Lifeplan: Tools Every Teenager Needs to Thrive, Not Merely Survive. It's a pleasure for me to do this yet again, given the enormous success of Andy's work in helping young people thrive. This book continues the story about how Lifeplan came into existence and gives compelling examples of its success in shaping the lives of young people from Atlanta to Hawaii.

My father was my mentor and always involved me in the conversation about my dreams and ideas about my future. Over the past 40 years, I have invested considerable resources developing an educational foundation that promotes the most effective education for our youth. I've learned that the most important educational tools are creating a context for the subject and providing an opportunity for cooperative learning among the students. This is discovery learning.

I believe that discovery learning, which focuses on listening to a young person rather than just talking at them, will inform a more effective future for education. Many brilliant, well-educated teachers are clamoring to share the exciting concept of cooperative, contextual learning with their students and peers. Over time, this revolutionary idea can inform the public debate about education in America.

Andy Mecca is at the forefront of this learning revolution. I've known Andy and his wife Kate, a gifted educator, for over 25 years - and it's been a wild ride. This energetic duo have dedicated their lives to mentoring. Sprung from their tireless work over four decades, Lifeplan has been born. Instead of telling young people what to do, it uses the process of discovery learning to uncover their dreams, desires, and goals.

The book you are holding describes the birth of Lifeplan, how it works, and why it's crucial that every young person in America have one. By giving young people these tools, we are ensuring that each young person in America has a chance to thrive. Let the revolution begin.

George Lucas
Marin County, California

My new book -- A Plan For Life: Why Every Young Person Should Have a Lifeplan -- is available now from Amazon.com. I hope you'll enjoy it!

All the best,
Andy

Love, Food, Naps & Joy

2011-07-15T07:00:00.000-07:00

Glorious summer is upon us, but whenever I see dogs gamboling with joy I feel so nostalgic. Ever-present is my loving memory of our golden retriever, Daisy.

These feelings were rekindled recently by a friend who lost his golden. I sent him a musing I had written when Daisy was dying. He reads these monthly Lifeplan musings and suggested I share it with all of you.

That seemed right since love is - and should be - part of all our lifeplans. For Kate and me, what we experienced with our Daisy was indeed pure love.

-oOo-

So, Kate’s and my best friend is dying. She has been in our lives for almost 10 years now and is such a joy.

For the past seven she has walked to work with me. On nice days, we always took the time to sit on the bench by the water and chat. She loved the chorus of barking seals and the majesty of the pelicans, especially when they were dive-bombing for fish.

I always marveled at how much pleasure she took in the smallest of nature’s treasures, from the scent of springtime flowers to the breeze blowing through her blond hair. She had so many friends who appreciated her gentle nature and ever-present smile and inquisitiveness.

Most of her friends were aware of her love for cookies and kept them on hand for her when we were out and about. She so cherished visits at the office from friends, especially Jennifer. She also loved her visits to the spa and mid-day walks thru town.

During her life, Daisy defined the quest for the perfect nap. She loved them and would have dreams that earned a chuckle from Kate and me for the “animated talking” she would express. What was she dreaming about?

When winter came, she abandoned her own bed to snuggle between Kate and me. What a snuggler! On the weekends, the couch was shared for naps - and heaven help us if one of us attempted to take a nap without her. A mighty wet nose would affectionately be in your face with a look as if to say, “You aren’t supposed to do that without me!” Oh, how I will miss that loving insistence.

Breakfast and dinner were such time-honored rituals that there was little need for a clock at home. If it was 6:30 am and were not up yet, that loving nose would be there to remind us it was Breakfast Time. Dinner was always preceded by an evening walk to say hello to the neighbors and return promptly home for FOOD.

So, we don’t have much time left with our dear, dear friend. But we are spending every day loving and enjoying each other. Kate and I cry when Daisy can’t see us.

Isn’t it strange that we are the ones suffering? Thankfully, she is in no pain, ever smiling, eating, napping, enjoying our bench time and all its joys.

How blessed we’ve been to share this time with you, Daisy. Life with you has been, and ever will be, golden.

All the best,
Andy

Mahalo Grams

2011-06-08T09:00:00.000-07:00

Some things absolutely warm your heart. I recently experienced this when an unexpected wave of gratitude came my way.

A wonderful spring tradition at my wife Kate's school is a Gratitude Day in the spirit of Aloha. One of the day's activities is giving Mahalo Grams (notes of thanks and appreciation) to classmates, teachers, family members, and others. I was the fortunate recipient of a handful of Mahalo Grams this year. That experience really made my day.

