Dear Grown-ups... Sincerely, Gen Z | Kimber Lybbert | TEDxSpokane

Summary

The speaker recounts a leadership camp experience where students were challenged to climb a 30-foot pole, highlighting the importance of trust and perseverance. She urges adults to see beyond stereotypes and engage with teenagers with an open mind and heart. The speech emphasizes the need for genuine connection, understanding, and support for young people, who are capable and creative, yet often misunderstood and undervalued by society.

Takeaways

• 🧗‍♂️ The script tells a story of a leadership camp where high school students are challenged to climb a 30-foot pole, symbolizing the trust and support they receive from their peers.
• 🤔 It emphasizes the importance of overcoming personal fears and the collective effort of a group in achieving a common goal.
• 👀 The speaker reflects on her own experience of climbing the pole, highlighting the role of perseverance and the support of her students.
• 📢 A call to action is made for adults to 'disenthrall' themselves from preconceived notions about teenagers and to approach them with an open mind and heart.
• 👶 The script discusses the challenges parents and teachers face in understanding and dealing with teenagers, especially in the context of their mistakes and growth.
• 💔 It touches on the emotional impact of judgment and the potential harm it can cause to teenagers' self-esteem and confidence.
• 🌱 The speaker argues for the recognition of teenagers' potential and the need to view them as capable individuals, despite their flaws and imperfections.
• 📰 The script criticizes the negative portrayal of young people in the media and challenges the stereotypes that label them as 'degenerate' or 'sissies'.
• 🤝 The importance of genuine connection and conversation with teenagers is stressed, rather than interrogation or judgment.
• 🤔 The script encourages adults to approach teenagers with curiosity, asking 'tell me about' instead of questioning their actions or motives.
• 💡 It concludes with a plea for adults to take teenagers seriously, listen to their ideas, and support their growth, as they are the future leaders and caretakers of society.

Q & A

What was the main activity at the leadership camp described in the script?

The main activity was climbing a 30-foot pole and standing upright on top, relying on the collective grip of classmates on a rope attached to a pulley for safety.

What was the purpose of the rope and pulley system during the pole climbing activity?

The rope and pulley system were there to catch the students if they fell, allowing them to enter a state of freefall before being safely lowered to the ground by their classmates.

How did the speaker react when faced with climbing the pole herself?

The speaker initially doubted her ability to stand on the swaying pole, but eventually managed to stand upright with the support and encouragement of the students.

What was the speaker's assignment from the teenagers?

The teenagers assigned the speaker to invite adults to disenthrall themselves from preconceptions about teenagers and to explore shared humanity with open minds and hearts.

Why did the speaker share the story of the text message from her son?

The speaker shared the story to illustrate the initial judgments and feelings of shame she had, and how she was wrong in her motivation for concealing it, emphasizing the importance of moving forward from errors.

What is the speaker's view on teenagers making mistakes?

The speaker believes that teenagers make mistakes but should not be seen as degenerate or unworthy; they should be viewed as capable individuals exploring the world differently.

What does the speaker suggest is the key to helping students improve in areas like math?

The speaker suggests that one-on-one tutoring is key, and it's not necessary for the tutor to be an expert; what matters is the expectation of progress and looking the student in the eye.

How does the speaker describe the difference between a conversation and an interrogation with a teenager?

The speaker describes a conversation as an open exchange starting with 'tell me about,' while an interrogation is accusatory, starting with questions like 'where have you been?' or 'why are you late?'

What is the speaker's advice for adults when a teenager does something that seems irresponsible or lazy?

The speaker advises adults to approach the situation with curiosity, assuming the teenager did the best they could with available resources, and to focus on understanding rather than questioning or blaming.

What is the speaker's concern regarding the current state of teenagers' confidence?

The speaker is concerned about the increase in student capacity alongside a decrease in their confidence, fearing that many are freezing up instead of flourishing.

What does the speaker ask of the audience in relation to the future of the younger generation?

The speaker asks the audience to take teenagers seriously, to trust them with the collective future, and to embrace their potential to become the next generation of leaders and contributors to society.