LifeSteps: Building Character

"Our values point the way, but it's our character that gets us there," says Michael Pritchard, nationally renowned youth educator and host of this solid, no-nonsense program about choices, courage, and intelligent decision-making. One of 12 titles in the LifeSteps series, Building Character cuts back and forth between segments of a taped onstage presentation, round-robin discussions with real-life teens, and a dramatization. The teens do most of the talking, with Pritchard skillfully facilitating, resulting in some honest, true-to-life stories with tough situations, rather than a bunch of platitudes about self-awareness spouted by an adult. Although the dramatization revolves around alcohol and partying, the real subjects of the drama are peer interaction, acceptance, and friendship, making it far more apropos in a discussion about character than a simple black-and-white "drinking is bad" message. Also notable is the emphasis on parental involvement: time after time, these teens cite their parents as the ones who teach them about character, whose love has pulled them through bad choices, and whom they admire and respect. Other titles in the series (series price: $799) include: The ABCs of Emotional Intelligence, Knowing Who You Are, Taking Charge, Bouncing Back, Respect, Responsibility, and Doing Your Best. Recommended. Aud: J, H, P. (E. Gieschen)