I have spent the past year taking the 8th Grade through the Lifeplan program. The first Lifeplan exercise is to identify your top three values. The students then keep a journal of the choices they face each day and the values they use as criteria to make decisions. When they come together each week, they share many of their choices and decisions.

Some of the most frequent values the students expressed included family, love, living your dreams, dedication, and gratitude. So it didn't surprise me that my dozen or so Mahalo Grams came from those students who listed gratitude as one of their top values. Let me share a few of their comments:

"Thank you for teaching me how to be successful when life is good and not so good. I have learned that every action makes a change. Thank you for opening my eyes to Life."

"Thank you for allowing me to experience the Lifeplan Journey. I have learned a lot about myself through recognizing my values and looking into the future. Lifeplan really is a phenomenal adventure and I would like to thank you for making it part of my life."

"Your Lifeplan class has truly inspired and motivated me to follow my dream. You and Kate are inspirational role models. I am going to miss you both so much."

It's so gratifying to see the growth these extraordinary young people have demonstrated in living by their values, and to see that they "got" the Lifeplan experience. As we all go off to enjoy summer's adventures, I'm already looking forward to meeting next year's group of young people who will share in the Lifeplan Journey.

Have a GREAT SUMMER!

All the best,
Andy

A New Lifeplan Book

2011-05-25T06:00:00.000-07:00

In a recent Time Magazine article, Fareed Zakaria spoke about the things that make up the "secret sauce of Western civilization" -- competition, modern science, the rule of law and private property rights, modern medicine, the consumer society, and the work ethic. He added, "To this historical challenge from nations that have figured out how the West won, add a technological revolution. It is now possible to produce more goods and services with fewer and fewer people, to shift work almost anywhere in the world, and to do all this at warp speed. That is the world the U.S. (and young people) now faces. Yet the country seems unready for the kind of radical adaptation it needs. The changes we are currently debating amount to rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic."

Well, I am far more optimistic (which I firmly believe is the only philosophy that justifies getting up in the morning -- and playing golf). I know this is all very complicated, and with an interdependent global economy, will become even more so. But I also know that having a game plan to guide and inform your path will make you far better prepared for this chaotic and fast-paced world we live in.

Thus the value of Lifeplan! While, on the surface, a simple asset, its substance is what physicists might call elegant. Giving our young people the opportunity to explore their core values, then use their core values to inform the myriad choices they have to make every day. Learning to morph negative internal chatter into positive talk and taking the reigns for the direction that talk is taking. Creating a dreamscape and knowing how to make those dreams a reality instead of just "winging it" through life. Understanding how to capitalize on life's unforeseen, spontaneous events instead of being traumatized by them. Setting short-term and long-term goals, building a Board of Directors, and creating the action plan that enables each young person to reach their goals and true potential -- in other words, to thrive.

All of this is detailed in my new book, A Plan For Life: Why Every Young Person Should Have a Lifeplan. George Lucas was kind enough to pen the Foreword and generously offers that Lifeplan is a demonstrative example of how we should be informing our young people today. The book will be available via Amazon.com soon. I hope you'll take a look, be inspired -- and enjoy!

All the best,

Andy

Kids Require Hope to Thrive

2011-05-11T06:00:00.000-07:00

"Young People Require Hope to Thrive" was the title of a recent article in the San Francisco Chronicle newspaper.

The article sounded a siren with the statement that, "Three out of five young people ages 16 to 22 now express sharp worries about finding a job. … "

So it is with a nation and world navigating very challenging times, that young people's dreams and aspirations also become challenged. The hope that kids need to thrive has been replaced by concerns that stifle their imaginations. Instead of thinking about ways to move forward and make the most of life's opportunities, many kids are stuck in a worrisome present.

The Lifeplan program is not a panacea, but it is a remarkable tool that can significantly enhance a young person's sense of direction -- where they want to go and how to get there. Lifeplan opens the way for kids to THRIVE, not merely survive. And no young person needs to "go it alone." With Lifeplan, they'll have a personal Board of Directors made up of mentors who care. Those people will serve as a living portfolio and asset to each young person now and long into the future.

We are currently scheduling Lifeplan training events for schools, sports groups, and afterschool youth programs for summer and fall. If you would like to have a Lifeplan training session in your area, please let us know. Once you have Lifeplan, you have it forever and the young people you work with will have an extraordinary asset to support them in fulfilling their dreams.

Happy Spring!

