Respect, Responsibility, and Relationships. These are the essential 3 R’s for success in life. Since its inception in 1999, our Life Skills Conference has been transforming the lives of children through social and emotional life skills development.
Each moment a child lives is a new and unique moment in the world. A moment that never was before and will never be again. What do we teach our children in school? We teach them that 2+2 = 4 and that Washington D.C. is the capital of the United States.
We must also teach children of what they are capable. Our Life Skills Conference helps them realize that they are capable of greatness, that they are beautiful, and that they can experience self-fulfillment through service to others. Through our Masonic Student Assistance Program and through the LifeSkills Conference we teach them that they are unique. We tell them they are a marvel of creation. In the entire world there is no other person like them. We teach them to respect themselves and others. We teach them to respect diversity and welcome and appreciate differences. We teach them that responsibility and service are the rents we pay for the privilege of being alive and blessed to be in America. We also focus on developing healthy relationships. We spend significant time on what it means to be a healthy woman and a healthy man. We describe healthy relationships as those that contribute to the overall good of our society.
We help our participants set goals to make a positive impact back home in their schools, youth groups, houses of worship, and families. We ask our participants to stand up for values that enhance the world, such as respect, responsibility, and service to others.
“Each time a person stands up for an idea, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, s (he) sends forth a tiny ripple of hope…, those ripples build a current that can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance.” – Robert F. Kennedy
“Each time a person stands up for an idea, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, s (he) sends forth a tiny ripple of hope…, those ripples build a current that can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance.” – Robert F. Kennedy
For the past ten years, our program has taken place at the Pennsylvania Masonic Home, Patton Youth Campus. We believe it is the most beautiful setting in which we have ever worked. The program is sponsored by the Pennsylvania Masonic Youth Foundation. Because of the generosity of the masons, we accommodate 150 staff and students. Our program continues to grow each year.
We now have school districts in Pennsylvania sending staff and students to our conference. They have returned to their schools and developed successful mentor and advocacy programs that have positively impacted the whole school population.
“We do not realize that the things we do on a daily basis, such as saying “Hello” to someone, or even smiling at them, can make a difference to a person. We have the power and we have control, and we can change the world.” – Emily (2009 conference attendee)
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