Teaching Kids to Share

The gift on my desk

POSTED BY: BOB KNOTTS

Children must be taught to share. Children of all ages, from infancy through high school. That’s one of the things we do at the Humanity Project — helping kids to help kids by working with them to share their talents and knowledge with peers. We do this by helping them create programs that curb distracted driving, reduce bullying and ease social isolation. We help kids to help kids by teaching them to share.

Sharing is an important lesson for us all to teach. I think about it often. On my desk sits a small bronze figure of Buddha, representing to me the many wise lessons imparted to the world by this insightful man. But it also means something else: friendship. The inexpensive figurine was handed to me spontaneously by a woman at a shop along the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok, Thailand. The sales clerk did this as a kindness, I believe, a gesture of good will between us. I already had bought several masks and other art pieces at her store and paid for them. She had nothing to gain except my smile.

As I dusted the Buddha during my weekly housecleaning one day, this thought occurred to me: the gift was given with no knowledge of how I would receive it. I might just as easily have seen this as worthless junk and tossed it in the nearest trash can. Or I might have put it in some jewelry box when I returned home and never glanced at it again. Or. Or … yes, I might have looked at this small gift in the way I do, as an object I genuinely appreciate and use to enhance my life. That thought led me to another. Isn’t the same true of our own gifts, the talent and experience and enthusiasm we can share with others? All we can do is to give these, with no knowledge of how they will be received. Just like the Buddha from my friend in Bangkok. We only have the power to hand out our individual treasures to the world. What the world does with them is entirely up to others to decide. That’s a lesson worth sharing with the kids in our life.

Almost Time for School

Heron Heights Elementary gets the anti-bullying message / (Photo by Andrew Leone, Children's Services Council of Broward County)

POSTED BY: BOB KNOTTS

The new school year fast approaches us — wow, where did the summer go, huh? But we’re excited about it at the Humanity Project. We’ll soon be telling you about some new programs we’re introducing, new ways for us to help your kids. Remember, that’s our thing: “Helping kids to help kids!” It means we work with kids to develop programs for other kids, then implement those programs … for free. So as a reminder, here are our major programs as they stand at the beginning of the 2015-16 school year. Again, we offer these at no cost to you or your school. Give us a shout so we can help you to help your kids!

Anti-bullying Through The Arts — This is the Humanity Project’s all-original anti-bullying program for grades K – 5. This program begins with a live 40-minute assembly that includes a positive rap song, roleplaying, stories and a music video – all created and produced by the Humanity Project. The program continues with follow-up classroom materials and, when requested, classroom visits. It is entertaining, memorable and effective. Pre/post testing since the first program in 2009 consistently has shown Anti-bullying Through The Arts is highly effective.

“I Care!” Teen Driver Safety – “I Care!” was created by talented high school authors working under the guidance of the Humanity Project. They wrote a book called, “I Care/Just Let Me Drive!” and this innovative teen-to-teen creation forms the foundation of our program. “I Care!” uses all-original rap poetry, quizzes, stories, even a comic book as a fun but powerful way to communicate memorable lessons about safe driving. But then the program asks students to share this book with their three best friends (and parents), who all must read the book and pledge to drive more attentively — not out of fear but rather out of friendship. The message is simple: “Don’t drive safely for yourself. Do it for your best friends (or kids), who want to keep you in one piece because they care about you.” The “I Care!” program now also includes a special website created by teens, for teens as well as original videos, Facebook and Twitter and Tumblr and Instagram pages and more.

Thp4kids — “The Humanity Project 4 Kids” can be found at thp4kids.com. It is a special, teen-created website made for an equally special group of kids: socially isolated teens, including many in the LGBT community. Like all our programs, the website’s content is all-original from the Humanity Project: videos, music, blogs and poetry, interactive games and quizzes and more. This unique website functions as on online friend and advisor for struggling students who feel disengaged from family and friends in the everyday world.

Please use our Contact page to email us for more information. We look forward to hearing from you!

Why You Should Share Baseball with Your Kids

Autographs at Detroit Tigers spring training, 2015

POSTED BY: BOB KNOTTS

Maybe it’s time to rediscover baseball … with your kids. Perhaps they’re your own kids, or young relatives or the kids of friends or neighbors. They could be kids you work with somehow, possibly through a nonprofit such as the Humanity Project. They might even be your grandkids. But I’m going to make the case in this blog that baseball is well worth your time. And theirs.

