A SUMMER FULL OF FUN

By Travis Hardin
An Inspirational Speaker @ The Re-De-Fined Project

I want to begin this post with a huge hello to those students of SHPE (Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers. We spoke to this awesome group of aspiring engineers on Saturday April 6, 2013 at Arizona State University and we had FUN. For those of you from SHPE reading this blog, we look forward to hearing from you as you walk out the 3 C’s……

I believe many of my friends experimented with drugs and threw parties because they were simply bored. There was nothing better to do so we created our own FUN that our parents would not have approved of. We would “up the ante” during the every weekend boring activities (watching movies, BBQ at a friend’s) so they were more exciting (hook-up and watch a movie, play drinking games at the BBQ).

I truly understand, even if you provide enough FUN activities for 52 weekends, teens will still find ways to drink, do drugs and have sex if they really want to. However, I do believe by helping create activities you are:

a) Showing them you care

b) Showing them you pay attention, so if they try anything you will probably find out

c) Allowing less opportunity for them to be bored and create questionable activities out of boredom

Planning alternative activities can be important yet, there is no need to do it all yourself. I believe it is a great idea to get together with a group of parents from school, or all of your child’s friend’s parents and comprise a “committee like” group to plan something each weekend and take turns carpooling, cooking and hosting. That way you are not responsible for everything and all the parents can keep an eye out for suspicious behavior together. Here are a few suggestions for activities parents can create, provide, and encourage so teens have less opportunity to come up with their own.

- Paintball/Mini-Golf/Laser tag: Teens love doing these kinds of activities; they can be co-ed and not that much money for a few hours of FUN (not to mention physical activity)

- Comedy Clubs: There are a lot of improv clubs, comedy clubs or even coffee shops that have stand-up that allow all ages. This can be a FUN weekend night for teens. You could also ask in advance to use a local coffee shop for the teens to do their own stand-up one night and they will all buy coffee and bring friends as an incentive to the owner

- Plan a Themed Party: No, I do not mean plan a themed party in the 4th grade sense. Be willing to open up your house have a party that will appeal to teens: a 90′s movie marathon and include dinner, fondue, pop-culture trivia night, pool party and BBQ, Taboo, Sequence etc

- Dinner and a Show: Do some research to locate places that offer dinner and then some sort of entertainment like Medieval Times where they have food and then a joust show.

- Celebrate a Holiday (no matter how minor): My mom and dad were “community parents” with lots of patience and enjoyed having friends over. We often had Super bowl parties or Halloween gatherings, where they would come up with games and prepare lots of food. It definitely kept us away from those “parents-are-away-for-the-weekend” parties happening around town.

- Game room: I had a friend whose parents had tons of board games, a ping pong table, air-hockey table, pinball machine and a foosball table. This was a lot of FUN; it was great when it was just boys, but also a great way to spend time with the opposite sex when girls came over to visit his sister.  You might consider some video game systems like a Wii with lots of controllers.

These are just a few ideas. There are plenty of ideas around your city and community; you simply have to be creative. Our youth need to have FUN and know that adults are encouraging the FUN so they do not have to sneak around and find things that could prove to be 1 huge mistake. Here at The Re-De-Fined Project we welcome all ideas from youth and create ways in which we can involve young men and women of all ages. We will continue to do our part, we are simply asking for you to join in the FUN and engage with today’s youth. We promise you will have lots of laughs.

 

Pay it forward

Travis Hardin

PRESIDENTIAL STATE OF MIND

By Travis Hardin
An Inspirational Speaker @ The Re-De-Fined Project

As Barack Hussein Obama is sworn in as president today for his second term, I can’t help but to think about the mindset of our youth who do not even know the power of potential that lies within each and every one of them.

I spoke to a young man from a local high school last week and he was comfortable saying he had failed 2 classes in the first semester. I told him that was unacceptable and shared reasons why it was unacceptable. His demeanor became defensive as he questioned why I cared. I told him he has everything inside of him needed to become anything he wanted. I told him he needed to push himself harder and strive for A’s and not simply settling for C’s, D’s, and F’s.

