The trajectory of life and performance in high school are intimately linked, and you can choose to see that as unfortunate, or as an opportunity.

High school is boot camp for life, where teenagers learn how to be independent and thriving adults, yet an alarming number are failing to confidently transition into the world. Psychologists are calling it Peter Pan Syndrome because of their reluctance to grow up. In Japan they’re calling them hikikomori, the modern day hermits. So why are there so many twenty-something, hoodie-clad shut-ins?

In Helping Teens Succeed in High School & Life for Parents & Teachers, Matt Jones reveals how these crucial four years are an intentionally crafted Hero’s Journey that for decades has forged teenagers into the young adults the world needs them to be. Unfortunately, it’s a quest many cellphone and sugar addicted teens are failing to embark on, instead retreating to their virtual worlds and darkened bedrooms. Drawing on twenty years of classroom experience, Matt decodes the playbook utilized by the most successful students and their mentors to master The 10 Challenges of High School that are specifically designed to transform teenagers into flourishing adults. Parents and teachers are given the proven, field-tested strategies they need to help their emerging adults step up and grow up. Ignoring the playbook is a one-way ticket to Never Never Land.

At times informative, sobering, and painfully humorous, Helping Teens Succeed in High School & Life for Parents & Teachers is a necessary companion for any parent or teacher guiding teenagers on their quest to become confident, capable adults.