Bernie DeKoven, MA, is the originator of the "fun community"
and the author of The Well-Played Game, a book that helped to
revolutionize physical education worldwide. He
conducts his "DeepFUN™ Retreats" for government and
charitable organizations, businesses and individuals in recovery. Bernie
has developed and implemented "FUN" events involving the cooperation
of groups of all ages. His Interplay Curriculum, a comprehensive program
in self-esteem and social skills based on over 1000 children's games,
was used in classrooms and playgrounds throughout the city of Philadelphia.
He established The Games Preserve, a retreat center in Eastern Pennsylvania
where teachers, therapists and recreators could conduct in-depth investigations
of games and play. In his book, The Well Played Game , he voiced
a philosophy of "healthy competition" that formed the core
teachings of the New Games Foundation. He became co-director of the
foundation, and developed an internationally successful program in facilitating
collaborative games and events. Bernie lives in Redondo Beach, CA.
Website: www.deepfun.com
Keynote Address: "Creating the Fun Community: When Did Having Fun Get So Hard?"
When we were children, playing in the street or the back lot, we
knew all about “Fun Communities.” When someone got hurt, the
game would stop. Because we had fun with each other, we allowed our
trust to reside not in any particular game, but in the community itself.
In the process of growing up we discovered “Game Communities.”
We no longer played for fun, but rather we played to win. And so we
all lost.
Kathleen
Claussen
Kathleen Claussen is a Wells Scholar in her freshman year at
Indiana University, Bloomington, IN. She has served in a variety of
local and state venues as a youth representative; most
notably in the Lehigh Valley of Pennsylavania where in 2000, she co-founded
a youth empowerment group called Teen.TAPS: Teenagers Taking Action
to Power Solutions. Teen.TAPS was extremely instrumental in launching
the first "Unleashing the Power of Youth and Community Potential"
conference. Under her leadership, Teen.TAPS created a statewide public
advocacy campaign to initiate changing a Pennsylvania state law that
prohibits youth from voting on non-profit organization boards. At the
time of this writing, the Pennsylvania legislature is working on this
admendment.
Keynote Address "Youth Voices, Life Choices"
"In our journey through life we are forced to make choices
everyday: choices that influence the way we live, choices that inspire
our peers, choices that impact young people. When it comes to youth
and service to their communities, many times younger members are asked
the well meaning question that may disguise tokenism: "Well...as
our youth representative on board, what do you think?" Often times,
without realizing it, well intentioned adults marginalize and discount
youth involvement."
Rachael
Kessler
Rachael Kessler, MA, is the author of The Soul of Education:
Helping Students Find Connection, Compassion and Character at School,
and also the founder of The PassageWays Institute in Boulder, CO. Described
by Daniel Goleman in the New York Times as a "leader in a new movement
for emotional literacy," Rachael has developed a framework for
addressing the spiritual void in young people which bridges the interests
of educators, parents, and policy-makers from across the spectrum of
religious and political belief. Rachael also works with her husband,
Mark Gerzon, author of 5 books including A House Divided: Six Belief
Systems Struggling for America's Soul. Together, they conduct training
on community building and constructive dialogue in highly polarized
settings including the U.S. Congress. In the 1997 and 1999, they were
the designers and lead facilitators of the first and second Bipartisan
Congressional Retreats. In workshops and consultations, Gerzon and Kessler
offer tools and experiences designed to deepen capacities for listening,
heighten authenticity in speaking, and provide a larger perspective
that leads to respect and collaborative problem-solving.
Website: www.mediatorsfoundation.org/isel/
Keynote Address:
"The Soul of Education: Connection, Compassion and Character in
Learning"
Does a child's soul have a place in the classroom? The debate about
how to include a spiritual dimension in educational settings is a burning
issue that does not go away. Rachael will provide a theoretical framework
illustrated through the powerful stories and questions of young people
to address the following: what does a soulful classroom or group look
like? How do we nurture soul while respecting diverse constituencies
without violating the separation of church and state? How does addressing
soul (the inner life of students and teachers) improve academic performance
and school safety?