Once we discussed his future plans, family, and dreams he told me no one has ever taken the time to explain the consequences of bad grades in the future. He then started asking me questions about my career and family. I told him he needs to have a “Presidential state of mind.” As long as he could think it, the possibility of it coming true was within reach. He could be president of a company, an organization or of these United States. If we do not think it we will never be able to do it.

For every young person reading this post, I hope you not only watched the inauguration of President Obama, but you saw yourself being sworn into a top position in a field of your desire. It doesn’t start when you get older; it starts right now while you are in school and learning what it means to separate yourself from the rest. You must stand out and do the things now, which no one else in your class and/or school is doing. I dare you to start by looking in the mirror and ask if you are doing ALL you can to be the best.

For all the dysfunction that our country is exhibiting at the moment, Dr. King reminds us that the time is always ripe to do right. We should never be afraid to do what's right, especially if the well-being of a person is at stake.

"Society's punishments are small compared to the wounds we inflict on our soul when we look the other way." ~ Tavis Smiley

Pay it forward

Travis Hardin

PEOPLE PROTECT WHAT THEY VALUE

By Jody McPhearson
An Inspirational Speaker at The Re-De-Fined Project

Last year in Chicago, 532 people were murdered! 532!!!!!!! This year they are already on pace for well over 700!!!!!!!!!!! There have been 21 homicides in Chicago since the start of 2013. At least 15 of the victims were shot to death, and more than half were under the age of 30. These may not be teens, but they are not far removed.

As we deal with the tragedy of Sandy Hook Elementary, I can not help but think of all of our young people who are dying due to gun violence in our communities. We look at that tragedy and are distraught as a nation because they were so young. In cities like Chicago, 'young people are often targets. In the school year that ended in June 2012, 319 Chicago public school students were shot, 24 of them fatally.' - Washington Post - Where is the outrage over these numbers?

Why have we not been affected by these 532 like we were these 27 in Connecticut? Is it because we have been able to demonize the shooters because of believed and often times real gang affiliations? Is it because we do not want to be reminded of those living in poverty in our own neighborhoods? After all, it is much easier to be fed up with what is happening in Africa than our own backyards.

Here is the point of my outburst. These are our children! They are human beings. They are individuals whose lives carry value. Things that carry value are typically treasured. Even when that thing that carries value is tarnished , we are willing to put in the effort to clean it up in an effort for it to express the true value. Things that carry value are often locked away and protected at all costs. People would often rather die than to give up their valuables.

I highlight Chicago because of the sheer mass numbers, however the problem is not an isolated one. It affects us all. In every community our children are being attacked and taken away. What are we going to do about it?

Protect that which is most valuable to you!

photo credit

3 KEYS TO LEADERSHIP

By Travis Hardin
An Inspirational Speaker @ The Re-De-Fined Project

One of the joys of being a Communication Consultant and Team Member Network Co Chair is that I sit on executive leadership teams. This mostly means that I spend a large amount of my time in meetings trying to effectively move business and others forward. But it also means that many of those meetings are led by leaders and mentors of our community!
Recently, one of the leaders shared what they consider to be the 3 most important skills of a leader. I don’t think I’ve ever heard them talk about this before, and I don’t think it is written down anywhere. And, I’m sure I’ll shortchange some of their brilliance by trying to pass it along…but it was so good, I have to try:

- The ability to clearly articulate the present reality
- The ability to visualize the future

- The ability to be self-aware

It was the TEAM’s opinion that the easiest skill of these three is the ability to visualize the future. Anybody can have a vision of the future! You really don’t have to be a leader to visualize the future, but you can’t be a leader if you don’t.

It was the TEAM’s opinion that the toughest skill is the ability for a leader to be self-aware. Because leaders are good at a few things, they assume they are good at everything. Many leaders often lack the ability to recognize where they actually get in the way, causing bottlenecks to progress and productivity from fruitfully occurring.

