Making Heroes

This month you start adding a monthly hero report to your Apprentice level inpirements for Leadership.  This evening I read about a hero who is having a movie made from his experience after being taken hostage for 5 days at sea by Somali pirates. Capt. Richard Phillips of the merchant ship Maersk Alabama was somewhere east of Africa I believe when his ship and team was hijacked. In the interview  Phillips seems quite and not seeking of attention for his bravery. For example, he said, "One thing I learned is that you're stronger than you realize. I was afraid, but you've got to put that fear on the seat next to you and do what you have to do." Phillips said it was the Navy Seals who were the superheroes, the true titans of our age.

I like that Mr. Phillips seems so modest he said he was just doing his job and knew that pirates are in many places of the world like off the coast of China, South America, Africa, Vietnam and the Philippines. He knew something could happen and it finally did. He was glad that none of his crew died.  Phillips closes with this good advice which I needed to hear;

"Nothing is over until you choose to give up."

Do you have what it takes?...talking about being a hero
1. They abide by a moral code
2. They've been trained to take action
3. They're highly compassionate
4. They perform ordinary acts of kindness

October Inspirements for Journeyman Class

The October Journeyman class will work differently this month. We will meet from 12:30 pm to 1:00 pm and then all the apprentice youth will be invited back to class for our guest speaker; Mrs. Pamela Openshaw. Pam will conclude her presentation at 2:00 pm.

Journeyman Level—Principles--The “What”--Understanding/Heart

Accomplish the following assignments. If you can mark in your books please do so using the color code system.

1. Uncle Eric: Personal, Career, and Financial Security: Read letters 9-17 (30 pages). As you read, relate what Uncle Eric is saying to situations in the Book of Mormon, relate to the gospel models we use. Can you see how circular reasoning, or cognitive dissonance is used in the Book of Mormon? Give an example.
   
   
2. SEEDFOLKS: Read the entire book (69 pages) It's an interesting and very quick read. Color code at lest 2 chapters of this book, using the color code and colored pencils you received at Vision Day. Prepare Character Studies of any two (2) persons in the novel. You have a form to help guide you. You will need external and internal descriptions. If you have questions just call or email Sister Allen.

CHOOSE ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING INSPIREMENTS

1. Create the garden as you saw it in Seedfolks. This can be a painting, drawing, tri-fold presentation board, etc. Hint: Look on-line there are many ideas.
   
   
2. Continue writing the story of one of the characters in Seedfolks. Explain what happened before or after the garden experience for that character. Come dressed up as the character too if you want. Turn a copy of your writing in to Sister Allen.
   
   
3. Create your own project for Seedfolks. Watch this youtube for an idea:
   
   
4. Answer the following questions about Seedfolks in complete sentences, share in class, and give a copy of your writing to Sister Allen.
   -Why is the community garden so important to the characters in Seedfolks?
   -Picture this: what if the story were set in a different city? Or even a different country? How do you think a new setting would change this tale?
   -Why do you think the main characters only have first names? How would the story be different if they had last names, too?
   -Why is weather so important in this book?
   -Does Seedfolks have one main character? How would you pick who the main character is?
   -How is the community garden connected with the past? Does memory play a role in creating the garden? Or is the garden about starting fresh?
   -Take a look at the illustrations (by illustrator Judy Pederson) at the beginning of each chapter. -What do you think of these pictures? What is their purpose? Do they help you to know the characters better?
   
   
5. Having a hard time understanding Uncle Eric or Richard Maybury? Learn more about Richard and what he stand for at this link: http://www.richardmaybury.com/books-1personal.html After learning and watching youtubes involving Richard, write a paragraph or more about what you learned. Turn a copy in to Sister Allen.
   
   
6. From Uncle Eric's 16^th letter; draw your home/state and relate it to 14 different places in the world. You have fun with this...relate distance, degrees, cultural differences...you decide. Use a big map and sting or markers for indicators that you make. Have fun with it. Bring your project to class for display.
   
   
7. Uncle Eric has mentioned a lot about models or paradigms. He thinks most models start out as conscious efforts and slip into the unconscious. He calls this “developing a habit”. Take a good look at yourself, maybe get a mirror and look at yourself for a long while. Are you aware of how many models you have already adopted? Are they good models? After thinking about this, write in your Reflection Journal about your models and those you want to change, improve, or drop completely. Compare how or if you are being more aware of your thinking patterns as they relate to people, places, things since you started reading Uncle Eric.
   
   
8. Share a time when you had to change your model about some way of thinking or doing something. How hard was it to admit you needed to change or that you were wrong. Have you grown from the experience? What do you do now to make sure your models are correct and true?

If you have any questions feel free to call me at 801-850-6554 or email me at veronnicaallen@gmail.com

There will be no Master level class this month.

