Parents' Questions & Quest's Answers
What type of teen is best suited for Quest?
Quest is a training that provides the opportunity for self discovery and is designed specifically for teens.
The teens represent a cross-section of leaders in area high schools, churches, The Boys and Girls Club,
Big Brothers and Sisters and other youth organizations. Our experience is that diversity contributes to the
effectiveness of the training.
My teen is already a great kid. Why would I send him/her to Quest?
As parents, we want the best for our teens and we know that the time you've spent with your teens has taught
them well. From experience, we know that teens do well to hear some of the same information – maybe
presented in a new way - from different people – it’s one way that they 'test' the truth.
The life skills that are taught in Quest may be the difference in your teen succeeding in college, at work
and in relationships. (1-4 teens do not return after their freshman year to college) .It has been
determined that Emotional Intelligence is more critical to success than IQ and fortunately, it is
something that can be taught.
I've heard that Quest can get a teen to recognize that they are
responsible for their lives. How can you accomplish this in a weekend?
The students have many opportunities throughout the weekend to understand how they create their lives
through the choices they make. Specifically, there are experiential exercises that illuminate how
blaming others does not serve them, and how it, in fact, robs them of their personal power.
We focus on the idea that the interpretation of events that occur in life is essential in being
able to make powerful choices.
How do I get my teen to agree to go to the training. Their lives
are so busy and a whole weekend is a lot to ask of them?
If you agree that this program would benefit your teen, we ask that you present this as an
opportunity for your teen to explore new ideas about themselves. As long as they are open to the
experience, our staff coaches and other teens will conduct a prep call and answer any questions that
your son or daughter may have.
As far as the time that your teen is "giving up"...please remind them that it is only one weekend and
it is a wonderful opportunity to focus on themselves for 2 days. The majority of graduates refer to
this weekend as one of the most extraordinary and fun weekends of their lives – they report a
significant difference in their relationships with grades, friends, parents, and themselves.
What makes the trainer and staff qualified?
All of the staff have gone through extensive training and comprehensive background checks in order
to become qualified as Quest Professionals.
The trainer's role is one of a facilitator - of the exercises and group discussions and in
creating the environment for learning to occur. Each trainer has a minimum of 6 months
training before facilitating a Quest weekend.
The Quest staff come from varied professional backgrounds and lend their life experiences as mentors for the small groups.
Is this a religious program?
No. We do not believe that it is our role to teach teens how to live their lives, but to have them become
aware that their choices create their lives – to look at what works and what doesn't work.
They will be able to discover why they make the choices they make and to define from their own set of values
where they will choose from in the future.
How closely are the teens supervised?
At all times - even during breaks, the teens are required to stay with their small group (and small group leader).
Ground Rules are established early in the training so that all teens know what is expected of them.