Questions for you to ponder:

- What is the CURRENT reality of your leadership/mentor ability? What are your strengths, weaknesses, barriers to growth, perception amongst teens and adults? Is it a safe place for students? How healthy is your volunteerism? Do YOU believe in YOU?

- What’s your vision for the future? Have you dreamed any big dreams lately? Have you had a “God Idea” recently (an idea so big that only God could make it happen)?

- When is the last time you looked in the mirror? What are your weaknesses as a leader? What do you insist on holding onto that may actually be holding your ability to be an effective leader at a standstill? Have you truly tried to identify some of your blind spots?

I challenge you to consider these 3 keys and ask yourself, “Am I really being effective in the life of a young person?” If you are honest with yourself, your answer just may be NO. Let’s work together and make sure we pass these keys onto our youth. They will thank you later.

The thing that lies at the foundation of positive change, the way I see it, is service to a fellow human being. – Lee Iacocca

Pay it forward

Travis Hardin

TERRIBLE ROLE MODELS...WHAT WE'VE TAUGHT OUR YOUTH

By Jody McPhearson

An Inspirational Speaker @ The Re-De-Fined Project

 



Over the last few month's I have spoken with young adults who would be voting for the very first time in their lives in this past election. I must admit, many were not excited. I asked why and begin to get typical 18 year old answers such as, "I don't really know any of these people", "My vote won't matter", and my favorite, "Who cares?".
I began to wonder if what were the underlying reasons. I would continue to speak to these young people, pressing upon them the importance of voting. I also began to really focus on the election, listening to the candidates, watching campaign commercials, and listening to many very opinionated supporters.
I began to realize that these young people felt negatively about voting because of the way we behave. We are worst than over enthusiastic, drunken, belligerent sports fans cheering for our team versus our archenemies. We not only support "our" candidate, we root for death, (in many cases literally death), of the opponent. Is this how to engage young people in politics?
If that were not bad enough, after the election is over, just like in sports, we start in with all of the excuses as to why our team lost, then we blame others, then we began to tear down the other team, and belittle their victory. The biggest difference between the sports fan and the political supporter is that the sports fan eventually moves on to the next game or the next team whilst the political supporter began to spew hateful language and set traps and roadblocks to ensure failure of the opposed candidate. This is the most asinine action that I can think of! If the leader of our country fails, we all fail! If our candidate had the answers and lost, if our candidate is the man/woman that we believed in, one with integrity, honor, and a desire to get our country back on track, I would expect to see such candidate sitting at the table and helping to create and implement solutions. That means that he/she will not function like John McCain and Sarah Palin and continue to spew venom and attempt to undermine the presidential office.
I never intended for this blog to be a rant, however, I am disgusted with the behavior of many of my fellow Americans both pre and post election. And so are our young people!

STOP BEING SUCH A TERRIBLE ROLE MODEL!

Photo Courtesy of MileyCyrus.com

What I learned from Derrick Rose

By Jody McPhearson

An Inspirational Speaker at The Re-De-Fined Project

 

                             



For those of you who have no idea who Derrick Rose is, he is best known by his job. He is the starting point guard for the Chicago Bulls. In fact he is a bona fide NBA superstar. But that is not who he is.

Here is one of my favorite quotes from Maya Angelou “The first time someone shows you who they are, believe them.”

Well, Derrick Rose has shown himself to be a pretty quiet and private individual. He does not really enjoy the spotlight.

Here is a lesson learned from my mother. Adversity will reveal who a person truly is.

This past year, Derrick Rose has had to undergo a great deal of adversity during the season with nagging injuries to himself and teammates.  But that was just the beginning of his adversity. He had a season ending and career threatening injury. All in the public spotlight!

Now that brings us to the point of it all. Derrick Rose has taught and is teaching me many things while I am watching and reading about him.

During his first meeting with Adidas, his shoe sponsor, the executives from Adidas asked him what he wanted to accomplish his rookie year. Do you know what he said? He said, "I Wanna make My Mom Happy and My City Proud."  What if more professional athletes lived with this focus? What if celebrities had this in mind as they made choices? What if this was the mantra of more teens?

