Back To School For DeMolay

The summer is almost over, which means school is back in session. I’m sure most DeMolay members will cringe at the thought of school, but it’s not all bad right? You get to see friends that you haven’t seen throughout the summer, experience a new classroom with a new teacher, and you’re a grade higher than you were last year. The most important part of why school is a good thing is because it’s the perfect place to promote DeMolay.

The one thing that makes DeMolay grow is membership, bringing in others to enjoy the experiences that we have all enjoyed ourselves. Why not take advantage of this opportunity by promoting DeMolay at school? You can talk to friends about the fun activities that took place over the summer during lunch or in between classes (I don’t recommend talking during class time. Teachers won’t like that.) You can describe how much fun you had at KeyMan or Convention. When they ask how do I take part in this, give them a form and a brochure.

Another way to promote DeMolay is to promote without saying a word, through advertising. Wear a DeMolay shirt or an emblem on your backpack. Friends may ask what that logo represents, creating a conversation starter, and hopefully a new prospective member.

So, now you should be excited about going back to school. Go out there and recruit new members to make your DeMolay experience more exciting.   

Letter in DeMolay!

In 2014, DeMolay International designed a program called the DeMolay Varsity Club. This program allows members, advisors and sweethearts the opportunity to fill out an application so they can "Letter in DeMolay," similar to how an athlete can letter on the High School Varsity level. This achievement relies on a few key elements; leadership, involvement, knowledge and planning.

A member or sweetheart can earn a "letter" by doing all of the following:

• Mentor a new member
• Teach chapter members a new skill
• Serve in a leadership position
• Attend 6 Chapter Meetings and 2 other chapter events
• Plan a new event
• Bring in 1 new member or advisor
• Complete and earn the Representative DeMolay Award
• Complete and pass 1 Leadership Correspondence Course
• A member also must learn 1 new ritual part to perform at a meeting or public event

An advisor can also earn a "letter" by doing the following:

• Recruit a brand new advisor to the advisory council
• Lead and work with chapter members to create and execute a brand new event

A total of 8 people have earned the "letter" in Pennsylvania. Here are the people that have earned it so far:

• Alicia Daniels (Reading Chapter)
• Tyler Moyer (Pilgrim Chapter)
• Eric Dye (Allentown Chapter)
• Andrew Santilli (Chester Pike Chapter)
• Brian Martin (Carlisle Chapter)
• "Dad" Brett Otto (Carlisle Chapter) 
• "Mom" Kelly Otto (Carlisle Chapter)
• Adam Neubauer (Westmoreland Chapter)

The program concludes June 30th, so there is still time to earn yourself a "Letter in DeMolay." Fill out the application and earn yours today! 

Until next time - "Dad" Joe Pullin 

 

Which Acceptance Do You Accept?

In the next few weeks, our High School Seniors will be attempting to choose the right College that suits their needs. This blog post will provide some insight in making that decision easier. Today, we have a special guest blog post from "Dad" Peter Brusoe. Pete is a Past International Master Councilor for DeMolay International, currently residing in our Nation's Capital. 

The College search process is nearly at an end for the Class of 2016.  Acceptance letters are out and soon it is time to make a deposit and indicate which school you wish to attend.  Hopefully you have several highly competitive offers with financial assistance, which school do you choose? The one that goes to the NCAAs all the time? The school with the highest female to male ration? The one with the cutest mascot?  Below are some things to think about as you make your final selection.

1) Money: College is not cheap. There is tuition, housing costs, food costs, technology fees, athletic fees, lab fees, book fees, alumni-student partnership fees and student activity fees among other costs.   I have a friend whose study features copies of her children’s diplomas next to a picture of a beach house because it reminds her of how much that college education cost.  You will want to ask yourself the following questions about the financial aid package:

(A) Of the total package, how much is the scholarship component? Several schools have taken to including federal loans in the financial aid summary. This is a bit deceptive because loans are not aid, and you will need to pay them back with interest.  While a $30,000 scholarship from a private college sounds impressive, a $10,000 scholarship at a public university may mean less overall cost.  

(B) Focus on the cost of attendance.  Every school has an estimated cost of attendance that should include estimates for everything that you need to pay for including text books.  Colleges and Universities are increasingly finding ways to raise revenue by adding on new fees.

