TGIF – Ph.D. in Philanthropy?

Friday, July 31st, 2009 by Overcoming Obstacles

An article written by William Schambra (recently appearing in the Chronicle of Philanthropy) discusses philanthropy’s move toward becoming a profession.  Schambra does it in the context of The Philanthropist, an eight-part NBC summer series.

To give you a quick overview of the show, corporate mogul Teddy Rist (played by James Purefoy) is the series’ main character who, after completing a Nigerian oil deal, sees a small boy huddled in a corner and feels compelled to help.  After Rist returns to his New York headquarters, the corporation’s foundation takes on the task of helping the kid.  Not convinced enough is being done, Rist embarks on philanthropic adventures and engages in arguments with the corporate giving staff on just what things should be done and when.

Through Rist’s interactions with the foundation’s staff, viewers are presented with two perspectives on philanthropy: one is from the gut and taps into the simplicity of “those who have” helping “those who don’t,” and the other involves time, research, skill, and the ability to deliver results.  This brings us to the main question: is philanthropy as simple as giving money to a problem or does it involve certain skills and education in order to be done effectively?

The answer seems evident based on the increase of nonprofit staff members seeking degrees in the management of social programs (there is actually a Ph.D. in Philanthropy) and the emergence of institutions providing that training and education.

I don’t pretend to know what the future holds but what I do know is that many nonprofits are closing their doors as the economy struggles to recover.  So, I would “bet the farm,” so to speak, that philanthropy will become a new profession as people try to create dogma, best practices, and strategies to standardize a skill set that so many organizations desperately need.  It will be an exciting time in the philanthropic world as we watch a new profession emerge.

-Erin Doohan

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Beyond the Bell – Good Things!

Thursday, July 30th, 2009 by Overcoming Obstacles

I thought I’d share some of my recent reads from the world of education that (should) leave you smiling:

1. A principal that proves that tough love still gets things done

2. Some students that are likely smarter than you, and proving it by saving the world

3. Nice kids that will grow up to be nicer people

-Jason Urbanski

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Homeroom Announcements – Across the Nation

Monday, July 27th, 2009 by Overcoming Obstacles

From time to time, we here at Overcoming Obstacles like to take a step back and see how far we’ve extended our reach over the years.  Since we’re headquartered in New York City, people usually see us as an east coast, urban-centric program, which is not the case.  We’re all over the place, from New York to California, suburban to rural areas, and, recently, our curriculum started being taught in Canada.

We thought it may be interesting to give you a list of a few of the places our curriculum is currently being used so that you have an idea of how extensive and diverse our program is.  Right now, states where our program is being taught include California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

This is just a sampling, as there are other states where the curriculum is being taught as well.  I think it speaks a lot about the versatility of the program, as it is able to be adapted and used in a variety of settings and areas.  All over the country, people are realizing how essential life skills instruction is, and Overcoming Obstacles is always there to ensure that schools have a highly effective, affordable means in which to teach said skills.

If you’d like to bring the Overcoming Obstacles program to your state, or want to know if the curriculum is being used in a school near you, feel free to contact us.  You can email me directly by clicking on my name below, or give us a call at (877) 840-9606.  Thanks for reading!

-Vincenzo Capone

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TGIF – There's Always Room for Life Skills

Friday, July 24th, 2009 by Overcoming Obstacles

I was reading the Chronicle of Philanthropy yesterday and came across an article that I’d like to share with you.

Written by Paula Wasley, “Urban Cowboys (and Girls)” covers an interesting program called Horses in the Hood, which (as its name might imply) gives horseback riding lessons to kids from impoverished Los Angeles neighborhoods.  Since its founding by Kathy Kusner in 1999, Horses in the Hood has opened the doors of its day camp in Topanga, CA to about 650 children.  Over the course of five-day retreats, participants take riding lessons while also learning to saddle, clean, and care for the horses.  The kids get disposable cameras to “document the week” and are able to invite friends and family members to a pizza party showcasing their new skills.

In the article, Ms. Kusner says, “Horses in the Hood’s lessons aren’t just about horsemanship—they’re about fostering confidence, cooperation, and communication. For many kids in the program, the bus ride to the camp is the first time they see the ocean, even though it is just seven miles from where they live.”

I think Horses in the Hood is an inspiring program because it gives kids the chance to do something they might otherwise miss out on, improves skills in a new context (i.e., at a horse day camp instead of a classroom), and recognizes the positive things children accomplish.  Beyond the program’s good work, it is the connection between horseback riding and life skills (i.e., confidence, cooperation, and communication) that intrigues me.  The two are not things I would have immediately put together but it certainly makes sense to do so.  It makes me think of all the places a kid (or adult for that matter) can learn and apply life skills: sports fields, dance classes, after-school and summer jobs, playing in a band, cooking and baking, and even analyzing the events in a story or behavior of its characters.  The possibilities for creative life skills instruction are endless.

