Anti-bullying Rap/ Song

The following clip is from Britian's Got Talent.  These two teens rap and sing about anti-bullying and the power of hope.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/05/12/bars-melody-britains-got-talent_n_5310576.html
Which types of bullying are identified in the video?
What were some of the life challenges that were mentioned besides bullying?
What does it mean to be hopeful?
What are some of the things that give you hope?
How can you find strength when someone is trying to make you feel powerless?
Write down who you would reach out to if you were being bullied.

From homeless to valedictorian

The following video depicts a teen who has overcome the struggles of being homeless and will be graduating as Valedictorian of his class:
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2014/05/29/inspiration-nation-former-homeless-valedictorian/9717319/
Processing questions:
-What were some of the challenges Griffin overcame?
-What is his attitude?  How do you think his attitude has helped him?
-What did the teacher who was interviewed say about him sharing his struggles with others?  Why is it important to let other people help us along the way?

Overcoming

"Identifying and overcoming natural fear is one of the pleasing struggles intrinsic to climbing."
Alex Lowe

Finish the Race

"It's not only how we reach the line, but who crosses it with us."

In the following video a High School cross country team works together to clench a championship for their terminally ill coach.  Have a box of tissues close by...
http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=6370304

The New York Giants football team watched this video of Holland Reynolds crawling across the finish line as their inspiration to finish the season strong.  They wanted to do whatever it took to be the best.  They wanted to complete the season no matter what. 

Process with the class:
-What was the coaches attitude when he found out about his illness?
-What was the reason the team was determined to win?
-What drives you to be successful?
-When you set your goal, what are you willing to do to get it?
-Who is cheering you on, as you strive to meet your goals?
-How does the word "sacrifice" play into this story?


Finish strong.

Hope

Hope is Eternal

You will need: Faith & Perseverance

"All the darkness of the world cannot put out the light of one small candle." - Anonymous

Sometimes it feels like we are surrounded by darkness and we wonder if we'll ever smile again.  At times like this it is essential to remember that we are not alone.  Seek out comfort from family, freidns, and negihbors-or volunteer to help others.  Ironically, bringing hope to someone else's life is the best way to strengthen it in our own. 

Simple Steps

* Designate a safe place in your home to keep a "Hope Candle."  Light it regularly, saying a few positive words aloud, as a symbol to yourself and to the world that hope endures.

* Make a "Hope Box."  Cover a show box with pretty paper and fill it with items that inspire hope in you-a drawing from a child, a loving note from your spouse or a newspaper article.

Strength

Don't Give Up

You will need: Tenacity & Focus

"Strength does not come from physical capacity.  It comes from an indomitable will." -Mohandas K. Gandhi

Look at a young child working on a project-cutting with little plastic scissors, drawing with markers, taping the loose ends-and never a thought of failure.  There is just, "What do I need to make this what I want it to be?"  When it's all done, no matter what it looks like, there's a sense of pride and accomplishment.  What does this tell us?

Simple Steps
*  Don't fear failure.  It's not very often that we get it right on the first try.  it's the second, third or one hundredth try that makes it work.  Understand that there will be failures and learn from them.
*  Avoid judgement.  If things are not turning out exactly as you envisioned, don't get discouraged.  See what you end up with.  Some of the world's greatest inventions were borne from mistakes.

Beautiful Things

"The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen, nor touched...but are felt in the heart."

-Helen Keller

Helen Adams Keller (June 27, 1880 – June 1, 1968) was an American author, political activist, and lecturer. She was the first deafblind person to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree.^[1][2] The story of how Keller's teacher, Anne Sullivan, broke through the isolation imposed by a near complete lack of language, allowing the girl to blossom as she learned to communicate, has become widely known through the dramatic depictions of the play and film The Miracle Worker.
A prolific author, Keller was well-traveled, and was outspoken in her anti-war convictions. A member of the Socialist Party of America and the Industrial Workers of the World, she campaigned for women's suffrage, labor rights, socialism, and other radical left causes. She was inducted into the Alabama Women's Hall of Fame in 1971.^{[3]
www.wikipedia.org}



Learning from Failure

Studies show that if you want be a success, you have to learn how to fail.

Did you know....
That Katy Perry was dropped by three record labels.

Michael Jordan was cut from his high school basketball team.

George Washington almost lost the American Revolution.

Steve Jobs was fired by Apple, the company he founded.

