High School Rookie (The Master Class)

Dear Parent of High School Freshman,

Look, you're probably a nervous wreck.

More so if this is your first go-round with a youngster entering high school than if you've had previous kids do it already.

Still, this year is a crucial point in time for your child and I think you know that, which is why you're probably feeling that nervousness. 

The truth is, you should be feeling a little concerned about this year for your child.

Hey there. 

My name is Russ Warren.

If you don't know who I am, that's my own fault and I apologize. I don't promote my stuff enough and that is a disservice to the community I serve.

I am a 29 year-old guy committed to helping young people become the very best version of themselves they can possibly become.

• I have written 6 books (disclaimer: only 5/6 of them were written in the Genre of personal growth and development. the 6th was just a special book I wrote about my little sister born with Down Syndrome).
• I have spoken live on stage to thousands through the years.
• I have produced numerous videos on social media.
• I have lead small groups with teenagers.
• I have mentored 1-on-1 with youngsters.

All of this in an effort to help young people become better.

The truth is scary.

The truth is the statistics are staggering when you look at the popular hot topics like:

1. Drug Use and Addiction
2. Alcohol Use and Addiction
3. Pornography Use and Addiction
4. Sexual Activity 

While those things are obviously important and truly a problem for our young people, what if we didn't only focus on the hot topics of love, sex, and rock & roll and we started to peel back even more layers and looked into things like:

1. Lack of drive in school resulting in poor grades
2. Lack of ambition
3. Lack of physical activity resulting in obesity
4. Lack of proper nutrition and/or overeating resulting in obesity
5. Over-emphasizing sports to the neglect of everything else around them
6. Lack of spiritual maturity
7. Social media OVER-usage
8. Language they use in conversation
9. Texting and driving
10. Inappropriate dating relationships
11. Disrespect of authority (parental authority included)
12. Lack of personal identity
13. Surrounding themselves with poor influences

To summarize all of these things, the vast majority of teenagers choose to settle for less than their best.

• They choose comfortable living over quality living.
• They choose to do the easy thing over doing the right thing.
• They choose to live in the moment, but neglect the future.
• They choose to settle for temporary pleasure, while failing to think about the consequences that could result.

So, what is the answer?

Great question that, quite frankly, you should be asking.

There is a 2-part answer.

Part 1) It starts with YOU.

You should be leading from home. This is "The Home Field Advantage" and you should be encouraging them and motivating them and giving your absolute all to ensure they at least know the way to go.

Part 2) It continues outside of YOU (It continues outside of you, with or without your help, by the way).

The problem with YOU is you're old.

Okay, not really, but to them you are.

They look at your advice and say, "That is outdated. We (teenagers) don't do things like that anymore." 

And you can hit them over the head and say, "As long as you're under my roof, this is how you're gonna do it."

While that might appear to be working, many teenagers follow the advice Adam Sandler received in the movie Waterboy, "What momma don't know won't hurt her."

Most teenagers spend more time outside the home than they do inside the home and have many other influences on them, good or bad.

Unfortunately, many young people are able to keep their parents completely oblivious to their poor decisions; that is, often times until it is too late. By the time their parents realize they are drinking, they're calling from jail because they got arrested at a party for underage drinking. Or worse, they become addicted and alcoholism follows them in and out of rehab facilities for years to come and ruins/damages their future family (and yours too obviously). The same can be said about drugs. The same can be said about unwanted pregnancies (whole big ol' issue in our current world) and/or STDs as well. 

Many young people are able to keep their parents oblivious to their schoolwork simply because they're cheating their way through school until...they get to college and lose their ability to continue cheating and their GPA proves it and they get asked nicely to leave and go home from college a few years early.

My point with the Part 2 answer here is that you need somebody in your corner rooting for you and they need somebody in their corner rooting for them. You need an extra person rooting for "The Home Team!"

This is where I come in (Or honestly any mentor who can be relevant with this generation.).

The key is to not come in and oppose the parents. The key is to come alongside the parents and speak many of the same valuable lessons to them that you already are, but from a different angle; a different perspective. 

Perhaps I'm not everybody's cup of tea. I am no longer interested in just being everybody's friend. I am more interested in shaping this generation's future by connecting with them, speaking the truth to them, and challenging them to be better human beings. 

I'm not gonna hold their hand and make them feel all warm and fuzzy, but I will put my arm around them and say, "Come on man, you got more in you than this. Come on sister, you don't need that guy to validate you."

I'm not afraid to talk about the difficult things.

I'm not scared to speak the truth to them that often gets swept under the rug due to these conversations being "awkward" in nature.

So, by now hopefully you understand the true need for somebody like me (a mentor outside of their home, but with a great desire to help them improve their lives as a whole) to speak into their lives.

Can I take just a moment and share with you how I plan to do this with your high school freshman?

