Before you begin...

VANGUARD MISSION STATEMENT:

We will engage in a respectful and inspiring peer environment that will not only help us grow in our faith, but will help us feel free to develop our unique strengths

as well as a passion for learning that will allow us to better ourselves, our families, our communities, and, ultimately, the world.

We, the Vanguard Youth, accept the challenge to move forward in ourpursuit of right and truth.

As I mentally envisioned the youth group I dreamed for my children, I saw them leading the way in their future families and communities, much like the vanguard force of an army.  The Vanguard is an elite group in a military force, “moving at the head of an army” (Mirriam-Webster).  It is also “the forefront of an action or movement” (ibid).   In order to do this, I felt that they needed principles of freedom to base their education upon.

I see the youth as the "Vanguard" of an army dedicated to the preservation of freedom in their lives, their homes, and our world.  I see them pursuing their unique missions, using their God-given genius that they have had the liberty and encouragement to develop in Vanguard with loving and supportive parents, mentors, and peers.  

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I. IDEALOGY OF VANGUARD

PRINCIPLE:  Each of us was born to fulfill a mission that is unique, God-given, and intended for the benefit of those around us.  In order for an individual to learn the tools to successfully complete that mission, we must create an environment that is both supportive and instructive-- set-up in such a way as to: 

       a)      encourage the individual's pursuit of a personal vision of what God sees in them now, and what                 mission(s) He has before them

       b)      increase their ability to analyze truth by looking at the world around them through different lenses             and comparing them to their own core principles

       c)     broaden the vision of the student to the needs in the world around them so they can start to feel the             “tugs” of where their mission(s) may be

       d)      allow the student to be introduced to different potential learning styles or "voices"

       e)      allow the student to share with others what they have learned in their own learning style

       f)       establish for the mentors a parameter of their behavior and roles

      g)    provide opportunities for service and outdoor experiences to complement and augment their                     learning experience

     

      PRINCIPLE:  In order to better fulfill our missions, we must be surrounded by an environment of freedom and liberty, operating under what I feel the core principles upon which the United States of America constitution was established.  It is essential to become familiar with these principles in order for the youth to preserve and protect that freedom in their own lives, families and societies, now and in the future. In order to help do this we structure our learning around six key monthly questions that people and societies have striven to answer since antiquity.

        #1- What is happiness and how is it found?

        #2- How much liberty is healthy?  How do we protect it?

        #3- What is property? Why is it considered an essential component of being human according to the             Founding Fathers 

        #4- What is the role of God or conscience in society?

        #5- What kind of leaders are ideal for leading a healthy society?

        #6- What is an ideal government/citizen relationship?

        (These are explored through four lenses or perspectives as outlined below in Methodology #4.)

II. METHODOLOGY OF VANGUARD

1. The class study material is centered around the six liberty-oriented monthly themes.

2. Youth come to class prepared to teach each other.

3. Youth are allowed to engage to the level of educational participation that they choose to through providing opportunities to delve deeper according to their own desires.

4. Each monthly theme/principle is looked at through four lenses to not only enable the youth to strengthen their ability to discern truth from all angles, but to improve their skills in using the different lenses.  Those lenses are: 

--LEADERSHIP: examination of the core of the principle and personal application

--GEO-CONQUEST: history and geography; the youth see connections and patterns in history and in the world around them in reference to that principle

--EUREKA: math and science; the youth look at the principle analytically and through reason, both through examples scientific and mathematic of the application of the principle in the world around them

--IMAGINATIVE ARTS: literature, music, and art; the youth look at representations of that principle in ways that help them see it ideally and how they can internalize it artistically.

5. Different learning styles are encouraged and supported in an environment respectful and supportive of diversity of mission and learning.  Simulations, games, guest presenters, and other activities are an ongoing essential part of classes to engage all learning styles.  Youth are given and encouraged to participate in opportunities to sample different communication styles to greater enhance their ability as a leader to appreciate and communicate effectively with those they will ultimately serve in their homes, their communities, and the world.

6. Youth are given the liberty to take material that has been carefully selected by the mentor and delve into deeper understanding in individually inspired ways that they will, in turn, use to develop greater intelligence through personal application that they will selflessly share with others.

7. Material is initially sought for among (and ideally limited to) the lives of great individuals in history, original sources, and classics.

("Mentors" are guides who are doing the work they ask of their youth, showing examples of learning themselves as they lead the way in their area of mentoring.)

8. Outside class activities are provided to allow for experiences in service and outdoor adventures to reinforce the concepts taught in class as well as strengthen relationships.

Each group must also be non-profit.

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This blog is a work in progress :). I hope it helps. Please contact me with any question or concerns at my email at mary.vanguard@gmail.com.

The list of activities and classes are suggestions of classes that have worked for us, and are completely optional.  You may review them in the article on the "Reasoning" Tab and throughout this blog.

Adaptations to group needs hopefully will fit within that framework of principles and methods on this blog.  If a group decides that major changes to the proposed framework need to happen to accommodate their group’s needs, I am happy to have them use the ideas here, but request that they change the name to allow for a group going by the name of “Vanguard” to maintain the intended “flavor" of a group called "Vanguard."

Also, please register any group that decides to create their own official "Vanguard" group with me at mary.vanguard@gmail.com, to facilitate the exchange of information, notification of additional possible classes and activities, and awareness of mutually beneficial trainings and events.

Please include the following:

Name of Group:(i.e. Kaysville Vanguard)
Head Mentor:
*Head Mentor's email, phone number, and address:
*Eventual bylaws if any:
*Group's blogspot/yahoo/gmail addy if possible.
(This information will be kept with me and only shared with other head mentors if permission is granted by the Head Mentor)