Peer Animators - College Students are part of the solution for High Schools

We had a young person recently introduce herself, "I am a senior who goes to a 'failing school' where I am asked to succeed."

In the audience was a College Sophomore who had graduated from that same school. "Look at me! I'm making it. Like to join me?"

They spoke afterwards. The High School Senior had no role model in her family. She didn't know how to get started. She was carry a 3.0 and wasn't sure if it was good enough.

This just happened in November. I'll keep you posted. But I can tell you this. The College Sophomore is a Peer Animator and was true to the meaning of the name - animator. The Senior is inspired to make it work!

Do you want to be a Peer Animator? Do you know anyone who does? Give us a call (773.265.5806) and ask for Van!

Paradigm Shift as a Gift for Peacemakers

What is the difference between those who choose peace and those who do not?

On our focus: LIFE week-end (enfoque: LA VIDA) we have seen people step up to their situation and step out of seeing themselves as victims. We have seen people move from wanting to react to being disrespected to moving toward responding to being respectful.

Some call it a paradigm shift. We see it as transforming ourselves to be free to forgive and be forgiven.

Each of us can relate to times when we are disrespected. If we choose to do so, we can share what happened and how it felt.

But we can also choose to remember what happened differently. We can see the other person who wronged us - stole from us, lied about us, hurt someone we love - as someone who is letting our fallen self take control of our choices. When such controls go to extremes, addictive ways of living take over.

We can remember when we had wronged others. We can see ourselves as forgiving ourselves and being forgiven - accepted, if you will - by a Power Greater Than Human, as we know this Power.

Using the energy of this Power, we can choose to forgive the person and breathe the very forgiving we have received and made part of our life. We challenge for change, inviting the person to see our lives as greater than human.

To make this a way of life calls for time to reflect and share, to act and give. Our focus: LIFE (enfoque: LA VIDA) weekend is scheduled for March 11-13. Give Van, Sr. Gilda Marie or me a call to find out more. We are at 773.265.5806. Fr. John

Christmas and the New Year - Concert of Many Cultures and Creeds

This is the time of the year for a concert of cultures and creeds. Within Life Directions we seek to encourage all people of good will to grow in your own "roots" and to come to appreciate the "roots" of others.

• "Roots" are the tradition that sustain the life of customs and traditions.
• Rootless people will hear and not understand, see and not perceive.
• Culture tell the meaning of what we hear.
• Creed give the insights of what we see.

To take one culture and creed - the Mexican community embraces Our Lady of Guadalupe. Within the music we hear affectionate love for Our Lady. "Dance" and "Decorations" enliven the people. Within what we see and hear is the deep faith that God did not abandoned the indigenous people. He challenged the leaders to respect all peoples, especially the "little ones". By building a Church the people would have a home to give them what they would not receive from a job or money. What a gift to know our worth is not based on what we have but one we are. God loves us just the way we are. Our Lady's message - love God the way God loves and we will know how to build a just community with peacemaking as its foundation.

The Roses and the Tilma are but two of the symbols to express the meaning and richness of the celebration. Justice for the poor and oppressed, especially within education and employment, gives what the celebration is encouraging. Let's pray this becomes a reality for more and more of all God's people.

Other cultures - African American, Asian American, European American, other Hispanic Americans and Native American - they all have ways to celebrate. Please share your reflections and join the concert.

Other creeds deepen the cultures. Share the gift of your faith and enrich the concert.

Inspiring young people ready to give

Life Directions thrives on encouraging giving before receiving. We see giving leads to receiving.


Would you want to be a part of our effort to encourage young people to see themselves as giving?


We will be inviting the young people in the schools and the young adults in the neighborhoods to join with elders and adults to brainstorm people who need to receive what have to give.


Here are some ideas. Do you have any to add?

• The gifts we receive - to give to someone who needs it.
• A play or a choral group to give joy to others.
• Celebrate the 3 Kings in January to be a time to share as they did with the Child!
• Promoting an event to celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. and his commitment to justice for the poor.