I’ve loved this great game all my life, intensely as a child growing up in Detroit around my beloved Tigers. My passion for the sport faded somehow for many years only to re-emerge as strong as ever now as a very mature adult. And because this organization I founded to help kids, the Humanity Project, is so in touch with young minds and young sensibilities, a thought occurred to me recently: Kids of all ages could benefit from learning the joys of baseball from an adult, especially a parent. Here’s why I think that’s true:

• A different kind of sport: Baseball has been called a team sport played by individuals. Think about it. The pitcher and batter square off, alone. If the batter connects, he becomes a runner who competes only against the person fielding the ball, followed by competing with the person catching it. Baseball is a great team sport but it requires each individual to do their job effectively for the team to win. That’s unlike the dynamics in, say, football or basketball where a mediocre player can slide through an entire season on the backs of better teammates. Explain that side of baseball to your kids — and tell them how it is a value worth emulating in everyday life. We should do our best as individuals to help the team, whether that team is the home or the workplace or the whole community.
• Better sportsmanship: Point out to your kids the way baseball players typically behave. Again, very unlike football or basketball players or athletes in many sports these days. With rare exceptions, baseball players pride themselves on avoiding showy displays of ego after they make a great play. Home run? They trot around the bases without trying to show up the pitcher. Incredible catch? They go back to their position to get ready for the next play. And ballplayers often talk and joke with players from opposing teams, even during very important games. They compete but don’t hate their opponents. Baseball is a game of class. And it can teach kids to behave well themselves, on the field or in life.
• The Zen of the game: There is an almost meditative quality to watching a baseball game. That’s not to say the games are dull. They’re not — at least not if you understand the human dynamics happening throughout the game. I’ll clarify that point in a moment. But back to the Zen of baseball… The great sportscaster, and baseball enthusiast, Bob Costas put it this way: “Baseball is a game of atmosphere and anticipation, punctuated by moments of brilliance and excitement.” That atmosphere and that anticipation offer us time to relax and even to reflect as the game unfolds. Explain that to your kids, helping them to appreciate the poetic beauty of baseball. It’s a chance to slow down and enjoy life as you’re also being entertained.
• A mental game: Precisely because it’s a team sport played by individuals, baseball also is a game of the mind. The pitcher and catcher must calculate what type of pitch the batter expects next, then give him something else. The batter has to understand that this is what’s happening as he awaits the ball, then himself calculate what the pitch might be. They’re not guessing. It’s based on statistics as well as experience and intuition. Baseball is a sophisticated mind game. Helping kids to recognize this also helps them to look a bit deeper into their own psyche as well as into the heads of others.

These are only some of the ways, described briefly, that baseball can become a valuable pastime to share with the kids in your life. We live in a frantic, frenzied, high-tech world. Baseball is one antidote to the ill effects our modern society can have on all of us. Every baseball game is a paean to our history as a nation, the great players and great moments since baseball was invented in 1839. And every game is an opportunity to quiet our lives as we enrich our appreciation of this sport and these remarkable athletes. It’s been said that hitting a Major League baseball is the hardest of all things to accomplish in sport. That may or may not be true. But I do know this much from personal experience: Watching fine players hit, and pitch and catch and throw, a baseball can teach important lessons about life … and form a bond between an adult and child that both always will cherish.

Learning a Generosity Philosophy

POSTED BY: BOB KNOTTS

This time, just a brief blog to tell you about a podcast we hope you’ll want to hear. And share with the young people in your life. It’s posted here on our Humanity Project website, our latest ‘cast. And it’s called, “Generosity Philosophy.” Check it out at this link: Listen to the latest Humanity Project Podcast. 

You’ll catch an interesting interview with Kim Trumbo, founder of the popular Generosity Philosophy Podcast. Kim was kind enough, and yes generous enough, to welcome me to her podcast on behalf of the Humanity Project several weeks ago. We wanted to return the favor because Kim is such an interesting person, with lots of wisdom to share. (Kim’s podcasts are available on her website as well as through iTunes and Stitcher. Go to the Generosity Philosophy Podcast website.)

