Read Leader Resource 3, Values Voting Statements, and choose six to eight values for this activity in which participants will "vote with their feet" by standing on an imaginary continuum at a place that represents their position on each value.

For Identifying Personal Values

• List on newsprint Questions that Help Define our Values, listed in that activity.

SESSION PLAN

R&R

1. Reentry
   Welcome participants and help them reenter by asking the following questions:
   • What have you done since our last meeting that you're really proud of?
   • What's new in your life? What's going on that you'd like to bring up with the group?
2. Question Box
   • Take a few minutes to answer questions from the Question Box.
3. Reading

Introduce today's topic: examining values. Ask for a volunteer to read aloud the following brief readings.

"The one thing that doesn't abide by majority rule is a person's conscience."
(Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird, 1960)

"Whenever two good people argue over principles, they are both right."
(Marie Von Ebner-Eschenback, Aphorisms, 1905)

"Is it really so difficult to tell a good action from a bad one? I think one usually knows right away or a moment afterward, in a horrid flash of regret."
(Mary McCarthy, On the Contrary, 1961)

INTRODUCTION TO VALUES

1. Tell participants that in this session they will examine their values and learn about the values of others.
2. Ask participants, "What is a value?" (Answers may include: something you believe in, what you think is right or wrong, something that really matters to you or a belief that guides your behavior.)

EXPLORING VALUES
To engage the group in exploring values, choose either the Values Auction or Values Voting.

Values Action

1. Introduce Values Auction by explaining that you have a list of values that are important to some people. Read the values you have posted on newsprint and ask participants to add others. (Note: make index cards for any values that are added.)
2. Give each participant $300 in play money. Tell the group that you are going to auction off the values in the list. Explain the auction process. Give the following instructions:
   • Use your money to purchase the values that are most important to you.
   • You must bid at least $20 or a multiple of $20 ($20, $40, $60, etc.)
   • Once you have spent your $300, you are out of the auction
3. Open the bidding. Award each value to the highest bidder by giving her or him the index card with the value written on it. Record the amount paid for each value on newsprint. After the auction, identify the values that received the highest bids.
4. Lead a discussion, using the following questions as a guide:
   • How did you decide on which values to bid?
   • What value did you really want that you were not able to buy? (Point out that in the real world people can have any values they want because values are not for sale.)
   • What were the top five values?
   • Which values seemed less important?
   • Which of these values would you want to pass on to your children? What process would you use to teach your children your values? How have your parents communicated their values to you?

Values Voting

1. Choose six to eight of the statements in Leader Resource 3, Values Voting Statements.
2. Keep the following guidelines in mind as you conduct this activity:
   • Offer extra support to those who are willing to stand alone in expressing a particular point of view
   • Make sure all points of view are expressed for each statement.
   • If asked to reveal your values, remember your influence as a role model. Say something like, "I'm more interested in hearing what you believe." Tell participants that your opinion is not the "right" opinion, only the one that is right for you. Explain that you would prefer not to influence their decisions by sharing your personal values.
3. Explain that this exercise is designed to explore personal values and give the following directions:
   • I will read several statements to you, one at a time. Most of the statements are about relationships, dating, and sexual behavior.
   • Go stand in the position (indicate an imaginary continuum along the floor - or use colored dots in rainbow order from green to red to indicate agree and disagree) that represents your response to the statement: strongly agree, agree, unsure, disagree, strongly disagree.
   • When everyone is standing where they want to be, I'll ask volunteers to explain their positions.
4. Review these ground rules:
   • There are no right or wrong answers, only opinions.
   • Put-downs are not allowed.
   • Avoid trying to influence someone else's position.
   • Feel free to change your position at any point if you change your mind.
5. Read the first statement and ask everyone to take a position along the continuum. Beginning with the minority viewpoint, ask participants to explain why they have chosen to stand where they are. Congratulate those willing to express a less popular belief. (Note: if participants are all standing on one end of the continuum, explore the position that is not expressed. If necessary, give some of the beliefs from that point of view. Tell participants that they can benefit from being exposed to all points of view and will be better prepared to respond when someone challenges their values.)
6. When the first statement has been fully discussed, go on to the next one. Pacing is important; don't drag out the disucssion but make sure most points of view have been heard. End with these discussion questions:
   • How easy was it to vote on these values?
   • Which statement was the hardest for you? Why?
   • If your parents voted on these statements, would their votes be similar to or different from those of this group? How many of you have ever talked to your parents about any of these issues? What happens when your family's values are different from your own or your friends' values? (Encourage participants to discuss some of these value statements with their parents.)
   • What is one thing you learned about your own values from this activity? About the values in this group?

