Two motion pictures form comparison and contrast on how young Americans discover the path to personal success.   In “Stand & Deliver,” high school students from the East Los Angeles barrio overcome low expectation biases in order to succeed in passing the Advanced Placement Calculus Exam.   Conversely, “The Ultimate Gift” protagonist is the grandson of a Texas oil billionaire who, through his inherited affluence, never learned the crucial life lessons of hard work and meaningful interpersonal relationships.  Using excerpts from the movies, Bob will focus the discussion on the common denominators which allow young Americans to reach their full potential, including: 

• Setting appropriate expectations
• Creating incremental and achievable goals
• Developing personal accountability
• The roles of integrity, work ethic, problem solving, leadership, self-esteem