Andy

Take a Lesson from Toledo

2011-04-19T12:24:00.000-07:00

It's thrilling to see the moment when Lifeplan begins to make a difference for a community. It happens when school administrators team up with other local sponsors and everyone begins to get excited about how Lifeplan can help kids. This has occurred in Hawaii and elsewhere. Now it's happening in Toledo, Ohio.

The Toledo work is the brainchild of Lifeplan Certified Ninja Facilitator, John Henry Livingston. We think he is nothing less than a Lifeplan evangelist! I want to share the inspiring way he has introduced Lifeplan to a broad group of leaders and kids in this community.

John Henry's innovative idea was to host exciting mini-conferences that expose students and administrators from area high schools, along with other community sponsors, to Lifeplan. Attendees get to see Lifeplan in action, actually experience it for themselves. They become acquainted with its process and tools, and get a deep understanding of how it can augment youth development efforts already happening in their community. The result: local leaders get a reason to establish, sustain, and expand their sponsorship. And both adults and students get their first exciting, hands-on Lifeplan experience.

Each high school group that attends has already completed Lifeplan module 1. During the session, Root Learning experts introduce the modules on dreams and goals, and guide table teams that work around the Lifeplan map. Afterwards, each high school signs up kids to go through all 9 modules beginning in September.

This year's event, just concluded, really amped up the excitement. A basketball-themed banner with 6 sponsor logos heralded the conference theme: "Leaders Bring It! Compete with Excellence, Integrity & Character." And what a diverse and energized group it was. Students and administrators from area high schools. Students from the University of Toledo. Sponsor executives that included the President of the local newspaper, Vice President of the University of Toledo, and President of a leading local bank. Last year, this event resulted in 70 high school kids experiencing Lifeplan. This year's conference should result in 150 young people being signed up for all 9 Lifeplan modules.

And John Henry is already planning for next year - a full-day conference that will hopefully result in 300 high school kids experiencing the full Lifeplan program. The day will incorporate leadership training for high school administrators and sponsoring executives. "That will make it a win-win," he says. "And having Root Learning partner with me is just an awesome tool!" He is also planning a Lifeplan event at a community library, and may offer a summer session for kids of executives of a local health care company.

The morale is, "If you build it, they will come." By bringing a sampling of the Lifeplan experience to key stakeholders in a community - school administrators, libraries, newspapers, business leaders, and other sponsors - the word spreads and the excitement builds on itself. More and more interested sponsors come to the hands-on event. Which means that every year, more young people are able to experience Lifeplan.

So here's my advice to Lifeplan Ninjas and others who want to spread the word: take a lesson from Toledo. Get energized, get creative, and dive deep into a community. Show local stakeholders what Lifeplan can do and give them a reason to provide - and continue - support that will make a tremendous difference in the lives of local youth. I can't wait to hear more stories from Toledo.

All the best,
Andy

Letting Go and Letting Life

2011-03-16T16:27:00.000-07:00

Some recent conversations stimulated the idea for this musing. These conversations all had the angst of carrying some luggage from the past that seemed to be weighing heavily on the individuals.

There was nothing they could do about this, so I suggested, “Just let go.” I then proceeded to share a story my friend and mentor, Master Vin, shared with me in 1970.

I was administering a hospital in Vietnam and Master Vin was running the orphanage next door where I volunteered some time. One day, I was upset about something that happened early that morning. After my repeated diatribes throughout the day, Master Vin shared a story with me.

It began with two Buddhist Monks who were on a long journey home. Early in their trip, they came upon a rushing river where they saw a pregnant woman unable to proceed. Without hesitation, one of the monks picked her up, carried her across, and set her down on the other side. Then the two monks proceeded on their long journey home.

Finally, late that day, they arrived at their village. The other monk, obviously very upset, said, “How could you touch that woman? That’s against the tenets of our faith!” The monk who had carried her across the river replied, “I carried her for but a moment. You have carried her all day.”

So it is with so much in our lives. And now, as we prepare to pass from Winter into the Spring of a fresh new year, I suggest we all take an inventory of those things we are carrying that load us down. Then let’s determine to “let go and let life” so that a lighter and much brighter year can emerge for us all.

All the best,
Andy

The Mentoring Miracle in Omaha

2011-02-14T09:00:00.000-08:00

Wow! I just spent a few days in Omaha and I can state unequivocally that Omaha, Nebraska, is one of the brightest lights for mentoring in America.

Over the past four decades, I have worked in all 50 states and seen incredible mentoring programs. But observing the stellar work going on in Omaha, I have to say it is one of the crown jewels of mentoring in this country.