October 15, 2002 - Tuesday's Keynote Presenters
Sam
Keen
Sam Keen, Ph.D., is a national treasure. He calls himself "overeducated",
having earned degrees from Harvard Divinity School and Princeton University
in theology, religion and psychology. Sam
is well known for his seminal work, Fire in the Belly, which
landed on the New York Times bestseller list. He has been featured in
the Bill Moyers PBS interview and one of his 13 books, Faces of the
Enemy was made into an Emmy nominated documentary. After serving
for years as consulting editor for Psychology Today, Sam now spends
most of his time writing, lecturing and leading seminars throughout
the world. For many years, Sam presented personal mythology workshops
throughout the world with the late Joseph Campbell. Sam has helped thousands
of people discover ways to write their own autobiography as a means
to self discovery. When not traveling, he can be found at his ranch
in Sonoma, CA high in the air on the flying trapeze. His latest book,
Learning to Fly, is a exhilarating memoir of his life-long interest
in the flying trapeze and its connections to fear, trust and the joy
of letting go.
Website: www.samkeen.com
Keynote Address: "Thou Shalt Rebel: The First Commandment of Adolescence"
Adolescence is a relatively new invention if one looks across the
expanse of human existence. The stage between childhood and adulthood
is often times marked by unbounded enthusiasm and intense moments of
doubt. In spite of all modernity has brought, one thing we have lost
as a culture is a meaningful rite of passage for youth. Inviting rebellion
in safe ways can contain and transform its energy into a positive life
experience.
Alexis
Marin
Alexis Marin is a student at Lehigh Carbon Community College,
a part-time staff member with the Hispanic-American League of Artists
(HALA) and a youth mentor at Valley Youth House of Allentown, PA. He
was born in Puerto Rico and raised in America where at the age of five
he began playing the piano. Alexis has pursued his dreams of becoming
an accomplished musician, lyricist, and dancer through his work at HALA.
He began his dancing with HALA at fifteen years of age and has now become
an Adult Salsa Instructor, the Assistant to the Choreographers and the
Youth Dance Division Assistant Manager. Alexis lives in Allentown, PA.
Keynote Address:
"Dancing to Save My Life"
Knowing about resiliency through research is one thing; living a
resilient life is quite another. We discover our passions and gifts
by taking an inner journey into our deepest wounds. This personal story
of triumph in the face of tragedy and inspiration through dedication
and persistence will leave an indelible impression on those lucky enough
to hear it.
Derek
Peterson
Derek Peterson, M.Ed., has touched the lives of thousands of
Alaskans – both young and old – as the Director of Child/Youth
Advocacy for the Association of Alaska School Boards in Juneau. Peterson
coordinates AASB's Advocacy initiatives that promote the shared responsibility
for educating Alaska's public school children. In his work he travels
Alaska delivering teacher and staff in-services, school board seminars,
student leadership workshops, and community nights. A former college
vice president and faculty member, Peterson taught courses in Human
Development and the Humanities. His signature course was titled "Introduction
to Changing the World." He has designed and facilitated workshops for
over a thousand audiences throughout the United States, Mexico, and
Africa, on topics related to "personal responsibility and community
building" He holds a master's degree in counseling, which he claims
to have never used. Derek, in his work, brings a message of hope to
families, individuals, schools and communities. Derek lives in Juneau,
AK.
Website: www.sesa.org/Assets/
Keynote Address:
"What Do Kids Need to Succeed?"
Remember when we used to assume that most youth would progress successfully
and painlessly through childhood and adolescence into adulthood? The
kids who failed were “other people’s children.” Today
the media speaks of “the hurried child,” “at-risk youth,”
and “drops-outs.” Whether growing up today is different from
before is not as important as the fact that too many kids are unsuccessful
and too many are hurt. Hear a powerful story about how thousands of
Alaskans have become energized to launch an asset building movement
statewide.
