Reconnecting Relationships

A letter from a Teen Grad Parent

When I went to LB1, I hoped that I would find the missing link of what I was lacking to take me to that next level in my leadership abilities. What I found was so much more. I realized that what I believed I lacked, was actually within me all along. I just needed the right processes to pull it out. I broke through the block that was holding me back both at work and in my personal life. I realized that I put myself in a box thru personal limitations I developed thru indecisiveness. I came out of the class with an entirely new realization of who I was as a person and a fresh outlook on my life as a whole.

I applied the tools I used during my training to both my personal and professional life. I found out what defined me personally, and where my passion was. The training brought purpose and balance to both my family and professional life. I found ways to let go of what wasn't important, in order to spend more time with my family. I also, overcame the fear to leave what was comfortable and familiar. I began to pursue what gave me passion in life and I am now working in an area that I know is making a difference in people's lives for the better. I am not afraid to make the choices I need to, as a leader, to move the program and people I oversee forward.

I am a better wife to my husband, and mother to my children. I realized what was important in my life, and decided to utilize what I learned in order to focus more on my family and pouring into them. The training impacted me so much that I sent my teenage son. We communicate and relate in ways that I never knew was possible because of the training we shared. He has a new perspective of himself. My son realizes the influence he has with his younger siblings and those around him at church and his school. The training taught him how to use that influence to make positive changes in the world around him.

Recently, my son and I had the opportunity to go back on-team to assist the trainer, and to be a part of the process we went thru. My passion for helping others was re-ignited and I have an increased understanding for how I impact those in my circle of influence. Sharing that experience has made our bond closer. I feel so blessed that I live in a time when I hear so many young people talk about how their parents can't relate to them, yet I often hear my son talk about how much he has learned from me due to the way I relate to him from the leadership tools we gained in the Rapport training.

I feel that the training I received from Rapport has changed my life, and family. Investing in Rapport is making an investment in yourself that will change your life in so many ways. It helps you become aware of those things you are unaware of, so that you can overcome what is holding you back from moving forward in life to achieve all you are capable of.

Thanks,

Tina Willis

When Dreams Become Reality

My name is Melissa Papp, I am an 18 year old graduate and I am a leader. I went through Rapport Teen leadership back in December 2009.  Before I attended the camp I found myself awash in the High School life surrounding myself with a bad social scene. I was in an unhealthy relationship and was being treated poorly and was confused about what my future held for secondary school and my dream job to be a musician. I was hesitant going to the camp not knowing what useful information I would take from it. Throughout the Teen Leadership Breakthrough I discovered things about myself I did not know I could do.

When I got back home from my Empowering weekend, I reflected on what I learned. I learned to love myself and to love others around me. I learned to persevere challenges and obstacles I’ve been through or am yet to discover. I learned to replace my words to “I WILL” instead of “I CAN’T”. But most of all, I learned to make important changes in my life that will have a positive outcome.

In a result of all of this, I was inspired to write a song about my experience at the camp called “We Were Empowered” which is now the official song of the Werklund Foundation. I am currently pursuing my music career with many opportunities and much success. I also will be attending secondary school in the year 2011.

Thank you for taking your time to read this and thank you Rapport Empowered Education and the Werklund Foundation for making such a huge impact on my life.  You can listen to my song on the upper right side of this screen. 

Melissa Papp
2009 Teen Leadership Breakthrough Grad

What happens when they grow up?

Do you ever wonder what the impact of your investment in your child will be?  Can only 3 days away from home make a significant impact in a students life?  What happens when these kids grow up into adults?  Just a few days ago an Email was received in the general mailbox of Rapport Empowered Education and all of these questions were quickly answered...

Hello,

My name is Brian Breuner and in the Spring of 1991 my parents enrolled me in one of your first Teen Leadership Breakthrough Courses.  For some reason I’ve been thinking a lot about this course over the past few days, and upon reflection I’ve come up with the following conclusion… Even though it’s been nearly 20 years, there’s not a day that goes by that I don’t consciously or subconsciously use the tools, skills, and lessons that  I learned at Rapport.

 I was 16 when my parents enrolled me in the course. At the time I didn’t know why they did it.  I didn’t see myself as an “at risk” teen, I had, what I felt was a good circle of friends (my parent’s then and still agree), and although I was just doing OK in school I felt everything in my world was fine.  My Mom’s company had sent her and a few coworkers through one of your adult courses and afterward she felt that the teen course would be beneficial for me, so off to Las Vegas I went (we lived in California at the time).

I didn’t know what to expect, and while I was excited for the adventure of traveling, I wasn’t really excited about the reason for the trip.  Looking back on things now, that was probably the best trip of my life.  I truly feel that I “found myself” during my time at Rapport.  Being a teenager is hard.  Between the peer pressure, school pressure and trying to figure out who you are, it can easily overwhelm anyone.  Rapport let me discover who I was, and that it didn’t matter what anyone else thought, I gained a confidence that never existed prior to Rapport, and I learned communication skills that,  as I stated before, I still use to this day.  Recently I had a debate with a supervisor over why I was being selected for a project over someone who had more time and experience then I did.  He stated “You display a confidence that no one else does, we need you here”.  This statement is a direct result of the Teen Leadership Course.

As I was looking through your website I came across the following quote “substantial increase in the students’ emotional intelligence, self-confidence, adaptability, competence, and inter-personal skills”, I could have save the University of Calgary a ton of time and money and just told them “True” to all of the above.  This is exactly what the Teen Leadership Breakthrough Course did for me.