I was there at the invitation of Mike Yanney, one of the pioneers of the Omaha mentoring work. Mike invited me to keynote their mentoring summit and share the Lifeplan program with over 500 people who lead mentoring in Nebraska.

One of the most recent innovations was the creation two years ago of the Midlands Mentoring Partnership (MMP). This organization grew out of a recognition by all the programs that there were considerable opportunities for coordinating recruitment, training, and resources. MMP is a collaboration that provides funding for these programs, recognizes excellence, and continually brings new assets to the table.

The work in Omaha has a keen focus on ensuring that any young person who wants and needs a mentor has one. There is an ongoing effort to support early childhood health and learning for every young person in the Greater Omaha area. MMP is also affiliated with a program that provides financial support to students of talent and financial need through high school, college, and into the workforce.

Every elected official in Omaha, plus its business leaders and educators, has become actively involved in realizing the dream that Mike Yanney, Dick Holland, Susie Buffett, John Cavanaugh, Katie Weitz, Ken Bird, Tom Osborne, and others have to ensure the young people of the Greater Omaha area have a mentor and a path to thrive. They are also blessed to have MMP Executive Director Deborah Neary to coordinate their excellent work.

I was honored to be invited and I look forward to working with these incredible people to bring Lifeplan as another asset to the thousands of worthy young people they serve.
All the best,
Andy

Live Up to Our Children’s Expectations

2011-02-01T09:00:00.000-08:00

The recent tragedy in Arizona provides a sobering beginning to our new year.

An old Chinese proverb suggests that a crisis offers both danger and opportunity. The danger is for us to stoke the fires of enmity by pointing fingers and raising the din of anger. The opportunity was eloquently illuminated by President Obama in his recent speech at the memorial in Tucson.

While I hope all of you heard the President’s remarks, it is worth repeating a small portion that can encourage all of us to work harder, do better.

The President shared, “I believe that for all our imperfections, we are full of decency and goodness, and that the forces that divide us are not as strong as those that unite us. That’s what I believe, in part because that’s what a child like Christina Taylor Green believed…. I want us to live up to her expectations. I want our democracy to be as good as she imagined it. All of us – we should do everything we can to make sure this country lives up to our children’s expectations.”

It was in 1961 when President Kennedy challenged all of us to, “Ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country.” This has been a clarion call I have held close for 50 years. Now, yet another tragedy challenges the very best in every one of us and the President has shone a light on a healing path lest we be torn apart. It is a time for us to navigate these troubled times TOGETHER!

Much like the many teachable moments we experience in the Lifeplan program, recent events offer us all an important teachable moment. One of the things we share in Lifeplan is that “stuff happens” or speed bumps occur. It’s how you respond to them that will define the character of your life.

And so it is for our country now. How do we respond as a nation? The President has provided an illuminated path that is worthy of our deepest and most sincere consideration.

I know all of us have held the Arizona victims and their families in our prayers. I also pray for the character of America to shine in the days, weeks, and years ahead as we find a way to grow from this event.

All the best,
Andy

Learn From the Speed Bumps

2011-01-03T17:00:00.000-08:00

Can you believe it’s 2011? I was born on 1-11-47 so my birthday this month is 1/11/11. That is a once-in-a-lifetime event! My wife thinks it deserves some kind of celebration; I think a quiet dinner with friends is more than enough.

My grandfather used to say that birthdays were a time to forget the cares of the past, enjoy and nurture the moment, and thus be prepared for a grand future. Consistent with this, I always share with young people going through the Lifeplan program that “stuff happens” and it’s how we respond to those challenges that will define our lives.

As we rejoice in the optimism of the New Year, let’s remember that there will be speed bumps and we can learn from them. Yes, if you’re careful, sometimes you can drive around the bumps. But most of the time, you don’t see them in advance. Some would say speed bumps are there for a reason. Some would also say these challenges are opportunities to learn from.

Every successful person I’ve known has said they learned more from their failures and from navigating speed bumps than they did from their successes. Far from being overwhelmed by life’s challenges, they learned to study them, accept them, respond to them effectively, and turn them into something positive.

In the Lifeplan program, there’s a module called AIM. It stands for “acknowledge, identify, and morph”. In this exercise, young people learn to acknowledge the ever-present voice in all of our heads. Too often, that voice is negative. So the kids learn to acknowledge it and identify whether it’s positive or negative. Then they learn to morph the negative talk into positive, affirming self-talk, thus taking control of the chatter and growing a positive, can-do attitude.

