Teens report mentors give courage to stay in school and remain focused on a positive future in the midst of tough circumstances

(NewsReleaseWire) FORT WORTH, TEXAS--Monday, January 19, 2009--StengthBank Inc.

America's teens are finding a way to stay in school for a specific reason by discovering StrengthBank® - where each bank of strengths finds its positive voice and direction by learning mental workouts (People Skills WorkOuts™). Since 2002 in high school talk groups during advisory periods led by StrengthBank®-Certified, volunteer mentors, teens have been "working out" positive futures before graduating from high school. They are connecting to tomorrow's workplace specifically and meaningfully from the relationship essentials within each one to the necessary positive connections to others. A 2008 high school graduate recently emailed to his StrengthBank® Mentor:

"… I just wanted to see how you were and how StrengthBank was going. Good I'm assuming, it always was a great thing … I remember, hope floats .…I'm attending UTI (Universal Techincal Institute). I'm taking Automotive/Deisel technology, as well as a Ford program called FACT … I'm really writing because I wanted to … let you know that [StrengthBank® Talk Group] did a lot for me .… always had faith in me when I never had faith in myself. For the longest time there I never expected to get through high school.  Never once thought it'd happen.  I had got to the point where I found it so pointless so I started not showing up.  But you did teach me something very vaulable .…Hurricane IKE… and had nothing left of my apartment. It was completely destroyed…  I on the other hand was thinking something else.  Things happen for a reason, and the best thing of it all. I know that hope floats.  I knew we'd get it back together and that it'd be okay, and that its not as bad as it could be .…"

StrengthBank® Certification for business and community volunteers is a professional growth curriculum that effectively equips today's workforce to mentor tomorrow's, i.e., high school teens during advisory periods, twice a month. These advisory periods called StrengthBank® Talk Groups follow the program StrengthBank® for High Schools - A Relationship Skills Initiative which is also in place as an accredited elective class.

Tamara Payne, a StrengthBank® Mentor and member of the StrengthBank Inc. Board summarizes: "It is exhilarating to see schools embrace the whole child, even in high school. There is an awareness in elementary of the whole child's needs but somehow when they get to high school they are thrown to the academic straits that give them no more relationship and individual worth help unless they are high achievers. All of a sudden, no one has real worth unless he or she is going to college and making good grades. Thank Heaven for StrengthBank®!"

2009 StrengthBank Inc. Board of Directors

Sandra Shelton, [Professional Speaker, Entrepreneur, Fort Worth, TX] Executive Director

Carol Bowman, [Editor, Clear Stream Publishing, Arlington, TX], Secretary

Kimberley Feldman, [Ameriprise Financial Advisor, Hurst, TX], Treasurer

Lori Kennedy [Administrator, St. Joseph Health Care Trust, Catholic Charities, Fort Worth, TX], Director

Tamara Payne [Owner, Impact Promotions Pus - Burleson, TX], Director

Kathleen Cook Doucet [Estate Manager, Entrepreneur, Houston, TX], Director

Paula Hill [Virtual Assistant, Entrepreneur], Director

Board members rotating to the StrengthBank Inc. Advisory Board are:

Mary Polsley Williams, CEO,Co-Founder, Strategic Resources Alliance, L.L.C

Tony and Shirley Wyatt, Co-Founders, Fairview Hospitality Group, LLC

Charlotte Weinstein, Middle School Teacher, Irving, Texas

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If you'd like more information or to schedule an interview with Sandra Shelton, or any other board member, please call 817 230 4523 or e-mail Sandra Shelton at pr@talkgroups-mentors.org