Successful?

I have an MBA.

I’ve learned how to define success, set goals, measure and analyze data. 

Over the past week, we’ve enjoyed the company of ten 9th graders from Eshkol, Israel, and their two chaperones. They visited our schools and our synagogues. They sampled maple syrup and picked apples. They marveled at our foliage. They shopped. 

Was their trip successful?

I’ve observed a very interesting phenomenon with kids this age. When their different groups come together for the first time, inevitably, they stick with their friends and spread themselves out over the entire meeting space. A week later, if the program has been successful, they will all fit on a single couch, regardless of the size of the group or the size of the couch. This is measurement #1.

#2: I measure success by the duration of the goodbye hugs and the intensity of the farewell tears. 

#3: What are the follow-up plans? Are they already communicating before the bus leaves the parking lot? Are they making plans for the Teen Mission to Israel in February?

Over the next few weeks, I’ll share my long-term vision for this teen program, but for now, know that I’m deeming this trip a huge success because I had a couple dozen kids all together on my living-room couch. 

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