Living in Consequential Times

As Published in the. . .

Still Unbroken: Decades after his own life was saved, Louis Zamperini is saving others through the Louis Zamperini Foundation, and the UNBROKEN CURRICULUM

By Author and Lecturer, Christopher Lynch

Authors note: As someone who has worked with at-risk youth and taught in a maximum-security prison for several years, I implore you to reach out to your school’s teachers, administrators, superintendents, school boards, and elected officials to take advantage of this incredible opportunity. I can tell you that beyond a doubt, if this program had been available and utilized for the inmates I instructed, many of them would not have ended up behind bars wasting their lives away. The choice is obvious: pony up $199 now, or pay $50,000 a year per inmate to house, feed, and clothe them for life. 

2024 Paris Olympics

Louis Zamperini Circa 1998, Nagano Winter Olympics

As the 2024 Paris Olympics approach, it’s important to remember Louis Zamperini and his amazing accomplishments.

Just four days before his 81st birthday in 1998, Louis was back in Japan. He ran a leg in the Olympic Torch relay for the Winter Olympics in Nagano, which was close to the POW camp where he had been held. 

If you are an educator, it’s important that you know the Unbroken Curriculum teaches students lessons on Resilience, Hope, Compassion, Empathy, and Forgiveness. What do you think could be more important today?

Our mission is to transform lives through character-building programs that teach the essential life skills of perseverance and resilience by demonstrating courage, forgiveness, hope, and compassion. Our goal is to make this instruction available to all secondary schools across our country to give our kids the tools and resources needed to live productive and successful lives.

To sign up for the Free Sample Portion, click on this link https://www.unbrokencurriculum.org/sign-up-here

To purchase the Unbroken Curriculum Master Series, which includes 35 instructional videos and support Word and PDF documents, please visit https://www.unbrokencurriculum.org/master-series. Cost $199.00

HELP A CLASSROOM: There are many disadvantaged communities across our country unable to afford the cost of books or a new curriculum. Your gift, large or small, will bring both books and educational materials to our kids. You can do this by visiting https://www.Zamperini.org/donate

To access the Unbroken Curriculum brochure, please visit https://www.unbrokencurriculum.org/new-page

UNBROKEN: The Book That Changed This15-Year-Old’s Life

Christopher M., 15 years of age.

How Christopher M’s life changed through the study of Unbroken. Read his “Letter To Louie” and see why we believe the study of Unbroken can change a child’s life…forever!

Dear Louie,

I've become such an admirer of yours ever since I read Unbroken. I'm only 15 years old, but your story has inspired me more than anything else in my life.

I know I'm just a kid, but I've had my own struggles to deal with. I’ve been bullied, I’ve failed classes and my heart has been broken. But now every time I feel like giving up, I think of you. I think of how you survived a plane crash, a 47-day drift in the Pacific Ocean, and two years in a Japanese prison camp. It helps me to realize that my problems are small compared to yours.

So whenever I'm feeling down, I tell myself, "Just get over it and conquer it." Because now I know that if you could survive all that, I can survive anything.

You're my hero, Louie. You're the reason I never give up, no matter how tough things might be. You're the reason I believe in myself. And you're the reason I know that anything is possible.

Thank you for everything, Louie. You're an inspiration to me and to so many others.

Christopher M.

“EVERYONE HAS A SHOT AT REDEMPTION!”

This was one of the many take aways from the impact studying UNBROKEN had on a resident at The Dream Center! Luke and Lisa Zamperini had an opportunity to be part of an amazing evening sharing this story of hope! Located in Los Angeles, The Dream Center provides opportunities for people to rebuild and transform their lives and offers the tools, education, community, and support through various programs available, all free of charge.

The Louis Zamperini Foundation is humbled by the opportunity to partner with this remarkable group of people and to provide them with the tools needed to bring this study to their recovery program! Reminding them all that indeed, EVERYONE has a shot at redemption!

The Louis Zamperini Foundation’s mission is to transform lives through the character-building instruction of Louis’s life story, as told in Laura Hillenbrand’s best-selling book UNBROKEN and the UNBROKEN CURRICULUM.

UNBROKEN Being Used as Teaching Tool

In Stark County, Ohio, Judge Frank Frochione uses books as a teaching tool as he assigns book reports where he believes the defendant could learn a lesson through reading!

“We’re running out of answers and I’m trying to come up with a creative way to make an impact on them.” Regarding assigning books to defendants, the judge said he’s “learned that maybe there’s a better way to make an impact with these young defendants." “I think young people would be better off if they got off Facebook….and put that face into a book!”

