“Project American Life is an outstanding educational opportunity and Shelby County is fortunate to have it located in our own back yard. It teaches the core values that made America great and inspires each participant – teacher and child to live the American Dream...”

- Beth Chapman, Alabama Secretary of State

 

The Ultimate Educational Adventure!

 

Project American Life of Alabama serves hundreds of students each and every season through its program held at YMCA Hargis Retreat -- over 200 acres of wooded splendor.  This secluded nature paradise is just outside of Birmingham -- 15 miles off I-459 down highway 280 in Chelsea.  The fully modern facilities include a dining hall and rustic lodges overlooking a pristine lake.  The dining facilities offer a variety of wholesome food options at every meal.  The major lodges hold 100 and 50 campers respectively with each wing having its own bathroom suite as well as private sleeping and meeting rooms for teachers.  Additionally, there are meeting spaces, a gymnasium, play fields, an amphitheater, and miles of scenic trails.

 

Project American Life - Alabama

Emily Hudson - Executive Director

 

To see pictures from Hargis, click here!

 

Quotes about P.A.L. Staff

 

Click here for P.A.L. Brochure

 

Hargis Main Office: (205) 678-6512
P.A.L. Director: (256) 454 - 2204

 

YMCA Hargis Retreat

928 Hargis Drive

Chelsea, AL 35043

 

A Few Details…

 

Upon their arrival, students are divided into small groups of 8 - 10.  These small groups allow students to receive individual attention and also allow them to form lasting bonds with the other members of their group as well as their Project American Life instructor.  All P.A.L. instructors are carefully selected based on their experience, character, and desire to have a positive impact on the lives of students.  In addition, all instructors participate in an extensive training program and must pass thorough background checks. 

 

The Declaration of Independence and The Constitution are the primary moral foundations.  Additionally, P.A.L. uses its comprehensive, one-of-a-kind curriculum:  “Building the City on a Hill.”  Each day fundamental questions of meaning are explored:  "Who? What? Where? and Why?"  This Socratic paradigm is clearly both personal and profound.  It works to invigorate the innate sense of wonder within children, and to therein seize the moment:  To inspire young people towards the pursuit of virtue.  P.A.L.’s curriculum is structured around The Four Pillars of Citizenship:  Clarity * Compassion * Courage * Commitment.

 

These virtues are examined via a series of hands-on activities and simulations that demand intellectual rigor and the subsequent expansion of critical thinking skills.  At P.A.L., young people are given the opportunity to use their own minds, to examine their own hearts, and to consider for themselves the ever-present miracles of life.  During the four-day adventure, participants discover that in asking, they really do receive; in seeking, they actually can find; and in knocking on the doors of their greatest dreams, the doors will truly begin to swing open.  This is not our lofty hope, but a tangible reality. 

 

Declaration Virtues

 

At the heart of the Project American Life philosophy is the belief that there are core virtues that can be shared regardless of ethnic, religious, or cultural differences.  The Declaration of Independence gives us all a shared foundation for our worth, a reason for our rights, and a compass for our dreams:  "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”  The Constitution takes these noble principles and creates an enduring blueprint for just such a Republic. Its bedrock is found in three simple words:  "We the people...”

 

Visiting Teacher’s Role

 

Visiting teachers have minimal duties that include supervision of student cabins at night.  Project American Life employs professional instructors who handle all teaching and programming experiences.  Visiting teachers can participate in all of the excitement without any of the hassles.  They may join a group for a select adventure, take an extended coffee break in the teacher’s lounge, catch up on lesson plans, or simply have a quiet walk by the lake.  Teachers return to their schools like Triumphant Generals, not exhausted foot soldiers.