PAIRS internet plan to teach marriage skills wins top teen award - 4/15/09

[Smartmarriages]

- INTERNET PLAN TO TEACH MARRIAGE SKILLS TAKES TOP TEEN AWARD

Grandson, Michael Eisenberg, made Lori Gordon, founder of PAIRS, a very
proud grandmother!!  Visit the PAIRS exhibit in Orlando to learn more about
the project.  - diane

High School Students Pitch to Strengthen Marriages and Families
Takes Top Award at 2009 DECA International Competition
May 15, 2009

> "I realized from the class that many of these marriages that are ending in
> divorce could be saved through relationship skills training. We thought that
> if we could bring this concept to the Internet, it would make it possible for
> everyone, everywhere to benefit." . . .

> Two of the three team members are themselves children of divorce. One
> commented that if their parents could have attended a relationship skills
> class like PAIRS before they broke up, their lives might have been different.

>  "We want relationship skills classes to be as normal as drivers education,"
> he added. "Just like you have to learn to drive a car or learn skills to be
> successful in sports or your career, successful, lasting relationships take
> learning specific skills too. We want everyone to have these skills.". . .

> Azor said she was surprised to learn how inexpensive it is for couples to
> learn relationship skills. "It's really something anyone can afford,
> especially over the Internet," Azor said. "And when you compare it to the cost
> of breaking up, especially the impact on kids, the cost is inconsequential,"
> she added.


The top award at the 2009 annual DECA conference in Anaheim went to an
internet business plan for strengthening marriages and families. Nearly
15,000 teenagers representing 185,000 of their peers in over 4,500 chapters
across the US, Canada, Germany, Mexico, Guam and Puerto Rico gathered
several blocks from Disney Land recently to pitch the next big idea in a
fiercely competitive contest for the best internet marketing plan. A
three-member team from Cypress Bay High School in Weston, Florida brought
home their school's first top international award with a pitch to harness
the power of the Internet to teach relationship skills that strengthen
marriages and families.

Anaheim, CA (PRWEB) May 15, 2009 -- The top award at this year's annual DECA
meeting in Anaheim went to an internet business plan for strengthening
marriages and families. Nearly 15,000 teenagers representing over 185,000 of
their peers in 4,500 chapters across the US, Canada, Germany, Mexico, Guam
and Puerto Rico gathered just blocks from Disney Land recently to pitch the
next big idea in a fiercely competitive contest for the best internet
marketing plan. A three-member team from Cypress Bay High School in Weston,
Florida brought home their school's first top international award with a
pitch to harness the power of the Internet to teach relationship skills that
strengthen marriages and families.

Cypress Bay seniors Stephanie Castano, Ale Azor and junior Michael Eisenberg
spent nearly eight months developing their plan to bring relationship skills
training classes to the Internet.

"We wanted to create a business plan that would make a difference for people
all over the world," Michael Eisenberg, 17, said. "Our research showed that
when people learn relationship skills, they have happier, more successful
lives. They do better in school, with their friends, at home, and one day
with their own families. Our plan is to bring these skills to millions of
people through the power of the Internet," Eisenberg said. His hope, he
added, is that "stronger, healthier, more loving relationships would lead to
fewer divorces and reduce many of the things that are more likely when
families break-up, like drug and alcohol addictions, teen pregnancies,
dropping out of school, homelessness, and poverty."

Stephanie Castano, 18, said she was sold on a plan for relationship skills
classes after attending a PAIRS marriage education program at a local YMCA
in Fort Lauderdale. "I saw couples who came to class looking so unhappy and
distant. By the end of the class, they were in love again," she said. "I've
seen the impact on so many of my friends and peers of their families
breaking up," she said. "I realized from the class that many of these
marriages that are ending in divorce could be saved through relationship
skills training. We thought that if we could bring this concept to the
Internet, it would make it possible for everyone, everywhere to benefit."

"When marriages and families are strong," Castano said, "everything goes
better."

"It's so hard for students to concentrate at school and do well academically
when there's instability, unhappiness, and turmoil at home," she added. "I
can't think of many better ways of helping my peers become more successful
and happy then helping their parents get it together," she said. "The skills
also help kids talk to their parents and have better relationships with
their siblings, friends, teachers and others," Castano said. "It's great for
any human relationship."

Two of the three team members are themselves children of divorce. One
commented that if their parents could have attended a relationship skills
class like PAIRS before they broke up, their lives might have been
different.

"Helping people learn to communicate, fight fair, express their emotions,
and deal with their problems takes skill," Ale Azor, 18, said.. "I saw
firsthand in the PAIRS classes that these skills are easy to learn if two
people are open to learning and want their relationship to succeed," she
said. "The idea of bringing this to the Internet," Azor added, "is because
some people may be shy about attending a class about relationships, others
are so busy they can't get to a class, and many people live in places where
classes aren't offered. The Internet makes it possible for anyone to
participate."

Azor said she was surprised to learn how inexpensive it is for couples to
learn relationship skills. "It's really something anyone can afford,
especially over the Internet," Azor said. "And when you compare it to the
cost of breaking up, especially the impact on kids, the cost is
inconsequential," she added.

Michael Eisenberg said his team spent eight months researching and
developing their plan. "We attended PAIRS classes and also went to see some
of the competitors," he said. "Then we interviewed participants from the
classes and others who did not attend. We realized that with the right
marketing plan and the power of the Internet, our idea could really change
the world," he said. "We want relationship skills classes to be as normal as
drivers education," he added. "Just like you have to learn to drive a car or
learn skills to be successful in sports or your career, successful, lasting
relationships take learning specific skills too. We want everyone to have
these skills."

The trio's business plan got the attention of executives at the PAIRS
Foundation early on. Diana Ossa, PAIRS Foundation's National Project
Coordinator, said the company has already begun implementing the award
winning plan. "From the beginning, we saw these teenagers brought powerful,
fresh ideas to the table in a plan that was creative, affordable, and well
conceived," Ossa said.

"We began testing their ideas several months ago and have already begun
delivering PAIRS classes over the Internet based on their plan," she said.
"We've had people from across the United States, Europe, South America,
Asia, and as far away as the Middle East participate in online classes in
recent months based on the plan these youngsters brought to us," she said.

"The students helped so many people realize that the foundation of
everything is relationships," Ossa said. "Reading, writing and arithmetic
won't get anyone very far anymore without a foundation of healthy
relationships. I hope their plan will help us bring relationship education
to many who wouldn't have otherwise benefited," she said. "All around the
world," she added, "people's hearts are in the same place. This plan will
help us touch many hearts and help many children and their parents have
better lives." she said. "We're so proud and happy they won!"

DECA is the Delta Epsilon Chi international association of high school and
college students studying marketing, management and entrepreneurship in
business, finance, hospitality and marketing sales and service. DECA
chapters operate in over 4,500 high schools and 200 colleges across the
U.S., Puerto Rico, Guam, Canada, and Germany. Delta Epsilon Chi/DECA

PAIRS Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit established by Drs. Lori and
Morris Gordon in 1983 to develop and deliver relationship skills training
programs. The organization has over 2,000 facilitators worldwide and serves
tens of thousands of teenagers and adults in all stages of
relationship.. PAIRS Foundation <http://www.pairs.com/> .

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