We hope to awaken an awareness of how much we have been given and that we are blessed to be a blessing to those who in turn can give back to us what they have received.


Feel free to e-mail me jphelps@lifedirections.org or call our offices in Detroit (313.420.0310) or Chicago (773.265.5806) with your ideas.


Fr. John

Peer Leaders made the difference at Salute 2010 in Chicago!

Life Directions is dedicated to waking up young people to the value of self-responsibility. There were 20 such young people at Macy's to be the Living Thank You to our donors.

• One young person spoke in their name thanking those who make the reources of Life Directions available to them. As she was thanking them, she said "I am a student who goes to a failing school, but I'm a success!"
• Other student is writing an article for the school newspaper. She interviewed me and told me that the reason she is writing it is to promote Life Directions. It made such a difference in her life. She wants more of her peers to receive it!

They are Peer Leaders, turning lemons into lemonade and enjoying it.

Do you know peer leaders in High School? Why do you think they are leaders? Let me know so I can pass on what you think to the young people we serve!

Fr. John Phelps, C.Ss.R.
President & CEO - Life Directions

What young adults in college can do for teens

College students are positioned to make a real impact on young people whose parents were not able to go to College themselves. They want their children to have the opportunity. But they don't know what is needed.

Research shows that African, Hispanic and Native Americans who begin College will have an excellent chance to graduate based on two factors that come from their "roots". The first is that they want to do so for their family. The second is that they have a spiritual foundation to turn the obstacles into opportunities.

We in Life Directions want to encourage young people to see College as a real possibility. This is where we see college students as Peer Animators. It begins by getting to know each other. The conversation will naturally flow into the practical points to consider to be get ready. Everything from how much home work to what school would be possible based on what the young person wants to study.

We are in need of such college students in Chicago and Detriot at this time. If you are someone who wants to explore the possibility or you know anyone who wants to give some time to be a Peer Animator, respond to this message and we will begin the conversation.

SALUTE PART TWO - Our Guiding LIght - November 8 at Macy's in Chicago

Life Directions is committed to young people and young adults "at risk". We want to prevent their dropping out and stepping into violence.

This has been the dream of Life Directions since Novemvber 1973. To sustain the mission we put in place ways to ensure the roots of the vision of "peers inspiring peers" are supported with on-going strength.

Each year we salute a person who has been part of such an effort. This year Victor Dickson has been chosen by the Corporate Members of Life Directions. He joined us in 1995 in Chicago, when he was regional director for Sprint. Now he is the Chief Ministry Officer of Family Harvest Church in the southwest suburbs of Chicago.

In Life Directions he is the vice chairperson of the National Board of Directors. His steady and consistent leadership continues to inspire his peers, the follow board members, to turn obstacles into opportunities in a very practical way. His passion for young people to be excellent and be ready to make peace possible through working for justice has become part of the fabric of Life Directions.

Join us on November 8th. Register on line at http://www.lifedirections.org/ or call 773.265.5806

Salute Part One - Our Guiding Light - November 8, 2010

Our Chicago Board of Trustees chose Jim Reynolds, President and CEO, Loop Capital Markets. His Life Direction radiates to young adults from 13 to 35 and beyond -" You are responsible for your future. You're not a victim, unless you want to be."

Life Directions' work among young people in Public Schools promotes the value of self-responsibility.

• Our achieving peers in the High Schools and the community challenge their less achieving peers in word and in action.
• "There is no room for blaming anyone for my situation in life. I am tired of naming others and shaming them by what I say and not do."
• The Guiding Light Award represents such a challenge!

Jim Reynolds represents the natural expression of such a value. He embraces diversity among peoples as he takes charge of his career path. He made school work for him. He moved into the business world, navigated through the challenges, turning obstacles into opportunities.

