SELF-AWARENESS

Pass out the Who Am I? activity sheet. Ask participants to take a moment to think about their choices in life. Remind them that none of us always makes good choices. Usually, we make both good and bad choices. But it’s important that we learn from our mistakes when we make bad choices so that we can make wiser choices in the future.

Ask Explorers to do the following:

• Think of three choices they have made recently that relate to each of the underlying character traits listed on the activity sheet. These can be good or bad decisions.
• Remind them that this activity sheet is personal and need not be shared with anyone else. Give them time to fill it out, then ask: “How many of you have changes you want to make?” After a show of hands, tell them to start thinking of steps they can take to make the needed changes.

Tell Explorers that some of the hardest choices we have to make occur when two basic values that we believe in come into conflict. For teenagers that problem is most often presented as having to choose between loyalty to friends and some other basic value—such as honesty, avoiding drug use, or being law abiding. Teens don’t like to “narc” on friends to parents. They may think that being a loyal friend means not telling when they see their friends doing things that are not right or may even be illegal.

Lead a discussion in which you ask Explorers the difference between the short-term consequences and the long-term consequences of their silence when they see a friend doing something illegal— such as shoplifting. For example, a short-term consequence of their failure to tell their friend’s parents may be that they keep the friend for a while. One long-term consequence may be that their friend continues shoplifting and eventually goes to jail.

When they consider long-term consequences versus short-term consequences, who really is a friend—the person who tells or the person who remains silent? Ask Explorers to consider other such scenarios. What are other things that a true friend would do?

Use the questions below to carry out a closing reflection.