(C) Will the scholarship increase as tuition increases? Say the cost of attendance is $25,000 and you have a $12,500 scholarship.  Half of your costs are covered. But if tuition goes up to $26,000 now only 48% is covered.

(D) How much does tuition go up every year and who controls this? Most schools should have a reasonable and rational tuition increase every year.  Ideally it should be between 1-2%.  However, if schools have been putting off tuition increases you may get hit with a significant tuition increase during your time there.  It also depends on who controls tuition increases, in New York our state legislature controlled the tuition increases and would do so on the back of the students.

(E) How does the work study program work?  If there is a federal work study component in your aid how many hours a week do you need to work? Are you guaranteed those hours? Do you have a choice among your work study options or do they pick it for you?

(F) Remember the fine print of the scholarship awards:  Many scholarship offers are dependent on you still maintaining good grades the last two quarters of high school; others require that you maintain a certain GPA. Some scholarships like athletics, cheerleading, and band will require that you participate in that activity, if you stop participating the money will probably go away.  If you are doing an ROTC scholarship and you decide not to continue, what money will you need to pay back?

(G) Renegotiate: If your financial aid package is not what you expected, feel free to ask for more, but be specific.  You want to attend this college, but you can’t afford to do this unless your award goes up by a certain amount.

2) On time Graduation Rate:  You will graduate in four years or less. Each school should have statistics on what percentage of their student population graduates in four years.  In more and more advertising materials colleges will cite a five or perhaps a six year graduation rate.  This is great for marketing, but you really want to know if you will graduate on time or not.  How flexible is the school with changing majors? This is an important question as it relates to people changing their minds on programs.  If you go from a Political Science Major to a Chemistry Major will you need to add on time?

3) How often are required classes offered?  Some majors may have a required class that you need to take before taking upper division classes in the field.  If that class is only offered once every three semesters, that may goof up the rest of your academic plans.

4) What credits will transfer and how do they transfer?  Many students come into college with AP, or CLEP credits, or possibly classes at the local community college.  If you can knock out some credits it will enable you to take more classes in your major or some extra electives. However, college credit transferability can be problematic.
(A) You will want to make sure that the college you are going to will accept them, or will only accept them with certain grades. 
(B) It is also worth having the conversation about how they will accept them as equivalent class credits.  If you took English 101 at the local community college, some colleges will say you have three credits, but will still make you take the class again. 
(C) After you enroll, can you take classes at other schools and transfer the credit in?  During the summer you may want to take a couple of classes at the local community college and then transfer them in to get you closer to graduation.  Some schools will not allow you do this after you enroll (the fancy word is “matriculate”) or will require you to get special permission. 

5) Career services:  College is an amazing experience. However, college has a definitive goal in mind. At the end of four years you should be able to start a career.  The school should help you with this through internships or co-operative learning experiences, mentorship and other career services.  Schools should have some statistic about the percentage of their graduates who are employed or in graduate school within six months of graduation.   If your goal is to go to graduate school, you will want to ask where students go to grad school, law school or medical school.

6) What unique experiences does the school provide?  Schools provide outstanding opportunities for students to do neat things.  Things you should look for include study abroad experiences, Semester in Washington, combined bachelors and masters programs, Bachelors and law degrees.  These programs can add value to your experience.

7) Will you have the support that you need at the school?
(A) If you have an EOP or a 504 plan in place, will the school be able to provide you with reasonable accommodations? How supportive is the community? It may be worth asking to speak to a student like you for their experiences.
(B) Is your faith tradition supported on campus?  It is worth checking out the Campus Ministry program, the Hillel, the Newman Center, the Hindu Student Association or the Muslim student association to see what level of programing and support they have for students.
(C) What support does the school provide students for difficult classes?  You will struggle with some classes in college.  I was horrible at calculus, but thankfully UAlbany had free tutoring on Tuesday nights in the Academic Support Services office.  I was there every Tuesday trying to grapple with the material with a very understanding graduate student.
(D) If you identify as LGBT does the school provide support for their students? 

8) Sit in on a class.  I was deciding between two schools for college, one of my mentors said to me “Sit in on the class and listen to the students and the interaction they have, you will notice a stark difference between UAlbany and the other school.”  She was 100% right.  Sit in on a class, maybe do an overnight and experience what it is to be a student there. Make sure that you are comfortable being there.