Bernie
DeKoven
He
conducts his "DeepFUN™ Retreats" for government and
charitable organizations, businesses and individuals in recovery. Bernie
has developed and implemented "FUN" events involving the cooperation
of groups of all ages. His Interplay Curriculum, a comprehensive program
in self-esteem and social skills based on over 1000 children's games,
was used in classrooms and playgrounds throughout the city of Philadelphia.
He established The Games Preserve, a retreat center in Eastern Pennsylvania
where teachers, therapists and recreators could conduct in-depth investigations
of games and play. In his book, The Well Played Game , he voiced
a philosophy of "healthy competition" that formed the core
teachings of the New Games Foundation. He became co-director of the
foundation, and developed an internationally successful program in facilitating
collaborative games and events. Bernie lives in Redondo Beach, CA. 
Kathleen
Claussen
most
notably in the Lehigh Valley of Pennsylavania where in 2000, she co-founded
a youth empowerment group called Teen.TAPS: Teenagers Taking Action
to Power Solutions. Teen.TAPS was extremely instrumental in launching
the first "Unleashing the Power of Youth and Community Potential"
conference. Under her leadership, Teen.TAPS created a statewide public
advocacy campaign to initiate changing a Pennsylvania state law that
prohibits youth from voting on non-profit organization boards. At the
time of this writing, the Pennsylvania legislature is working on this
admendment.
Rachael
Kessler
Described
by Daniel Goleman in the New York Times as a "leader in a new movement
for emotional literacy," Rachael has developed a framework for
addressing the spiritual void in young people which bridges the interests
of educators, parents, and policy-makers from across the spectrum of
religious and political belief. Rachael also works with her husband,
Mark Gerzon, author of 5 books including A House Divided: Six Belief
Systems Struggling for America's Soul. Together, they conduct training
on community building and constructive dialogue in highly polarized
settings including the U.S. Congress. In the 1997 and 1999, they were
the designers and lead facilitators of the first and second Bipartisan
Congressional Retreats. In workshops and consultations, Gerzon and Kessler
offer tools and experiences designed to deepen capacities for listening,
heighten authenticity in speaking, and provide a larger perspective
that leads to respect and collaborative problem-solving. 
Sam
Keen
Sam
is well known for his seminal work, Fire in the Belly, which
landed on the New York Times bestseller list. He has been featured in
the Bill Moyers PBS interview and one of his 13 books, Faces of the
Enemy was made into an Emmy nominated documentary. After serving
for years as consulting editor for Psychology Today, Sam now spends
most of his time writing, lecturing and leading seminars throughout
the world. For many years, Sam presented personal mythology workshops
throughout the world with the late Joseph Campbell. Sam has helped thousands
of people discover ways to write their own autobiography as a means
to self discovery. When not traveling, he can be found at his ranch
in Sonoma, CA high in the air on the flying trapeze. His latest book,
Learning to Fly, is a exhilarating memoir of his life-long interest
in the flying trapeze and its connections to fear, trust and the joy
of letting go. 
Alexis
Marin 
(HALA) and a youth mentor at Valley Youth House of Allentown, PA. He
was born in Puerto Rico and raised in America where at the age of five
he began playing the piano. Alexis has pursued his dreams of becoming
an accomplished musician, lyricist, and dancer through his work at HALA.
He began his dancing with HALA at fifteen years of age and has now become
an Adult Salsa Instructor, the Assistant to the Choreographers and the
Youth Dance Division Assistant Manager. Alexis lives in Allentown, PA.
Derek
Peterson
Peterson
coordinates AASB's Advocacy initiatives that promote the shared responsibility
for educating Alaska's public school children. In his work he travels
Alaska delivering teacher and staff in-services, school board seminars,
student leadership workshops, and community nights. A former college
vice president and faculty member, Peterson taught courses in Human
Development and the Humanities. His signature course was titled "Introduction
to Changing the World." He has designed and facilitated workshops for
over a thousand audiences throughout the United States, Mexico, and
Africa, on topics related to "personal responsibility and community
building" He holds a master's degree in counseling, which he claims
to have never used. Derek, in his work, brings a message of hope to
families, individuals, schools and communities. Derek lives in Juneau,
AK.