Vanguard Leadership Academy

Friday, March 21, 2014

April Apprentice Class

April Theme:
Seeking your own personal mission.

April Memorization:

Vanguard Mission Statement:

“We will engage in a respectful and inspiring peer environment that will not only help us grow in faith, but will help us feel free to develop our unique strengths. We will gain a passion for learning that will allow us to better ourselves, our families, our communities and ultimately the world.”

Vanguard Scripture in D&C 88:78-80

78 Teach ye diligently and my grace shall attend you, that you may be instructed more perfectly in theory, in principle, in doctrine, in the law of the gospel, in all things that pertain unto the kingdom of God, that are expedient for you to understand;

79 Of things both in heaven and in the earth, and under the earth; things which have been, things which are, things which must shortly come to pass; things which are at home, things which are abroad; the wars and the perplexities of the nations, and the judgments which are on the land; and a knowledge also of countries and of kingdoms—

80 That ye may be prepared in all things when I shall send you again to magnify the calling whereunto I have called you, and the mission with which I have commissioned you.

Apprentice Studies:

Think about before you study:

Do you think Jesus and great leaders are the only ones sent to earth with special missions to perform? How about you? What do you think your personal mission in life might be? Do you think it will be one, a few, or many missions? What did God send you to earth to do?

Read:

The How book, chapter 27.
Just Like Jesus, chapter: Being Led by an Unseen Hand
Gladys Aylward, the Little Woman, chapters 1-4.

Watch:

Randal Wright’s talk: "You Have a Mission to Perform on Earth." Take notes on your favorite quotes and main ideas.
"Big Secret"

Write:

During this month you will be working on writing your own personal mission statement. A personal mission statement is your statement to yourself and the world about the purpose of your life. Write thoughtful responses to each of the following questions:

If you had a full week to spend on whatever you want, how would you spend your time? What would you do?
What is your favorite kind of work? Physical, academic, spiritual, emotional? Why?
When is a time you were deeply inspired by another person? What did the person do that inspired you? Why is that person so inspiring to you?
Have you ever been deeply inspired when you were alone? What were you doing?
Are there any principles or causes for which you’d be willing to die? What are they?
Are there any people for whom you’d be willing to die? Who are they?
List 3 of your favorite quotes (they can be short or long).

Create – Choose ONE of the following:

Create a mind map of words that are important to you that have to do with your personal mission.
Set 3-5 goals that you want to accomplish this year. Set 3-5 goals that you want to do in the next 3-5 years. Set 3-5 goals that you want to accomplish in the next 10 years. Set 3-5 goals that you want to accomplish in the next 25 years.
Use this Franklin Covey link to help you get started on creating your own personal mission statement.
Create some other way of presenting your personal goals or ideas about your personal mission – a poem, poster, song, etc.

Project:

Your project for April will be your Vanguard oral presentation. These presentations are meant to be a final reflection on all of the things you have accomplished this year, how you have grown and improved, how you have served others, how you have been influenced by and have been able to influence others, what you have learned this year at Vanguard.

This year we will be doing it a little different. The theme for April is Personal Mission. Your project should be a presentation on how you have found, worked on, sought for, been inspired by, or shared , your personal mission at Vanguard.

This is meant to be a fun, creative project that involves the group. You will be giving your presentation to the whole group. You will be assigned a day to present your presentation to the group. You will have 10 minutes. Please try to use 10 minutes…not much shorter and not much longer. Make this project something that is YOU. Something that shares with us not only all of the things you have loved this year, but also a part of you that we may remember. The following youth will present their presentations this week: Megan Johnson and Christian Mapes.

April Journeyman Class

Think about while you read:

What do you think God has sent you to earth to accomplish? As you study this week, think about the personal missions of the people you read about or read from.

Read:

"You Were Born to Lead, You Were Born for Glory" by Sheri Dew. I prefer you print the talk so you can highlight your favorite parts. Even if you read this talk before (I assigned it in Sept. 2012) read it again for new layers of meaning. You're welcome to watch it while you take notes or highlight it, but don't just watch or listen.
"Personal Ministry: Sacred and Precious" by Bonnie Parkin. You're welcome to watch it while you take notes or highlight it, but don't just watch or listen.
Promises of Constitution, pages 288-314. Write a summary at the end of each mini section.
Hero study. Study a hero (ideally from the time period of 1500 to 1850). Hand in your hero notes to Sister Edwards or Sister Cloward. Be sure to include the qualities you most admire about your hero, and your plan to become more of those qualities. Also watch for principles or life lessons you learned as you studied this hero.

If you'd like to study a modern hero who is living an inspiring personal mission, here is an article about the only Mormon in Mali. Here is a video and here is another article about him. Here is his website.

Watch:

This video. It's about a woman who was living a personal mission of sharing the gospel through her blog and sharing free copies of the Book of Mormon. Then a tragic accident happened. See if her personal mission stopped, or what happened from the tragedy.

