Trends in How Today’s Students Handle Relationships
Follow @TimElmore With the emergence of technology on portable devices and social media, there is a new kind of relationship pattern emerging with students today. “Generation iY” (which makes up the second half of Gen. Y) faces a new dilemma. You might call it the “artificial relationship.” Finding out that someone doesn’t love you anymore is hard—not hearing anything at all is
Technology and the Law of Reciprocals for Students
A college instructor (who is also a mom) recently reminded me of an interesting change she’s made in her communication habits. Four years ago, she shifted from emailing her students to communicating via Facebook. She also admitted that instead of calling them, she began texting them. She smiled as she acknowledged the latest shift she’s made. She now uses Instagram
Adolescents Today (Part 2): Putting Pressure in the Right Place
Yesterday, I alluded to the fact that adults today put pressure on kids… but often in the wrong places. Students feel pushed to keep score on academics, sports and social media—none of which are evil, but all of which are impractical areas for youth to be pressured. As a child enters their teen years, they actually have it in them
Adolescents Today: Pressure in the Wrong Places
Follow @TimElmore Everyone I know has an opinion on “kids today.” Most observe that they’re addicted to their cell phone or tablet, which has fostered a “slacktivist” (and an even more entitled) mindset in teens. Research tells us that high school students are more narcissistic than ever and that college students spend about half their waking hours on a cell phone.
Why Facebook Is a Better Class Model
We've just released our speaker lineup for National Leadership Forum 2015! Check them out here Did you see the movie The Social Network when it came out in October of 2010? It was all about how Facebook was launched from a university dorm room by a couple of Harvard students. While Mark Zuckerberg claims there’s a bunch of fiction in the story—it remains
The Subtle Ways Today’s Culture Has Transformed Students
Follow @TimElmore The following story would be funny if it weren’t true. Once again, it revolves around cell phones. A British teenager attempted to commit suicide after he failed to take the perfect “selfie.” Danny Bowman became so obsessed with capturing the perfect shot that he spent 10 hours a day taking up to 200 selfies. The 19-year-old lost nearly 30
The Real Cost of a College Education
Follow @TimElmore Not long ago, America reached a new milestone. We now endure a $1 trillion debt in student loans. Think about it: one trillion dollars. That’s bigger than our credit card or auto loan debt. Each student graduates with approximately $25,000 in debt. What’s worse, nearly half of these graduates were unemployed in 2013, while about one in eight default
Students Defaulting on Loans: What Message Are They Sending?
The latest report was released on the number of college students (either graduates or otherwise) who’ve stopped attending a university—and have decided to default on their loans. The number stands at about one in every eight students who stop making payments. Default rates are based on those who default on at least one loan three years after leaving college. It
Six Lessons From a 17-Year-Old Nobel Prize Winner
Follow @TimElmore It’s incredible to think that Malala Yousafzai is a kid from Generation iY, but she qualifies. What’s more, she is a teenager who just won the Nobel Peace Prize. You remember the story from two years ago, don’t you? At fifteen years old, Malala was on her way to school when gunmen from the Pakistani Taliban stopped the van, asked
Four Ways to Challenge Millennial Stereotypes
The non-profit organization I lead, Growing Leaders, is a relatively small team of sixteen staff members, made up largely of twenty-somethings. Everyone who joins our team knows our mission well—we are attempting to develop a generation of young leaders and get Generation iY (those born since 1990) ready for their careers. Each year, we meet thousands of high school and
What to Do About a Stressed-Out Teen
Follow @TimElmore A new report was just released, unveiling a study of adolescents and stress. It's eye-opening. I realize I've written on this topic already, but I continue to be stunned by the number of high school and college students I meet who are paralyzed by stress. I asked myself, Is it just me? Am I the only one meeting kids full
A Cry for Parental Health
Follow @TimElmore I met a young lady who’s going through what her therapist calls a “quarter-life crisis.” Yep, you read that right. Not a mid-life crisis, but a quarter-life crisis. She’s twenty-five years old and seeing a counselor for depression and disillusionment. I write about her because she’s the fifth young adult I’ve met in the last six months who’s been
The State of Students Today: An Interview with Dr. Jean Twenge
Recently I had the honor and privilege to talk with Dr. Jean Twenge on the Growing Leaders podcast. She is is a widely published professor of psychology at San Diego State University, the author of Generation Me, and the co-author ofThe Narcissism Epidemic. Her research has been featured or quoted in Time, USA Today,New York Times, The Washington Post, and other major media. She has appeared on Today, Good