This and other parts of the Lifeplan program help kids navigate the speed bumps in this challenging world, and give them the self-awareness and resolve to thrive and not just survive. One 8th grader who went through the Lifeplan program said that the process allowed her to “identify my values, build my positive self-talk, and link these to my goals and dreams for the future.” That’s what it’s all about.

It is my hope in this New Year that we can equip thousands more young people with the tools to create their Lifeplans so they can succeed in life and contribute to growing a healthier world. As my grandfather would say, a grand future lies just ahead.

All the best,
Andy

Pay It Forward with a Smile

2010-12-14T06:00:00.000-08:00

It’s December and a wonderful time of year to pause for a moment to reflect on life’s blessings, and think about what gift we might give to loved ones and those around us.

Recently my wife, Kate, reminded me of the time Mother Teresa was asked, “What can people do to make a difference in the world?” Mother Teresa responded, “Smile at one another!”

The notion of a smile takes me back to the 1970’s when Kate wanted me to meet her great uncle who lived in County Kerry, Ireland. So off we go for my first visit to that blessed land to spend some time with Uncle John.

After a few days with John, we found ourselves in a pub and after a pint of Guinness, John looks at me and asks, “So what do you think of the Irish?” My immediate response was, “They are all smiling.” To which he said, “Ah, a smile. It’s a beacon to strangers, a resource unbound. It can neither be begged, borrowed, bought nor stolen. It’s only of value when given freely, and those who have none to give need one most of all. So remember that you can brighten another’s path with your SMILE.”

While a smile might not fix all the challenges we face today, it does make the moment brighter and offer a balm to a darker moment. But what if we all brought our game and our SMILE to those around us? It just might make the difference Mother Teresa had such belief in.

I always recall my grandfather’s confidence in the generosity of simple yet authentic acts. I once asked him, “What is the meaning of life?” (I was five) and he responded, “There is no meaning unless we bring the meaning to it by what we do.” He further explained that the loudest statement any of us can make about the world we envision is what we do in our own lives.

So for all of us, and for all the challenges that face us, let’s keep it simple this holiday season. In the spirit of generosity and “paying it forward”, let us all start something thoughtful and “SMILE at one another”.

Happy Holidays,
Andy

Friendship

2010-11-16T16:00:00.000-08:00

It’s November and Thanksgiving is once again here! This is that unique holiday that stimulates some of the best in us and asks us to reflect on the blessings we are so thankful for. Well, perhaps in these challenging times it might be appropriate to give thanks to Friendship, because without friends life would be very lonely.

A dear old friend, former California Senator John Vasconcellos, once penned an alphabetized list he thought highlighted the attributes of a FRIEND - and here it is.

A Friend:

A. accepts you
B. believes in you
C. calls you just to say "Hi"
D. doesn't give up on you
E. envisions the whole of you (even the unfinished parts)
F. forgives your mistakes
G. gives unconditionally
H. helps you
I. inspires you
J. just wants to "be" with you
K. keeps you close at heart
L. loves you for who you are
M. makes a difference in your life
N. never judges
O. offers support
P. picks you up
Q. quiets your fears
R. raises your spirits
S. says nice things about you
T. tells you the truth when you need to hear it
U. understands you
V. values you
W. walks beside you
X. xplains things you don't understand
y. yells when you won't listen
Z. zealously participates in your life

So in this time of Thanksgiving, take a moment and call some friend(s) to let them know what they mean to you. Perhaps they will “pay it forward” and do the same, creating a viral holiday of thanks and celebrating one of the greatest gifts: FRIENDSHIP!

All the best,
Andy

A Lifeplan Community Success Story

2010-10-25T12:11:00.000-07:00

Last month I shared details about the Lifeplan business model, which has been designed for maximum leverage, sustainability, and scalability. Now here's a look at those concepts in action - and one community that has taken Lifeplan and run with it!

Building an active, motivated community is vital for establishing and maintaining any organization.

Currently, the Lifeplan program has been implemented in nine states. The most recent is the Hawaii Lifeplan Initiative. This experience illustrates the leverage, sustainable and scalable nature of the Lifeplan program.

The Lifeplan Institute invested in time with the Hawaii group who wanted to implement the program.

We underwrote a major two-day training for all local school personnel, after-school counselors, local church leaders, and sports program coaches. We also provided all the necessary materials to launch this program for 300 young people.