Maybe we can't do anything about professional athletes or celebrities, but we sure can do something about teens!

I learned from just that quote that Derrick Rose loves his mother, and his City! Chicago is a city that saw a record numbers of murders this past summer. It is also a city that had an ugly teacher's strike this summer. He loves a flawed city!
 

So, there is another lesson learned from Derrick Rose. It is okay to love someplace and someone that is not perfect. That kind of love will motivate you to help it or them get better.

Let me share with you what sparked this post. I read an ESPN article about Derrick Rose that poised this question. What can one man do about deep-seated social ills like poverty and violence? Read it here

 

If I have learned anything from Derrick Rose this summer, it is this. One man/woman/teen can do a lot! Especially if that person is willing to share their story of overcoming and persevering. I have learned that Derrick Rose has become a symbol of hope for his mother, his family, his friends, thousands of teens, and his entire community.

This summer, four groups of rival gangs, church leaders and a few NBA players got together for a game of basketball in an attempt to find a solution to the violence in the city. Derrick Rose came together with St. Sabina’s Father Michael Pfleger for the “Balling for Peace” tournament. After the tournament, every player got a job. St. Sabina partnered with businesses in the community to make sure that players were rewarded with employment for their peace pledge. Gang members traded their guns for basketballs. Some gang members were quoted as saying, “Opportunity and seeing that someone cares” are what’s needed to make a change.

I have learned that Derrick Rose is not afraid to show just how much he cares.

When presented with his new Adidas basketball shoe and the chance to talk about how special he legitimately is, Derrick Rose chose to show real human emotion and thank God and his family and the people who believe in him for their support and inspiration.
 

I have learned that Derrick Rose has an astounding work ethic, that he is humble beyond belief,(especially for a generation that most label as selfish and self-centered), and that he is fully aware that there is more to it all than just worrying about Derrick.

I know that I am usually speaking about teens, and the example that I am using is NBA superstar, Derrick Rose, but let's not forget, Derrick is only 24! He was, not so longer ago, just a teen from the very city that he now inspires. All because there were those adults, friends, and siblings who were invested in his life, that gave him hope.

Derrick thanks for the lessons! May we each take it upon ourselves to be the hope for our mothers, family, friends, teens, and our community!
 

                                    

 

 

 



THE BULLIES WHO LOST

                                      
By Travis Hardin
Inspirational Speaker at The Re-De-Fined Project

                                       
 

No matter how (un)popular you were in high school, Whitney Kropp’s story hits home.

Imagine this: she’s sitting in math class as the homecoming court is announced over the PA system. She’s surprised – and thrilled - when she hears her name in the homecoming line up.

"She's just sweet. She doesn't have a mean bone in her body," Whitney’s mom, Bernice Kropp, told The Detroit News (as reported in a wonderful article, “Town turns tables on school prank”).

But the surprise quickly turned into a nightmare: it turns out that Whitney was picked as a joke. The 16-year-old found out, via Facebook and word of mouth, that “popular” kids put her name in the running as a prank. Hysterical: an unpopular girl in the homecoming court! Right?

Wrong. But what makes this act of bullying different is that it wasn’t hushed up or ignored. Covering up incidents of bullying ostensibly protects the victim, but it can also send the message that the bullying target is somehow at fault; it also lets the bullies off the hook. But that’s not what happened in this case. Instead, Whitney’s sister told her friends, who told their parents, who told their friends, The Detroit News reported.

Word spread and people rallied around Whitney in support. Someone created a Facebook page in support of Whitney, and it has more likes than the rural Michigan town has residents. Local businesses rallied around the teen, donating her dress, shoes, jewelry, hair styling and makeup. The 16-year-old was escorted by her father and grandfather to the field, where she confidently took her place in the Ogemaw Heights High School homecoming court. Students on the opposing team cheered Kropp on with banners.