We congratulate Jim Reynolds for accepting our Guiding Light Award to be given to him by Ray McCaskey, the Co-chair of Life Directions in Chicago. We will begin gathering on the 7th floor at Macy's in the loop beginning 5:30 PM on November 8th. Merri Dee, as our EmCee, will call us to dinner at 6:30 PM.

We hope those who come - those who know Jim Reynolds as a leader - will enjoy the group of young people and the young adults in their 20 and 30s who will represent over 30,000 young adults from 13 through their 30s. We hope to have this evening support our programs to reach more young people at risk of not being ready to complete college, if they wish.

Call or e-mail me, if you want more information - jphelps@lifedirections.org - 773.265.5806

Some of my reflections on "Waiting For Superman"

It is a very revealing and challenging documentary.

I thought of the young people with whom we connect throughout the year. I was amazed at the insightful awareness of the documentary.

• The young people who don't win the "lottery" were very disheartened. It was sad to see them after they lost.
• The presentation of the issue of tenure was very confrontive. It seems we need to find a better way to ensure justice for the teachers and the ability to develop & reward great teachers.

Working in Public Schools that are neighborhood-based for the most part and among the poor, I have been in the very settings that are presented.

I came away from the documentary with a heightened awareness of readying young people to make the school they are in work for them. God bless those who are breaking and fixing the system. In the meantime, we want to deepen our resolve to focus on young people being self-responsible and doing what they need to do to be ready for college and/or a qualitiy career, no matter what they are given by teachers and administration.

Reflections on Life Directions "Work In Progress"

Our first blog wants to encourage all, who receive and reflect upon our journey, to join us with your reflections and suggestions.

We have been walking the walk to engage the lives of youth and young adults since November 1, 1973. The ebb and flow has been amazing.

For our initial entry I want to thank those who are part of where we are.

• In Detroit, our city of origin, the Board of Trustees will be meeting this coming Monday evening to celebrate coming out of our own recession to look forward to growing the branches that are now stronger due in great part to the quality pruning from January 2008. Thanks to the board, to Bonnie Remenapp and Sister Rosalie, to all the self-supporting people beginning with Judith MacDonald, the eldest of the Elders - December 16, 1973.
• In Chicago, our second city, the Board of Trustees are in the midst of "Stepping Up and Stepping Out". Our "Salute To Our Guiding Light - Jim Reynolds" are inviting all to come to Macy's on State and Madison on November 8th to celebrate the work of 21 years that has impacted over 30,000 youth and young adults. Thanks to the board, to Van Bensett and Sr. Gilda Marie and Brian Entz, to all of the self-supported people beginning with Nelson Carlo, the eldest of the Elders and Ray McCaskey, our fearless leader.
• In Tucson, our city in the Southwest, the Board of Trustees are to meet on October 18. They are partnering with the Life Directions Community Action Circle with the leadership rooted in the Mendoza family. Thanks to the board that is searching to sustain our entry into Sunnyside and Apollo and the Tohono O'oldham Nation. We especially thank Raul Nido, the chairperson of Life Directions in Tucson, who opened his arms to go "out of box", not to return since May 1997.
• In Marion County, our city in the Northwest, the Board of Trustees is seeking to establish a way to build capacity with a way that is sustainable. The Life Directions' Community Action Circle is seeking to nurture the roots of our work, so ably planted by Dr. Leo Rasca-Hidalgo. We are deeply grateful for the leadership of Mr. Kevin Mannix that is practical, purposeful and visionary! Begun with amazing leaders in 2002, we are gratefully building with their legacy.

Our Central Support Team is made up of Sr. Rosalie Esquerra, OP; Bonnie Remenapp and Fr. John Phelps, C.Ss.R. We were presented to the National Board members at our "Face-to-Face" National Board Meeting on August 27, 2010. We officially began on October 1, 2010, a famous day that remembers how silence leads to solidarity that is self-sustaining beyond what revenue reduces!

Our motto over the past year has been "We cannot lose our way when there is no road!"

Looking forward to your comments.