Where Does Wisdom Come From?
On a star-filled night in 1966 two Boy Scouts were nestled into their sleeping bags in the shadow of the high peaks of the Wind River Mountains of Wyoming. Ross, the older of the two, asked his tent mate if he had memorized the Morse Code yet. “No, It is too difficult,” was the reply. Over the next hour and a half, in the moonlight darkness, Ross drilled his companion, dot dash, dot dot dot-dash dash dash, etc. With Ross’s help, the younger scout passes off all the requirements to achieve the rank of First Class Scout. A year and a half later, Ross, his tent mate of that earlier summer night, and 4 others who had all been mentored by Ross stood proudly at a Court of Honor and received their Eagle Scout rank. Such an event was rare in the small rural town the boys called home, 58 years later those memories of mentoring have spread their influence around the world and will continue generationally to influence thousands and tens of thousands.
To share a drink of water or a meal blesses for the moment. Wisdom shared is ageless and eternal.
The following is attributed to Socrates by his mentee Plato;
I am wiser than this man; neither of us likely knows anything worthwhile, but he thinks he knows something when he does not, whereas when I do not know, neither do I think I know; so I am likely to be wiser than he to this small extent, that I do not think I know what I do not know.
Plato’s Apology
The beginning of wisdom is humility.
Adolescents of whatever age will be blessed by associations with older folks who have learned that they only know what they know.
Creating an environment for the free exchange of ideas, knowledge, skills, and wisdom is at the heart of Operation Wisdom Swap.
Who and When?
We will combine youth and senior citizens into mentoring groups in a ratio of 2:6. With two senior mentors, there will be up to six youth mentees. The mentors will share skills and knowledge that have become a natural extension of themselves over years of life. The relationship will last for six months. The teams will meet weekly after school on Monday for 1-2 hours.
And Importantly… What?
A selection committee comprised of a school administrator, teacher, and counselor will select up to six students for the inaugural teams in Operation Wisdom Swap, sponsored by Willow Legacy Estates. The members may independently select five potential mentees. After collaborative review and agreement, they select the finalist and interview each candidate to determine fitness for the program. The finalists will then be interviewed by Willow Legacy Estates and assigned to a mentor.
The focus areas will be determined by the skills of the mentors recruited for each session. It is anticipated that these will include construction trades such as design drafting framing concrete finishing roofing electrical plumbing HVAC, etc. It will also include other trades such as business management, leatherwork, woodwork, auto mechanics, salesmanship, entrepreneurial skills, nursing, senior care, and records management.
Leading Values at Operation Wisdom Swap
The overarching and undergirding principles of OWS are: love, reverence, respect for God and His creations and fellow human beings, do good and be good, and help others, especially those in need. Individuals and organizations that base their lives on these principles will make the world better for all. All logistical details will be determined by a collaborative effort between Uinta County School District #1 and Willow Legacy Estates. These include meeting location, registration documents including parental permission forms, funding mechanism, compensation if any for mentors and other volunteers, and program administration.
Our Partners