The overwhelming support is heartwarming, and the outright rejection of 1980s John Hughes-esque high school meanness is inspiring. I love how this town has turned the tables on these small-minded bullies; this kind of community support is what could finally put an end to bullying once and for all.

Do you think this could happen in your city? In order to assist against bullying efforts in your city, speak up and encourage ALL youth. It doesn’t hurt to share your stories from when you were a teenager. The time is now to be Honest, Open and Transparent.

Pay it forward

“GIVING” Begins at a young age

I was recently asked by a coworker, why I give to my community as often as I do. I thought about it for a brief moment and responded with “My today is a result of GIVING when I was younger.” I saw my father give of his time when I was young and it always had a huge impact in the lives of those he helped. The key is, teaching our youth to give when they are young.

It can be tough to teach children the value of giving in a society when they're surrounded by messages about the value of getting. Here are five ways to start:

Start small when the kids are small.

Youth might be happy to help bake cookies for a friend but end up wanting to keep the gift themselves. An exercise for a young person would be baking enough cookies to keep and enough cookies to give. Young children need help in learning to share.

Teach your child that he doesn't need money to give.

Help your child make gift certificates good for "one free car wash" or "breakfast in bed" that he can give to a family member.

Involve your child in selecting the gift.

You may think that donating to cancer research is important, but your child who is an animal lover may be more interested in making sure the dogs at the humane society have an extra treat at the holidays. Help them find a way to give the gift they feel is important.

Be a role model.

Volunteer your family's time at a soup kitchen or senior center. Gather small-size toiletries, such as toothpaste and shampoo, and pack them in gift bags to take to a homeless shelter. Ask your child if they'll help you baby-sit for a neighbor's toddler so the neighbor can do some shopping or stop and help you bring groceries in for an elderly person who has returned home from the grocery store.

Personalize giving.

It's faster for busy parents to write a check to a charity, but it has little impact on a child who can't see where the money is going or imagine the people who benefit. Delivering canned goods to a food bank is more meaningful than dropping a check in the mail. Your family could "adopt" a needy family through a community organization, choose the gifts and wrap them.

Feeling too busy to organize an activity like this? Author Ellen Sabin has suggestions that can work for the most time-challenged parents. Sabin wrote The Giving Book: Open the Door to a Lifetime of Giving, an interactive workbook to help 6- to 11-year-olds discover the joy of giving and their power to make a difference. Sabin also offers free tools and guides for parents, teachers and religious educators to use with her book.

Sabin suggests having a family conversation about what you're thankful for. That will help your child realize that what she values may be missing in other people's lives.

Sabin also offers three activities to try. "These things don't take huge amounts of time. They just take a few moments of thoughtfulness."

• Start a tradition in which family members set aside one of their gifts to give to someone less fortunate.


• Think of someone without a family - a soldier, a distant relative, a friend in the hospital - and write a letter as a family to make the person feel loved and included during the holidays.


• Talk about beginning the New Year with a family giving box. Everyone can regularly add a small amount of money to the box to contribute to a group or cause the family agrees to support.

Giving gives children a sense of self-esteem and pride, says Sabin. "Giving is addictive. It gets in your blood. It makes you realize that you and your actions matter." I challenge you to GIVE today.

 

Travis Hardin,

Hire Travis to speak

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Unconditional Movie

A Call To Action

By: Jody McPhearson

I wanted to personally let you know that The Re-De-Fined Project has entered into a national partnership with the filmmakers of the movie Unconditional. Unconditional is an inspiring movie that raises awareness of ministry with “at risk” youth and moves its viewers to action in their community. Unconditional is a tool that can highlight the work of The Re-De-Fined Project and engage new funding and resources in our community.

MOVIE SYNOPSIS: Samantha Crawford (Lynn Collins - X-Men Wolverine & John Carter), an acclaimed children's book author, went from a woman of faith to a woman in despair when her husband was killed in a senseless act of violence. With no leads and no hope, Sam's moments from taking her own life when God's providence intervenes, uniting her with an old childhood friend, Joe Bradford (Michael Ealy - Barbershop & Think Like A Man).