IDENTIFYING PERSONAL VALUES

1. Invite participants to take a few minutes to think about some of the specific values they hold - things they feel strongly about or believe in deeply. Start them off by offering several examples of your own values - for example, honesty in relationships or equity between men and women. Then distribute scrap paper and tell participants that they have about five minutes to reflect on their personal and family values and to list at least one personal value on their paper.
2. After about five minutes, ask for volunteers to share one of their values with the group. List all responses on newsprint.
3. Then post the questions below and ask participants to consider them. Questions that Help to Define Our Values
   • Why do I have this value or belief?
   • Did I consider other points of view before deciding on this value?
   • Do I act accordingly to my value? (Do I "walk my talk?")
   • Do I feel strongly enough about my value to be up front with friends who have different values?
4. Ask participants to comment on any one of their values in light of these questions, especially the last two. Try to elicit honest discussion. If necessary, share an example from your own experience in which you did or did not practice what you preached or stand up to your friends.

REFLECTION AND PLANNING FOR NEXT SESSION

1. Tell participants that it is time for reflection. Ask them to take a sheet of paper or their journal and finish one or two of the following sentences:
   • Today I learned that...
   • I was surprised to find out that...
   • When it comes to my values...
   • I know I need to work on...
   • I want to...
2. When participants have completed the sentences, pick two incomplete sentences and have everyone take turns completing the sentences. Do this quickly by "whipping" around the room until everyone has spoken. Remind the group that it is OK for people to pass. (NOTE: There are several ways to conduct this exercise. You might have participants complete several of the setnences on index cards, collect the cards, and read the comments aloud. Or, you might skip the writing altogether and whip around the group, having participants complete sentences verbally.)
3. Ask participants to pay attention to their behavior in relation to the values discussed today. Ask them to note how often they "walk their talk" over the next few days.
4. Distribute index cards so that participants can write anonymous questions for the Question Box.
5. Close the session by telling participants that in the next few sessions they will deal with issues related to bodies and sexuality - how bodies work, how we feel about out bodies, language for talking about bodies and so on. Explain that the next session looks at body awareness and language. Ask for volunteers to bring in popular magazines that can be cut up in that session.

LEADER REFLECTION AND PLANNING
Take a few minutes to discuss the following questions with your coleader:

1. What was good about this session? Why?
2. What was not good? Why?
3. What can I learn from this session to strengthen future sessions?
4. What preparation do I need to do for the next session?

Values for Auction

1. Being a good friend to others
2. Being well liked and popular
3. Being pretty or handsome
4. Having a well-toned, fit body
5. Being honest
6. Having money and nice clothes
7. Going with (going steady with) someone I love
8. Being a virgin until marriage/lifetime commitment
9. Avoiding exploitation (being hurt or hurting others) in relationships
10. Feeling good about myself
11. Being comfortable with my sexual orientation (gay, bisexual, heterosexual)
12. Accepting people who are different from me
13. Having a close relationship with my family
14. Practicing my religion or spirituality
15. Having the freedom to make my own decisions
16. Enjoying lifelong health (avoidance of STDs, etc.)
17. Giving back to the community/helping others
18. Fighting to right the wrongs of our society
19. Becoming a parent one day
20. Getting married/having a committed life partner one day

Values Voting Statements

1. Seventh and eighth graders should be allowed to have get-togethers at home without adult supervision
2. Most 13-year-olds are too young to "go out" with someone alone (no group and no adults).
3. A girl who comes to school wearing sexy clothing is asking to be harrassed.
4. It's okay to make comments about people's breasts or buttocks unless they say they don't like it.
5. Gay, lesbian, and bisexual teenagers should be allowed to take their same-sex partners to school dances and other social functions
6. It's okay for two people of different races to "go together."
7. When a girl is out with a guy, it's really up to her to make sure that things don't go too far sexually.
8. Guys should only use condoms when they're having sex with someone who has had many sexual partners.
9. It's totally irresponsible for a teenager to have sexual intercourse without using protection from pregnancy and STDs.
10. Talking someone into having sex before they are ready is taking unfair advantage of them.
11. Having sex with someone you don't really care about is wrong.
12. A girl who carries condoms in her purse is probably promiscuous (a slut, a whore, etc.).
13. Abstinence (choosing not to engage in sexual intercourse) is the best choice for teenagers.
14. If a guy and girl are having sex and she gets pregnant, they should get married.
15. Teenagers are too young to be good parents.
16. There should be more restrictions on sexual images, language, and soliciting on the internet.
17. Teen fathers should be forced to declare paternity (legally claim their child) and to pay child support.