Wonderful, thank you!

So several years ago, a group of parents in my hometown realized this incredible problem that I just explained and got together to devise a plan (we parents are always scheming...got to right?).

The plan: Invite local inspirational author and speaker Russ Warren over to somebody's house for a pre-high school hang out, invite a bunch of teenage boys and let Russ speak to them.

My response: Brilliant. I'm there. Count me in.

I quickly went to work organizing my thoughts and crafting a message centered on the importance of their landmark upcoming year and how to make the most of 9th grade, but also encouraging them to use 9th grade as a launching pad for the rest of their lives.

The parents ordered a bunch of boxes of pizza, invited all the kids and their parents over to the house, and set up lawn chairs in the backyard. The teenagers ate and we kicked their parents out and made them go inside the house.

There were about 25 boys spread out comfortably in their lawn chairs.

25 boys and yours truly standing in front of them pouring my heart and soul out.

We spent at least ninety minutes heart-to-heart as the sun went down behind the trees and the crickets sang.

I was quite surprised that I was able to hold their attention as long as I did...

But then I figured out: The reality is, they were locked in because they are just as nervous about this epic time of their lives as you are, but of course, they would never admit that to you or anyone else for that matter.

One problem with 9th grade is that you go from being Kings and Queens of campus in middle school to now being the lowest on the totem pole upon your arrival at high school. They know this so it makes them a little anxious and paranoid as they enter this unknown territory.

Anyway, following this amazing meeting called by these outstanding, hands-on parents, I decided, "I need to get this information into 9th graders' hands around the world."

So I did what I do and I wrote a book called High School Rookie: Making 9th Grade Count.

While the book was received positively, I think sometimes the idea of a book is intimidating to young people. Let's face it, even with my bias to books as an author, these kids don't really want to read something for pleasure. They only read what they have to and most of them already have plenty of summer-reading forced on them for school.

So, this year I have decided to do something different.

I've decided to try and bring greater value to this specific age-group.

I am re-vamping and re-creating that backyard, sit-down and let me give you some heart-to-heart warnings and encouragements about high school message.

I'm going to do this through a Master Class.

If I could have every incoming high school freshman in the world in my backyard for pizza and a positive message, I would. I hope you know that is my heart.

But since I can't do that, the next best thing would be to create a place and a message where high school freshman (and their parents) can receive this content together and if I do my job right, they will be encouraged, you will be informed, and it will open up incredible opportunities for the parent/teenager relationship.

Look, what if I can set the stage for your student to begin to develop a deeper relationship with you as a parent?

What if the next 4 years are the best 4 years you've had in your parent-child relationship?

What if these final 4 years of them living under your roof (I know, scary and sad at the same time, right?) was preparing you for a lifetime of trust and friendship while still maintaining the authority in your household?

What if because they hear me talk about the extreme importance of classroom excellence before they begin high school they have zero regrets on graduation day?

• Side note: One of the things that pushed me over the edge to write High School Rookie was a friend who is a college recruiter. She told me that the majority of high school seniors think they can start working on their grades and "getting serious" their senior year so they are ready for college. Unfortunately, for many of them, it is too late. Your GPA is determined from what you do 9th, 10th, and 11th grades, too. If you were ever gonna take your foot off of the gas pedal, it would be your senior year, not your 9th grade year.

What if they were mad at you and didn't want to go through this class, but after their senior year they came back and thanked you for the preparation?

What if they sat and listened and the content sank in and they had no peer pressure until their junior year, but then, not if, but when it happens, they remembered back to going through High School Rookie: The Master Class before their freshman year and it helped them stand firm against temptation?

What if this class changed their lives?

I didn't really want to hard sell you on this, but I did want to try to express the importance of something like this. 

The truth is I don't know of any other content created specifically for incoming high school freshman that is geared to help them be the best version of themselves from every angle.

I can't sit here and guarantee you that they will follow and do everything I teach and encourage, but I can guarantee you that I'll bring my A-game to the class and give everything I have to teach, inspire, and encourage them to make this year count.

I don't know of any other content creator who cares about your teenager succeeding both now AND in the future than I do.

It's $99.

What do you have to lose?

It’s hard to take your family to a nice dinner and dessert for less than $99.

$99 one-time is nothing if there is just a chance that it impacts your teenager's future in a positive way. 

Also...to take away any hesitancy, if you purchase this class and you don’t think it was worth every penny, just email me and I’ll give you your $99 back.

Do you agree?

Okay, great.

What do you get:

• Access to the Master Class recording (You can watch it from any device...perfect for your upcoming vacations or just down time at home this summer)
• Access to Russ (Ask Russ anything inside the program)
• Special bonus : )

Just click the Purchase Offer button on this page and I'll see you in the class!

If you have further questions about the class, or anything for that matter, please email me at [email protected].