Resources for celebrating Dr. Martin Luther King Day on January 15, 2007

We invite you to dream with us about Dr. Martin Luther King’s hopes for our future. In commemoration of Dr. King’s birthday, The MindOH! Foundation has created resources to help youth understand his message, and ideas for celebrating this great American. Share these tools with a young person you know; inspire their dream for America.

Dr. Martin Luther King's Birthday

Resources for the 2005 Tsunami

Over the holiday break of 2005, the world experienced a major natural disaster. An earthquake under the Indian Ocean created a series of huge waves known as tsunami, which struck parts of Asia and Africa. Over a hundred thousand people lost their lives in the disaster. Tens of thousands are now left behind to deal with the destruction. They have lost loved ones, homes, jobs, and businesses. Thousands need shelter, food, water, and medical supplies. The following messages were donated by Project Wisdom and can be read over your school's in-house public announcement or television system.

Download the Project Wisdom messages about the 2005 Tsunami

Cyberbullying Resources for Youth, Families and Educators

Bullying is a widespread problem that has affected most of us at some point in our lives. It is especially difficult, even traumatic, for young people. Unfortunately, bullies have begun using the Internet as a means for reaching their victims at home via instant messaging, chat rooms, Web sites, and blogs. MindOH! has created cyberbullying and other bullying resources for the victims of bullying, those who bully, and for bystanders. These activity worksheets are designed to help youth understand the full meaning and consequences of bullying, to reflect on the choices they are making with regard to this issue, and to explore ways of stopping online social cruelty.

Helping Students Deal With Disturbing War Images

We have all been exposed to some very disturbing images and stories coming out of Iraq in the past month. We are concerned about students who might be struggling with these images and stories, some of which are difficult even for adults regardless whether they are for or against the war. Download Project Wisdom broadcast messages that address this issue and possible impacts on students.

Current World Events: Resources for Students During a Challenging Time

As more of our troops are being deployed and all of us are acutely aware of what is happening overseas, The MindOH! Foundation would like to offer you the following resources which were developed by mental health and education professionals with appropriate expertise. These lesson plans, activity worksheets and other materials serve as a springboard to:

• Facilitate one-on-one relationships between adults and youth


• Appreciate the importance of communication, respect and tolerance
  
• Understand democratic principles in the context of current events
  
• Contribute and find ways we can help
• Develop meaningful dialogue to help with stress and anxiety
• Provide inspirational broadcast messages

Teacher/Caregiver-Facilitated Activities for Youth
Teachers and caregivers can use the following lesson plans as a springboard for conversation to help youth deal with their thoughts, feelings and behaviors associated with current world events.

Lesson Plans: Classroom or family activities that foster reflection and discussion.

Trust and resiliency during challenging times
Thanking those who protect us
Does democracy create more prosperity?
An experience with freedom of speech

Broadcast Messages: Project Wisdom messages can be read over your school's in-house public announcement or television system.

Disturbing War Images
Coping With World Events
Freedom of Speech in America
Hope During Challenging Times
Thanking Our Troops

Individual Activities for Youth
Teachers and caregivers can distribute the following individual activities to help youth reflect on current world events and/or seek the guidance of an adult mentor.

Thinking It Through: Reflective writing assignments that serve as an excellent springboard for discussion for 9/11.

Coping with current world events
Supporting kids with a loved one in the Middle East
Exploring war and peace
Finding common ground for American and Iraqi youth
Guiding students who are angry with Arabs or Muslims
Helping kids who are expressing anger
Supporting victims of teasing
Guiding kids who are teasing others
Dealing with death of a loved one
Helping kids who are fighting with others
Dealing with kids using racial slurs

I Wonder: Opportunities for students to interview a trusted adult who has the wisdom of experience from 9/11.

How can I contribute during a time of war?
What was it like to live through wartime?
What about sending a loved one off to war?

For Adults
The Crisis Intervention Team for the school district of Hillsborough County, Florida has created a booklet, Current World Events: Coping with the Stressors in our Lives, to assist school personnel and parents to better cope with the stressors present in their lives, as well as the lives of students and children.

For More Information
To provide feedback, donate additional resources, or to ask questions, please email info@mindohfoundation.org.


                                                                            

The Columbia Disaster: How Can Students Respond?

The following MindOH! activity sheet, Thinking it Through, helps students reflect on why bad things happen to good people.

Thinking it Through: Why Bad Things Happen to Good People?

The following two broadcast messages address the Columbia space shuttle disaster, one for secondary-level students and one for elementary-level students. We hope this will help your students know that they can choose a positive response to this great tragedy.

Project Wisdom Messages: The Columbia Disaster

Additionally, MindOH! Co-founder Leslie Matula wrote a letter to help students respond to this tragedy titled "The Columbia Disaster: How Can Students Respond?"

                                                                            

December 2001: September 11th Conversation Tools

In December 2001, the MindOH! Foundation offered Thinking it Through worksheets to provide parents, caregivers and administrators a springboard to create meaningful conversation with youth about the events surrounding the September 11th attacks and the ongoing war on terrorism. These tools presented young people with an opportunity to think through the emotions that they may be experiencing, including fear, anger, racial slurs and bullying. The worksheets were donated by professionals were developed by mental health and education professionals with appropriate expertise.

                                                                            

Character's Cool Contest

The Character's Cool Contest is an opportunity for secondary school students in the United States to share their knowledge and support for practicing ethical behavior. This three-part contest includes a school drawing, an individual drawing and a student essay contest. Schools with the most participants are entered to win a new computer for their school with a one-year subscription to MindOH! or Project Wisdom's character education program. Students are entered to win Nintendo Gamecubes and cash prizes. For more details, visit the Character's Cool Contest Web site.

                                                                            

Wish List

MindOH! is an e-Learning company that focuses on character education by creating interactive computer modules that teach students problem-solving techniques and communication skills, reinforcing universally held virtues such as respect and responsibility. Click here to register and experience a Flash presentation of the MindOH! Discipline and Life Skills Series.

MindOH! qualifies for a number of different types of funding such as Title 1 and Safe and Drug Free Schools, but it is also part of the MindOH! Foundation's mission to place the MindOH! program in schools and other youth oriented organizations that cannot afford it. If you would like to add your school, district or organization to the MindOH! wish list, please click here.

                                                                            


Call For Papers

Part of the Foundation's mission is to educate parents, teachers, and the community about character education. To do this, he MindOH! Foundation seeks professional papers and articles to publish and distribute on the Web site, through the newsletter and other venues as appropriate. If you are interested in submitting a paper, please email info@mindohfoundation.org. Please be sure to indicate your suggested topic, your qualifications, and contact information.