Now here's the leverage, sustainable, and scalable story: The Hawaii Lifeplan Initiative now has its own local leadership group, headed by a local foundation director. In one month, they raised all the necessary funds to fully implement the program. In addition, they're confident they will train enough existing staff at schools and other youth programs over the next year to have Lifeplan in every school - and reach an estimated 3,000 young people over the next few years.

Just think about that. If Lifeplan reached only 600 young people from this particular training, it would be achieved at a $30 per child cost. But it gets better. The teachers, counselors and coaches will have this skill for every child they work with year-in and year-out. That's leverage, sustainable and scalable!

So, for a $20,000 venture capital investment, we now have a locally owned and growing initiative that is thriving and documenting the benefits the young people will experience from this program.

The Hawaii Initiative is a great example of the reasons we designed Lifeplan to be self-sustaining with the capacity to expand and evolve while maintaining a low overhead. It makes me proud to see communities like the Hawaii group take ownership of this exciting youth asset and immediately begin to grow it to reach even more kids. But I'm guessing I'm not half as proud as local leaders who are embracing these initiatives, or the kids who are already beginning to thrive as they design their personal Lifeplans. Where will the next success story come from? Stay tuned.

Visit Lifeplan Institute Hawaii Island at www.lifeplanhawaii.org. Read more about their initiative here:

My Lifeplan: Empowering Kohala Middle School Students
Kohala Mountain News - Sept. 25, 2010
Lifeplan Institute Is Hawaii’s First
North Hawaii News – July 15, 2010

All the best,
Andy

Lifeplan: A Sustainable and Scalable Asset for Young People

2010-09-20T15:00:00.000-07:00

I'm often asked if Lifeplan is truly scalable and sustainable. Yes, it is! And here's why:

First, some background. The Lifeplan Institute is the result of over 40 years of research that found that mentoring is the most effective youth development strategy in overcoming the four major social epidemics facing kids. Teen pregnancy, gang involvement, dropping out of school, and drug and alcohol addiction cost over a half a trillion dollars a year in consequences. The Lifeplan program guides young people through the dangers and pitfalls they may experience through childhood, and helps them create a plan to avoid these challenges and to thrive.

SUSTAINABILITY
The Lifeplan Institute has been designed to be a self-sustaining program with the capability to expand and evolve while maintaining a low overhead. Lifeplan is able to achieve its goals by leveraging existing resources and creating a scalable and sustainable business model.

WHO
One of the main reasons nonprofit organizations fail is that they are typically unable to build a self-sustaining business model. Investing time and money into an idea that requires constant funding year-after-year makes it difficult and cumbersome for an organization to perpetuate itself. The Lifeplan Institute is different. It is a major project of the California Mentor Foundation. CMF has a core budget for personnel, operating expenses, and grant-making of approximately $300,000 per year. One hundred per cent of this is funded, which means that all revenues raised for the Lifeplan program go to deploying the program.

COSTS
Lifeplan program delivery costs are approximately $20,000 per site with an estimated 50 sites per year. These costs are for the Ninja trainers, travel/accommodations, audiovisual, facility, and Lifeplan materials. We estimate we will reach a minimum of 600 young people per year from each site x 50 sites = $1,000,000 per year reaching 30,000 young people. This represents a $30 per child implementation cost.

ROI
The estimated return on investment, first and foremost, is due to Lifeplan's ability to serve as an asset to millions of young people that will help them thrive and not merely survive. In terms of dollars and cents, we feel confident in the calculation that there is a $1,200 return for every dollar invested in this program. This represents cost avoidance from preventing the financial impact of the four major social epidemics, and long-term benefits from producing successful future contributors to our economy.

LEVERAGE
Lifeplan is able to utilize the existing structures of schools, mentor organizations, and various after-school programs while keeping ongoing maintenance costs to a minimum. Once Lifeplan program facilitators have been trained, the only recurring cost is the reordering of materials.

TECHNOLOGY
A key component of Lifeplan is its online capability to maintain the interest of Lifeplan graduates and its facilitators as the program evolves. The most current program materials, support documents, and the Lifeplan Ninja network are all accessible through the online Knowledge Management Site. This site has created the connectivity to manage the program nationwide.

SCALABILITY
A major opportunity for additional leverage and scalability is our work with national networks that serve young people. It is likely that Junior Achievement will find Lifeplan an exciting opportunity for the 10 million young people they reach every year. We work with Boys and Girls Clubs, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Friday Night Live, Challenge Day, sports groups, churches, and all relevant youth development programs across the country. Once an organization has been trained to deploy Lifeplan, they have it forever. No new staff is necessary. No onerous bureaucracy gets in the way. Lifeplan is a new, proven, potent asset that all these entry points can adopt at a low cost - and sustain into the future for all the young people they support.