9) Reach out to DeMolay alumni who went to the school:  Somewhere in our Masonic Family we know someone who attended the university or college that you are looking at attending.  If you don’t know of someone reach out your chapter advisor or deputy executive officer.  There is someone out there who can give you insight or advice.

10) Do not go to the school solely because that is where your love of your life is going or your best friend is going.  College has a way of changing relationships and you do not want to be stuck at a school just because your friend was going there. 

Good luck as you make your decision in the coming weeks!

Honor Roll Challenge in Philadelphia

Are you a member of DeMolay that gets honor roll on their report cards? If so, then your chapter or region may want to consider this idea. Several years ago, the Philadelphia region put together an Honor Roll Challenge for all of the members from Friendship-Bray, Northeast and Chester Pike Chapters who receive A's and B's on their final report cards. A copy of the report card is sent to Deputy Executive Officer Rick Freedman before a specific deadline. The program is back by popular demand, with the challenge being held on August 20, 2016. This year's deadline for report cards is July 8th, 2016.

You're probably wondering what happens at this Honor Roll Challenge that makes it so special. The members are taken to an awesome restaurant, as well as a fun activity afterward such as Dave and Busters, bowling or laser tag. Although I never personally had a chance to attend, several members of my chapter expressed excitement about the great time they had. This also motivated to continue working hard so they could attend the following year. The whole concept of the Honor Roll Challenge is to prove to the young men that hard work really does pay off. This program gives a great incentive to the members of DeMolay, pushing them to work hard for good grades.

One of the main teachings that makes DeMolay great is the appreciation for our educational system. This is a perfect opportunity to show that we value the future of our members. Take some time to appreciate the knowledge of the members in your chapter or region.

Until next time - "Dad" Joe Pullin  

Make Yourself Feel Distinguished!

Have you done a lot of work for your local community or taken an active role within your church? Do you continue to get good grades in school and help out with responsibilities at home or in DeMolay? Wouldn’t it be nice if there was some type of recognition for all of this hard work? Well there is, and it has always been available for any DeMolay who wants to earn it.

The Distinguished Service Award recognizes outstanding overall service performed by a DeMolay member. The areas of service include religion, community, DeMolay, education and home, among others. A jurisdiction can award two recipients per year, one for each half of the DeMolay year. The award is typically awarded at the annual convention; however it has been awarded at other events at the Executive Officer’s discretion. For example, since I couldn’t make convention, my DSA was awarded to me at the 2008 Basketball Tournament.

This sounds great, but how do I apply? There is no formal application for this award. Rather, the applicant, working with the Advisory Council, will need to assemble a package of materials demonstrating his service in various areas. The Advisory Council generally assists in soliciting recommendations from individuals who have worked with the applicant in various areas of service. The nomination for the Award officially comes from the Advisory Council, though a member may apply for his own nomination through his Advisory Council.

The Distinguished Service Award has not been awarded in Pennsylvania since 2013, meaning for two years no one has applied for this award. If you know someone that is eligible for this award, click here for the list of materials needed to apply.

Until next time - "Dad" Joe Pullin

DeMolay Involvement in Demand

While trying to come up with a good topic for today, I came across this infographic about success in life and extra curricular activities. Studies continue to show that activities outside of school, such as DeMolay, provide key life skills to those involved and better prepare members of the job market and real life. Check it out: (Click to make the image larger)

 

As you can see, by almost every measure, being involved with an organization such as DeMolay will increase your standing in society and give you a leg up. Taking a leadership role will take you even further. The next time you're trying to recruit a new member, have the advisors use this information to talk with his parents, as they might be interested to learn what DeMolay can do.

 

Frat! ~ "Dad" Seth Anthony

 

The Importance of Words

Today's post comes to us courtesy of "Dad" Peter Brusoe, Past International Master Councilor, Advisor with Nation's Capital DeMolay. Enjoy!

I was talking with a DeMolay and he mentioned that he had the best grade in his entire high school English class.  Not satisfied with that accomplishment, he then recounted how he did better than this student, and that student, and some other student.  My first reaction was why weren’t these students in DeMolay? My second reaction was that I cautioned him that hubris was not good for the soul.

He said, “ ‘Dad’ Brusoe, what’s hubris?”
“You have the best grade in English and you don’t know what hubris is?” I jokingly teased him.
 
“ ‘Dad’ Brusoe, you don’t need to have a good vocabulary to do good in English.” I was promptly informed.

 I suggested to him that you may need a good vocabulary to do well in English in a less jocular tone of voice.