For me, I learned important life lessons (e.g., endurance, teamwork, and motivation) on my high school track team.  A memory that always sticks with me is advice from my track coach, who told us to run faster when going uphill because others will slow down and then you can get ahead.  It reminds me that I will get ahead if I push myself harder during difficult times.

P.S. I’d be thrilled if someone reading this would post a comment about interesting places where he/she learned important life skills.

-Erin Doohan

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Teacher's Lounge – Cyber Safety

Wednesday, July 22nd, 2009 by Overcoming Obstacles

Middle and high school students use the internet for several hours every day and many have personal profiles with pictures and information on all-inclusive, public-by-default social networking sites. The information they post includes email addresses, screen names, phone numbers and home, school and work addresses and it often takes young people a few years of experience– or worse, a single bad one –to expose the dangers of making oneself so public. The Crimes Against Children Research Center reports that 1 in 5 teenagers who use the internet regularly have received unwanted sexual solicitations and only 25% report it to an adult or authority, which means that the predator can continue to solicit other young people. The finding that most students do not report online sexual solicitations is disconcerting and suggests that young people are used to such advances and have few ways to inform authorities.

Two things need to happen: parents, communities and schools need to educate young people about the dangers of publicizing personal information and using lax privacy and security settings, and hosting sites need to make it really easy for them to raise red flags to the proper authorities. We live in a quick-click internet age and are largely spoiled by the dispatch that we have become accustomed to. How many times have you received a pop-up internet survey that says it will take under 5 minutes and closed it because that’s too long? Websites must have quicker reporting methods that are so effortless, young people will not think twice about reporting unwanted and inappropriate online solicitations. This suggestion admittedly presumes that young people are aware of and care about cyber safety for themselves and others, and this may be misguided. When I think about my own online behavior, I realize that I have received scores of unwanted solicitations – many of them illegitimate (e.g. online pharmacies, identity thieves’ copycat sites) or sexual in nature (e.g. individuals looking for dates, pornographic sites) and I used to simply delete them without realizing that the same message is being sent to innumerous other people. Internet anonymity makes it easy to overlook your own and others’ online safety and the realization that cyber safety is interdependent. When I delete or ignore a solicitation, I assume it is gone forever, but it is not, it has just moved on and eventually, someone will get caught in the trap. Be proactive and end the predation yourself – when you get solicitations, think “this stops now” and report suspicious senders, avatars, screen names, etc. to the site manager, an adult and, using your discretion, the proper authorities. Cyber crimes are the fastest-growing types of crime and by taking simple steps to protect yourself, you can be a tremendous help to law enforcement and save the lives of potential victims.

-Evan Dawson

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Beyond the Bell – Buddy Mentors and Mentees

Monday, July 20th, 2009 by Overcoming Obstacles

One of the ways schools integrate our curriculum is through a peer leadership program we call Buddy Mentoring. Students participate in a series of development workshops where they learn how to teach lessons focusing on life skills, become comfortable as a public speaker, and get a taste of all the behind the scenes work that educators complete. The Buddy Mentors then visit different classes in their schools, relieve those teachers of their duty, and learn firsthand what it’s like to run a classroom.  Learning lessons is an important part of mentoring from both the mentors and the mentees end.  And when we are the mentee, I think we sometimes take for granted all the efforts our mentors have gone through to become accomplished so that we see them as such.

I asked some of my coworkers to share their own thoughts on their mentors and the lessons they’ve taught them. Interestingly enough, many of the things they appreciated in their mentors are lessons the Buddy Mentors learned through their own experiences. Here are some end-of-the-year reflections from the Buddy Mentors of PS 109 in Brooklyn that back up the OO team’s thoughts about their own mentors:

On Respect & Responsibility:

Susan Dawson, CEO

“The President of an ad agency I went to work for shortly after graduating from college said to me:  “Learn to be on time. When you are late to a meeting or an appointment, you are telling that person that you are more important than they are, that your time has more value than their time and that you do not respect them as much as you respect yourself. Don’t ever doubt the importance of respect in a relationship.”

Buddy Mentor Derrick

“I really liked it when the kids respected me when I talked to them. I feel that the class and I have a lot of chemistry. I hope on meeting people like them in the future.”

On Being Passionate about Your Work:

Vincenzo Capone, Assistant to CEO

“One of the things that is really important to me is writing, and I was lucky enough to have a mentor in my English professor during college. I had never met someone who was so passionate, such a cheerleader for the art of writing. Seeing his passion has made me value what I write.”

Buddy Mentor Rebecca

“One thing that I am proud of from the Buddy Mentoring program is teaching the children new and different things that they come to enjoy in the end. It’s rewarding to see children laugh, knowing that I made that happen.”

