Trainings and Certifications
Einstein once stated, “Intellectual growth should commence at birth and cease only at death.” I live by this principle. Learning, growing, changing, expanding and serving should never end in one's life. I am in the midst of a lifelong pursuit of knowledge. The essence of life itself is to plant a seed of knowledge, to nourish its growth, to joy in the fruit which is produced, to serve and bless others with what you harvest, and to magnanimously use this fruit to plant more seeds which will contribute to the progress of humanity.
Below is a sampling of the continuing education I've chosen to pursue throughout the years.
Leadership Education Mentoring Institute (LEMI)
For many years, I have attended LEMI trainings and received certifications in the following areas:
Liber Community Series: Leading adults in receiving a liberal-arts education.
Key of Liberty: Leadership training for youth with a strong emphasis on biographies of great American leaders during the mid-late 1700's and a focus on the U.S. Constitution.
Sword of Freedom: Leadership training for youth with an emphasis on the principles of freedom with a focus on the Civil War Era.
Shakespeare Conquest: A study of the liberal arts and humanity through the eyes of Shakespeare. Culminating in a Shakespearean play.
Quest 1 & 2: Creating young statesmen and women through the vigorous study of classics, essay writing, public speaking, and oral examinations.
Constitutional Studies
Under the tutelage of author and expert Constitutionalist, Joseph Andrews, I studied and learned the true principles of freedom which governed this nation from its inception. After these constitutional classes and mentoring session, I continued my personal studies on this subject for years.
Some of the works studied include:
A Guide to Learning and Teaching the Declaration of Independence and U.S. Constitution by Joseph Andrews
Declaration of Independence
U.S. Constitution
Common Sense by Thomas Paine
Democracy in America by Alexis de Tocqueville
The Making of America by Cleon Skousen
The Real George Washington by Jay A. Parry
The Real Thomas Jefferson by Andrew M. Allison
John Adams by David McCullough
5000 Year Leap by Cleon Skousen
Essays by Frederick Bastiat
Essays by Ezra Taft Benson
Excerpts from the writings of Montesquieu and Blackstone
Leadership Trainings
I've spent many years over the past decade attending various leadership conferences and participating in private mentoring sessions working to build leadership and statesman attributes. It would be impossible to list all the areas of focus covered in those 10+ years, but here is a list of the most influential books and resources which have helped to shape me as a leader:
A Thomas Jefferson Education by Oliver Demille
7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Steven Covey
21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership by John Maxwell
How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie
The Enneagram personality typing
Face to Face with Greatness
These seminars were created to inspire individuals and families to seek after a classical liberal arts education based upon Leadership Education principles. A greater insight and appreciation for education, the classics and the arts grew within me during these bi-annual trainingss. Since then, I have become acquainted with some of my most inspiring "friends" (in the form of authors and books), such as:
The Great Books by Brittanica
Shakespeare's works (my favorite being Othello)
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Les Miserable by Victor Hugo
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
Little Britches series by Ralph Moody
Anne of Green Gables series by Lucy Montgomery
The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom
Boys Adrift by Dr. Leonard Sax
The Walking Drum by Louis L'Amour
And so many more!