Unfortunately, I don’t remember the names of the teens that joined me for the course that week.  I think about them from time to time and hope that they are successful in whatever endeavors they have chosen.  It’s funny that while I don’t remember their names, and we were only together for a few days, the kids that joined me at Rapport had a very large impact on my life.

I want to say Thank You.  Thank You for doing what you did in the Spring of 1991 and Thank You for what you continue to do for our youth today.  I can guarantee that when my children come of age they will be visiting your Teen Leadership Course.

Respectfully,

Brian Breuner

A Word From a Grad...

My name is Simeon Bowman, I am currently a senior at Spring Arbor University in Spring Arbor, Michigan and back in April of 2010 I attended Rapports “College Leadership Breakthrough” class in Las Vegas, NV. The opportunity to take the class was suggested and offered by my sponsor Robin Smith who is the head of the Student Retention Department in the Student Development office at my university. The timing of my attending College Leadership Breakthrough (CLB) was actually quite coincidental; there were two catastrophic events that had taken place in my life in the recent year, one of which being the death of my father. Both of these events had taken a major toll on both me mentally as well as my motivation in school. Simply put, I was struggling.

There are a number of CLB alum from Spring Arbor University, a couple of which I have had the privilege of working with and they had nothing but good things to say about the class. I reminded myself that nothing ventured means nothing gained and dove headfirst into the class. My hopes in attending were simply for a shifting of perspective. A shift large enough to help me reframe the way that I was looking at life, which at the time was relatively drab and futile, to a perspective that was much more optimistic and hopeful. To say that my prayers were answered in full still seems to be a bit of an understatement. The CLB class really opened my mind to the power of community and how it can be used to inspire individuals. The concept of “synergy” was one that seemed to permeate the entire program. It was a remarkable experience being put into a two and a half day class with what originally was a group of total strangers and walking away from the experience feeling as if I had gained a new family.

If there is one thing that I can say that I have taken away from the course it is that the power of community is limitless in its ability to inspire and encourage the individual. Interdependence is not anything to be feared but rather embraced, because it is truly the key to unlocking true potential. Since taking the class it has been my goal to live my life in such a way as to inspire everyone that I come into contact to pursue and seek the power of community, to be encouragers and supporters, and to desire the same. All with the understanding that it begins with me.

-Simeon

NEW Beginnings in a NEW Year!

If your household is anything like mine was with teenagers, I know and understand your pain and frustration!  The start of the new school year is a tremendous amount of stress for everyone in the family.  Empower your teenager to be successful and help them minimize their stress. First, reinforce that it is normal to feel nervous and uneasy as they face the enviable changes of the new school year.  Second, encourage them to focus on new solutions to the challenge ahead.  As both a parent and a teen, the importance of the first month of school can all be simplified by identifying systems.

Teach your teenager to look for the mechanics and identify how and why things work.  Share with them examples of how systems create success in high school and life with practical examples.  Ask them why star athletes are successful.  What traits do they have in common?

Common answers include:

·         Star athletes do not start conditioning on the first day of the season, they practice and condition most of the year

·         They discipline themselves to practice daily to improve their technical abilities

·         They set goals and focus on achieving one goal at a time

·         They succeed because of what they do off the field, not on the field

·         They do not let other people distract them from achieving their goals

Once your teen understands this concept, encourage them to spend these weeks discovering the answer some these questions:

·         What system does each teacher have for grading students?

·         What makes each teacher feel as if a student is participating and interested in class?

·         How is this year’s social system different to navigate than previous years? 

·         How will I get everything done? 

·         How do I use this year to prepare for future success? 

In the meantime, as a parent, you get to work on your own systems for success:

·         How do I create a culture in the home and family that facilitates my child being successful? 

·         What challenges does my teenager face?

·         How do I empower them to succeed? 

·         How do I recognize effort and reinforce positive behaviors? 

As a parent, I encourage you to spend far more time recognizing effort, internal motivation and discipline; and far less time recognizing results.  By doing this you will be teaching your teen a life-long skill of using systems and behaviors to succeed!

Enthusiastically,



Bridgit Parise

The Start of a New School Year

Congratulations on being one of THE most influential people in our society today! You, more than any other human being in this world, will play a role in determining the shape of our leaders over the next 20 years! You have the opportunity to:

•  Live a life that demonstrates the choices you desire for your teen to make!
•  Empower your teen with the potential you notice inside of them!
•  Act as the example that your student desperately needs to see!
•  Dream along side them, affirming that what they yearn for is nothing short of possible!

Yes, Mom and Dad, you have an amazing opportunity to LEAD!!

Rapport Empowered Education speak with parents every single day that share comments such as this...

"Oh, but if you only knew MY teenager..."

"I live with a teenager, what can I expect..."

"I can only hope it's a phase we will pass through quickly..."

And, we interact with teenagers on a daily basis that say things such as this...

"Oh, but if you only knew MY parents..."

"I live with my Mom and Dad, what can I expect..."

"Oh, they'll get over it! It's just this new thing they are stuck on..."

These conversations lead to the belief that some of your frustrations are probably quite similar to theirs! Frustration that "they just don't listen" comes up often on both sides of the fence!

As you and your family begin to move into the start of a new school year take a moment to reflect on the year that has just past. Take time to celebrate your success as a family! Express gratitude for what your up-and-coming CEO, teacher, or doctor has done in school, sports, and most importantly your family! Often times we treat our children like ...well... children! Instead of approaching them as if they really do posses the potential we see within them!

Start this school year off with a fresh new start -one that empowers your teen to be everything you want them to be, they want to be, and they have potential to be!

Enthusiastically,
Vanessa Vann
Sr. Program Coordinator
Rapport Empowered Education