EPSILONS AND DELTAS OF LIFE

Yesterday was quite a day. In the morning, I visited Desert Rose High School for adults - located in a predominantly poor section of Las Vegas. This visit was part of a PAYBAC Program (acronym for Professionals And Youth Building A Commitment) of school district in which individuals and company representatives from various walks of life volunteer their time to motivate the students by telling their personal stories of success. During a welcome gathering before going to the classrooms, the lady principal of the school described the administration of the school and its student body. The school essentially remains open from 8 AM to 8 PM. Students attend classes around their jobs and family responsibilities. Most teachers are part time employees - from active in other jobs to the retired ones. The age of the students varies from 17 years to 70+. She remarked how sometimes an entire family takes courses at different hours, but they may graduate together. There are lots of students whose first language is not English. Talking of family backgrounds, the principal described a student, a 17-year-old girl with three children 3, 2, and 1 year old. No questions are asked! While children are looked after by grandparents, the mother attends school. Persons with such life styles are likely to be lost in the shuffles of life in most countries of the world - including some European. It is in the US alone where opportunities are made available that one has the best chances to actualize one’s potential. It is a state school. People grudgingly pay taxes, but they value human growth through education. In the evening I was a guest in a crowd of nearly 500 people gathered in a hall of the Alexis Hotel, an upscale all suite non-gambling hotel. It was a graduation of ceremony for nearly 150 persons, who had completed four day, 36 hour seminars in the previous week. My wife was one of them. The seminars are called PSI Seminars (acronym for People Synergistically Involved). The fee is $450 with money back guarantee, if not satisfied. Also, once paid, one can attend the same seminar any number of times. In an hour-long program, the felicitator of the organization gave a well-orchestrated speech rather a histrionic performance. After the new graduates were recognized on the stage, the felicitator used them to highlight the seminars in developing physical, behavioral, emotional and spiritual sides of personality. He did not tell the audience what exactly is done during seminars, as secrecy enhances curiosity. However, he did convince some guests and family members since they rushed to register for the next seminars. The speaker was dynamic, confident, and exuded a charisma of a successful person. The thrust of these seminars is to develop the right attitudes. According to a Harvard study, success in life essentially depends on right attitudes; skills are secondary and knowledge counts only 10-20 %. There are no age limits, educational minimum, or other filters for taking these seminars. This was a bit intriguing as no one thing works, or lifts up every human being. However, some people got so charged to succeed through these seminars that they lined up to make payments after the function was over. It was quite a feat in marketing, presentation and delivery.