I agreed to serve on the Board of Teen Esteem after seeing the positive impact this organization has on equipping our local teens in making healthy lifestyle choices. Teen Esteem delivers a straight forward presentation through school assemblies and in the school classrooms on difficult topics, including drugs, sex, alcohol, bullying, cyber influences and more. Teen Esteem talks to, not at, teens and engages them in constructive conversations. Teen Esteem's core message is making decisions based on respect for both self and others, on the intrinsic human value that we all desire and deserve.
In addition, Teen Esteem has a parent education component that equips parents in helping their teens understand and navigate these difficult topics.
Teen Esteem has been amazing in the lives of our children. They provide an honest, direct message to high schoolers in a way that connects and directly impacts their lives. The speakers are relevant and the information timely. While it is hard to hear some of the personal stories shared, it touches students as to the real impacts of poor decision making and peer pressure. Teen Esteem provides excellent panel speakers that consist of community leaders, field experts, and students that share their candid experiences.
Teen esteem sincerely and passionately impacts the high school students with a message of each individual's worth and also about making good decisions. The message is clear, powerful and bold. Many students lives are forever changed after hearing a teen esteem speaker.
Teen Esteem has the heart, depth and passion of most larger non-profit organizations I'm aware of however they currently operate as a small and "stealth" organization in the SF East Bay Area due to a lack of resources. Theirs is a message that I believe MUST be heard by ALL parents of teenagers as well as teenagers themselves. Teen Esteem has amazing volunteer speakers and staff who are passionate about the emotional and physical health of our children. I am excited about the future of Teen Esteem and will continue to promote and serve them as much as possible.
Teens usually feel they are always being told what to do, when to do it and how to do it. They are bombarded with messages from friends, parents and the media. Teen Esteem helps kids realize that they are the one making choices. That those choices affect their current life and their future life. Real life examples are given to kids of wrong choices made and the consequences of prescription drug abuse, alcohol poisoning and suicide. Kids are encouraged to place a high value on themselves and their future. Moving testimonies and first hand accounts make the message real. Most of teen esteem speakers are not paid, so they operate on a lean budget.
Teen Esteem brings relent topics and conversations to the Teen community. Their programs for adults allow parents to get a real view into what is happening in the Teen community. Their program for Teens is authentic and current so they can relate and actually apply to their own lives what they are hearing. Teen Esteem is doing big things with a small staff. It would be great to get more donations to them to bigger things in the community!
I support Teen Esteem and help them out where I can as a volunteer. I work for another non-profit that carries a similar message but only in the private school sector. I only say that because I feel it makes me qualified to review Teen Esteem. As an educator, I have to say that the speakers Teen Esteem has trained to deliver these extremely important messages are absolutely amazing. The speakers motivate students through their personal passions about the subject matter to make healthy choices for themselves through engaging them in energetic classroom conversations. The lessons learned in the Teen Esteem assemblies and classroom presentations are invaluable and thought provoking. These are lessons that challenge students to think about the choices they make today, and the possible impact of those decisions in the future. This is not a shock and awe moment that carries a impact for a day or two and is then forgotten. Teen Esteem charges students and parents to rise above the challenges that teens face today by equipping them with the knowledge necessary to create healthy communities.
I've never been so empowered by what Teen Esteem accomplishes. It is so important to get the messages out to both parents and teens regarding the dangers and consequences in today's environment. The risks and issues are vastly different then they were when we were teens. This group needs all the support we can give!
I am a supporter of Teen Esteem (http://www.teenesteem.com/) and joined the board of directors because I believe that the organization is making a real difference in kids' lives while doing a great job equipping parents. Our son is an upcoming junior in high school and because of Teen Esteem's message and teaching in the classroom, he's been making good choices that take courage and aren't always popular. With the recent development of an assembly program, Teen Esteem is now reaching more kids in each school. Assuming that adequate funding becomes available, there are plans to bring the curriculum online so that schools outside the region can benefit as well.