Events Around the Nation

Here are just a few of the things people like you are doing around the country:

WASHINGTON, DC: All-female acapella group "Treble in Paradise" will be performing at American University this Saturday, September 29th, in support of AU's AIDS Walk Washington team. "Treble" is one of the top female vocal groups on the East Coast, and proceeds from the show will go to fight AIDS. What could be better? For more information on how you can attend or how you can do something like this, contact Vanessa Mueller.

BATON ROUGE, LA: Students at Louisiana State University (LSU) have created Students On Target (SOT), a group that offers alternatives to activities which generate a high risk of alcohol consumption. SOT promotes responsible choices with alcohol, thus creating a safer environment for everyone. One of the most anticipated events on the LSU campus is put on by SOT--a substance-free concert and festival known as "Groovin' on the Grounds." Last year, the show attracted stars like Chevelle, and Marc Broussard. To find out more, and how you can bring SOT to your school, E-mail them at SOT@lsu.edu.

WASHINGTON, DC: Innovative youth group DC SCORES (part of "America Scores") "bridges the academic and athletic development of youth by providing them with creative writing and soccer activities each day after-school and for five weeks during the summer." On Saturday, September 29th, the autumn season of DC SCORES kicks off with their "Fall Frenzy," a day-long event complete with soccer tournament, arts and crafts, and fun times with DC area kids. The group needs your help--DC SCORES is looking for volunteers to work as referees, face painters, help with set-up, and encourage the kids. The event lasts from 7AM to 3PM on Saturday, and you can contact Tohry Petty to offer your services, find out more, or bring America Scores to your hometown.

These are just a few of the THOUSANDS of events going on this weekend. Send us what you are doing at your campus or community, and we will post it on here so that others may follow. E-mail us!

Giving

"I wrote this book to encourage you to give whatever you can, because everyone can give something. And there's so much to be done, down the street and around the world." --Bill Clinton



Former President Bill Clinton is using his post-presidential career in a very positive way--he's trying to change the world. In his new book, Giving, the former president talks about his experiences serving others around the world, and about how we can do the same (and no, you don't have to be a former president to change the world).

The American Leaders Organization has so much in common with the themes of this book--no matter who you are, you have the power to change the world; no matter what you think or do, you have such a profound impact on the world around you. Your impact as a student is different than Clinton's impact as a president--but yours is just as important to the vitality of this nation.

Here are a few excerpts from the publisher's description on the dust jacket (Alfred A. Knopf):

"Giving is an inspiring look at how each of us can change the world. First, it reveals the extraordinary and innovative efforts now being made by companies and organizations--and by individuals--to solve problems and save lives both 'down the street and around the world.' Then it urges us to seek out what each of us, 'regardless of income, available time, age, and skills,' can do to help, to give people a chance to live out their dreams.... Bill Clinton's own actions in his post-presidential years have had an enormous impact on the lives of millions. Through his foundation and his work in the aftermath of the Asian tsunami and Hurricane Katrina, he has become an international spokesperson and model for the power of giving. 'We all have the capacity to do great things,' President Clinton says. 'My hope is that the people and stories in this book will lift spirits, touch hearts, and demonstrate that citizen activism and service can be a powerful agent of change in the world."


It doesn't matter what party you belong to--pick this book up, and consider its calls to service.


To learn about other initiatives of the former president, visit the William J. Clinton Foundation.

What have you done to change the world?
E-mail us and let your story be known (we know you like to be humble, but we really need to hear it!).

Bringing Books to Kids

"Some books leave us free and some books make us free." --Ralph Waldo Emerson

The American Leaders Organization is sponsoring a massive books-to-schools drive in the coming months. Partnering with Books for International Goodwill, headed by Professor Stephen Frantzich, the ALO will be leading a group of universities to deliver much-needed books to Baltimore inner-city schools, and to partner with those schools for years to come.

Our vision is to involve as many area college students as possible, in order to deliver books to as many schools as possible. We will all deliver these books on the same day, simultaneously, to show the students that it's not just one of them at a time--we care about ALL of them!

We are looking for Maryland/DC area university students who are willing to help bring books to children! If you are interested, E-mail project director Bryana Tucci with your name, university, and contact information and we will include you in on this noble effort.

Help us make history and touch lives--you'll be glad you did.

The Little Prince and Leadership

By Luke Schamel, Project Director for the American Leaders Organization and a sophomore at the US Naval Academy.

The following is a short excerpt from Antoine de Saint Exupery's, "The Little Prince." The story is about a small boy who travels from his small, house-sized planet to other nearby planets and eventually Earth. The little prince's findings accentuate different aspects of our society and the simple truths and reasoning that we often forget as we lose our innocence through "growing up." I especially like the chapter where he meets a king due to its leadership implications, which is the excerpt I have provided.

