Your children will soon be writing college entrance essays, looking for jobs or applying for internships, fellowships or scholarships. Often these applications require them to talk about themselves and their goals as well as their history. Most teens think that they haven't "done much" - but really, they have!  The book: Brag! The Art of Tooting Your Own Horn Without Blowing It  (Warner, 2003) by Peggy Klaus introduces us to the idea that bragging can be done without going overboard, and in fact, is a useful tool for helping us all to move forward in our careers, schools and life.  

We have this book in the PHS library for you to check out. 
 
from the book:
Take-12 Questionnaire for Teens
Successful tooting is based on having a clear sense of who you are and what you have
already done. Yes, even teens have much about themselves that they can talk about! All
it takes to become an artful self-promoter is to weave these interesting parts about
yourself into a short, upbeat story called a bragologue. But first, to help think about your
skills, talents and personality—about what makes you memorable—start with the
“Take-12.” Feel free to skip around and work in any order. The key is, don’t rush! Take
enough time to provide very specific responses.

 1.
 What would you and others (friends, teachers, parents, coaches, etc.) say are
three of the best things about you?

 2.
 What are the five most interesting things you have done or that have happened
to you in life so far?

 3.
 What do you think is your strongest ability and how did you end up being good at
it?

 4.
 What do you like/love most about your life?

 5.
 What are you most proud of having accomplished recently or in the past?

 6.
 What new skills have you learned in the last year?

 7.
 What difficulties have you overcome to get where you are today?

 8.
 What important lessons have you learned from making mistakes?

 9.
 What training or educational experiences have you completed and what did you
gain from those experiences (academic, athletic, artistic, etc.)?

 10.
 What groups are you involved with (school clubs, church groups, teams, etc.)
and in what ways (member, officer, captain, etc.)?

 11.
 How do you spend your time outside of school (hobbies, interests, sports,
friends, family, and volunteer activities)?

 12.
 In what ways are you making a difference in people's lives?
Adapted from BRAG! The Art of Tooting Your Own Horn Without Blowing It
(Warner Books). © Klaus & Associates, Inc. All rights reserved.