Supporting the Transition

K-12 education is in the process of transforming.  For the past twenty years we have been focused on No Child Left Behind as determined by standardized test scores that have students memorize information and then select the correct answer from a list of choices.  Certainly some good things came out of this push for accountability.  But there were also some collateral damage.  If you haven’t watched the You Tube video: 

Why We Need Common Core: “I Pick C”, 

 I would suggest you do and what you will see is the downside of memorization and multiple choice tests—lack of critical thinking (to say nothing of communication, creativity and true collaboration—not just working together to select the correct answer choice.)

Afterschool, with its youth development focus and its “learner-centric” approach is well-positioned to help the transition from test performance to authentic assessment.  Afterschool has used disguised learning strategies to bolster practice time in math and English Language Arts and project-based and service learning strategies to engage youth in hands-on, minds-on learning, that is meaningful and collaborative.  In this process skills are being developed and horizons broadened, and youth are being prepared to enter the 21^st Century Workforce.

Central to this work of afterschool is a well-trained staff.  Staff who are prepared to be a role model and mentor, and who have skills needed to facilitate learning.  This doesn’t happen by accident.  Please join Entrusted Legacy in supporting the staff development of these afterschool professionals.  Entrust your legacy with us.  Contact us at support@entrustedlegacy.org, by calling (661) 322-3437, or going on line at www.entrustedlegacy.org and donating now!

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!

Making A Difference

What does “Making A Difference” really mean?  Is it something you can “do on purpose” or is it “serendipitous”, or a combination of both  I want to share my experience that perhaps answers those questions.  When I was a sixth grade teacher each year in January and February all of the 6^th grade students came together and learned the songs and dialog of an historical musical that we would present at the PTA’s Founder’s Day program at the end of February.  We went all out and with the help of parents, teachers, and other volunteers, each year we created a background setting, props and costumes for the kids.  We practiced Monday through Thursday for 1 hour every day, and each of the teachers worked on some aspect of the program.  The night of the performance was always very special and a packed crowd of parents and other family enjoyed watching their student participate in this elaborate play.

Many years after I had moved from the classroom into administration, I was getting my car watched and a young man came up to me asking, “Do you remember me?  You changed my life?”  Wow!  The fact of the matter is that I did remember him—or at least knew he was one of the boys in a large family.  I asked him to refresh my memory, and as soon as he stated his name, I knew which of the brothers he was.  I asked, “Just curious, how did I change your life?”  This is what he told me: 

“Do you remember the musical we did when I was in 6^th grade?  Well, I was supposed to be a colonist and I told you that my parents weren’t able to get a costume for me.  You said, ‘That’s okay.  We’ll figure it out.”

I was a bit perplexed because I couldn’t see how this would make the difference.  It is the response I would have given to any youth who was struggling with a costume.  So I asked, “How did that change your life?”  His response, “At that moment I knew that I mattered, that I was important.  So I’ve been working to live up to my destiny ever since.”

We continued the conversation and he shared his current successes.  But what struck me was that something small can make such a difference—life changing difference.  It was something that I didn’t even remember, but yet had been a guiding light for this young man.  I believe that this is what “making a difference” is really about.  Doing what is right and then letting the seed be cultivated and nurtured, and voila, a difference is made.

Please join with Entrusted Legacy in making a difference in the lives of youth and the adults who work with them.  A little from a lot of committed people can make a difference in the lives of youth everywhere.  Entrust your legacy with us.  Contact us at support@entrustedlegacy.org, by calling (661) 322-3437, or going on line at www.entrustedlegacy.org and donating now!

Reflecting on the Year

During 2013 Entrusted Legacy had an opportunity to try out several strategies to enlist the support of people across the country and the world to ensure that afterschool professionals are well-prepared to be positive role models and mentors for youth.  Some strategies were very successful—Kayla’s Campaign, crafting a grant-win plan, and figuring out how to enlist the support of individual donors.  This lead-up work has prepared us to launch into 2014 with a solid Business Plan and plenty of opportunities to make a difference in the lives of both adults and youth.  We would encourage you to check us out at www.entrustedlegacy.org and become part of our noble cause.  You may not have the time to be a role model and mentor for youth but you can support someone who does have that time.  Be part of what Margaret Mead calls, “small number of thoughtful, committed individuals” and help us change the world.

Our vision and mission have stayed the same.

