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I have so many things that I want to blog about, that it’s hard to decide. I hope I am choosing things that you are interested in.
One of the things that I picked up at the school counselors conference has held my interest.
There is a man named Reggie Dabbs who has started something called “The Seven Project”.
Here is a description of Mr. Dabbs life and The Seven Project from his website.
Born to an unwed teenager who at one time considered abortion as a viable option for solving her “problem,” Reggie Dabbs considers himself fortunate to be alive. With no place to go, the pregnant teenager ended up living in a chicken coop in Louisiana. It was there she remembered a former school teacher, Mrs. Dabbs, who had said to her students, “If you ever need anything, call me,” and gave the students her home phone number. The girl called.
Mrs. Dabbs went to Louisiana, picked up the girl, and took her back to Tennessee where she and her husband, whose six children were adults by this time, took the girl into their home and cared for her until after the baby was born. They continued to care for little Reggie as foster parents until he was in the fourth grade, and then they officially adopted him and gave him the Dabbs name.
As the Dabbs’ reared Reggie, they instilled in him strong moral values, for which he is genuinely grateful. They also ingrained in him the fact that in every situation he faced, he had a choice. What he did with those choices was entirely up to him.
In the sixth, Reggie began playing the saxophone and hated it. At the insistence of his parents he continued to practice and to play. Not until his freshman year in college did he actually enjoy the instrument, and today, he plays with fervor and expertise.
After graduating from college, Reggie began his public speaking. During one speaking engagement, his host asked if he would be interested in addressing a high school assembly. From that small beginning in 1987, Reggie has become a popular public school speaker.
When addressing a school assembly, Reggie talks to the kids in a humorous style about choices each of them has when faced with drugs, alcohol, suicide, etc. Reggie gets in kids faces and tells them that he never smoked a cigarette, never did drugs, never drank alcohol, because he chose not to. He assures them that they can make the same kinds of choices.
Reggie talks to kids about family and how thankful they should be that they have families. He talks to them about dating relationships and emphasizes that virginity is the most honorable choice. Most of all, Reggie drives home the fact that “You can never change your past, but you can change your future!”
From being a “Problem” to an unwed teenager, Reggie is fast becoming one of the most in-demand speakers who helps teenagers meet their problems head-on and overcome them.
Reggie makes his home in Ft. Myers, Florida with his wife Michele and their son Dominic.
I have checked his website, his Original Brotha’ website, his My Space page, and the website for The Seven Project. Let me just say, I am very impressed. I wish I could have Mr. Dabbs talk to my son. You can order a DVD or CD from the Original Brotha’ store if you are interested. I ordered them today.
The videos of his speaking engagements are incredible. They incorporate speaking, music, games, etc. to keep the kids interested. He doesn’t talk down to them, and he uses a lot of humor rather than just lecturing “at” them.
While his organization is Christian based, religion is not included in the presentations. The kids can go on the website and read Christian messages and philosophies if they choose to.
I hope that he’ll have a speaking engagement that I’ll be able to get to soon.
The photo of Mr. Dabbs is from his website.
