See and show how character and leadership matter today
Angela Duckworth is a former teacher and psychologist. She has studied West Point Cadets, teachers, students, spelling B contestants and salespeople. Her main research question is, “Who is successful here and why?” She discovered that success had little to do with a person’s IQ, looks or personality. Her finding is that “grit” is the factor that determines the level of …
There is a high school in Dubuque, Iowa that provides PE credit to students who do yard work for senior citizens and disabled people in the community. Instead of playing sports or doing laps in gym class, these students volunteer 2 hours a week to help those who could use the help. Joe’s Perspective: Some people love PE class, others …
Hello and welcome. If you are reading this blog, this means that you are in a class where a teacher is using the Character Development and Leadership Curriculum. This program is designed to help you develop who you are as a person and to improve your leadership capabilities. This program should be fun and engaging. The blog post is one …
I have to be honest. I have no idea who this guy is. My guess is he is a special forces guy in the military. My guess is he is part of an elite fighting force. My guess is he has had more training and leadership development than any of us will ever receive. Given all that, he says there …
This is a short blog with a simple message: Opportunities are all around you, but you have to be looking for them in order to take advantage of them. Here is a 30-second video that illustrates this point. Joe’s Perspective: I can’t state it any better than she did. “That’s how opportunities work. When you go through life and you …
In almost every high school across the country, athletes sign their national letter of intent to celebrate a scholarship with a particular school. It’s usually a big deal. Schools set up a table with the college colors. Athletes wear a shirt or hat to indicate where he/she will attend college. Family and friends attend the event to support the athlete. …
I always remember my mother telling me to choose my friends wisely. If you befriend the wrong person who does the wrong thing at the wrong time, and you are with them, you too might get into trouble, even if it isn’t your fault. That’s life. Many a person is in prison because of just such a situation. It was …
Gene Simmons was born in Israel shortly after the end of World War II. Most of his family perished under the Hitler regime in concentration camps because they were Jewish. When Gene turned 9, he and his mother legally immigrated to America. Most people know Gene Simmons as the former lead singer of KISS, a rock-n-roll band, who wore makeup …
During the first half of the Super Bowl that featured the Kansas City Chiefs against the San Francisco 49ers, the Chiefs were not playing very well. To make matters worse, they had just fumbled the ball. So, an irate player for the Chiefs, Travis Kelce (a.k.a. Taylor Swift’s boyfriend) approaches head coach, Andy Reid on the sideline. Kelce grabs Reid …
Daryl Davis is a black man. He is a black man who has spent countless hours at Ku Klux Klan rallies (KKK). He has invited KKK leaders to his house… and shared meals with these men. You might ask yourself, “Why would Mr. Davis do this?” Is he some kind of bizarre racist who hates his own race? The answer …