Why Trust is Plummeting Among Students… and Six Ways to Stop It
I just had a conversation with a twenty-eight-year-old about getting out to vote next month in the mid-term elections. He didn’t plan to make the effort, as he didn’t feel it made any difference. When I reminded him that he was the one kicking everyone’s butt to vote a decade ago, he mumbled, “That was then. This is now.” Not
The Secret to Remember Critical Information
When I was a freshman in college, I remember taking a Jerry Lucas course on memory. It was designed to increase one’s ability to remember—and I ended up memorizing an entire book that year. The Lucas system is all about association: connecting funny pictures to ideas so that they stick in your mind. It’s quite effective, especially if you continue
Six Millennial Statistics Every Adult Should Know
Follow @TimElmore From time to time, I enjoy providing statistics on the emerging generation of young adults often called Millennials (or Generation iY). This demographic is proving to be different in several ways from previous young adult populations. We’ve demonstrated that the second half of this generation — those born since 1990 — is even different from the first half, born
The Birth and Death of Entitlement in Students
Follow @TimElmore It’s not a new topic. Almost everyone I speak to agrees that American students in today’s middle class are just a tad bit spoiled. They act “entitled,” say school principals, faculty, deans and athletic coaches. In fact, the term “entitled” is the number one word employers use to describe recent graduates on the job. Step back and reflect for a
Seven Steps to Personally Experience the Power of Community
This week, I’m blogging about how America continues to shift as a modern society. A new study found that Americans now eat most of their meals alone, as families find it more difficult to find time to eat together. Additionally, there’s been a dramatic increase in the number of single-person households. Some predict the trend will continue and even increase. At
How Eating Alone Costs More Than You Think
Follow @TimElmore Yesterday, I wrote that America continues to shift as a modern society. Americans now eat most of their meals alone, a new study found, as families finding it more difficult to find time to eat together. What’s more, there’s been a dramatic increase in the number of single-person households. Some predict the trend will continue and even increase. Thanks to
A New Trend that Affects Our Students’ Future (Part 1)
Follow @TimElmore The numbers are in, and they reveal that America continues to shift as a modern society. Americans now eat most of their meals alone, a new study finds, with families finding it more difficult to find time to eat together and a dramatic increase in the number of single-person households. The NPD Group, a market research firm, reveals that a
The Connection Between Happiness and Self Control
Follow @TimElmore Research has just been released that confirms what so many parents, teachers, coaches and youth workers have been saying to kids for years now. According to TIME journalist Maia Szalavitz, in an article entitled “Self-Disciplined People are Happier (and Not as Deprived as You Think),” there is a direct link between self-discipline and fulfillment: “…researchers found a strong connection between higher
Four Investments to Decrease College Transfers
We live in a mobile world — mobile homes, mobile phones, mobile apps…and now more than ever, mobile college students. I just met with an informal focus group and every one of them was attending a different college than the one they first entered. My son was one of them. We dropped him off in California this month to finish
How Israeli & Palestinian Teens Work as a Team
Ashley Moore, a friend of mine, just told me about a couple of her college classmates, Casey and Dana, who started a nonprofit organization with a most unusual mission. In fact, you may find it hard to believe. Casey and Dana launched a summer program called the Society for Humanitarian Archaeological Research and Exploration, or “SHARE.” Their primary work is to sponsor
One Kid Who’s Solving Problems and Serving People
You and I live in a disposable world. So many items we use from day to day are thrown away when we’re finished—from soft drink cups or plastic bottles, to milk cartons, candy wrappers, paper towels, boxes and mail. You name it, we’ve found a way to throw it away. Since the 1970’s, we’ve heard about the problem of landfill,
Standardized Tests are Not the Only Measure of a Student
Alison Owen didn’t expect to tear up when she opened her 11-year-old son Charlie’s standardized test results on Monday, but that’s exactly what she did. “It made me cry,” she said to a TODAY reporter. Accompanying the results was a letter from members of the faculty at Charlie’s school, Barrowford Primary School in the U.K., reminding students that there were more
Five Words Every Child Needs to Hear
Follow @TimElmore I spoke to a Division 1, NCAA football player who dropped off the radar screen his senior year. All four years, he’d been a great student (3.8 GPA) and a well-respected starting player for his school. But after December (translate that — when his final season ended) he was missing in action. He didn’t show up to class, his