For those of you who do not know, Hubris is defined as excessive pride or self-confidence.  Most frequently this quality is found in Greek tragedies and causes the downfall of a character.  We all tend to be guilty of suffering from it from time to time.   We may not use the word often, but it is a good word for scrabble as well as when you are discussing the human condition, or in SAT examination preparation.  

Perhaps the DeMolay was right.  Maybe you don’t need a good vocabulary to do well in English.  In this inane academic world focused on standardized testing we are losing part of our culture. Winston Smith would think that we’re entering the world of newspeak.  

You do need a good vocabulary to do well in life and in college.  The words you use act as signaling cues to other people about your level of education, your degree of sophistication, which books you have read, and your general interest in the world around you. 

There is nothing worse than asking someone you just met “How are you?” and they mumble “good” or “OK”

Consider for a moment the word “good.”  A lot of things are “good” but is the quality of Mom’s meatloaf the same type of good as the latest Pop song? Are they the same type of good as the last Eagles Football game?  Are they the same type of good as Keyman?

Of course not. 

Mom’s Meatloaf was savory, delicious, appetizing, succulent, tasty and mouthwatering.
The latest pop song was emotional, enjoyable, has a fun beat, is catchy, and is energetic.
The Eagle’s game was well-played, high scoring, emotional, edge of the seat excitement.
Keyman was fun, eye opening, unique experience, exhilarating, athletic.

Every year we get older the number of new words we learn decreases dramatically.  Part of this is that most popular fiction and news that we read is written at a middle school reading level.  As an organization that believes in the importance of education we should constantly be looking at improving our vocabulary.  There are two sites on the internet that you can do this. This year let us commit to learning one new word each week.

There are some great websites that help you with this, I would recommend several of them to you:

http://wordsmith.org/words/today.html

http://www.merriam-webster.com/word-of-the-day/
http://www.wordthink.com/
http://dictionary.reference.com/wordoftheday/

Etiquette and You - College Edition

A hot topic amongst DeMolay's today is that of etiquette. Your first response to that topic is probably "Really? Etiquette? Surely you're joking." But, what is the social media issue but one of etiquette? What do most adult's complaints about youth boil down to? A lack of etiquette. It was almost fortuitous that I came across another great article about etiquette this morning.

The folks over at The Art of Manliness Blog just put out a great new article entitled How to be a Gentleman Scholar: Classroom Etiquette for the Modern Man. As DeMolays head to college to this fall, I would encourage them to take a quick gander at this article and learn some of the key points. Many are lessons we teach in DeMolay already, like:

• Be on time.
• Be respectful.
• Don't dominate others.
• Pay attention.

These are pretty simple lessons, but everyone can use a reminder from time to time.

On a side note, I will be travelling on Thursday of this week and will not be able to post. I'm going to try to line up a special guest to post, so check back and see who it is!

Frat! ~ "Dad" Seth Anthony

Don't Regret College

This week, many of our DeMolays are heading to college. Some are going for the first time, while others are working towards the completion of their degree at more advanced level. Either way, these young people should be commended for advancing their knowledge.

However, over the last several months, I've heard time and time again about the financial difficulties facing recent college graduates. According to an article on Art of Manliness, many college graduates are facing regret. It says:

 "When over 500 recent graduates were surveyed by Accounting Principals, they reported 3 big financial regrets about their college career:

• They wish they had more actively pursued scholarships and financial aid.
• They wish they had pursued a different major that had more realistic job prospects and a higher starting salary.
• They wish they had gotten a job while in college and had started saving money earlier."

The article then goes on to describe ways to avoid these regrets, including tips for scholarship searches and how better to manage money while in school

. I think it is an incredibly valuable read for any college bound person or parent. Check it out here: http://www.artofmanliness.com/2013/08/06/the-3-biggest-financial-regrets-of-college-graduates-and-how-to-avoid-them/

Frat! ~ "Dad" Seth Anthony

A Double Check

Being the Director of Communications for PMYF means that I do a lot of writing. Between the Masonic Youth Minutes, this blog, the websites, and several other publications, I'm constantly churning out documents and pieces for publication. While we do our best to proof read each other here in the office, sometimes we're all very busy and we can't turn things around fast enough. This was becoming a bit of a problem, so I decided to take matters into my own hands and find another proofreading option.

