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Contact Us:
Douglas R. Ramm, Ph.D.
P.O. Box 26
Indian Rocks Beach, FL 33785
(727) 596-7516
Powerful potential to redirect the lives of children who have started down a path of making very bad self-defeating choices
They learn that morality is very enabling
When students follow these guidelines, they are given the tools to function as responsible members of the community
Offers an opportunity to reach teens in a nonthreatening, nonclinical, nonjudgmental manner
Our youth are capable of grasping the concept and utilizing it in regard to their own behaviors and choices
I really recovered from getting in trouble
It guided me a lot
It was the best thing they made me do on probation
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What They Say
The Facts of Life Seminar has been reviewed by a number of administrators who observed the impact the program had on students who have already been participants.
"This curriculum has powerful potential to redirect the lives of children who have started down a path of making very bad, self-defeating choices. With even limited experience with groups, it is easily learned, and has the appeal of emphasizing personal responsibility."
John Herb, Director of Training
Pennsylvania Center for Juvenile Justice Training & Research
"They learned that morality is very enabling, not self-defeating, from a very personal, practical point of view. Many kids have never focused on this fact."
The Honorable John J. Driscoll,
Pennsylvania Juvenile Court Judge
"The Westmoreland County Juvenile Probation Department is very delighted with the Facts of Life Seminar as a tool designed to provide juvenile offenders with a method of decision-making. It maximizes their potential for the pursuit of happiness, and at the same time, gives them the opportunity to make a positive contribution to society. This seminar shows adolescents what is required for a rich and rewarding quality of life and provides them with a set of guidelines for making good choices.
Pennsylvania's Juvenile Justice System is based on the philosophy of 'Balanced and Restorative Justice,' which gives priority to repairing the harm done to crime victims and communities. This means that our response to youth crime must strike a balance among the needs of victims, offenders, and communities and that each should be actively involved in the justice process. Its goals are Community Protection, Accountability and Competency Development.
Competency Development has recently been defined in the 'White Paper for Pennsylvania' as the process by which juvenile offenders acquire the knowledge and skills that make it possible for them to become productive, connected, and law abiding members of their communities and selected five core competency domains: Pro-Social Skills, Moral Reasoning Skills, Academic Skills, Workforce Development Skills and Independent Living Skills. Research indicates that these are the competency areas that matter most for success in school, work and life.
The Westmoreland County Juvenile Justice System adheres to this philosophy and strives to provide competency building for all juveniles under court supervision. We believe that juvenile offenders who come within the jurisdiction of the court should be more capable of being productive and responsible members of their community when they leave the system.
Our experience with the Facts of Life Seminar is that it enhances our attempt to accomplish this mission. It motivates juvenile offenders to make responsible choices because they begin to understand why it is in their best interest to act on a set of basic ideas about what is right and wrong. When students follow these guidelines, they not only are doing what they can to become and remain happy, but they are given the tools to function as responsible members of the community."
Addie Beighley, Director
Westmoreland County Juvenile Probation Dept.
Pennsylvania Chief Juvenile Probation
Officer of the Year, 2004
"The Facts of Life groups offer an opportunity to reach teens in a non-threatening, non-clinical, non-judgmental manner, to teach important concepts to improve their chance for a positive life. The groups have been quite successful and the teens' feedback has been positive and insightful."
Therese Fitzpatrick, LPC, Supervisor over
Family Therapy/Sexual Abuse Program
Wesley Spectrum Services
"The Facts of Life is a useful tool in my mediation sessions. Together the teens and parents use the Ten Core Values as a way of making decisions and problem-solving."
Sue Brownfield, Director
Family Mediation Services
Westmoreland County Center for Dispute Mediation
Teachers who have been trained in and have conducted Facts of Life Seminars have commented as follows:
"The Facts of Life group is a fun, fast, and nonjudgmental approach that provides an interactive environment where youth and adolescents can receive education on the basic tools to live a more fulfilled and satisfied life."
Richard H. King, M.A.,
Facts of Life Instructor
Wesley Spectrum Services
"The Facts of Life group provides adolescents with values and what it takes to become and remain happy. Students learn better ways to deal with their own stressors, thus preventing further action from the Juvenile Court."
Brad House, B.A., Counselor
Wesley Spectrum Services
"While teaching the Facts of Life curriculum to our youth, I find the material inspiring. I am able to engage the youth easily. Our youth are capable of grasping the concept and utilizing it in regards to their own behaviors and choices."
Trish Ritson, Educator
Family Mediation Services
Westmoreland County Center for Dispute Mediation
Students who have been encouraged to comment on their reactions to what they liked best about The Facts of Life Seminar responded as follows:
"It teaches you things that are good to live for and helps you become a better person.."
Laura, age 18
"We had fun while learning things."
Daniel, age 17
"The conversation, learning, and learning by means of speaking to one another."
Sondra, age 14
"It definitely showed me how to realize that everything can be fun if it's safe and legal. The Facts of Life Seminar definitely opened my eyes to how good my life really was."
Tommy, age 18
In response to the question, "What do you think is the most important thing you learned from The Facts of Life Seminar?", students responded as follows:
"The most important thing I learned was my ten core values and how to strive to achieve them. That taught me a lot about life in general."
Matthew, 17
"To think before you act."
Anthony, 16
"The Ten Core Values and what they are."
Danielle, 17
"The consequences of our actions."
Sondra, 14
"I really recovered from getting in trouble and I got my grades back on track."
Andy, 16
"I think it was a great class. It guided me a lot. It was the best thing they made me do on probation."
Adam, 16
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