New Castle, DE - Parents, schools, communities and yes, even churches are challenged by today's teens. "Schools need to think way outside the box relating to helping students connect their current education to their future aspirations," states educational consultant, motivational speaker and author Darrell Coach D Andrews. "What I am seeing in schools nationwide is a generation of teenagers who simply are not making the connection. Many of our teens see school as a place to hangout with their friends, compare clothing and gossip around whats happening in the neighborhood. Once the bell rings, they are tuning out the educators. They do not see education as the connector to their future dreams."

The Purpose Living Teen - A Teen's Guide To Living Your Dreams provides schools, parents and communities with an easy to use tool to help youth make that connection. "The book is more than just a motivation book, it is a strategy book," says Andrews. "Our mission is to create a national buzz around this topic by making purpose a priority in our schools and homes."

Coach D speaks to hundreds of schools, school districts, education associations and parent groups annually on the subjects of connecting dreams to education and motivating students of color. He also speaks regularly to students through assemblies, workshops and the development of youth councils where he witnesses first-hand the need for such a resource.

"I consistently see two challenges when it comes to students of color fully realizing the value of an education. First, many of them do not have a vision for their future. Second, of those who do, they experience negative peer pressure from others who say that they can't achieve those dreams."

Andrew's solution: "Since schools have our children for most of the day we need to help them create an infrastructure around motivating them towards personal and academic excellence on a daily basis. Parents also have an influence and should use this influence to help their children see their life as a mission instead of simply living for the moment."

The results of such solution are evident in a school district in Florida in which Coach D worked with the students, parents and educators. In less than one year the school district had gone from the bottom to the second highest district in the state with an increase in standardized test scores. The superintendent, administrators, parents and community were passionate about students having a sense of purpose for their lives and the district working collectively towards one goal of student success. Their students understood the connection and success in the classroom made sense to them.

Andrews is traveling the country speaking and sharing the concepts found in the book to help students, parent groups and school districts.

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