"Ah! Here is a subject," exclaimed the king, when he saw the little prince coming.
And the little prince asked himself:
"How could he recognize me when he had never seen me before?"
He did not know how the world is simplified for kings. To them, all men are subjects.
"Approach, so that I may see you better," said the king, who felt consumingly proud of being at last a king over somebody.
The little prince looked everywhere to find a place to sit down; but the entire planet was crammed and obstructed by the king's magnificent ermine robe. So he remained standing upright, and, since he was tired, he yawned.
"It is contrary to etiquette to yawn in the presence of a king," the monarch said to him. "I forbid you to do so."
"I can't help it. I can't stop myself," replied the little prince, thoroughly embarrassed. "I have come on a long journey, and I have had no sleep . . ."
"Ah, then," the king said. "I order you to yawn. It is years since I have seen anyone yawning. Yawns, to me, are objects of curiosity. Come, now! Yawn again! It is an order."
"That frightens me . . . I cannot, any more . . ." murmured the little prince, now completely abashed.
"Hum! Hum!" replied the king. "Then I--I order you sometimes to yawn and sometimes to--"
He sputtered a little, and seemed vexed.
For what the king fundamentally insisted upon was that his authority should be respected. He tolerated no disobedience. He was an absolute monarch. But, because he was a very good man, he made his orders reasonable.
"If I ordered a general," he would say, by way of example, "if I ordered a general to change himself into a sea bird, and if the general did not obey me, that would not be the fault of the general. It would be my fault."
"May I sit down?" came now a timid inquiry from the little prince.
"I order you to do so," the king answered him, and majestically gathered in a fold of his ermine mantle.
But the little prince was wondering . . . The planet was tiny. Over what could this king really rule?
"Sire," he said to him, "I beg that you will excuse my asking you a question--"
"I order you to ask me a question," the king hastened to assure him.
"Sire--over what do you rule?"
"Over everything," said the king, with magnificent simplicity.
"Over everything?"
The king made a gesture, which took in his planet, the other planets, and all the stars.
"Over all that?" asked the little prince.
"Over all that," the king answered.
For his rule was not only absolute: it was also universal.
"And the stars obey you?"
"Certainly they do," the king said. "They obey instantly. I do not permit insubordination."
Such power was a thing for the little prince to marvel at. If he had been master of such complete authority, he would have been able to watch the sunset, not forty-four times in one day, but seventy-two, or even a hundred, or even two hundred times, without ever having to move his chair. And because he felt a bit sad as he remembered his little planet which he had forsaken, he plucked up his courage to ask the king a favor:
"I should like to see a sunset . . . Do me that kindness . . . Order the sun to set . . ."
"If I ordered a general to fly from one flower to another like a butterfly, or to write a tragic drama, or to change himself into a sea bird, and if the general did not carry out the order that he had received, which one of us would be in the wrong?" the king demanded. "The general, or myself?"
"You," said the little prince firmly.
"Exactly. One must require from each one the duty which each one can perform," the king went on. "Accepted authority rests first of all on reason. If you ordered your people to go and throw themselves into the sea, they would rise up in revolution. I have the right to require obedience because my orders are reasonable."
"Then my sunset?" the little prince reminded him: for he never forgot a question once he had asked it.
"You shall have your sunset. I shall command it. But, according to my science of government, I shall wait until conditions are favorable."
"When will that be?" inquired the little prince.
"Hum! Hum!" replied the king; and before saying anything else he consulted a bulky almanac. "Hum! Hum! That will be about--about--that will be this evening about twenty minutes to eight. And you will see how well I am obeyed!"

My take on some key points: I think it vital to focus on the simplicity of the king's statements. The raw nature of his philosophy on leadership should be examined and personalized wherever applicable, and applauded for its close ties with logical reasoning. Without reasoning and logical thought, an order holds no meaning with a subordinate. One can only hope they have earned the respect of their subordinates enough for them to overlook an unreasonable request, but repetition of such requests will begin to undermine any respect or trust that has developed. Trust is earned through respect and reasoning, and is not allotted simply based on rank or position--it is not issued and cannot be forced. Rank does not make one's actions right, nor does it automatically require obedience (though it is important to note that it may be legally required). Relying on anything other than respect, reason, and logic to accomplish goals and influence subordinates is unwise and puts any leader that does so on thin-ice, at best.
To the readers: Do not forget or overlook the simple truths. Ask only what you can reasonably expect of your people, and know how to ask for obedience so that your requests can be carried out--do not demand the impossible, but still strive for excellence.

