Trinity Prep School - A Thomas Jefferson Education

Jan. 4, 2007

A Thomas Jefferson Education

I've heard character is not how you behave when people are looking, but how you act when no one is looking. The same assertion can be made about leadership. Leadership skills should not be judged in times of peace and prosperity, but in times of crisis, fear, skepticism, disorder and unrest.

In the first chapter of A Thomas Jefferson Education, DeMille points to the events of 9/11 to highlight the desires and NEED for well-trained leaders. During events such as the more recent Hurricane Katrina, the consequences of poor leadership skills were illuminated for all of us to criticize. We criticize the lack of leadership skills as Monday morning quarterbacks, but the situation begs the question....what are we doing to train the future leaders of our nation?

DeMille outlines some lessons students should learn from 9/11:

1. Every generation faces its own crisis: someday someone may look to you for leadership.

2. When crisis hits we turn to God and prayer...one's core belief system.

3. When crisis hits, we look to leadership; that leadership determines our level of success or failure.

4. We must learn from historical trends and patterns, because history repeats itself

5. Although wisdom is found in the elderly, in times of challenge, it is usually the young who provide answers.

6. The young are all about making the world a better place.

7. If we don't have the education, we cannot expect to have the leadership.

A Thomas Jefferson Education is a call to change our educational system. DeMille declares the education our children are receivng in our public schools is not on par with their potential. "How can we tell our children that mediocre education will do, when greatness is available?"

Who will be ready to answer the call for leadership? The answer depends on how we educate the next generation. DeMille outlines a plan for educating students as future leaders in his newest edition of A Thomas Jefferson Education.