POVERTY CAN BE AN ADVANTAGE

          There are many of us who spend our lives building relationships with young people in violent and impoverished areas. Learning how to embrace struggle is one of the keys to success. Just for clarity and understanding purposes, my definition of success is simply another word for: "trying." Someone who never gives up regardless of the adversity that one is faced with, is successful.

          Poverty can become a prison. Many poor folks embrace social service programs and church hand-outs as a type of freedom from their misery. Those hand-outs can become the handlebars of a life prison cell. Children in our schools need to be taught the benefits of embracing struggle. If you read our Mentor Force Tips with any regularity, you most likely have read about our teaching curriculum called: "The BDP Theory."

• Butterfly's are created to struggle from their cocoon to freedom. 
• Diamonds are created through hard times and pressure.
• Pearls are created through irritants.

          The life story of Booker T. Washington contained in his book: "Up From Slavery" should be required reading for every human being with a heartbeat. One's circumstances in life need not be a prison of acceptance. Teaching children to "Try, try again" will help instill initiative in their hearts. Here is a passage from Booker's book about success:

 "In later years, I confess that I do not envy the white boy as I once did. I have learned that success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome while trying to succeed. Looked at from this standpoint, I almost reach the conclusion that often the Negro boy’s birth and connection with an unpopular race is an advantage, so far as real life is concerned. With few exceptions, the Negro youth must work harder and must perform his task even better than a white youth in order to secure recognition. But out of the hard and unusual struggle through which he is compelled to pass, he gets a strength, a confidence, that one misses whose pathway is comparatively smooth by reason of birth and race." 

Thanks for your time.
Go do something nice for somebody.

 Bob Kuebler

Founder / Mentor Force

Mentor Force is an organization of initiators.
We help young people who are at risk of leading impoverished and violent lives.
We teach teachers, mentors and youth leaders how to build healthy relationships that make young people feel valued. Our goal is to ensure that every student has the benefit of being guided by a Mentor. If we can help you reach your potential as a Mentoring organization please contact us:  

716-830-8240 or mentorforcebuffalo@gmail.com. www.youthwithapurpose.org

We are available for school assemblies and educator conferences