On Making a Difference to Someone:

Erin Doohan, Development Coordinator

“As a social worker, you are required (and for good reasons) to be supervised by an experienced and licensed social worker. I had a mentor named Stephanie that supervised me and taught me how to blend theories/practices with the human side of treatment. Stephanie told me that my primary job was to listen, be there for the person, and help them become aware of their thoughts, actions, and their effects. I didn’t have to and would never be able to “cure” someone but I could communicate to them that I was there for them.”

Buddy Mentor Dana

“I’m proud that I helped a little boy stop crying and got him to come out from under the computer table.”

-Jason Urbanski
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TGIF – Taking Advantage of Higher Education

Friday, July 17th, 2009 by Overcoming Obstacles

It always feels good to hear about the good work of local organizations and how the people they serve find ways to successfully move past hardships.  So, you can imagine my delight when the New York Times published an article by Amanda M. Fairbanks on Advantage Academy, an inspiring program that helps homeless and formerly homeless people earn an associate’s degree.

Offered through the NYC Department of Homeless Services and St. John’s University, Advantage Academy strives to break the poverty cycle through higher education and by transitioning each program participant out of the shelter system and into permanent housing.  Advantage Academy students will receive housing, transportation, and child care from the Department of Homeless Services while St. John’s will cover educational expenses not covered by grants/tuition assistance programs.  Fairbanks notes that this spectrum of services is particularly important to homeless families as they tend to stay homeless about twice as long as single adults.  (The program typically serves homeless single mothers who are 27 years old on average).

One of the article’s interesting quotes came from the executive director of a New York-based nonprofit who said “when people are living in a shelter and they don’t have permanent housing, they begin to lose confidence in themselves…knowing they can go to college and compete in this economy really provides hope.”  Another great comment came from Advantage Academy student Jana Rhoden, 31, who said the perception of the homeless is often negative.  She describes it as “dirt on you that won’t wash off.”

The poignancy of that quote reminded me of an Overcoming Obstacles student who learned the hard way as a teenager in temporary housing that basic needs such as food, shelter, and clothing don’t always come easy.  Reflecting on her childhood, Rosemary says “The basic family needs were lacking, like food on the table, school fees and even clothing.”  As Rosemary grew up, she began to wonder how her family came to such dire financial straits when her father, a diplomat with a Master’s degree, and her mother both held steady jobs.  She reminds me that homelessness can unfortunately fall on anyone, even if you are educated.

Overcoming Obstacles first resonated with Rosemary during a financial management skills lesson when she learned what a budget is and how to create one.  She recalls “Through this lesson I learned that a budget serves as a guideline and a way to track your expenses so you know when to decrease your spending or increase your income.”  Overcoming Obstacles helped her learn important life skills and reflect on the areas of her life where she needed them most: financial security.  She very insightfully noted that her parents were “literate but not financially literate” and “keeping tabs of your expenses is of extreme importance…so you can save for future purposes.”  Rosemary exemplifies how programs like Advantage Academy and Overcoming Obstacles can help students build brighter futures for themselves with just a bit of guidance, some resources, and a fierce sense of determination.

To read the article directly, click here.

-Erin Doohan

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Chalk Talk – A Uniform Debate

Tuesday, July 14th, 2009 by Overcoming Obstacles

Over the past few months, I have been following a news story out of Texas where a high school student was banned from wearing a “John Edwards ‘08” T-Shirt to school because it violated the school’s policy of prohibiting “slogans, words, or symbols” on clothing.   In an attempt to test the limits of students’ first amendment speech protections, the student, Paul Palmer, filed a lawsuit against the Waxahachie Independent School District claiming that the school district’s dress code policy violated his First Amendment right to free political expression.  According to Palmer’s lawyer, “In punishing Pete for expressing support for a presidential candidate, the school district not only violated the First Amendment, but also struck at the heart of what the First Amendment was designed to protect — core political speech.”  

The district argues its dress code, which prohibits all “non-school messages” on clothing, is aimed at  promoting school pride and fostering a learning environment free of distractions.   The district’s lawyers contend the regulation does not violate the First Amendment because it is viewpoint and content neutral.   In other words, the policy bans nearly all forms of expression through clothing, regardless of its content.  However, one of the interesting aspects of this case is that the district has no ban on political buttons or stickers.  The case has been working its way through the courts, and just last Wednesday, a federal appeals court heard oral arguments and is expected to issue a decision next month.

This case, as well as many of the other students’ rights cases decided by the Supreme Court this term, got me thinking how high profile court cases can be used as learning tools in the classroom.  As educators, we know that students love to argue with each other.  Whether the argument is over who should win American Idol or who the best point guard in the NBA is (it’s Kobe, of course!), students generally love the opportunity to “plead their case” and convince others to adopt their points of view.  In the classroom, it is our job to harness that instinct and help students apply it to the real issues that affect their lives.   Most importantly, we have to show students how to disagree with someone else without allowing personal feelings to influence their opinion of that person.