Rather than take more of your time with a long blog, we’ll let you swing on over to our new podcast so you can listen to Kim for yourself. We think you’ll enjoy her, as we do. We also believe she just may inspire you to be a little more generous as you go through your day. And please share the podcast with your kids! We encourage you to sit and listen with them if they’re, oh say, maybe 12-years-old or more. Children can get a lot out of Kim’s generosity philosophy too.

A Faithful Friend

Dr. David Sharaf

POSTED BY: BOB KNOTTS

Today we want to tell you a little more about a faithful friend of the Humanity Project — and a fine physician. He’s been my personal dermatologist for nearly 20 years. His name is Dr. David Sharaf of Skin and Cancer Associates and the Center for Cosmetic Enhancement in South Florida. Visit their website by clicking here.

He recently renewed his sponsorship of the Humanity Project, something he’s done consistently for the past several years. We are grateful as an organization. I am personally grateful as well.

Dr. Sharaf does this because he is a good man, someone who clearly cares about other people. I suppose that much is obvious simply by virtue of the sponsorship. It’s something he doesn’t have to do.

But let me tell you just very briefly about my experience with him as a doctor.

When I was married, my then-wife was very fair-skinned and subject to pre-cancerous moles and such. One time, Dr. Sharaf discovered something more serious — melanoma. But he caught it quickly, diagnosed it correctly and sent us to one of the top specialists in the country, who happened to be in South Florida. She recovered rapidly and with little suffering along the way. I owe Dr. Sharaf for that. I trust him to find suspicious marks on my own body, also fair-skinned. And when I had something under my eye that needed treatment with a strong acid solution, well … there’s no one else I would have allowed to use caustic chemicals near my eyeball. But I had faith in Dr. Sharaf’s ability. Well-placed faith, as it turned out.

As you can tell, I think a lot of him. He didn’t ask me or the Humanity Project to say any of this, mind you. In fact, he discouraged me from saying anything at all. But when you’re lucky enough to know a good doctor who also is a good human being, I think people should know. Thank you, Dr. Sharaf! Thank you very much …

Welcome Girl Scouts!

Girl Scouts working on I Care to learn the dangers of distracted driving.

POSTED BY: BOB KNOTTS 

We wanted to share two fun new pics with you today. We were lucky at the Humanity Project to meet an energetic, community-minded woman named Susan Tomchin, a Girl Scout troop leader in South Florida. Ms. Tomchin contacted us about our I Care/Just Let Me Drive teen driver safety program: Could she give the program to her driving-age Girl Scouts? Yes, she could … and did. At no cost to her or the Girl Scouts or anyone but the Humanity Project. Our program is free, thanks to our sponsors.

Girl Scout Troop #10717, with I Care books

Here is what this Girl Scout troop posted on the Facebook page of Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida: “Troop #10717 visited CarMax in Pompano Beach as part of their Driving My Financial Future/Buying Power badge work. Not only did they learn how to comparison-shop for a car, but how different features including safety ones factor into the car buying process. The girls also took a pledge to Not Text while driving as part of the Humanity Project/icare. Way to go, girls! What a great way to learn about making your first car purchase and staying safe while driving.”

Definitely, way to go, girls! We’re proud of you!

I Care in Court

Dropping off I Care at a major Florida teen court!

POSTED BY: BOB KNOTTS

We just delivered more than 100 copies of our highly regarded I Care/Just Let Me Drive teen driver safety program to a major Florida court for teens — at no cost to the court. As always, Humanity Project programs are free. (That’s why we rely on key sponsors such as State Farm, Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital, Children’s Services Council of Broward County, Google and others … )

This time we returned to Broward County Teen Court, which began to use our books last year. Broward County is home to the nation’s sixth largest school district, so there are lots of families and lots of teen drivers. I Care also has been used by teen courts in Miami-Dade County and Highlands County so far and we expect to reach out to additional courts in Florida and beyond in the coming months and years.

Other new I Care users in recent weeks include some State Farm agents in Florida and even a Girl Scout troop — more about the Girl Scouts soon. We have wonderful pics to share.

For now, though, we wanted you to know that some smart folks in our legal system recognize the impact and value of I Care, which avoids the usual scare tactics in favor of changing teen driving habits through friendship and positive peer pressure. Our unique approach works. And we love sharing it with as many officials, teachers, parents and others as possible so they can pass it along to their teen drivers. I Care was created by teens, for teens — kids helping kids. We know I Care can save lives if used as intended, which often requires adult supervision. This latest courthouse delivery is one more step forward. Of course, you can see for yourself what I Care is all about at our free website, also created by teens and for teens:www.thehumanityproject.com/icare. We hope you’ll pass along the link to a teen you love. Thanks!