Messages We Must Send Millennials About Life After College
Follow @TimElmore I meet more and more students and parents who are stressed out about life after graduation. Some moms feel angst about the job prospects for their freshman son or daughter (even if graduation isn’t for three more years). It’s true, however, that one of the challenges in higher education is that they don’t always prepare students for the realities
Providing Direction to Young Men: Five Steps To Take
Follow @TimElmore This week, I’ve written about young males and the fact that they are falling behind in society by almost every measure—education, work, mental health, and a life without addictive behaviors. Certainly not every young man is in this situation, but too many are disengaging and failing to keep up with females. As a result, they’re not growing up to
One Antidote to Male Disillusionment
Yesterday, I blogged about LeBron James, who, at 30 years old, provides a vivid case study of a male moving through four stages of manhood in a healthy way. Today, I feel the need to furnish a challenge to those of you who work with young males, whether it’s on a school campus, on a team, or as an employer
Teen Trends: There’s Good News and Bad News
Follow @TimElmore The latest report from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention just came out. It reveals the results of their regular "Youth Risk Behavior Survey" and contains both good news and bad news about the lifestyle of today's teenagers. Here are some highlights and thoughts on what we can do to develop healthy young leaders in this emerging generation of kids. Good
Ambition Comes From Incentive
Follow @TimElmore I spoke to a high school faculty member who works with at-risk students in lower socio-economic conditions. These students have been booted from a traditional public high school, and her school is their last chance to graduate as a teen. What moved me in our conversation was her passion to teach them and offer wisdom that will help them later
Risk and Rescue: What’s Harming Our Students Today
Follow @TimElmore Recently, I was asked at a parent conference why more parents today are stepping in and rescuing their children—sometimes adult-children—than in past generations. My reply was short and sweet: because more children are asking. Let’s be honest: we’ve seen a shift in both parents and kids’ expectations today. Adults seem to believe they are supposed to step in and “bail
A Counter-Intuitive Test to Guide Us as We Prepare Students
Follow @TimElmore A new study was just released that flies in the face of conventional wisdom. For years, parents and faculty have worked to create safer, cleaner environments for the children they’re teaching. We’ve attempted to remove hindrances to their growth and all roadblocks to their self-esteem. And may I say, those are noble goals. Our problem is: We may just have
Robert Morris University Introduces Video Gaming Scholarships
I just read a fascinating story about Robert Morris University. When Kurt Melcher was surfing the Internet one day, he searched for an old favorite computer game he played in his young years, Starcraft. He was surprised to find how many were both competing and collaborating while playing the game. And then, an idea hit him. "I was shocked at the
Addictions: One Reason Not to Take the Easy Road
Follow @TimElmore Recently, I spoke to a university professor who teaches freshmen students. He mentioned that last year was an especially challenging year for him. His explanation had nothing to do with argumentative kids or even students who wanted to negotiate their grades after an exam. Instead, it was an increasing problem among adolescents today. Case in point: Brandon was one of
Five Memorable Takeaways From the 2014 Forum
Last week, Growing Leaders hosted our 2014 National Leadership Forum. For the second year, we held it at the Georgia Tech Conference Center in downtown Atlanta. Hundreds of administrators, educators, coaches, and campus staff attended as we wrestled with the topic: “Adjusting the Sails—Making the Course Corrections Needed to Connect with Students Today.” It was a genuine “forum,” as several leaders
The Ideals of Generation iY—Younger Millennials More Realistic
Follow @TimElmore The newest findings were just released from the Barna Research Group on college students and their prospects after graduation. Let’s just say that while they remain optimistic, they’re a bit more skeptical than their earlier counterparts in 2004. After platitudes like “change the world”, “make a difference” and “follow your dreams” were made on the graduation platform, young grads enter
What 3 Tattoo Trends Teach Us About Millennials
Follow @TimElmore Trey is a friend of mine. He's a student who just got his first tattoo. His parents weren't too keen on the idea, but eventually caved and allowed their son to obtain what millions of others have added to their bodies. My guess is that you know someone who has one, too. What's happening in the tattoo industry is
What’s Behind Yet Another School Shooting in California?
