3.5 Hours to Change America

Entrusted Legacy has raised the question, “Can 3.5 hours a day change America?”  Is there remedy to be found in the 3.5 hours after-school each day?  If we are to believe Arne Duncan, Secretary of Education when he states, "If we are serious about having more students be productive citizens, if we are serious about having more students prepared to be successful in college, dramatically improving the quality and the quantity of after-school programming is going to be at the heart of our work as a country." then the answer is a resounding “YES!”  Entrusted Legacy believes after-school is an integral part of the solution.

After-school programs provide something every person needs—mentors and positive role models.  How many mentors have you had?  Do you remember seeking advice from this wise and trusted counselor and teacher?  Think back to the person who had a profound and positive effect on your life and the choices you’ve made as an adult.  Picture the person’s face.  Hear the words of encouragement and absolute belief in the possibility of you in this person’s voice.  Recall the feelings of self-confidence and assuredness you had in your personal judgment, ability and power to get things done because this person first believed in you.  Was this mentor your parent, a grandparent or your pastor?  Was your mentor a favorite teacher, coach or tutor?  Was it the plumber or mechanic down the street who could fix anything?  Or was it your best friend’s mother who always had time to listen to you?  Imagine what it would be like to have the opportunity to replicate this with hundreds of youth.

Join with Entrusted Legacy to be sure that afterschool professionals have been trained to handle the responsibility of being a positive role model and mentor for youth.  Entrust you legacy to us.  Donate now!  Contact us at support@entrustedlegacy.org, by calling (661) 322-3437, or going on line at www.entrustedlegacy.org and donating now!

Changing Lives

What have you done to intentionally influence a life in a positive manner?  There are three key words in this question:  intentionally, influence, and positive.  When Entrusted Legacy asks the preceding question, we think of these three words in a particular way.  For us, intentionally refers to doing things not only on purpose but with purpose, deliberately trying to accomplish a goal.  The word positive refers to a constructive quality or affirmative attribute, a quality of character that is beneficial to self and others, so when we put the two words together, we are referring to “supporting, with purpose, the development of beneficial character attributes.”  The third word, influence, is certainly different from insisting or forcing.  Influence has been defined as “the capacity to have an effect on the character, development, or behavior of someone….” www.google.com  So, when you string the words together, Entrusted Legacy is asking about the “capacity to support, with purpose, the development of beneficial character attributes in another person.”

Unfortunately, without much thought we influence others every day—sometimes in a positive way, sometimes negative, and other times we simply confirm the habits another person has already developed.  We believe that having the capacity to influence youth, intentionally, in a positive way is what a role model and mentor does every day with young people.  We can all think back to a role model or mentor that we have had who made a difference in our lives.  They impacted the person we have become today.  One person influenced by the leaders of Entrusted Legacy remarked:

 

"As a Lead Tutor [in an afterschool program], I met with …Brett as he coached, mentored, role modeled and guided us into turning theory discussions into real life situations. We learned how to lead and motivate people and help them become the best they could be. As I learned these significant skills, I found myself applying them into my everyday life. I used these skills to solve my personal problems and improve my relationships with family and friends. The skills I learned in those weekly trainings I still use today.”   Rosa

Changing the trajectory of a life is both awesome and humbling.  So we will ask again, “What have you done to intentionally influence a life in a positive manner?”  At Entrusted Legacy we are interested in learning about your successes.  Please share them with us at support@entrustedlegacy.org