That's when I stumbled across www.paperrater.com. This website is totally free to use and it will do a grammar check, spell check, word count, and language analysis on any written piece. It has saved me a lot of headaches with my writing. I now routinely use it to check my blog posts, website updates, and written articles.

If you're looking to get a piece of work proofed for school or another organization, I highly recommend giving this valuable tool a try!

Frat! ~ "Dad" Seth C. Anthony

Vocabulary 101

With the school year back in full swing, many DeMolays are facing the challenge of papers and tests. Some of the older members are probably staring at college applications and anticipating their future. This can be a stressful time, especially when you're under pressure to get things done by a deadline. With so many pieces to be written, it can be very tedious to draft paper after paper, essay after essay, especially if English isn't you're specialty.

One area that most men struggle with is vocabulary. Having a large vocabulary can make writing papers easier, as well as give an edge in tests and collegiate applications. Thankfully, the folks over at Art of Manliness recognize this and have put together a great article entitled "The Importance of Building Your Vocabulary (And 5 Easy Steps to Doing It)" It's worth a look by everyone - both DeMolays and Adults. 

All DeMolays have an edge in vocabulary thanks to our Ritual, but it can never hurt to expand your horizons.  Someday you'll realize just how important it is to have a wide array of words at your disposal. Just ask the Elected State Officers around the time of the Keystone Crusader deadline!

Frat! ~ "Dad" Seth Anthony

Facing Your Past

One of the consistently trending topics among 18 year olds is the college admissions process. Each year, graduating seniors vie for the college they'd like to attend, usually through complex applications and essays. These documents are read by admissions counselors who then select the students that best fit the institution for which they work. However, as many students are learning, they may not be looking at your application materials only.

In a recent article in the Wall Street Journal, entitled Web Profiles Haunt Students, several admissions officers are interviewed about their use of Facebook and social media in the admissions process. Specifically detailed are the policies of Wake Forest University, in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Having spent time at Wake Forest, I can tell you that it is a premier school. It has a reputation for quality students and it actively seeks to maintain that positive image. With an endowment of $1.5 billion (yes, billion, with a "b"), the school can ill afford a scandal or issue arising from poorly vetting students. While Wake may be at the forefront of this issue, they aren't the only college using this technique.

What does this mean for students? Simply, they should vet themselves and clean up their profiles. Any references to drugs or alcohol should be removed. Also, students should monitor their own behavior. This includes using appropriate language, not bullying or teasing others, and double checking old photos for something that might be misconstrued. Taking a few moments to clean up your profile could mean that you get into that school you want to go to. Isn't that worth the effort?

Frat! ~ "Dad" Seth Anthony

I'm too young! I'm too old! I'm too...

This post is part of series of entries written by the Elected State Officers of PA DeMolay. Each of them have been assigned topics to discuss and offer their opinions on. Today's post is offered by Bro. Anthony Kallhoff, State Junior Councilor. Enjoy!

Finally! It's my senior year of high school! No more tests, no more studying, no more homework! "But what about college?"  AW, COME ON!

Like our ritual states, the wisest young man is one who plans for the future.  For some of us, that means preparing for secondary schooling.  It's not always a fun process, but it is a necessary one for any guy who desires a profession that requires a degree. As I am going through the process of college applications right now, I think I am able to shed a little light on the issue and show what DeMolay has to offer in aiding the process. I also think I can impart some of my wisdom to those whom can benefit from it.

You may be thinking that you are too young to be worrying about college.  You are wrong.  If you are a DeMolay, that means you are at least 12, and I think that it is fair to say that what you do in seventh grade and up will affect how colleges view you.   Good news though, you have already made a smart move in distinguishing yourself as a worthy applicant.  You are already a DeMolay.  Just like Boy Scouts, DeMolay and other leadership organizations showcase your ability to directs others and your willingness to learn.  By living as a DeMolay, furthermore, you display a set of core values that I know personally will impress any university.   When talking to someone in DeMolay of any age, although it works best with kids in high school, don't forget to mention the positive effect DeMolay has on a resume.

While we are on the subject of recruitment, I would be foolish to not mention the great resource that DeMolay offers in the form of scholarships.  The Pennsylvania Masonic Youth Foundation has compiled these scholarships into one handy booklet, the PA Masonic Scholarship Resource Guide (great title, I know.)  Within those pages await thousands of dollars, hundreds of which go unclaimed each year!  Talk about easy money! There are few things that entice people like money, and by bringing along one of these packets to give to a prospect in high school, you make DeMolay that much more appealing.