Another aspect of sustainability and scalability is the opportunity for every high school senior to graduate with a Lifeplan. There are currently 16 million public high school students in America. Add four million more from independent and parochial schools, and you have 20 million total. Over the next decade, if we could get Lifeplan started with every freshman and have them build it as they matriculate to their senior year, they could then mentor the freshman in the Lifeplan process and earn their community service credit. Graduating with a Lifeplan - after four years of refining their dreams, aspirations, goals, building a board of directors, building a game plan, and growing a solid portfolio of literacies - guarantees these young people would have a substantial asset to help navigate the next major steps in their lives.

REVENUE
A fertile area for revenue is the potential for corporate sponsorships supporting the various literacies that are a core part of the Lifeplan program. For example, the young participants go through a process for developing their financial literacy. Given that banks pay an average of $400 per new account acquisition, why not have banks sponsor this part of the program and give the young person $100 to open a new account with the sponsor bank when they complete the financial literacy segment? We could also ask these literacy sponsors to donate $100 per child to grow the Lifeplan opportunity for more young people.

Health, nutrition, media, study skills, and the other program literacies are all opportunities for co-branding/sponsorship from the private sector. This could create considerable financial support for Lifeplan's growth.

NEXT
What's next for Lifeplan? Development of the Lifeplan app for Smartphones, an interactive learning game, and more inspiring program deployments around the U.S. Next month I'll share the story of one Lifeplan community initiative, led by a local leadership group, that's growing by leaps and bounds - another great example of Lifeplan's scalability and sustainability in action.

All the best,

Andy

Train the Trainer Event

2010-09-08T06:45:00.001-07:00

A two-day Lifeplan Train the Trainer workshop is scheduled for October 28-29, 2010, in Scottsdale, Arizona. Please contact John Hoskins at JohnH@lifeplaninstitute.org for more information if you are interested in attending.

A 21st Century Education Innovation

2010-08-26T06:00:00.000-07:00

Does Lifeplan have a place in the emerging 21st century educational environment? Yes -- big time!

Lifeplan is designed for the way today's young people learn, offering both a contextual and cooperative learning platform. Facilitating a Lifeplan class, we educators bring "our" hindsight that leads to the kids' foresight and allows them to develop true insight about how to create a successful plan for life.

Lifeplan also answers today's challenge for "predictive analytics" - which is simply a way of asking, "does it work?" Over the past decade, the California Mentor Foundation has conducted the four largest outcome surveys of their kind documenting the benefits of mentoring. The incredibly positive results show that of kids with a mentor:

98% stay in school
98% do not become a teen parent
97% do not join a gang
89% do not use drugs

Now add the Lifeplan development process. It augments mentoring relationships, deepens parent interaction, and supports our educational system in a relevant and purposeful way. With Lifeplan, I'm confident we'll see even more significant positive outcomes for our young people.

Educational advocates also insist that 21st century educational efforts support young people gaining "critical, creative, social, and courageous" thinking. Lifeplan supports the development of each of these.

For example, the program brings kids a world of relevant assets they can use to build their personal plan. Assets such as the Peer Learning Network, iTunes University, Academic Earth, YouTube University, Common Sense Media, The Foundation for a Better Life, YouthNoise - and more each day. Young people use these assets to build the literacies that will enable them to thrive in life. The entire process requires kids to use their critical, creative, social, and courageous thinking as they create a personalized Lifeplan unlike any other. It's quite magnificent to watch.

Teaching the Lifeplan program this year, I'm convinced that this process for guiding young people as they develop a plan for life is the most potent youth development tool I have seen in my 45-year career.

So where does Lifeplan sit in our exciting, innovative, 21st century educational environment? Take a look -- it just might be at the head of the class.

All the best,
Andy

Mentoring: A to Z

2010-07-12T22:54:00.000-07:00

For almost 40 years now, I've learned more from my wife Kate than from anyone. She is an extraordinary role model - brilliant, loving, and completely devoted to her kids at the school she founded 34 years ago.

When she dreamed of starting a school, Kate's untiring resolve combined with a fierce love of education and the children it nurtures is what made her dream a reality. So it's no wonder that mentoring is an everyday topic of conversation around our dinner table.

