Spoke to over 500 participants enrolled in the San Diego Job Corps!

Yesterday I had the pleasure and honor of speaking to over 500 Job Corps participants and staff members about living their dreams by standing out of the crowd and doing things in life that others do not have the ambition to change.  There are no secrets to success...it takes hard work, vision, and treating others the way you want to be treated.  Life does not open doors...you have to open them!

At the event I was elated to follow my mentor and spiritual father, Sergio De La Mora.  Unfortunately, the crowd was challenging and seemed like they wanted to be someone else. It never ceases to amaze me that you can have greatness speaking to you but because you are so preoccupied with low level living you miss the promise intended for you.  Don't let the mediocrity around you become you...rise above it!  I remember when I was 18 years old, still a gang member, homeless and living on the streets, working at a factory.  Most of the other employees that worked on the assembly line where twice my age and had been working there for years.  Being raised to always do my best, my very very best, I came up with a way to speed up production on the assembly line and help make the company more money.  The other workers were beside themselves because it meant that they had to work harder and smarter to do their job and keep up with the assembly line.

The spirit of lazyness and entitlement will keep you living a low standard, below quality of life where you have to be told when to sit, sleep, stand, eat, and go to bed.  I hope and pray that the youth and staff at the San Diego Job Corps catch a vision beyond the walls of where they are to where they can  and quite frankly need to be!  Did you know it takes $36,000 to put a youth through Job Corps and for the same amount of money you can send a student to Harvard for one year. Which young person would you want to invest into?  I'm just saying...

Robert Renteria's book From the Barrio to the Board Room!

I just finished reading Robert Renteria's book From the Barrio to the Board Room and all I can say is everybody needs to read his story.  Robert grew up in East LA, caught up in drugs, gangs, poverty, a high school drop out, abuse and neglect, but, through positive role models throughout his life learned the secret of success - hard work, dedication, passion, and perserverance!

After completing his GED, Robert went into the Army and came out a lean, mean, fighting machine with discipline in his life and a vision in his heart to become successful.  He became a successful businessman running his own company and commanded the corporate board room.  After successfully retiring from business, Robert's legacy is to take his message of hope nation wide and heal a hurting society.

The book reminded me of my struggle (from Homeless to Harvard) growing up and the challenges I had to face to be the best I could be and the central theme is that you have the God-given ability to achieve whatever is in your heart.  As my spiritual father, Pastor Sergio De La Mora would always tell me "what you see when your eyes are closed is more important than what you see when they are open."

Turning the Hearts Center purchased books and the FREE curriculum for the empowerment groups we have at the Center.  All materials come in English and in Spanish.  Dougluff.com is elated to work with Robert Renteria to bring From the Barrio to the Board Room to California.  If you would like to know more information or book Robert for a speaking engagement, please feel free to email me at: dougluff@gmail.com

"Don't let where you came from dictate who you are, but let it be part of who you become." -Robert Renteria

Urban Executive Leadership Forum at the Ritz Carlton Laguna

Last weekend I had an outstanding time at the Ritz Carlton in Laguna.  I was fortunate to be a keynote speaker for the Urban Executive Leadership Forum sponsored by the National Center for Education Research & Technology (NCERT) and corporate partner Renaissance Learning, Inc.  The education summit was designed for executives of large urban districts in Arizona, California, Minnasota, Nevada, Texas, and Wisconsin.

The purpose of this event was to provide peer-to-peer networking opportunities with some of the key educational leaders across the country to discuss some of the most difficult challenges facing education.  The four key areas discussed were:

• Urban Issues and Innovations
• Common Core State Standards
• Implementation Research Teacher Effectiveness, and
• National Education Policy, NCLB, ESEA, and beyond

For me, having an opportunity to tell my story from Homeless 2 Harvard was a great way to speak on behalf of thousands of urban youth who are gifted for greatness but need to be surrounded by mentors and adults who love them, encourage them, and bring out the best in them.  This was the first time I used www.prezi.com for my powerpoint presentation and I received raved reviews about my message.  Every school leader in America needs to hear what I have to say.  Hearts were turned in a major way!

One of the best parts of the weekend was having my family join me and experiencing the quality customer service of the Ritz Carlton Staff...I have come far from my days of being homeless and I still feel that my best days are still ahead of me!

Bully Intervention Program

Doug Luffborough speaks of his experience and shares observations after attending a "power of acknowledgement" presentation by Helice Bridges at a recent local middle school assembly. Doug is a member of the Chula Vista Elementary School District in Chula Vista, California.

The Atlanta Simon Scholars Rock!

Just wanted to take a moment to personally thank the administration, staff, and last, but, certainly not least all the students that make up the wonderful Atlanta Simon Scholars program.  We started early at 9am in the morning and went all the way until 10pm at night.

I hope that my story and testimony stays with you when you get to that fork in the road, one way telling you to stay where are you and the other way telling you to reach for your dreams.  Well, you know which way I would tell you to go...toward your dreams!  I achieved all that I ever could ask or believe and guess what...life has more for me and for you too!

Remember to stay humble but remain hungry for your goals and aspirations.  No one gets to the top without stumbling and by making mistakes we find out how to do things right. Someone else's opinion of you does not have to become your reality.  Gear Up for Excellence believes in you, Greg and I believe in you and the Simon Scholars program believes in you so go out and take the world by storm.  You have what it takes.

And to my new friend and mentee Sunny!  It was so great to meet you and you are a very special person.  The words that you shared at the end of my presentation inspired me to continue to do what I love to do and that is to speak to the hearts and minds others and inspire them towards greatness.  Your best days are not behind you Sunny, they are still ahead of you.  Stay on fire toward your goals in life and remember that practice makes progress.  You will get there and I will be cheering you on all the way.

This has been a very moving experience for both of us and this is not good-bye but until the next time we see one another! All the best and be your best!