Big Welcome to Our New (Student) Board Member

Stephanie Wong

POSTED BY: BOB KNOTTS

She was elected by unanimous vote of our Board of Directors. At only 22-years-old, Stephanie Wong becomes the first student member of the Humanity Project’s governing body. As a Humanity Project Board of Directors Vice President, Stephanie will bring new perspectives, new ideas and her own great energy to our work of “helping kids to help kids.”

At the moment she joins our board, Stephanie is just finishing her Bachelor’s Degree work in psychology, with a minor in business, at Florida International University. She plans on graduate school in the coming years. After wrapping up her undergrad degree this summer, she already will have compiled an impressive record. Her credits include several months of study in Australia. Stephanie helped form FIU’s chapter of U.N. Women and is co-organizer of the College Brides Walk, a major South Florida event that draws attention to teen dating violence and domestic violence.

And she’s one of the coordinators of a peer education program called P.I.E.R, or “Peace In Every Relationship.” In addition, Stephanie is active in FIU’s National Organization for Women club and has worked as a child advocate volunteer at the Association House of Chicago. She also loves the arts, with a special affection for theater — as a high school student in South Florida, Stephanie was actively involved in theater productions. These days, she handles some website design on the side, creating the College Brides Walk website.

As you can tell, we’re not exaggerating by saying this young woman already has an impressive record. Most important, though, is what lies ahead for her and for the Humanity Project in our work with kids (and sometimes parents). We believe Stephanie will find fresh creative and dynamic ways to engage the students we help, allowing us to have an even greater impact on the community. Welcome to the Humanity Project, Stephanie! We are very happy you’re here.

350 Students Learn Safe Driving Through Fun

POSTED BY: BOB KNOTTS

How cool was this? Very cool … The Humanity Project just wrapped up a big high school scavenger hunt that used our I Care teen driver safety book for all the clues. More than 350 students took part at Monarch High School in South Florida, with a hunt so challenging it required two weeks of work by some very smart students. Here are our three prize winners, along with me. (Oh, by the way — I’m the one in the blue shirt. The knight did not win anything and isn’t affiliated with the Humanity Project, I assure you …)

First Prize was a new 16-gig iPad Mini with second and third prizes of iTunes gift cards as well as a small cash award for second place. And Humanity Project t-shirts for all three winners.

Actually, we think every student who participated in our I Care High School Scavenger Hunt is a winner. They each cared enough to learn about the importance of paying attention to the road when driving a car.

Check out this one-minute video with our three winners, a bright and engaged bunch of teens. Congratulations to each of them — and our thanks again to Monarch High School. It’s all just part of our continuing, and expanding, effort to prevent the number one cause of teen deaths, traffic accidents. With help from great kids like these, we’re making some progress toward that goal.

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'Helping Kids to Help Kids' -- Behind Those Words

POSTED BY: BOB KNOTTS

As you’ve probably noticed by now, we have a great new trademarked slogan at the Humanity Project: “Helpings kids to help kids!” So let us explain those words to you just a bit more. All of our programs, one way or another, rely on collaboration among young folks to make the programs work. Our Anti-bullying Through The Arts program, nationally known and often praised, shows elementary school students how bullying hurts everyone in school and why it takes everyone to stop it — then we demonstrate those two main points to them through a fun, arts-based assembly that sticks in their minds. We give the school free original Humanity Project books for every teacher to follow up and reinforce our message. But ultimately it’s all about teaching kids to involve themselves when they see a fellow student being bullied. Kids helping kids.

Our I Care/Just Let Me Drive teen driver safety program avoids scare tactics, which research consistently has proven do not work. You can’t scare a kid into driving safely. You have to make them want to drive safely. To accomplish that, our program draws on close teen friendships and positive peer pressure. And a study last year by Barry University shows us I Care’s approach is effective in curbing distracted driving. Kids helping kids.