Dying of kidney disease, Joe spends his last days serving fatherless children in an under-resourced community. Observing "Papa Joe's" tireless love for his "kids", Sam begins to find new purpose, but has difficulty letting go. The innocence of a child competes with the lure of revenge and answers. When Sam finally learns about her husband's last moments her life and others are never the same.

CALL TO ACTION:
UNCONDITIONAL is the first feature film from Harbinger Media Partners, which creates and produces high-quality theatrical films to inspire moviegoers to pursue God and serve others.

Partnering with scores of ministries and non-profit organizations around the country like the one run by the real-life Papa Joe Bradford, UNCONDITIONAL is encouraging people to ACT on the needs in their communities. Learn more about ACT. http://unconditionalthemovie.com/act

Unconditional inspires its viewers and calls them to action in their community by partnering with local organizations such as The Re-De-Fined Project. We are currently the only national partner in the state of Arizona.

The filmmaker’s motivation for making this movie was to motivate people to ACT! Their strategy is to partner with local ministries who will facilitate their viewers in giving, volunteering, and partnering.

HOW YOU CAN SPREAD THE WORD:

As a national partner, the movie will advocate for The Re-De-Fined Project cause and connect Unconditional viewers with our work.

We invite you to help spread the word about Unconditional in your community by sharing this message to as many people as you know and inviting them to visit the website http://www.unconditionalthemovie.com and to follow Unconditional on Facebook, Twitter, and share the trailer.

Jody McPhearson
Founder/President
The Re-De-Fined Project
Hire Jody McPhearson to speak to your organization, school, or group.
http://www.unconditionalthemovie.com/act_orgpage.php?id=96

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE MOVIE AND SEE A TRAILER CLICK HERE
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE MOVIE'S CALL TO ACTION CLICK HERE

A PLAY DESIGNED FOR SUCCESS

Did your favorite NFL or college team win over this past weekend? Here at The Re-De-Fined Project, we are still undefeated (1-0) as the Dallas Cowboys and Chicago Bears won their opening games.

More importantly, it’s the work put in while no one is watching that helps teams remain good year after year. Regardless if your team is winning or losing, the hard work and dedication of the organization has to reflect a supportive base.

As it is in sports, it is behind the scenes where our young people gain the upper hand on the rest of the competition. Those nights when school, home or work is so challenging, they are ready to give up. It will always take discipline, hard work and dedication for our young people to rise to the top. What is more critical than their determination is the supportive base of the COMMUNITY.

We as the supportive base, COMMUNITY, have to learn to be more unconventional with our approach. If a team runs the same play 55 times a game, they will never win because the defense will always know what is coming. This is true with our kids and with our young people. Changing the setting or routine can shift the balance and have the desired effect. Many parents report that while riding in the car their teens open up and talk more. It also helps to intentionally ask questions and show that you care about what they have to say.

Set up a conversation with comments like, "Growing up can be hard, and I've been wondering how it's going for you"; or "I realize you are at a point in life where your friends can really influence the choices you make." Another is "I want you to know that I will always be here to support you."

-Here are some suggestions for questions to discuss together:

-What's been easiest for you this year?

-What's been the hardest thing so far?

-What's a decision you made that was wise?

-What's a decision that you regret?

-How have you handled it when other kids wanted to do something you knew wasn't a good choice?

-How have you made your decisions?

-What's something you could do if a friend offers you drugs or alcohol?

-What could you do if you are curious about some of the things your friends do, but you know they are probably not so smart?

-Have you faced any situations that made you feel really uncomfortable? How did you handle it?

Raising kids can and will be difficult with last minute adjustments and challenges that at times will seem insurmountable. The road to success can become more manageable with a few basic steps. By showing support, asking thoughtful questions, listening with care and staying involved, parents and COMMUNITY can help our youth win in more phases of life. I dare you to run the above mentioned designed play. Watch the response from our hungry youth. It will be much appreciated.