Send us your stuff! Publish your own post on the ALO blog and it will appear HERE. E-mail us at AmericanLeaders@gmail.com.

September is Hispanic Heritage Month

We are a nation of immigrants, and a country that prides itself in our diversity. At times our great nation tends to forget that.

The United States has the 5th-most Spanish speakers in the world, with a population of 22.4 million who speak the language. Only Mexico and Colombia have a larger Hispanic population than the United States. Hispanic-owned business generated $222 billion in 2002. There is no denying that the Hispanic-American population is a vital, legitimate part of our nation's well-being.

Various prominent organizations are spearheading drives to increase awareness of Hispanic-Americans, such as the Albuquerque Hispano Chamber of Commerce, Sandia National Laboratories, the Los Angeles Dodgers, and communities across the United States. You don't have to learn how to speak Spanish, but go out and learn something today about Hispanic-Americans that you didn't know yesterday.

The United States has a long way to go before tolerance abounds. If we are ever to achieve the true American Dream, we will get there on the road paved by social equity and tolerance. All it takes is a little bit of learning, understanding, and a good amount of heart.

The Homeless: Revisited

By Rebecca Hill, a junior at Syracuse University

I am a Junior at Syracuse University in Upstate NY. This issue on homelessness really gets to me. There were so many important aspects of it brought up in this post and as the leaders of tomorrow, wouldn't it be amazing if we started to understand this problem in our society? I just want to mention a few ideas (some aforementioned here), but more importantly they are tied to my personal experience as an individual.

One of my former employers opened my eyes to the problem of homelessness in America. The biggest problem may actually be how those who have homes regard those who do not. How can we improve their positions when we don't truly value them as much as ourselves or pass off their homelessness as a consequence of their inability to produce a steady income?

If you have the opportunity: talk to a homeless person. Ask them why it happened. Ask them how they feel about their current position in society. I am confident that in many cases, you would be extremely surprised by what you hear. The last man I talked to was on a subway train in NYC. No one else on the train acknowledged him, and all I asked was "How are you today, sir?" He replied promptly with "Honey that just made my day." We continued our conversation talking about his story... I listened. Then I gave him some food that I was carrying.

We can help people in so many ways, but one of the greatest ways is direct involvement. We can also share with each other our experiences and talk about what can be done outside of what we personally do. A lot of times, though, it requires us to go far out of our comfort zone. That is often when I find the greatest reward.

You can have your thoughts published by the ALO, just comment on our posts or send us an E-mail!

Leadership Profile: Coach Mike Krzyzewski

One of the most successful and well-known NCAA basketball coaches of all time, "Coach K" has led the Duke University Blue Devils from the sidelines for the past 27 years. In that time, his results are staggering--680 victories, winning 78% of his games; 22 trips to the NCAA tournament; 10 Final Four Appearances; 7 NCAA Finals; 3 National Championships. His former players include such NBA notables as Grant Hill, Christian Laettner, Bobby Hurley, Shane Battier, Elton Brand, and Carlos Boozer.

Yet, through it all, Coach K recognizes his unique role on the sidelines at Duke--"I don't look at myself as a basketball coach," he says. "I look at myself as a leader who happens to coach basketball."

Few people realize that Coach K was once Cadet K--the product of service academy education, graduating from West Point in 1969. He served five years in the US Army, retiring with the rank of Captain in 1974. After coaching for five years at his alma mater, Krzyzewski accepted the head coach position at Duke in 1980.

What sets Coach K apart from his peers is his selfless dedication to improving the lives of others through basketball and his own innate gifts. On top of coaching both collegiate and world-championship teams, Krzyzewski also hosts a conference on leadership for business professionals, holds camps for both younger students and nostalgic older individuals, and helps those disadvantaged in society to dream big through the Emily Krzyzewski Family LIFE Center. You can find out more about Coach K, and how to get involved with these and more programs, from his official website.

Coach K is in the news right now as the head coach of the USA Basketball team headed to the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. Marred by "lack of effort" and the image of greedy, selfish superstars, USA Basketball struggled to win the bronze medal at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. Coach K will try to lead an upstart US team with much potential to their first gold medal since 2000.

Words of wisdom from the man himself:

"When you first assemble a group, it’s not a team right off the bat. It’s only a collection of individuals."
"Too many rules get in the way of leadership. They just put you in a box . . . . People set rules to keep from making decisions."
"There are five fundamental qualities that make every team great: communication, trust, collective responsibility, caring and pride. I like to think of each as a separate finger on the fist. Any one individually is important. But all of them together are unbeatable."