Each year after a long deliberative process, a theme for the Take Our Daughters And Sons To Work® Day is chosen that will help focus discussions in workplaces, schools, and homes across the nation. The theme is relevant to what is happening in the lives of girls and boys and also reflects the basic purpose of the Day itself.
This year the theme - 1 youth, 1 dream, 2morrow's leader - is written in texting format and is open to numerous discussions concerning what youth dream about and what creates a leader. The theme should encourage discussions among participants concerning the dreams they have, the dreams other people in their lives have, and the dreams of those persons who have become great leaders such as Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., Oprah Winfrey, and other individuals that have opened doors like Mae Jameson, J. K. Rowling, and Sonia Sotomayor. In addition, the discussions by the youth will help them understand that all leaders don't have to be famous nor influence millions of people.
The following are some suggested questions that can be used to spark workplace discussions among youth from 8 - 18. Adapt them to fit the ages and maturity levels of your participants and the amount of time you have allocated to discussion exercises. Please stress that the "dream" in the questions deals not with the nightly ones we have but the dreams we have about our future.
Dream Talking Points' Supplement:
What does the word "dream" mean to you? Give me an example.
Why are dreams about your life important to have?
Have you had a dream about what you want to become or do with your life?
Do you still have the same dream you had when you were younger?(Do you still want to explore space, invent a new product, etc?) Why or why not?
Do you know someone who has lived her/his dream? (Can be a personal friend, a sports figure, an entertainer)
What dreams does most of you family have about school, home life, their futures, romantic relationships, family relationships?
What is/are the dream(s) about life change as you grow older?
Leadership Talking Points' Supplement:
What traits make a good leader?
Who is the most important leader in you life: Your state senator? Your chief of police? Your clergy? Someone like Bill Gates? Some other individual? Explain.
What kind of leader do you want to be? Why?
Who is the greatest leader you can think of and why?
Can you be a great leader without having a dream to point you in the right direction? Explain.
How can technology, such as texting, help you be a better leader?
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