Travis Hardin

Pay it Forward

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YOU HAVEN'T EARNED IT YET!

 

So this is my first and hopefully last time ever mentioning Kimberly Noel Kardashian formally.

Now, don’t get me wrong, this isn’t just about her. This is also about the media, and I suppose, society as a whole.

Here is how all this came about.  I ran across this quote. "I think there was a quote where somebody said that reality stars will never get a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame," [said Kim], "So, of course I'm so competitive that I think that it would be a huge achievement and a goal that anyone would want. I would love to break that mold." –Kim Kardashian

One of the biggest honors in the entertainment industry is achieving a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. While Kim Kardashian has appeared in a few TV series and films, she has not come close to having earned a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame!

"She is a reality star. We don't do reality stars," a Chamber of Commerce rep responded. "She needs to get a real acting job then come to us."  Kim Kardashian not getting star

Here’s a look at her credits:

Disaster Movie, Beyond the Break TV series, CSI: NY TV series, Deep in the Valley straight to DVD, and Drop Dead Diva TV series.

This list doesn’t even mention her most famous role, you know the one that started it all, opposite Brandy’s little brother! What makes her think that she is deserving of a star. Maybe a star on The Walk of Shame would be more appropriate? By now this probably sounds like a Kim Kardashian bashing blog. It is not!

Here is what this blog is really about. You! Just because you want something does not mean that the world owes it to you. It is good to know that there are still some things that you are expected to earn.  It is good to know that money cannot buy everything.

It seems as if everyone wants to be famous for doing nothing more than what the last person did. I am sorry, that is not entirely true. Some want to be famous for acting more foolishly and outlandish than everyone else. For pushing the envelope!

How about putting all of that energy into making your community a better place to live, making your neighborhood a safe place for kids to play in front of their homes, solving some of the more serious issues in society, tackling issues like homelessness and teen suicide? If you want your star, your fifteen minutes of fame, EARN IT!

If you want to be famous, rich, well known, Earn it! You are not special just because you want to be. Do something! Create something! Help somebody! Like this guy!

Mark West from Phoenix Suns hosts annual free basketball and education camp.

Get involved

Jody McPhearson
Inspiring Teens to Live a Life of Purpose
Invite Jody to speak for your group, school, or event

It's Time To Act Not React

                            

Have you ever wondered why a person would want to end it all, leaving family and friends to wonder why? This is the thoughts of many around the world, this nation, your state, your city and your community. As we think about the lives lost over the past few years, months and weeks to suicide, we encourage YOU to do something.

The following is provided by NIMH (National Institute of Mental Health):

If you are in a crisis and need help right away:

Call this toll-free number, available 24 hours a day, every day: 1-800-273-TALK (8255). You will reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, a service available to anyone. You may call for yourself or for someone you care about. All calls are confidential.

Monday, September 10, 2012 is World Suicide Prevention Day. It is observed on September 10th each year to promote worldwide action to prevent suicides. Various events and activities are held around the world to raise awareness that suicide is a major preventable cause of premature death.  We encourage you to go out and become more informed of the signs and tendencies of those who may be covering things up. We would hate for your loved one to end it all and you be left wondering why.

Nearly 3000 people on average commit suicide daily, according to WHO. For every person who completes a suicide, 20 or more may attempt to end their lives. About one million people die by suicide each year. Suicide is a major preventable cause of premature death which is influenced by psycho-social, cultural and environmental risk factors that can be prevented through worldwide responses that address these main risk factors.

Today wasn't a normal blog for us. For those who have lost love ones to suicide, today isn't a normal day!

The Re-De-Fined Project sends our heartfelt condolences to the Wright family, the Johnson family, the Murdoch family, and every family whose lives have been forever changed by the premature loss of a loved one by suicide. Our thoughts and prayers go out to those who are going through the pain of wondering why

If you need us to come out to speak to your students, youth group, parent group, or organization about teen suicide we will be there.