DeMolay is a tool for preparing for college, but you'll hear about that from other people.  I am more interested in sharing what I have learned and what I believe you should know.   A lot of what I have learned is more of a confirmation of what people have taught me:  get good grades, be active in clubs, stay involved in sports.  One big concept is to always do what you love.  But again, these are all things you'll hear from other people.  What I want to teach you, because it is one thing I regret, is to not put off tomorrow what you could do today.  "But Anthony, we have heard this from others!" Oh shush, no you haven't.  I'm not just talking about a paper or learning a ritual part.  While putting those things off is still a bad idea, I'm speaking about a much deeper sense of procrastination which plagues everyone of any age.  We all have great dreams in our hearts.  As many know, I dream of becoming a physicist one day; a physicist that changes the very way we view the universe.  But like many other things in life, I've found excuses.  I have to wait until college before I know enough to matter.  I need more experience to do science work that anyone cares about.  I'm too busy with other things to work on science.  BALOGNA!  If I truly believe that physics is what I want to do (and I do,) then ANY excuse is not good enough!  We only have a limited time on this earth, and if we dedicate that time to not striving for the best and doing what we love, our lives will quickly turn sour.  You are never too young, or too old, to follow your heart.  When you have a dream, don't let yourself be the thing in your way.  Let me leave you with a quote from Arnold Bennett, an English novelist. "We shall never have more time. We have, and have always had, all the time there is. No object is served in waiting until next week or even until tomorrow. Keep going day in and day out. Concentrate on something useful. Having decided to achieve a task, achieve it at all costs."

College is just around the corner, but if you prepare for a life, and a life of following your dream, any college will be proud to have you.

Celebrating the Skilled

One of my favorite television shows is "Dirty Jobs" on the Discovery Channel. For those unfamiliar with this program, it centers on a fellow named Mike Rowe who travels the country attempting to do jobs that most people would find uncomfortable. He's worked with farmers, steel workers, sanitation crews, and more. From a crab boat in the Bering Sea to a gator farm in the Southern US, he's been everywhere. Heck, he's even been to Pennsylvania a number of times. It's very interesting show, that's for sure.

Recently, I found a video, from 2008, of Mike Rowe speaking at a technology summit in Silicon Valley. Much of his presentation was spent discussing a very unsavory job that he had to perform, but his final message really harmonized with me. You see, during all of these jobs, Mr. Rowe had ingrained upon him the value of a hard day's work. Our society seems to have decided that any job that requires physical labor is disliked at best and menial at worst. Very few individuals wake up in the morning and say to themselves "I want to shovel for a living." But, without individuals willing to perform that work, our world would crumble. Take a watch... 

In DeMolay (and Freemasonry) we have men and women from all different walks of live. There are technology guru's like "Dad" Greg Schaeffer (Senior Project Lead at IBM), design wizards like "Dad" Rodney Boyce (owner of Square Peg Design) management professionals like "Dad" Dennis Snedden (professional speaker and consultant), and most importantly tradesman like "Dad" Mike Desalis (plumber) and "Dad" Mike Nace (carpenter.) While we tend to idolize those people who work with technology or their mind, there is something to be said for a man who is skilled in a trade. It can take just as much brain power to properly measure and construct timber for a home, or to create precision finished carpentry that is both beautiful to look at, and fully functional, as it does to design an attractive corporate logo.

My own father spent most of  his life as a laborer. He worked on a road crew for a local municipality. He toiled in the hot sun, shoveling burning asphalt onto road surfaces so that others would have a safe and comfortable ride to where they are going. My maternal grandfather was an operating engineer (a fancy term for a man who runs heavy equipment.) He helped to erect Kinzua Dam in Warren County, PA. That dam holds back the Allegheny River which in turn keeps downtown Pittsburgh from flooding. My paternal grandfather was the manager of a cemetery, where he helped to dig hundreds of graves, many by hand. I'm the first generation in my family to not have to engage in manual labor to make a living, but every day I count my blessings in that regard. It was thanks to the manual and physical labor of previous generations that I can have the job I have today. 

All too often we are quick to talk to our high school age members about the importance of college and an education, while completely ignoring skilled trades as an option. No, it's not glamorous to be a steam-fitter, plumber, or construction worker. However, a man can still make a good and responsible living in those and similar professions. Just ask the thousands of iron workers still employed around the Commonwealth.

