Archive for February, 2009

by Lauren Tyson

The road of self-discovery is never easy for a teen. There are a multitude of things to worry about like friends, disagreement with parents, high school, homework, possibly attending college, and future careers. It may be hard for teens to set priorities or decide which path they should take to reach their aspirations, but with a good foundation, these choices don’t have to be hard.

How can you help a teen make decisions while also giving them the tools they need to eventually make competent decisions on their own? The best way to guide a teen through these choices is to provide them with a solid “character compass.”

A character compass is a set of principles that a teenager can use to weigh in on the decision-making process. Questions like, “Is studying really worth my time?” or “Should I give in and help spread rumors about my classmate because everyone else is?” can easily be answered with a strong set of principles to reference.

The following principles are included in the 8 Keys: Integrity, Failure Leads To Success, Speak With Good Purpose, This Is It!, Commitment, Ownership, Flexibility, and Balance. Each one supports an overarching theme to be responsible for your own life choices and make the most of every moment. SuperCamp’s motto is “Success in all aspects of life depends on you.”

The 8 Keys consist of the following principles: Integrity, Failure Leads To Success, Speak With Good Purpose, This Is It!, Commitment, Ownership, Flexibility, and Balance. Each one supports an overarching theme to be responsible for your own life choices and make the most of every moment. SuperCamp’s motto is “Success in all aspects of life depends on you.”

Imagine a scenario where a teenager finds him or herself being included in petty gossip about a peer at school. Some teenagers might give in and help perpetuate the rumors just to avoid being the odd one out, even if they don’t necessarily know the person or understand the circumstances. SuperCamp believes that everything speaks; your environment, your words, even the way you carry yourself has an impact on your life. With the right set of principles, teenagers can reject petty behavior with their heads held high, while also being known for upholding a strong set of values.

Using this framework, teens who find themselves in scenarios that may perpetuate gossip or bullying will realize that everything they do speaks about who they are. The Integrity Key asserts that what we value in life is evident in our actions, while the Speak With Good Purpose Key holds honest and direct communication as a personal mantra in relationships with others. Hesitation on moral dilemmas will no longer be a problem when a teenager takes ownership of their actions and holds themselves to a higher standard of excellence.

Ultimately, The 8 Keys will allow teenagers to become leaders amongst their peers when it comes to moral character and academic prowess. Challenges like teen motivation in academics will be easily bypassed, which will leave more room to focus on personal development and aspirations. Every teen needs a character compass to help them navigate around personal hindrances toward academic success!

About the Author:
by Leland Michaels

Often people don’t know that the most abused stimulant in all of America is cocaine. It is also the drug most commonly associated with visits to the emergency room. People have been abusing cocaine for hundreds of years, but just recently it seems to have become the creme de’ la creme of drug.

Many also think that cocaine is actually not addictive because if doesn’t create the same physical or chemical addiction as alcohol or morphine. But it does create very strong psychological addictions and is therefore just as dangerous.

Lab tests have proved this fact time and again. In one case a monkey that suffered from an addiction to cocaine pressed down a lever over twelve thousand times to get a single dose of cocaine. This behavior is also present in cocaine addicted humans. They will often sell their prized posessions and spend all their time thinking about their next fix.

In the U.S. many people are following a drug trend called mixing. They take multiple drugs simultaneously to increase their effectiveness. This is very dangerous and greatly increases the possibility of death.

It is highly recommended to seek professional help to stop cocaine addictions. Because of the strong psychological hold it has on its users, it is very easy for the user to relapse if they are trying to quit on their own.

It is best to find a center that the patient can stay on site. This lets the counselors monitor them long enough to let the mind undo the effects of the drugs, and makes it easier for them to get their life back.

You may think you are helping your friend if they have a drug problem by helping them hide it, but you are not. Bringing their problem to the light is the absolute best thing you could do as their freind. You may even save their life if you help them t deal with the problem.

Take action today for the ones you love.

About the Author: