Restoring The Dream: Phoenix

Educators, youth workers, and parents from all across Arizona arrived in Phoenix for “Restoring The Dream,” a one-day conference to equip educators with the message of marriage.

“I came here today not knowing what to expect, but I have walked away with a wealth of information,” said Candace Woods, an abstinence educator in Phoenix. “My passion and desire to educate others on building strong and successful marriages and families was rekindled.”

Nationally-known authors and speakers Scott Phelps, Maggie Gallagher, and Glenn T. Stanton were the featured lecturers inspiring attendees to carry the message to teens. “I am excited to be a part of such an important education effort. The A&M Partnership is strategically and effectively making the connection between sexual wholeness and marriage and showing others how to teach this,” said Glenn T. Stanton, author of Why Marriage Matters.

Between speakers Joel and Sofia Gonzalez of Caris Prevention Services in Chicago demonstrated creative ways to teach marriage to teens. “Marriage is like a house,” explained Joel while constructing a house out of Styrofoam blocks labeled love, sex, friendship, and marriage. “The house can only stand when the blocks are in the healthiest order,” he continued, arranging the blocks with friendship as the base, then love, marriage, and sex.

“Abstinence education is on the front lines of helping to build healthy, future marriages. Our goal is to help teens avoid the many potential negative consequences of sexual activity,” explained Scott Phelps, executive director of A&M Partnership and author of several popular abstinence curricula including Aspire and Excel.

The “Restoring The Dream” tour will continue to Chicago on February 28 and Philadelphia on March 28. Registrations and scholarship opportunities are still available for both conferences.