As usual, I'm sure you are asking yourself "... what does this have to do with DeMolay?" Our organization was founded by men who knew the value of a hard day's work and who weren't afraid of a little physical labor. Let's make sure to show our members the importance of men in all fields and remind them that while college may not be for everyone, there are still many viable and respectable fields of service for a man to be employed in.

Frat! ~ "Dad" Seth Anthony

Study Up on Studying

Today, I am going to share with you one of the best posts that I have come across on the Art of Manliness Blog. The title of the post is "Ace Your Exams: Study Tactics of the Successful Gentleman Scholar." In this article, Authors Brett and Kate McKay provide a great (albeit a bit long) guide to coming to grips with studying and doing well with school work. As many of our young men head back to school, this is an important time for DeMolay's refocus on the value of education and what they need to do to succeed academically.

The post is quiet long and I know that many of you won't read the whole thing; however, there is one essential part that any DeMolay can benefit from:

"Memorizing

Memorization is an important skill that you need to master in order to succeed academically. Because many exams are closed book, you’ll need to know everything backwards and forwards in order to answer the questions. Below, I provide some memorization techniques that I used during school to help me ace my exams.

Memorization is necessary, but not sufficient for academic success. One thing to keep in mind as you read through this section is that most college professors won’t simply test you to see if you can remember and regurgitate information to them. Sure, some do give those kinds of tests, but most actually want to see if you can apply your knowledge. So while memorizing facts, figures, ideas, formulas, and concepts is necessary for success on your exam, knowing how to synthesize and use that information is even more important.

Long-term memory should be the goal. Your goal for every class should be to commit the material to your long-term memory. Your brain’s short-term memory can only hold so much information at one time. Overloading it by cramming it full the night before will ensure that you’ll forget whatever it is you tried to memorize. Creating long-term memories takes time, so you should commit to memorizing information at the beginning of the semester.

Get a change of scenery. Traditional learning advice says you should study in the same quiet place every time you hit the books. But psychological research has found that just the opposite is true. In one study, college students who studied a list of vocab words in two different rooms performed much better on a vocab test than students who studied the words twice in the same room.

Researchers think that our brains make subtle associations between what we’re studying and what’s in the background while we’re studying. Those unconscious associations help you remember what you’re learning. For example, you might associate one fact with the leather chair in the student union and another fact with the smell of coffee in the cafe. By changing locations where you study on a regular basis, you’re giving your brain more material with which to create these associations.

Bottom line: mix up where you study for more effective memorization."

Now the real question is, how can you apply this to memorizing your work in DeMolay?

Frat! ~ "Dad" Seth Anthony

I forgot to do my homework!

Well, lookey here! It's been over a week since my last blog post! Just where the heck have I been? Well, I took some much needed time to go visit my family in Erie. I haven't had a chance to go visit my folks since Christmas 2010. I figured that after eight months of being away, it was time for me to make the trip! Of course, it wasn't all play. I managed to stop by the Erie Chapter fundraiser that was held at the horse shoe pits near the Erie Zoo. The Chapter had set up a concession stand to sell food and drinks to the participants of a state-wide horse shoe throwing event. The young men seemed in good spirit and the event looked to be well attended. Great work guys! Anywho, we are now back to our regularly scheduled blog posting goodness!

With most of our DeMolay's going back to school in one form or another, I thought it would be appropriate to write about something dealing with academia. I went in search of an article or idea and stumbled upon a great informative guide about something we all think we know how to do - homework! While no one likes homework, it is a part of academic life. Believe it or not, there is a right and wrong way to go about tackling those pesky problems your teaches assign  you. So, I present to you an article taken from the Nemours Teen Health site. Enjoy!

How to do Homework

Do algebra problems 15 through 25. Conjugate the verbs on page 50 of your French workbook. Read pages 12 through 20 of the Shakespeare play, and when you're finished with that, don't forget to fill in the missing chemical symbols on the Periodic Table of Elements worksheet.

Sound like a roster of your homework for the next few nights — or maybe even just for tonight? Homework is a major part of going to school: It's your teachers' way of evaluating how much you understand of what's going on in class, and it helps reinforce important concepts.

Create a Homework Plan
Luckily, you can do a few things to make homework less work.