Research:
Spend 30 minutes or more researching something from today’s studies that you want to learn more in depth. It can be from any level – apprentice, journeyman, or master. Record what you learned and why it’s meaningful to you.

Email:
Class preparation sheet by Tuesday at noon to Sister Edwards and Sister Cloward.
(Estimated time: 10 minutes)

Create:

Write a hero report. Hand in your report to Sister Edwards or Sister Cloward. It won't be graded; we just want to read it. If you'd like to become a better writer, you can write at the top "feedback please." Be sure to include the qualities you most admire about your hero, and your plan to become more of those qualities. Also look for principles or life lessons you learned as you studied this hero.
Write an essay about something you learned this week. Hand it in to Sister Edwards or Sister Cloward.
Choose a second inspirement from the apprentice class choices.
Give us a three minute speech on the main points you learned from either Sheri Dew's or Bonnie Parkin's talk. Be sure to include an invitation to act.
Find a way to teach what you learned from the Promises of the Constitution book. Since this is our last time reading it, you could choose to teach us from this week's readings, or from anything else you liked in the book.
Find a way to teach the class what you did your 30 minutes of research about (see teaching ideas).

April Master Class

Think about while you study:

Animal Farm is an allegory, or symbolic story about the Russian revolution of 1917. How does having a basic understanding of this history make reading the book mean more? (Don't worry, you're soon about to gain a basic understanding...)
Even if you didn't know what happened in the Russian revolution, what principles of good and bad government can you find? How would you like to be one of the working animals in this story? Which character(s) do you think are most like you? Which do you like the most? The least?

Watch these videos:
To help you understand the story and symbolism of the book better, I recommend you watch them before you read, but it’s up to you when to watch them.

EITHER THESE: Series of ten “60-Second Recap” videos about Animal Farm. Scroll down on the right side. (Videos 11 and 12 are only outtakes so you can skip those).

OR THESE: Summary (3 min) and Characters (2 min) and Summary of Russian Revolution (9 min)

Read: Animal Farm, by George Orwell.

Here is a free e-book version.

Write

Write a list of the characters and who they represent.
Write about the importance of remembering. Read Helaman 5:1-14. What happened when the animals forgot about their original laws?
Write what options you think the working animals had. What do you think you would have done if you were one of the hard working animals and society turned that way? What does this book make you appreciate about living in America?
Hand in your paper to Sister Edwards or Sister Cloward. Write your name on it. It can be hand written, typed and printed, or emailed. We just want to see what you're thinking.

Create -- Choose ONE of the following:

Create a way to teach the class the parallels between Animal Farm and the Russian Revolution of 1917. You could write a paper, create a poster, a multimedia presentation, a poem, song, etc. Feel free to do more research for a better understanding.
Another topic you could write a paper or find a creative way to teach is to compare and contrast America's Constitutional government with the Communistic government they had at Animal Farm and in Russia.
Write a list of all the principles of good and bad government you can find in this book. Shoot for at least a dozen. Feel free to use Ezra Taft Benson's Proper Role of Government to help you compare good and bad principles of government. '
After reading the book, write a manual on "How to Control the Masses."
Write your answers to several of the questions on this list. Come prepared to share with the class.
Create your own inspirement to help you internalize what you learned from the book.

Only if you want to (optional): Watch the animated movie.

Tuesday, February 18, 2014

March Cultural Literacy

Here are this week's 25 cultural literacy terms for the game night at the end of the month. This is optional, but please study the terms and come if you can!

Brother's Keeper, am I my
Love thy neighbor as thyself
American Dream
Constitution, United States
constituent
Supreme Court
judicial branch
ethics
ethical relativism
Honesty is the best policy
entitlements
Dept of Agriculture
Dept of Commerce
Dept of Defense
Dept of Education
Dept of Energy
Dept of Health and Human Services
Dept of Homeland Security (this isn't in Sister Cloward's 1993 copy, so if it's not in yours, research it online and write your own entry)
Dept of Housing and Urban Development
Dept of the Interior
Dept of Justice
Dept of Labor
Dept of State
Dept of Transportation
Dept of the Treasury

March Apprentice

THESE ARE UPDATED NOW.

Everyone does the following:

Read:

The Kidnapped Prince. Read from the Introduction to the end of the chapter "Betrayed." (And I do want you to read beginning at the introduction.) :)
Scriptures: Find your own example from the scriptures on Integrity. Read the story and come to class prepared to share with us how the scriptures teach us about Integrity. (If you need some examples: Samuel, Daniel, Shadrack, Meshack and Abednego, Nephi, Joseph.)