While we were talking over dinner recently, Kate started writing on a napkin. Now, she loves to alphabetize (for example, Kate knows each of her 267 students in alphabetical order!). And just like that, she had jotted down her "A to Z" thoughts about mentoring. It's a great list and I thought you'd like to see it:

A - Access, Appreciation
B - Boost
C - Chance
D - Donate
E - Educate
F - Foster
G - Give
H - Help
I - Ideals
J - Join
K - Ku kanaka (Hawaiian for "personal responsibility")
L - Love
M - Mentor
N - Nurture
O - Opportunity, 'Ohana (Hawaiian for "family")
P - Promote, Prop up
Q - Question
R - Responsibility
S - Sustain
T - Train, Teach
U - Understand
V - Veritas (Latin for "truth")
W - Work (with)
X - "X" Factor
Y - Youth, YODA
Z - Zoom!!

Isn't it true that some of our best brainstorming happens when we are just enjoying life, letting our minds roam, and maybe doing nothing more than... looking forward to the mashed potatoes? So the next time an inspiring notion about kids and mentoring crosses YOUR mind, jot it down. You never know what your own '"napkin list" will reveal.

All the best,
Andy

Just a Dream? Or …

2010-06-16T17:00:00.000-07:00

So, first let me set the stage for this musing.

I have been working hard to grow the stable of investors to meet the challenge of growth for the Lifeplan Institute. We are now in over 100 sites in 9 states and have over 50 new requests for trainings to implement the Lifeplan program.

I am also eager to ensure we are leveraging the best of current and emerging technologies to support the Lifeplan program. I was fortunate to meet Mark David Milliron who is the CEO of Catalyze Learning and, for my money, this country's leading spokesperson for creating educational environments that promote critical thinking, social thinking, creative thinking and courageous thinking. He is also passionate that we cannot hold on to the "old ways" but must capitalize on new technologies and an inclusive conversation to move us forward to much more potent educational opportunities for our young people.

I am also having an animated conversation with Pat Christian who founded Hope Labs and is bringing cutting-edge technology to truly involve and empower young people no matter how challenging their circumstances. I have asked for her counsel on how to build the metaVerse™, Lifeplan's virtual university and support system for kids who have gone through the Lifeplan program. The metaVerse must be a low-tech threshold asset that allows kids to augment their lifeplan with learning assets like financial literacy, study skills, a lifetime nutrition game plan, career planning, etc. The metaVerse will also support kids' ability to use social networking to connect with their lifeplan board of directors, friends, mentors, parents and peers who have similar aspirations.

We are also blessed with legions wanting to be trained as Ninjas. All of us who are currently teaching the Lifeplan program to kids are in awe of their response. Having done this for over four decades (yes, I am old) I can honestly say this is THE most special youth development program I have ever been part of. It does everything George Lucas has advocated for over the past three decades; it's truly a contextual and cooperative learning process.

So given all this streaming through my head at light speed, I am having spirited dreams about Lifeplan! I had a dream last night that I was invited to Tiger 21, a group of very affluent and successful individuals who represent billions of investable equity. I shared the history of Lifeplan, the extraordinary needs of young people growing up in the ever-complex world, and how successful Lifeplan has been. I pointed out that absent this kind of new, innovative program, kids will be ill-equipped to matriculate to the necessary educational levels to thrive, break the connection to generational failures, and bring future leadership to business and the country.

Who knows where the next part came from, especially given that I have spent my career in the non-profit world. I shared that we have over 16 million kids in high school. Add middle school and now you are over 20 million. What if you built a business where just ten percent, or two million kids, paid $1,000 to go through the Lifeplan program? Yes, that is Two Billion Dollars.

The costs to deliver this would be well under $100 million and leave quite a profit. Donate $200 million to endow the Lifeplan work in perpetuity to ensure the remaining 80 percent can have access, and you have a real life dream come true. By the way, I augmented the argument by saying what if you had only five percent pay only $500 and you still have a $500 million revenue with expenses well under $50 million? Still a rather vibrant business enterprise. Now, if you'll allow me to be a bit more expansive (dreams are like that), what if this went off the charts and millions chose to step up and ensure their kids had access to the Lifeplan program?

The bottom line is that I hold more hope for this scenario where the private sector can move with more alacrity and speed than some huge government initiative that would smother it with an onerous bureaucracy.

Well, it's just a dream. But if I am invited to present this to Tiger 21, I promise you I will test the waters with this business model. This whole Lifeplan program development has had one extraordinary surprise after another to the point that I say a prayer every morning to just "stay out of my own way" and let it unfold.

I hope this musing finds you all well and happy. Thank you for being part of this unfolding journey for the kids in America.

All the best,
Andy