October 2nd Inspirements for Apprentice Level

October 2013 Leadership and Government Inspirements

Apprentice Level--Doctrine--The 'Why”--Knowledge/Mind

1. ?How Essential Skills for Living the Gospel: Choose 1 personal leadership skill for October. Read the section and decide how and in what ways you want to work on that skill during the month of October. Record in your Reflection Journal which skill you are working on and the ways you want to improve or change a habit. Keep track of your progress for the month. Include using your weekly student accountability sheet to remind you on a daily basis. In writing in your Reflection Journal or a personal journal, compare how you were before you started to how you are doing at the end of the month. Will you need to work on that skill longer than one month? You decide and record your experiences. You are welcome to share your experience from September in class.
   
   
2. Promises of the Constitution: Read Section 1 “Waiting” and Section 8 “Economic Freedom”. Choose a writing style and create what will help you to understand each vignette. You can write questions to ask the class or questions for Sister Allen (email Sister Allen your questions the Monday prior to class), you can use key words/pictures, or write a short story.
   **Mrs. Pamela Romney Openshaw will be speaking to you at 1pm on October 2 **, please come prepared with 1 question you can ask her about writing her book...if you would like, you can have more questions.
   
   
3. TJED for Teens Chapter 2: (23 pages) As you read this chapter go ahead and write thoughts in the margins (if the book belongs to you). How many books have you taken to level 3? Go ahead and fill in the chart if you can or copy the chart and mark the levels you have reached. How many books have you read as of today from this list. What do you plan to do with this list? Write you answers in your Reflection Journal.
   
   
4. Hero of the Month Report: Research a man or woman that you would like to spotlight as your hero for the month of October. Write a paper or an outline, include pictures...be creative...come dressed as your hero of the month. Come with a picture to place on the time line with important dates included. Explain why you chose this person, what makes him or her a hero to you, what did they do? If you need a book, Sister Allen has several in the Lending Library you can check out.
   
   
5. Jeopardy anyone? Email Sister Allen questions with answers that can be used in a game of jeopardy. I'll provide the speed timers you provide the easy, medium, and hard questions. Please email your Q/A's to Sister Allen by Tuesday evening the night before Leadership class. Tell me which level your questions belong to. These can be questions from our readings for October as well as September.

CHOOSE ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING INSPIREMENTS:

1. Mark which level you have reached for any of the books on the 100 list found in chapter 2 of TJED for Teens AND share about one book that has really made you think differently and has changed your life since reading it. Compare how you were before reading the book to how you see yourself today. Come 
   prepared to share about the author, the book, history behind the book, and anything else you have learned.
   
   
2. Answer the following question: “Is wisdom a characteristic found only in educated people, or can it come from people of all backgrounds?” Write a few sentences, a few paragraphs or even a page explaining your answer. Give an example to back up your statements.
   
   
3. Complete a Word Study of 1 or 2 words you didn't understand in Promises of the Constitution, such as stewardship, inalienable, integrity or morality etc. You can use notes, pictures, a diagram...be creative, learn the roots of the word too.
   
   
4. Write a creative story as if you were an American colonist the day the newspapers announced that the United States had a new government. What would you be excited about? What would you be concerned about? What would some of your biggest questions be? Come prepared to share during your presentation time. You could dress up like a colonist too. Give a copy of your story to Sister Allen either by email or at class.
   
   
5. Vignette 8.2 asks for a 'faithful and wise” steward, or manager. Create a list of at least 5 characteristics that you think are required to be a faithful and wise steward over something or someone. You can add pictures to your words, you can write a story about these characteristics, you can act out the 5 characteristics. Include an example of a person from history that has these characteristics you are seeking as a wise steward. Or share how you have developed or are developing these characteristics that you listed.
   
   
6. Create a prezi presentation to share all that you learned for leadership this month. Call Sister Allen in advance so she can hopefully (cross your fingers) get the projector working. Learn more @ prezi.com
   
   
7. Write or type a paper about anything you learned or realized about yourself that you didn't know before reading chapter 2 of TJED for Teens. Are there changes you want to make to add more book to your reading list? Have you ever held a book club? What do you feel you should be doing regarding the books after reading this chapter?Share a copy of your writing with Sister Allen either by email or at class.
   
   
8. 

   Imagine there is a youth your age living far away who has no books and learns by reading letters sent to him or her. Create a story to share with this youth about the books you have read this month for Leadership class and include your insights, your questions, your confusion over ideas,what got you excited to understand, how do you plan to make changes to help improve your leadership skills, reading skills, discussion skills.... Be creative as you like. You can include pictures, drawings, photos...

If you have any questions feel free to call me at 801-850-6554 or email me at veronnicaallen@gmail.com

Hey Youth...how was the first day for you?

A big thanks to all the youth for attending our first ever Vanguard day.  i thought it was great for not knowing what I was going to do and how to run something like this.  Three cheers for all of us!

Wow, there is a lot to learn. I'm totally ready for the experiences coming my way. How about you?

Thanks to all of you for your participation.

Loved what was shared in the Master classes... poems, title of liberty, haiku's   Check out the display wall next week. Send me those items I asked for...you know who you are.

Those in Journeyman who want to continue the "Happiness" research... Go FOR IT!  Bring your results next month.

Prepare great presentations for Eureka and you won't be bored next week.

 You get to inspire yourself to greater levels. The education ball is on your side of the court. Hit it strong and keep your eye on the ball.