I first heard Peter Benson speak in 1995. Tim Duffey, an old friend from days spent in the Student Assistance Program (SAP) field brought Peter to one of our National SAP conferences to speak as a keynoter. I never forgot Peter and his message. He shared a refreshing thought- “Why is so much energy spent on trying to figure out what’s the matter the kids—why don’t we spend more time on what matters to them?”
Or at least that is how I recall his message. He got me thinking about perspective and I haven’t stopped since. While he may have laid down his tired and worn body, his spirit is way too healthy to die. Just go online for an hour or two and read the tributes pouring into sites here at Search Institute, Facebook or the Caring Bridge. So here is my humble tribute to a friend and mentor—Dr. Peter L. Benson
Shortly after the founding of justCommunity, Inc. in 1999, many local community leaders throughout Upper Bucks County came together to discuss a new beginning for a coalition working on the issue of positive youth development. It had been less than a year since the tragedy at Columbine and many people were genuinely concerned about the well being of kids in our own community and millions more children throughout the country. I remember leaving one of our planning meetings where we were discussing the public roll-out of our coalition. We had been discussing the issue of who we could ask to be our primary speaker to bring us together with a call to action—Someone on our committee suggested calling Dr. Peter Benson. I figured it was a long shot since his work at Search Institute and the following that the 40 Developmental Assets had been garnering was taking him to large audiences. I figured that speaking to a hundred or so people in a small fire company hall in Quakertown, PA probably would not be part of his strategic plan. Little did I know then what I know now—Peter’s “strategic plan” was simple- If called to talk to a group of “kindred spirits” (as he so often called us all), especially one in a small town in America in a fire hall no less—well –let me put this way—his first question to me about the talk was not “Who will I be speaking to?”, it was “How far are you from the Philadelphia airport?”.
You see he did have a talk that morning in Philadelphia and if I recall it was a big one. To a group of VIP’s. I was soon to learn that Peter considered everyone he met a VIP. He truly did, for he knew that one person can touch thousands of others and sometimes thousands of people can touch no one…unless they begin to think differently…in new ways about children and what they need and can give. So after a few more conversations about logistics, Peter figured out if he could rent a car he would drive north to Quakertown, PA (about 30 miles north of Philadelphia).
And so on May 5, 2000, he did indeed give a welcoming talk to our fledgling group and he did manage to get back down to the airport for his flight home to Minneapolis by 7 PM. My life (and many others here in Upper Bucks County, PA) has been forever changed. We launched our coalition that day- for the first time in the history of our community our local school Superintendent committed to conducting a youth survey (which we did and now have been conducting the 40 Assets Survey for over a decade). I remember the high I felt driving home that night—we had planned for months for this big event and it went off without a hitch—Peter’s talk inspired all of us that afternoon- we had made a breakthrough—and it was because of something very simple- to believe that anything is possible—that to reach out and ask a well known leader to show up for a 20 minute talk in a fire hall is not small at all.
“To dream what is possible and to put oneself in service of that dream is the formula for a life well lived.”
Peter did indeed dream big. He has been justly rewarded. I will never forget that day Peter. Thank you friend. And God speed.