Watch:
This video or this video or both :)

Memorize:
Please pick your own:
1) Thought or poem or quote AND
2) Scripture
that have to do with leadership, or the attribute you are studying for your leadership project this month. The following youth will share their memorization this week: David, Jordan, Enoch, Gavin, Cassia, Grace, Amanda, Hannah, Kylee.

Project:
Your project for this month is a leadership project. You will be working on developing a characteristic of a good leader.

The first step is to choose a characteristic you would like to work on.
The second step is to make a plan how you will develop this characteristic this month.
The third step is to put your plan into action by working on your characteristic.
The fourth step is to pick a person who emulates this characteristic and learn about how they became a leader.

Here is an example:
Faith
I will seek opportunities to strengthen my faith by praying for faith, by listening to promptings and acting on them, by studying about faith
Read scriptures about faith, pray for faith, listen and act to increase my faith
Study about Mother Theresa and her faith
For your reporting on your project this week please send me an email juliej8888@yahoo.com telling me which characteristic you have chosen and what your plan is to put it into action this month.

Besides the readings above, also study option A or option B below, depending on which one you signed up for.

OPTION A - Constitutional Convention Simulation

Maryland: David
Massachusetts: Jared
New York: Nic and Hannah
North Carolina: Amanda
Pennsylvania: Colt and Ashley
Viriginia: Isaiah
Connecticut: Makena and Rob
Delaware: Marshall
Georgia: Donovan and Grace
New Hampshire: Kylee and Rachel
New Jersey: Jordan and Enoch
South Carolina: Gavin

Read: (I corrected these links...hopefully they work now)
http://www.usconstitution.net/consttop_ccon.html#madison

http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/disp_textbook.cfm?smtID=2&psid=3241

http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/disp_textbook.cfm?smtID=3&psid=163

http://www.historyiscentral.org/HSI/case4C/Three%20Fifths%20Placard.pdf

Research the following questions: What compromises were made at the constitutional convention? How did the delegates of your state feel towards slavery and a central federal government? Are you a federalist or an anti-federalist?

Think About: Complete a word study on Integrity and Compromise. (I know that most scriptures don't contain the word compromise...but I think it is important to contrast the two.) Which traits does a leader show Integrity or Compromise? Can you do both? When should you compromise? When should you show integrity? Why is integrity important in a leader? How can you show love and compassion and integrity? Can you show Christ like attributes without compromising?

Create: Fill out the Constitutional Convention Simulation Assignment I will email out. Prepare a 1 minute debate for each of the topics: the distribution of political power, the rights of individuals, the rights of states, slavery. Plan to come to class prepared to participate in a simulation.

OPTION B - Slavery or Abolitionist Simulation

Read:
http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/slavetrade.htm
http://www.ushistory.org/us/6b.asp
http://library.thinkquest.org/03oct/00394/life.htm
http://www.brycchancarey.com/abolition/wilberforce.htmhttp://abolition.e2bn.org/people.html

You may study about the life of a slave or an abolitionist. Please sign up for the person you will be studying so we all study someone different:

Study about one of the following individuals: James Somersett, Olaudah Equiano, Fredrick Douglass, Sojourner Truth, Benjamin Banneker, Harriet Tubman, Phyllis Wheatley, Dread Scott, or another person of your choosing. Please come to class prepared to give a presentation on your individual. OR Study about one of the following individuals: William Wilberforce, Richard Allen, James Birney, Levi Coffin, Prudence Crandall,Rev. Elijah Lovejoy,Harriet Beecher Stowe or another abolitionist of your choosing. Please come to class prepared to give a presentation on your individual.

These are the ones you signed up for: Feel free to pick someone else if you want to (as long as two people have not already chosen that person)
Olaudah Equiano: John and Aaron
Fredrick Douglass: Dallin
Harriet Tubman: Megan and Gracious
Phyllis Wheatley: Esther
Another slave of your choice: Chrisitan
William Wilberforce: Cassia
Richard Allen: Luke and Carson
Levi Coffin: Justin
Prudence Crandall: Arianna and Priscilla
Harriet Beecher Stowe: Jennah and Josee

Think About: Complete a word study on Integrity. How did your individual show integrity? How do you show integrity? Why is integrity important in a leader? How can you show integrity when you are in difficult circumstances? Can a bondsman, a slave or a servant still have integrity?

Create: Create a presentation to share with us what you learned about slavery, slave conditions, or about the individual you studied. Some ideas might be: prezi, skit, book report, essay, food (that slaves might have eaten), build a model of a slave community or a slave ship, give us an abolitionist speech, write a poem or short story about your feelings about slavery, see teaching ideas for other ideas.

The Following People, please call me and let me know where you will be studying this week:
Kaeley
Sarah

March Journeyman Class

Think about while you read:

Look for the principles of love and leadership as you study this week. What do love and leadership have to do with each other? What did Jesus say is the greatest commandment and why? If you want to be a good leader, are manners, grooming, and people skills important? Why or why not?