At Overcoming Obstacles, we have a fantastic lesson called “Controlled Debate” that will help you teach students how to communicate constructively, openly, and intelligently.  The structure of the lesson is straightforward.  First, students are read a series of issue statements (usually about 10) and are asked to either agree or disagree with each statement.  For example, using the case above, one statement might read, “Students should not be permitted to wear clothing with political messages to school.”   After students have voted on each statement, the one with the most even split is chosen as the topic for controlled debate.   We provide suggestions for topics in our lesson, but we encourage educators to use topics of their own choosing since you know your students best.  Next, students are given a set of rules to follow throughout the activity, divided into two sides, and then the debate begins.  The facilitator’s job is to manage the debate, ensure the rules are followed, and debrief the activity (To download the lesson for FREE click here).

If you have any questions about this activity, or would like ideas for additional controlled debate topics, please do not hesitate to contact me.  Best of luck!

-Matthew Damm

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Homeroom Announcements – Life Skills in the Sun

Tuesday, July 14th, 2009 by Overcoming Obstacles

While school doors have about two months until they reopen, Overcoming Obstacles is still reaching students through summer camps, community centers, and even in the comfort of students’ homes.  Across the country, students continue to learn our core communication, decision making, and goal setting skills but are also taking the time to focus on things such as study skills, team work, and service learning.  So, I thought it might be helpful to post a list of the Overcoming Obstacles modules I think work best during the summer.

Here are some modules I recommend you use during the summer:

Goal Setting

What better way to make use of your students’ time off than prepare them for what’s to come?  With the Goal Setting module, students will be able to set meaningful goals for the approaching school year, assess their skill levels and monitor their progress, focus on the objectives that are important to them, manage their expectations, implement their plans and make decisions, and overcome obstacles that interfere with their goals.

Team Work

The Team Work module is invaluable in summer camps and community centers as it includes many activities and games that can be used in the medium/large groups you often find in such settings.  Students learn how to work well with others while overcoming fears that typically accompany large group settings and meeting new people.  The skills learned in this module will prepare students for the upcoming school year by building their confidence, improving their social skills, and emphasize the importance of team work.

Study Skills

Teaching students  to study effectively is invaluable and a great way to prepare them for the upcoming school year.  Through the Study Skills module, student will be able to identify which study methods work best for them and practice note taking, following instructions, and utilizing resources.  In addition to working well at a summer camp or community center, this module can also be taught at home.

Job Skills

Great for older students, the Job Skills Module will prepare young people who are entering the workforce by teaching effective interviewing techniques, work ethics, and strategies to find a job.

Service Learning

There’s no better time than the summer to organize a Service Learning project: free time is abundant and the weather is perfect for outdoor activities.  Students learn to organize projects, set goals, and manage their time all while fulfilling a goal that serves a need in the community and is relevant to young people’s lives.  This module is especially helpful for community centers or summer camps that just need structure/curriculum for the service activities they have already planned.

As you can see, the Overcoming Obstacles Life Skills program is incredibly versatile and can be used whether school is in session or not.  Feel free to visit our website or call us at 1-877-840-9606 for free lessons or more information on summer implementation.  As usual, thanks for reading and be sure to stick around!

-Vincenzo Capone

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TGIF – How to Grow Your Very Own Philanthropist

Friday, July 10th, 2009 by Overcoming Obstacles

Lately, I’ve been thinking a great deal about how the current economic crisis will shape students’ attitudes about money and how our actions today will affect them tomorrow.  I’ve also been reading a lot of articles that discuss the current practices of grantmakers and the shift toward more sophisticated, results-driven philanthropy.  With these two topics whirling around in my head, I suddenly had a question: how do you teach children the practice of philanthropy?  I certainly did not have the answer to this question so I googled “teaching children philanthropy” and found two sites I would like to point you toward:

Learning to Give was developed by the Council on Michigan Foundations and it offers resources (e.g., curriculum materials and syllabi) to educators who are interested in teaching philanthropy in the classroom. (visit http://www.learningtogive.org for more information)

Youth Grantmakers, also affiliated with the Council of Michigan Foundations, provides young philanthropists with information on best practices and lessons learned as well as sample documents that students can use to get started.  (more information can be found at http://www.youthgrantmakers.org)

The why of teaching students to give and help others (i.e., the benefits) is clear: young people increase their awareness of the global community, recognize their abilities to affect positive change in their communities, and learn life skills such as financial management and critical thinking.  What might not be as clear is the how part of teaching philanthropy but I think these two sites will give you a great place to start.

-Erin Doohan

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