Principles of success motivational program OCTOBER 2017 newsletter |
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Principles of Success Mantra "I am what I believe I am. I can be anything I believe I can be. Therefore, I choose to believe, that if I try my best in everything I do, I am going to have a successful and productive life." |
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Executive Director's Corner |
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The 2017 program year continues to be one of great progress and learning. The young men are reading the book “ A Setback Is a Set Up for a Comeback" by Willie Jolley. Realizing that everyone encounters setbacks, this book reminds them not to be overly concerned when they encounter obstacles. I would like to take an opportunity to thank the program facilitators for their tireless efforts and outstanding contributions. The Principles of Success Motivational Program facilitators are the men who comprise the leadership group for the program. They are college-educated men of color from a broad range of professional careers. Their willingness to volunteer their time to attend the monthly program sessions and serve as mentors to the participants is a critical part of the overall program. In fact, one |
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of the two pillars of the program is the men who make monthly presentations to our young men and share with them their life and career journey, including challenges and obstacles they have faced. The program has 18 such men ranging from 31 to 79 years of age. Most of the men are married with children of their own, yet they make the necessary sacrifice to attend and participate in each of the five-hour monthly Principles of Success sessions from June through November. Additionally, many of the facilitators have been a part of the program since its inception. I take great pride in having the opportunity to work with this outstanding group of men who simply want to positively impact the lives of young men of color from our community. Thank you gentlemen, and keep up the good work. The impact of your presence in the lives of these young men will extend for many years to come. Don E. Dyer Executive Director |
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Facilitator Insight Name: Otho Day Profession: Children Services Administrator III Director of Volunteer Intern Program L.A. County Department of Children and Family Services Education: B.S. Sociology/Anthropology (Tougalo0 College); M.S. Education, Rehabilitation Counseling (Jackson State University) |
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WHY I VOLUNTEER: As a young Black male growing up in Mississippi in a single parent household, my mother made it a point to ensure I was connected to strong Black men. The men constantly talked to me about values, family, and helping others while giving back. Listening and watching the men communicate, not only to me, but to other young males in the neighborhood, I knew that as an adult I had to give back to young Black males in honor of the men who gladly gave me guidance in life despite having no blood connection. I volunteer with the Principles of Success Motivational Program because of the outstanding work it is doing to positively impact the lives of young men of color in the greater Los Angeles community. BENEFITS OF THE PROGRAM: In addition to teaching the principles of success and exposing program participants to highly successful black men, the Principles of Success Motivational Program allows young men to work together on projects that teach them how to effectively communicate. These projects include working together on group presentations that assist them in developing teamwork skills and begin to remove the fear of speaking publicly while making presentations. I have noticed that many young men are very shy and have little to say when they join this program. However by the end of the program, I have observed that these same young men are communicating openly with an elevated level of confidence. |
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Parent Perspective Hello POS Parents and Friends,
We attended the August Principles of Success session on the USC campus which gave us an opportunity to gain a parental perspective on the program. The structure and content of that day’s activities were informative and beneficial to our sons, the participants. Following is a summary of our takeaways from that session. The first facilitator was Emeka Orjiakor, an attorney, and he stressed the importance of developing good habits as one of the principles of success. He emphasized that: |
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- Anyone can develop good habits.
- In the absence of developing good habits, unhealthy habits will likely emerge.
- Good habits equal successful people.
- Habits will either be stepping stones or road blocks to one’s success.
Retired NBA center, Jason Collins was a special guest at the August session. He shared that the greatest lesson he learned in life was to ask for help and take initiative. Additionally, shortly after entering Stanford university on a basketball scholarship, Jason broke his hand which he viewed as a major setback at the time. However, he used the extra time to work on his game, which enabled him to play in the NBA for 14 years. He turned a setback into a setup for a comeback. Jason offered the following advice to the participants: - Have determination in whatever you do.
- Be an ally to someone else who is struggling in their own way.
- Getting a college degree, teamwork and social responsibility are critical.
- Always be the best you can be as “you never know who is watching”.
The third presenter for the day was Henry Williams, an executive with Google. Henry’s presentation was on the subject “Always be Positive” which focused on the following points: - Success is not an accident, it is a choice.
- Positive people think of the positive, not the negative.
- You are greater than your issues so you should always look for some positive out of any situation.
- Focus on the solution and not a problem and a above all, believe in yourself.
In summary, the program session was outstanding and we would say to all parents, if you haven’t done so already, we encourage you to make time to attend one of the remaining Principles of Success sessions. Warm Regards, Debra Green and Angela Johnson Portegies |
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Up Next We are past the halfway point of our 2017 Principles of Success program. The growth and development of our participants is obvious to those of us who have interacted with them since the beginning of this program year. Our September session was held at the Downtown Los Angeles offices of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. This session/fieldtrip was designed to expose our program participants to the corporate environment.
Our October and November sessions will be held on the campus of USC. |
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We will conclude the 2017 program year with a luncheon honoring the young men who successfully complete the program. What: 2017 Principles of Success Culmination Luncheon Where: Radisson Hotel at USC (3540 S. Figueroa St. | Los Angeles, CA 90007) When: December 16, 2017 @ 11:30 a.m. Attire: Business Professional Each participant may bring 2 guests (in addition to themselves) at no cost. Additional tickets may be purchased online at 2017posluncheon.eventbrite.com. The keynote speaker for this event will be Mr. Robert D. Taylor. Mr. Taylor, a trailblazer and difference maker, is a private equity investor and partner at 3.5.7.11. Mr. Taylor began his career at McKinsey & Company, where he helped improve the performance of many large, complex for-profit and nonprofit enterprises. Mr. Taylor rose to become the Firm’s only black partner at the time and remains known for inspirational leadership and an enduring following. Mr. Taylor later co-founded two private equity firms, including Centinela Capital Partners, LLC where his record of trail blazing and difference making continued. Mr. Taylor continues to oversee CCP’s investments as its President and CEO. Mr. Taylor earned a B.S. in Engineering, summa cum laude, in 1982 from California State University, Northridge (CSUN). He then earned an MBA and Doctor of Jurisprudence from Stanford in 1986. He has served on the Stanford Law School Board of Visitors, the Stanford Graduate School of Business Management Board and currently serves on the CSUN Foundation Board where he chairs the Finance and Investment Committee. In 2016, Mr. Taylor was honored as a Distinguished Alumnus of CSUN. |
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Thank You The Principles of Success Motivational Program would like to thank Ms. Jeanie Buss and the Los Angeles Lakers organization for dontating 78 tickets to two Lakers preseason games. The POS men, participants, and families attended games on October 2 and October 10. A great time was had by all! |
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Words of Inspiration If you think you are beaten, you are If you think you dare not, you don't, If you like to win, but you think you can't It is almost certain you won't.
If you think you'll lose, you're lost For out of the world we find, Success begins with a fellow's will It's all in the state of mind.
If you think you are outclassed, you are You've got to think high to rise, You've got to be sure of yourself before You can ever win a prize.
Life's battles don't always go To the stronger or faster man, But sooner or later the man who wins Is the man WHO THINKS HE CAN! |
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The Principles of Success Motivational Program is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization (financial contributions are deductible under section 170 of the IRS code) and is funded by the donations of sponsors. All facilitators and staff generously volunteer their time and are not compensated. No amount is too small. Please donate today! | | |
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