What have you learned from your failures.  Failure is only defeat if you do not learn from it.
www.scholastic.com

Happy Ending

Karen Klein’s Happy Ending

Some of you may remember the story of Karen Huff Klein, the 68-year-old bus monitor who was badly bullied and berated by four seventh-graders, who recorded and then streamed the assault online.
Amid the 10 minute long stream of insults, swearing, and even physical approach which drove the woman to tears, one boy even states that, “You don’t have a family because they all killed themselves because they didn’t want to be near you.”
Klein, in addition to being widowed at 51, lost one of her children to suicide 10 years ago.
The deeply personal and savage assault on her, further compounded by going viral online, surprisingly may have a happy ending thanks to a random stranger online, Max Sidorov. Max saw the story and decided to start an online campaign to raise $5,000 for Klein to enjoy a vacation, but the campaign went viral, too. Over 32,000 people have contributed more than $700,000 to Klein – a whole lot more than her normal annual salary of just over $15,500.
With the new funds, coming this next week likely without taxes, Karen is going to enjoy a well-deserved retirement, but has no intentions of sitting around sewing. Not only does she intend to help out her family, but she also wants to get involved in helping to prevent bullying and suicide.
“I’m not a great speaker… but I would like to try to do something,” she says. “Kids write to me and tell me that they’ve been bullied. The kids that get bullied…I hate it.”
All of this coming from one act of cruelty and childishness. Thankfully, we have four brats trying to berate one adult, but 32,000 compassionate people looking to make things right. Karen says it best:
“I didn’t realize there were so many nice people out there in the world.”
http://www.changeathought.com/professionals/public-service/karen-kleins-happy-ending/

Remember, bullying ends when people quit putting up with it.  If the people surrounding them on the bus would have stepped in and stopped what was happening, Karen's feelings could have been spared (of course she wouldn't have reaped the benefits later).
How did the "internet bystander" help her?
Why were the words hurtful to her?
 How has she turned this into a positive experience?

Overcome

Nothing worth having comes easily.  The harder you have to work, or the more you have to sacrifice, the more you will appreciate what you have gained. 

Smile

Where is your focus?  What thoughts are you filling your life with?  You deserve happiness.

Courage

Believe in Yourself

Set goals that you think may be acheived only by "special" people.  You are special.

Goal Setting

What is standing in the way of you reaching your goals?
Are you willing to sacrifice to get to your goal?
What do you have the power to change?
What don't you have control over in your life?
What resources do you have to reach your goals?

Our Own Walls

What are some of the walls that we build ourselves?
How do we create our own limitations?
What kinds of things do we tell ourselves when we are faced with a new challenge/ relationship?
Where can you find help to start tearing down the wall?

Don't be afraid to reach out.  The reward is so much sweeter than the fear or limitations you are feeling.

Fear

loveit.com

Why is fear a prison?  (fear is a natural response to protect ourselves from something)
Why do we fear things?
How often does fear keep us from reaching our potential? 
How often are we afraid of things we don't understand?
How do you feel when you overcome your fears?
Is rejection a fear? 

Briana Walker

My name is Briana Walker. Since I was little I had always wanted to be a dancer, but a car accident at age 23 left me paralyzed from the waist down. I wondered about my future. I later met a hip-hop dance pioneer who was also in a wheelchair. Using our wheel- chairs, we created one of the first-ever wheelchair hip hop dance teams. We have danced around the globe. We hope to change the way people see those of us in wheelchairs. Today I sky dive, surf, snow ski, wake board, bungee jump and compete in marathons and triathlons. I'm also an author, a speaker and will always continue to be... a dancer.
Power in You "Life Story"

Becca Levie

         My name is Becca Levie. I was born with five holes in my heart to an abusive drug-addicted mother. When I was eight years old, she abandoned my sisters and me in Mexico. That was thirty years ago. During that time I have come to believe that what you get out of life is completely up to you.

Today I am Mrs. Utah U.S. Continental. I have a wonderful husband, four beautiful children and two successful businesses. I strive to share what I've learned through books and motivational talks. I know that we do not become great by chance—but by choice—and that everyone is born for greatness.

powerinyou.org

Derek Parra

My name is Derek Parra. I grew up in a broken home in a San Bernadino California neighborhood. While in Junior High school I discovered roller skating. I loved it! Coaches at the local rink took notice and worked with me. Being financially challenged at times I ate discarded fast food to survive.

With hard work and sheer determination, I eventually became a world champion roller skater. My dreams then turned to the Olympics. I started over to become an Ice Skater. Through many long, difficult years- and with the support of my team and my family, I went on to the 2002 Olympic Winter Games. There, I broke the world record in the fifteen hundred -meter speed skating event and won the Gold Medal. (powerinyou.org)

Andrei Kirilenko

My name is Andrei Kirilenko. I grew up in Russia. My family was very poor. We shared a small apartment with two other families. When the Soviet Union collapsed, my parents lost their jobs and eventually divorced.
My entertainment was always basketball. I had a dream of playing in the NBA. I spent all my time in the gym working hard toward my goal. I stayed away of drugs and alcohol. I went pro at the age of fifteen and was earning enough money to support my family. I am blessed to be in the NBA and to now give back and make people here in Utah happy. (powerinyou.org)