More than a year ago, I wrote a post about my daughter entitled, A Teacher in the Making.

At this point in life, Darla sees that as her life’s calling — a third-grade teacher, to be exact. But as she hits her stride, it occurs to me she couldn’t possibly know what she will be - nor can the rest of us.

Last month, my 11-year-old daughter joined me on my book tour. She spoke with me at our regional teacher’s convention. I discussed the major points of my book, and Darla offered the perfect illustration to Empowering Youth, by explaining and showing photos about her neighborhood book club project, BookWorm Wednesday. And this week she’ll do it again - this time at the national Healthy Communities/Healthy Youth conference in Minneapolis.

Surely she can become a teacher - she’d do well in this profession. Clearly she could be a speaker too. I’m filled with awe as I watch my self-possessed almost-12-year-old daughter speak with authority about something she knows better than anyone in the universe. She answers the audience questions with ease and never appears nervous in front of adults.

Truthfully, she could become anything. She’s mentioned other career considerations recently too - broadcaster, internet-based business owner, state superintendent of schools (she met Wisconsin’s) - even governor. In this country, at this time, into the situation she was born, with her valuable set of strengths, her life is a book she gets to write.

I look forward to reading it.

Other Torch-Passers:
As Kids Go, So Goes the Nation - Washington Post article on “kid vote”
Girl Power Empowering Girls - 16-year-old Peace Activist

What does passing the torch mean to you? Is it teaching? Passing traditions? Or good news about youth? Join us each week for Pass the Torch Tuesday.Former PTT posts.

P.S. VOTE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

“Heather” PSA from First Star - www.firststar.org

I interviewed 14-year-old Heather Wilder in the course of writing my book. She is an inspiring young woman, former foster child, and now an advocate for child’s rights.

Please watch this short public service announcement - it will change your perspective about the rights of youth in our country.

Other Torch-Passers:
Mommysecrets - Thoughtful Family Project

What does passing the torch mean to you? Is it teaching? Passing traditions? Or good news about youth? Join us each week for Pass the Torch Tuesday.Former PTT posts.

My sixth-grade daughter is periodically asked by PR professionals to review books for children and teens. I can personally attest to the fact her nose was glued to this one! I hope you enjoy Darla’s review.

The Secret of Wellington’s Map is an outstanding book, one of my new favorites actually.

If you were looking at your friend, covered in red splotches, struggling to breathe surrounded by furry animals with wide dog-like noses and long tails, what would you do?

The Secret of Wellington’s Map is an exciting mystery of two teenage girls named Jamie and Nicole who find a magical map. With one touch, they can walk into any time, anywhere, as long as they have a picture in their minds.

When their friend Charlie — an antique-pawn shop owner — is kidnapped, they leave on a mission to find their lost friend. They end up enjoying an amazing journey testing their friendship, revealing family secrets of the past, and having an experience like no other.

I love the mystery in the story, with the magical map. It really makes you think as you read it. The “time-keeper” part was confusing at the beginning, as were the strange names, but when as you go deeper into the story, it all comes together.

You want to be Jamie, bouncing around time in places you can only imagine in this book. It is exhilarating when she discovers the map, and scary every time Nicole almost dies. You have to guess friends and enemies, so almost every one in the book is what I would call a “frienemy,” including the cat.

With so many amazing things going on in the story, in my everyday real life, I couldn’t stop thinking about everything that was happening to these two (almost) normal teenage girls. I asked myself, if I were Jamie, would I have enough courage and curiosity to keep jumping through an old piece of paper to another time, and not be sure if I would still be able to get out?

If you’re like me, when your parents physically take away the book so I will talk to them, you’ll still be sitting there (or hiding from your book-stealing parents,) wondering what will happen next, and wondering what you would feel and do if you were Jamie.

This is an awesome story that I would definitely recommend if you want some adventure. Mollie Kehl Penrod was very successful at writing a great book.

Other torch-passers:
A Man Named Ted

What does passing the torch mean to you? Is it teaching? Passing traditions? Doing the right thing? Or good news about youth?

Join us each week for Pass the Torch Tuesday.

Former PTT posts.

Our ultra-vintage cabin bathroom needs a whole lot more than a just new toilet seat, but since that was the currently broken item, we splurged. I was about to screw in the bolts, and thought, “This is a job for preteens.”

The most readily available was Darla, so I coached her through the extremely simple process of attaching the toilet seat.

And voila!

Good News About Youth and the Adults Who Empower Them:
To Teach a Child
Northfield Community Mayor’s Youth Council
Mason City Youth Task Force
Teens in Tech

(Email me if you share good news like this on your blog - I’ll link to you.)

What does passing the torch mean to you? Is it teaching? Passing traditions? Or good news about youth? Join us each week for Pass the Torch Tuesday.Former PTT posts.

Do you have good news to share about youth? As a part of my book promotion, I’m encouraging bloggers to write about “Good News About Youth and the Adults Who Empower Them.” Please write about the great things you see happening in your community or the blogosphere - and I’ll feature the links once per week through August.

Welcome to the Carnival of Education! Once again, bloggers have submitted outstanding articles, covering many aspects of education. It’s a long list, and one worth clicking through.

POSTS THAT EMPOWER

Gisela Rots presents What’s in a role model? posted at Ponderings and Revelations. Gisela’s post is a perfect illustration of “Good News About Youth, and the Adults Who Empower Them.”

When I guest-blogged for Joel at So You Want To Teach, I shared tips for How to Empower Your Students.

Kim Hutmacher presents Publishing Opportunities For Children posted at Works in Progress. This is an excellent list for empowering the budding young authors in your life!

POSTS THAT INSPIRE

Overwhelmed Mom presents Perfectionism: Beliefs posted at A Bundle of Contradictions. I especially appreciate her comments about parental role-modeling in the final paragraph.

Jane presents Contest Winner Makes Summer Camp a Huge Success posted at Steve Spangler’s Blog. This is a great tribute to a teacher that obviously loves her job.

Nancy Flanagan presents THE OPERATIVE WORD posted at Teacher in a Strange Land. She points to the Dictionary for Good Teaching with some very inspirational definitions.

A Voice From the Middle presents its the most wonderful time of the year… , saying “School starts for me in two weeks and as an educator my head is filled with such hope and high expectations for how this will be THE best year ever!”

Elementaryhistoryteacher presents What’s Your Message? posted at History Is Elementary, saying “We all have a message to get out everyday. It’s how that message is delivered that makes all the difference.” The post also includes a short video with a lasting impact.

Rose presents Won’t you keep our neighbor? posted at Learning at Home, encouraging us to join in helping to preserve the Mr. Roger’s television program.

Jane presents Potatoes Fly at Science Teacher Training in Denver, Colorado posted at Steve Spangler’s Blog. Reading posts like these makes me wish I were a science teacher.

Pat presents Am I Replaceable? posted at Successful Teaching. We can all benefit from a concerted focus on what we do well.

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