As youth development professionals, our goal is to provide effective and relevant curriculum to meet the needs of youth in our communities.

"Students, today I will be utilizing approaches from the crypt of dry curricula I am mandated to implement in the classroom and you are going to write about something you don't feel connected to, can't see any point in, and which will live in 'the cloud' forever after I grade it to assess skills you've never actually been taught." —Said out loud by no teacher ever

Youth development professionals can tell when youth are engaged in a meaningful and challenging activity.

Have you seen the animated whiteboard video of Sir Ken Robinson? With help from RSA Animate, Robinson explains the history of formal education and the necessity for Changing Education Paradigms.

At the core of the 4Cs—Collaboration, Creativity, Critical Thinking, Communication—is another C: Curiosity.

Did you use the 4Cs today?

Of course you did.

But how?

If you're reading this, chances are you're an educator who has a deep level of concern for our young people and how they're thriving or—more important—how they may NOT be thriving these days. The statistics* and our firsthand experiences tell a sad story about our teens today.

When parents participate in their children's education, everybody wins.

What are your organizational resolutions for the New Year?