Follow @TimElmore Last week, one of our team members at Growing Leaders directed me to an Op-Ed article in the Washington Post by Ann Hornaday. She’s an entertainment writer who, for years, has unpacked movies and their impact. In this article, however, she mused about the impact of the current entertainment industry on Elliot Rodger, the young gunman who killed six
Four Big Ideas to Improve Education for Students
We just sent Alysse, a team member at Growing Leaders, to the South By Southwest EDU event in Austin, Texas. I know this sounds cliché, but it was life changing for her. Our team just met to decipher what she learned, and I want to share it here. Alysse heard reports on the latest trends and direction of education, both in
Curing a Critical Spirit in Students
Follow @TimElmore I recently met with an informal focus group of educators from colleges and universities in the Midwest. My sole purpose for the conversation was to get a read on how the school year went, as well as what they had learned as educators. One common theme emerged from our discussion: incoming criticism. Every one of these deans, provosts, directors, faculty members
4 Sure-Fire Ways Students Transform Into Leaders
During the 2012-2013 school year, we assessed 8,500 students who attend 29 public high schools. We discovered several realities, including their low view of morality, their assumptions about leadership, and how much their aspirations and goals played a role in graduation rate and their life after high school. One discovery I made after a year of examining the results of our
Leading Students From Difficult Homes
I asked Josh Isenhardt, one of our Growing Leaders speakers, to blog on what it means to influence students who may come from difficult homes. Josh has worked with students for over a decade and has some simple but profound insight on the issue. Below are his wise and helpful words on this topic. I hope you enjoy them: As someone
What to Do About Declining Summer Employment for Teens
May is almost over, and kids are out of school for the summer. Most of them will stay busy with sports, vacations, video games or some other technology as they attempt to fend off boredom. Unfortunately, far too few will choose to work. Yep, just as the weather is warming this year, the sun is setting on summer jobs. According to
Four Tips to Help Graduates Handle the Job Hunt
Have you seen the numbers? For high school and college grads, the job market has both good news and bad. The report on jobs in April revealed 288,000 new job openings — the most in two years. Overall unemployment dropped from 6.7% to 6.3%, which is the lowest its been since 2008. That’s the good news. Unfortunately, market experts tell us
From GPS Learners to Compass-Guided Leaders
Dr. Kerry Priest is a faculty member at Kansas State University. She’s also one of our speakers at Growing Leaders. She teaches in the school of leadership studies. I asked her to blog about what she and her department are doing in Manhattan. Enjoy… Recently I asked a small group of first-year college students in my introductory leadership class, "What did
A Student Who Broke the Mold
You may have read the story several days ago. Another tornado ripped through Alabama, injuring and even killing people. Ironically, it was almost three years after the deadly tornado hit Tuscaloosa, killing over 50 people. It makes recovery hard. News reports covered the tragedy thoroughly—but rarely the ordinary people who become heroes amidst the tragedy. This time, a student arose as
The 6 Big Price Tags of Preparing Students for the Future
Every year, educators talk about budget cuts and their school's inability to do what's necessary to equip students for life after graduation. As I have frequently stated, teachers are heroes, and I recognize there's never quite enough money to do what's necessary to prepare our emerging adults. Preparedness actually costs quite a bit. There is a form of preparedness, however, that
The Inverse Relationship Between Gratitude and Entitlement
Research done with people both young and old reveals very interesting conclusions on the role of gratitude. Author and researcher, Dr. Robert Emmons, from the University of California Davis, believes he knows what gives life meaning: pure and simple gratitude. Emmons’ team found that people who view life as a gift and consciously acquire an “attitude of gratitude” experience multiple advantages.
5 Reasons Why a Post-College Internship Isn’t the End of the World
I asked Ashley, one of our spring interns, to do a blog post on her internship. She sent me these words below. I smiled as I read them. Hope you enjoy them as well. In January, I had graduated from college with honors, was blessed with a spiffy car as a graduation gift, had a roof over my head with my