Read:

Moroni 7:45-48, and Mark 12:28-31. (Estimated time: 5 minutes)
Hero study. Hand in your report to Sister Edwards or Sister Cloward. It won't be graded; we just want to read it. If you'd like to become a better writer, you can write at the top "feedback please." Be sure to include the qualities you most admire about your hero, and your plan to become more of those qualities. Also look for principles or life lessons you learned as you studied this hero. (Estimated time: 1 hour)
Promises of Constitution, pages 258-287. Write a summary at the end of each mini section. (Estimated time: 1 hour or more reading, 15 minutes or more writing)
"The Great Commandment" by Joseph B. Worthlin (Estimated time: 15 minutes reading, plus marking) Mark your favorite parts. Circle your very favorite quotes. I'd prefer you watch it and read along at the same time, so you can mark it up, as well as see and feel Elder Worthlin and one of his fellow apostles living this message right during the talk.
"The American Heritage of Freedom -- A Plan of God" by Ezra Taft Benson (Estimated time: 45 minutes). Mark your favorite parts.

Watch:
Since showing love and respect for others includes using good manners, watch this video (10 minutes). This video is made by an Australian university and includes some things that don’t apply to us, like alcohol. But it also things that can apply to any person. What do these ideas have to do with love or leadership? What did you find that you can improve in yourself? What does this video have to do with personal leadership?

Research:
Spend 30 minutes or more researching something from today’s studies that you want to learn more in depth. It can be from any level – apprentice, journeyman, or master. Record what you learned and why it’s meaningful to you. (Estimated time: 30 minutes)

Email:
Class preparation sheet by Tuesday at noon to Sister Edwards and Sister Cloward.
(Estimated time: 10 minutes)

Create: (Estimated time: 30 minutes or more)

Write a hero report. Hand in your report to Sister Edwards or Sister Cloward. It won't be graded; we just want to read it. If you'd like to become a better writer, you can write at the top "feedback please." Be sure to include the qualities you most admire about your hero, and your plan to become more of those qualities. Also look for principles or life lessons you learned as you studied this hero.
Write an essay about something you learned this week. Hand it in to Sister Edwards or Sister Cloward.
Answer the following questions from Promises of the Constitution: What is the Supreme Court supposed to do and not? How has the Supreme Court interpreted the general welfare clause and commerce clause in ways that have given the federal government more power than the founders intended? In one or more paragraphs, write about the things a person can do in the home and family to raise the level of morality and therefore promote freedom (see especially pages 268-277, and 286-289).
After reading the article by Ezra Taft Benson, find a quiet place to ponder and write or type. Spend 30 minutes or more writing the main points of the article, and what you should do. Bring your writing to class, or find another way to teach what you learned (see teaching ideas).
Find a way to teach the class what you did your 30 minutes of research about (see teaching ideas).

March Master Class

Read:

The Anatomy of Peace by the Arbinger Institute.

Do:

Build a word study on "heart at peace" or "heart at war." You won't find these in a dictionary, so look for a definition as you read "The Anatomy of Peace" and then add scriptures that back it up and quotes from wise people. Don't forget to write the application. Why do you want/not want that kind of heart? How does it affect your leadership skills to have that type of heart?

Apply:

We often carry around hurt or pain from our past. We may think that these things don't bother us anymore. But unless we have made peace with them -- have expressed the feelings, got them all out, forgave and moved on -- we carry them around with us. The old negative feelings continue to hold us back and taint the relationships that we build in the future. These feeling continually keep us with a "heart at war" towards others.

Think of the people in your immediate family - parents and sibling (mentors, you can include your children in this). Which family member do you have a "heart at war" with? (Having a "heart at war" with someone doesn't mean that you hate them. It looks more like someone who bugs you or who you are easily drawn into contention with. We all have these feelings, so don't feel bad, we can fix it!) Choose the person you feel your heart is most at war with and write, beginning your writing with "My heart is at war with _(name)__ because...". Don't worry if you don't know what you are going to write. Once you start a paper with that sentence, it will come to you. Write everything that comes to your mind, don't edit things out (even if it's yucky). Get it all out. End your writings with "please forgive me for feeling this way and holding onto these negative feelings."

Now that you have written this paper, it is very important that you do the following: DO NOT SHOW IT TO ANYONE, DO NOT SHOW IT TO THE PERSON YOU WROTE ABOUT, and DO NOT KEEP IT AND REREAD IT. Take your paper and either shred it into little pieces and throw it away or even better, take it outside to your BBQ grill and burn it. (Please get your parent's permission before using fire, and DON'T BURN YOUR HOUSE DOWN!)

This pulls the negative feelings out of your heart and mind and is the beginning of healing your heart and your relationship with this family member. Do this as many times as you feel like you need to and with as many family members as you feel your heart is at war with.

This week, work on seeing people with a "heart at peace."