How wonderful to see Unbroken being used as a tool by this wise Judge to impact lives and deliver a strong message on overcoming adversity providing the much needed perspective of sacrifice, discipline and integrity. The Judge realizing the need to be more creative and innovative with today's youth, sees the value of books like UNBROKEN, giving these young people lessons in life and a path to a better future. (Excerpted from Cantonrep.com)

Luke Zamperini Addresses Cadets at Sunburst Youth Challenge Academy

Luke Zamperini speaking at Sunburst Youth Academy.

The Louis Zamperini Foundation, partnering with Sunburst Youth Academy, in Southern California, provides books, curriculum, and speaking engagements for this premier residential leadership academy for teens. This free program helps these kids develop the self-confidence, discipline, life skills, and education necessary to become successful adults and fulfill their potential.

The National Guard Youth Challenge Program, which Sunburst is a preventive rather than remedial at-risk youth program, targets voluntary participants, 16 to 18 years of age, who have dropped out of school or are not satisfactorily progressing, are unemployed, or underemployed, drug-free, and crime-free.

Reclaiming the lives of at-risk youth, producing program graduates with the values, life skills, education, and self-discipline to succeed as productive citizens.

The Purpose

The National Guard Youth Challenge Program (NGYCP) was established by the National Guard in 1993 to turn around the lives of young men and women between the ages of 16 and 18 who are experiencing difficulty in completing traditional high school. This is a cost-free program that is open to permanent legal residents in each of the participating states/territories.

(see https://ngchallenge.org ).

NGYCP currently operates 40 programs in 28 states, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia. The National Guard Youth Challenge Program is a voluntary 17-month dropout recovery program that helps at-risk youths earn their high school diploma or GED. Some states offer credit recovery which allows youth the opportunity to return to high school upon successful completion of Youth Challenge. We do so in a very disciplined and structured program that uses the military model. Challenge works with program participants after graduation to help enroll in college, trade school, start a career or join the military. More than 145,000 students have graduated to date, changing the path for their lives.

Growth During Difficult Times

While COVID, with it’s variants played havoc with our educational system, the Unbroken Curriculum was adopted in more than 280 Schools in 42 States and 8 Countries in 2021.

This gave us an opportunity to provide students with this message of RESILIENCE and HOPE. We are sharing with them the profound importance of FORGIVENESS. They are learning, through the UNBROKEN story, the keys to having COMPASSION and EMPATHY toward others. Educators are commenting, both lives and classrooms are being transformed!

Here’s what Louie’s kids are saying. . . 

“BEFORE STUDYING THE BOOK UNBROKEN, I FELT LIKE I WAS TRAPPED IN A BOX” ~ A.T. Age 15

“STUDYING UNBROKEN HAS REALLY PUSHED MY LIMITS!” ~ C.R. Age 14

“LOUIS’ STORY GAVE ME THE MESSAGE TO NEVER GIVE UP. . . . EVEN DURING THE TOUGH TIMES.” ~ D.M. Age 15

“THE STUDY OF UNBROKEN WAS LESS ABOUT WAR AND MORE ABOUT BEING ABLE TO FIND YOURSELF. . . EVEN IN DARK TIMES. . . ” ~ N.J. Age 15

Cecilia Santini, Advisory Committee Member

Cecilia Santini Portrait.jpg

We are very pleased to announce that Cecilia Santini has joined us as an advisory committee member of the Unbroken Curriculum. Cecilia combines extensive experience serving students as a Professional School Counselor with United Independent School District for over 16 years. Cecilia is currently working with students at the Residential Facilities and Juvenile Detention Center. Her working familiarity includes procedures that involve assisting students with their overall educational, career and personal goals.

Cecilia is a Licensed Professional Counselor, her knowledge in theories and practices have afforded her a seat at the table alongside multi-disciplinary teams who aim to break the cycle of abuse. She previously served children as a Registered Play Therapist at the Webb County Children’s Advocacy Center in Laredo.

Cecilia continuously uses her skill-set to provide students the opportunity to acquire the mechanisms and tools to sharpen their coping skills and in so doing  she strives to offer them opportunities to be better prepared in overcoming life’s greatest obstacles. She believes there is nothing more uplifting and edifying for a family and a community than a young person who understands their purpose in life and who works towards developing their God-given gifts and talents to be a help to others.

Cecilia loves doing life with her husband, Richard and their 3 children.