First, be sure you understand the assignment. Write it down in your notebook or day planner if you need to, and don't be afraid to ask questions about what's expected. It's much easier to take a minute to ask the teacher during or after class than to struggle to remember later that night! If you want, you can also ask how long the particular homework assignment should take to complete so you can budget your time.

Second, use any extra time you have in school to work on your homework. Many schools have study halls that are specifically designed to allow students to study or get homework done. It's tempting to hang out with friends during study periods or unstructured time, but the more work you can get done in school, the less you'll have to do that night.

Third, pace yourself. If you don't finish your homework during school, think about how much you have left and what else is going on that day, and then budget your time. Most high-school students have between 1 and 3 hours of homework a night. If it's a heavy homework day and it seems like you've got an assignment in every subject but gym and lunch, you'll need to devote more time to homework. It's a good idea to come up with some kind of homework schedule, especially if you are involved in sports or activities or have an after-school job.


Watch Where You Work
When you settle down to do homework or to study, where do you do it? Parked in front of the TV? In the kitchen, with the sound of dishes being cleared and your brothers and sisters fighting?

These places may have worked when you were younger and your assignments didn't require as much skill and concentration. But now that you're older, a bedroom, study, or any other room where you can get away from noise and distractions is the best place to get homework done. But don't study on your comfy bed — opt for a desk or table that you can set your computer on and is comfortable to work at. It doesn't need to be large, just big enough to spread out your stuff.

Get to Work
When you start your homework, tackle the hardest assignments first. It's tempting to start with the easy stuff to get it out of the way, but you'll have the most energy and focus when you begin, so it's best to use this mental power on the subjects that are most challenging. Later, when you're more tired, you can focus on the simpler things.

If you get stuck on a problem, try to figure it out as best you can — but don't obsess and spend too much time on it because this can mess up your homework schedule for the rest of the night. If you need to, ask an adult or older sibling for help or call or email a classmate for advice. But don't pick someone you'll be up all night chatting with or you'll never get it done!

Take a Break
Most people's attention spans aren't very long, so take some breaks while doing your homework. Sitting for too long without stretching or relaxing will make you less productive than if you stop every so often. Taking a 15-minute break every hour is a good idea for most people. (But if you're really concentrating, wait until it's a good time to stop.)

Once your homework is done, you can check over it if you have extra time. Be sure to put it safely away in your backpack — there's nothing worse than having a completed assignment that you can't find the next morning or that gets ruined by a careless brother or sister. (And no teacher still believes that "chewed by the dog" line — even when it's true!) Now you're free to hang out.

Get Help When You Need It
Sometimes even though you're paying attention in class, studying for tests, and doing your homework, certain classes seem too hard. Although you may hope that things will get easier or that the explanation to the geometry theorems will magically appear in your dreams, most of the time this doesn't happen.

What does happen for many people is that they work harder and harder as they fall further and further behind. Naturally, this makes them hate a class and everything to do with it. If you need extra help, the most important thing to know is that there's nothing weird or embarrassing about it. No one is expected to understand everything, and people have very different learning styles.

The first place to turn for help is your teacher. He or she may be able to work with you before or after school and explain things more clearly. But what if you don't feel comfortable with your teacher? If you're in a big enough school, there may be other teachers who teach the same subject. Speak to a guidance counselor or to the other teacher directly and you may be in luck. Sometimes it just helps to have someone new explain something in a different way.

You might also be able to get some help from another student. If there's someone you like who's a good student, think about asking that person if you can study together. This might help because you'll be hearing the information from the perspective of one of your peers. However, keep in mind that this might not get you the results you need. Lots of people understand something perfectly without being able to explain it.

Another option for extra help is a tutor, either after school, on weekends, or in the evening. You'll need to talk to an adult about this because it costs money to hire a tutor. Tutors sometimes come to your home, but there are also tutoring centers across the country. A tutor may have broad knowledge of many things or may be trained in just one subject. Tutors work with you one on one, helping review and further explain things taught in the classroom. The advantage of having a tutor is that it gives you the opportunity to ask questions directly and work at your own pace.

If you're interested in a tutor, check the internet or the yellow pages of your phone book, or get a referral from a teacher, a friend, or classmate who has a tutor. And if you live in or near a town with a college or university, you may find tutors there. Often college students will tutor high school students in their areas of study to help cover the costs of school.

Frat! ~ "Dad" Seth Anthony