Travis Hardin

Pay it forward

Refund Your Blessings

Are you nice even when you do not feel like it? That was the question I asked after the store manager handed my money back.

I had run into the Wal-Mart to get a refund for an item that was not properly working, and after 15 minutes of back and forth, I was faced with a disgruntled manager. I nicely asked if I could talk to another manager about the refund and a separate manager came to the desk. As I explained the situation again to the second manager, it seemed we were heading down the same road. As we talked I wondered if I would get my money back.

Moments later, the manager said “By now, customers are usually irate and yelling, but you’ve been patient.” Then he said, “Let’s try something else.” He asked a few questions and started punching numbers into the cash register. After a short delay, and stories about irate customers, the machine produced a receipt with my refund.

The manager went on to tell me the reason the first manager was being so difficult is because a group of high school students were observing customer interactions from a local high school. The kids were in a room, inside the Wal-Mart watching the live footage.

As I was leaving the store, one of the young students came out to thank me for the way I handled myself. He told me I was the only customer who did not get mad or say anything mean to the managers. He told me he learned a valuable lesson from the observation of my refund. Although my refund was small in price, the lesson was priceless in the eyes of a group of young people.

We never know when young people are observing us so it is best that we be consistent examples of how they should be when they grow up.

This was a perfect opportunity for me to discourage a room of students without realizing the harm I could have put on our community. Simply because I kept a level head and displayed positive character, young people were encouraged to be nice even when you feel like going straight off on someone else. Am I always this calm? Absolutely not! I just wanted YOU to see how you can impact our youth with your day to day interactions with others. Their eyes and ears are always open.

The next time you are in a store or simply out in public, what lesson are you teaching the class of students who may be observing you? Just know that every single day, you are a teacher and young people are watching you and learning from your actions. I challenge you to always, REFUND YOUR BLESSINGS.


Travis Hardin

Pay it forward

Hire Travis to speak to your group

 "Photo Credit: Howard McWilliam"

Olympic Gold

Would you be upset if you went to London to compete for a medal and came back to the United States without gold, silver or bronze?

With so much anticipation of the world’s greatest athletes to come together on center stage at the London Olympic Games for competition, I wonder what the thought process is for the thousands of athletes who will not return with a medal. They have trained for years, months, days and hours just like the winners, yet, they get no glory for their efforts.

Our youth are on the same stage day after day and we sit back and allow it to happen. Every young person who has breath should be encouraged, cheered, motivated, inspired and empowered to do great things. However, we sit back and select the more talented, more attractive and most outgoing youth to support and encourage. What about the D student or the less attractive young man/lady? They are on the same stage, yet we ignore their future potential.

I heard a sermon by Bishop Kenneth L. Robinson where he talked about a trip to a soccer match in Africa. He compared the enthusiasm of the tens of thousands of spectators to fans in the United States after a home run, a buzzer beater from 3 point range or a touchdown followed by a dance in the end zone. There was one big difference, no one had scored, yet the fans were all celebrating and yelling at the top of their lungs. The score had been 0-0 for more than 40 minutes of play. The score was not the reason for the excitement but the ANTICIPATION of a goal was.

“It is the greatest of all mistakes to do nothing because you can do only a little. DO WHAT YOU CAN.” - Sydney Smith-

Every child is not destined to be the best at everything but every child should be encouraged as if they will someday bring home the gold. There are a lot of premier athletes, actors/actresses, business executives with a lot of money and promise in their respective fields but their character sucks. Let’s not allow another young person from our community make it to center stage without the proper training and guidance from the members of the community.

How awesome would it be to see a young person you know compete in future Olympic Games? Whether they win or lose should not matter. The real winners are not those at the top but those who have come the farthest over the toughest roads. Their victory may never make the headlines, but THEY will know about it, and that’s what counts.

Are you helping to prepare a GOLD medal mentality in a young person? I dare you to try.


Travis Hardin

“Pay it forward”

 http://theredefinedproject.org/speakers/travis_hardin.php