Our Vision

·         A cadre of well-trained people forming the nucleus around which learning organizations are built

Our Mission

·         Holistically train adults who work with youth to be a positive role model and mentor for youth

Our Goals

·         We will service 100 Million Youth and 20 Million Adults by 2023.

·         We will prepare youth workers to instruct, support, encourage, motivate, and develop youth by being positive role models and mentors.

·         We will engage everyone in helping us level the playing field for youth.

·         We will uncover an individual's talents, skills, passions, and interests; preparing them to make his/her unique contribution to the world.

Entrust your legacy with us.  Contact us at support@entrustedlegacy.org, by calling (661) 322-3437, or going on line at www.entrustedlegacy.org and donating now!

Importance of Mission Driven Work

What does it really mean to be a mission driven non-profit?  Certainly it means to embrace a social cause and be essentially purpose driven to address this social cause.  It is important that we are able to integrate the cause into our mission and our values and establish core business practices to we can have an authentic social impact and accomplish our mission. 

As a non-profit, we agree with Steven Van Yoder.  He states that a mission-driven non-profit cannot succeed on the passion of the Board and a few volunteers.  He goes on to say that a mission-driven organization needs the commitment of others to support the economic engine required to accomplish its goals.  He then indicates that the mission must be supported by core values and beliefs.  He also stated that the organization must be absolutely committed to the cause and the work to be done to fulfill the cause. 

At Entrusted Legacy we think that afterschool programs are a vital part of the solution for reinvigorating learning in our K-12 system.  We are committed to supporting the adults who work with youth by providing the training and staff development needed by these youth workers to successfully role model and mentor these youth. 

If you find our mission compelling, we ask you to entrust your legacy with us and help us to make a difference in the lives of youth and youth leaders.  There is an old adage that states, “Many hands make hard work light” and we believe that our mission can be accomplished if we work together.  Please fo to our website at www.entrustedlegacy.org and invest in the future of our youth.  

Margaret Mead Had It Right!

Margaret Mead was an American cultural anthropologist who was often a speaker in the 1960s and 1970s.  She understood this country and its citizens and what made us great.  She understood that while we prided ourselves on being rugged individualists that we achieved our best results when we worked together.  Much like the rowing team in the Olympics, a team that works together for a common cause in a steady cadence is likely to win the race.  Mead put it this way, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." 

So what does this have to do with Entrusted Legacy?  Everything!  We have access to a professional development system that can train, teach, and support afterschool staff 24/7.  Our goals are huge!  Through this service we will:

• Serve 100 Million Youth and 20 Million Adults by 2023.
• Prepare youth workers to instruct, support, encourage, motivate, and develop youth by being positive role models and mentors.
• Engage everyone in helping us to level the playing field for youth.
• Uncover an individual's talents, skills, passions, and interests; preparing them to make his/her unique contribution to the world.

If we work together, each of us reinforcing the work of the other, we can meet these goals.  Please join us by logging into www.entrustedlegacy.org and investing in our goals and your legacy.  Together we can make this happen!

Building Resilience

Resilience is the ability to bounce back from adversity.  It is what helps us get up and keep going.  It is discovered by being persistent and remembering that you must never give up.  Persistence has also been identified as “stick-to-it-iveness”, “grit”, determination, resolve and tenacity.  No matter what you call it, it is an essential ingredient in building the resilience needed to keep on keeping on, especially when things aren’t going well.  There is an expression, “from adversity, steel” which helps us to realize that adversity is not unusual nor is it a deal breaker.  Adversity is to be expected and the way to overcome it is through persistence.  And when you make it to the other side of the adversity, you will be resilient and that much better prepared to handle the next challenge that comes your way. 

Resilience is also essential if Entrusted Legacy is going to reach its goals.  When we set our goals and declared them to the world we were also inviting the support of all who can hear us whether verbally or through writing.  We asked them and now you to join forces with us to ensure that our mission-driven cause could be accomplished. 

At Entrusted Legacy we made the commitment to ensure that no youth would “fall through the cracks” because he/she did not have a well-trained and positive role model and mentor to help and support them find the road to resiliency through perseverance.

We still need help from everyone to reach our goals.  Please join with us to make a difference in the world.  Go to our website and invest in this cause.  You can find Entrusted Legacy at www.entrustedlegacy.org  We need you.  Entrust your legacy with us.