Our third major program is our unique website for socially isolated teens, including many LGBT students. Like the I Care program, it was created by teens, for teens. The site is at this web address:www.thp4kids.com and we hope you’ll check it out. We’re proud of this website, as we are all our programs. It offers advice and videos and music and games and a pretty amazing feature called “Hearing Voices (Inside Your Head)” in the “You’re Not Alone” section of the site. All that along with blogs, poetry and even a 24-hour hotline, a terrific resource run by organizations such as Covenant House and Boys Town. So yes, thp4kids once again has the same approach: Kids helping kids.

Our mission is to help young people to help their peers. We also sometimes help kids to help parents, which in turn assists kids as a result of the things their parents learn. We’re pleased to offer this new slogan as a way for you to remember what the Humanity Project really is all about: Helping kids to help kids (and sometimes parents …) in ways that emphasize the value of each individual. Oh yeah, definitely. “Helping kids to help kids!”™ That’s the Humanity Project.

New Mission, New Slogan ... New Possibilities

POSTED BY: BOB KNOTTS

We are very excited at the Humanity Project to announce some major news for us. As the blog headline says, we have a new mission statement that better reflects our work with kids. You see it over there in the right-hand column, along with a new “What it means” statement that more clearly expresses the specific goals of our organization. We’ve also come up with a slogan that matches the mission, and we have trademarked that slogan: “Helping kids to help kids!”

Take a new look at our Programs page, please. Or our About page or any of the other pages on our website’s menu listing above. You’ll see the new mission reflected in everything we offer.

So why did we do this? Afterall, a new mission statement is a big step for any nonprofit group — why did we need to change? Because this new mission and slogan and what it means statement, along with a new vision statement on our About page, tell you what we really do. We help kids to help kids … and sometimes help kids to help parents, as the what-it-means statement mentions. We find ways to harness the talents and energies of children from kindergarten through high school to help their peers solve pressing problems, all while stressing the importance of each individual. Our Anti-bullying Through The Arts program does this. So does I Care/Just Let Me Drive and www.thp4kids.com, our website created by teens for their socially isolated peers, including many LGBT students. Our upcoming I Care 2.0 program for parents does it too, as we’ll explain when the program is completed.

We tackle social problems in areas where our own experience and expertise can help kids — then work with them to help us help themselves and their fellow students. It’s a win-win approach that is at the heart of the Humanity Project’s original guiding philosophy, which we call “shared value.” (Read a short article about shared value by clicking here.)

We think you’ll find that the new mission statement and other new elements allow you to better understand just what the Humanity Project is all about: “Helping kids to help kids!”

Congrats to Our Team

POSTED BY: BOB KNOTTS

We’re very proud of our entire Board of Directors. They’re a great bunch of smart, caring, hardworking folks who help make this organization what it’s become over the past nine and a half years. But this week, we want to let you know that two of our Board vice presidents just won important awards for their efforts in our community.

Matt Corey is CEO and President of Insight for the Blind, which records books and magazines for the Library of Congress’ Talking Books program. Matt also is a very talented musician and sound designer, working with the top regional theaters across South Florida. His talents help to make plays into experiences that connect with all the senses of theatergoers. Matt just won his sixth Carbonell Award for creating the special music and sounds used in dramatic performances — count ‘em, six! The Carbonell is the Tony Award of this part of the United States, the top theatrical prize. Of course, Matt also is the sound engineer and producer of the Humanity Project Podcast, which I host. We’ve recorded more than 100 of these programs and I rely on Matt’s expertise to make them sound as good as they do. Congratulations, Matt, on your latest recognition.

Dr. Laura Finley is Associate Professor of Sociology and Criminology at Barry University and the author or co-author of 13 books. And she is a very busy peace activist in the community, for example organizing and leading the annual College Brides Walk in South Florida to draw attention to dating violence. Dr. Finley was just given a wonderful award by her colleagues at Barry University, a prize that recognized her for “Engaged Scholarship.” At the Humanity Project, we see just how engaged this particular scholar really is as Laura digs in enthusiastically to assist our many efforts. She also recently published her latest book called “School Violence,” a work to which I was fortunate enough to contribute a brief section on bullying. Congratulations, Laura, on your new award from Barry University, evidence of continued appreciation by your colleagues of your commitment to peace.

Of course, we’re focusing on Matt and Laura today. But Gabriela Pinto and Bob LaMendola from our Board of Directors are just as accomplished and talented in their fields — and we appreciate them just as much. (Read their bios on our Board of Directors page by clicking here.) All in all, a terrific board … working as one great team helping kids to help kids.