How do you move men and women? You cannot make them believe in you by providing a sound argument. You have to demonstrate that the motivation behind your conviction is larger than yourself, that your dream is rooted in the greater good --- living for the greater good. This is what moves men and women. It resounds the heart of every individual. Thus, it is the common ground that enables people to identify with your dream. This is how you stimulate people to share conviction and take ownership for common goals and dreams. This is where leadership begins.

True leadership incites action. However, it does not necessarily motivate through verbal communication. Verbal or rational communication only titillates the mind. There is a more profound communication, a communication of the heart. True leadership moves the heart to bring out something greater in oneself. This then motivates people into action. How, then, is the heart moved? A true leader must set an example for others to follow by confronting tremendous challenges and still maintain personal conviction and determination.

A leadership program ... should focus on acquiring these qualities of true leadership. They should earn their badge of leadership through experience. This experience calls for self-sacrifice. It requires committing to something that is beyond their paradigm and maintaining this commitment even when facing personal challenges and trails. They must be resolute and strong enough to overcome there challenges, for that is when the learning begins. Through overcoming they gain notches on the ban of leadership, but, more importantly, such perseverance cultivates an inner strength that will enable them to face greater challenges in the future. The mantle of leadership for young people is heavy and difficult to wear. They cannot execute leadership without such strength.

For the next seven years, the program continued to develop under the guidance of Joe Leonard and Howard Self. A dramatic transition occurred in the fall of 2001, when Hyun Jin Moon took over the leadership of STF.

Under his leadership, the program has undergone many improvements. The vision giving impetus to these changes is directly rooted in the teachings of Hyun Jin Moon's father, Rev. Sun Myung Moon. Adapting his father's teachings, Hyun Jin Moon has formulated the "Core Values" that provide the basis for the STF education module: Living for the Greater Good, Ownership, Teamwork, and Dream[ing] Big.

After taking root in the United States, STF has been established in Europe, Korea, Japan, and Latin America, currently involving over 750 members.

STF participants are high school graduates who defer college enrollment for two to three years. Generally between the ages of 18 and 21, young people join this voluntary leadership program to prepare themselves for college and subsequent life. Through the STF program, participants are granted opportunities to gain confidence, "real world" experiences, relationship-building skills, and a strong sense of initiative in their lives of faith.

Experiential, rather than merely cognitive, learning allows STF members to build a deeper heartistic connection with God. This connection in turn helps them to understand their identities and value as God's children. The self knowledge gained through STF provides a leadership foundation that enables graduates to influence, rather than be influenced by, the culture around them.

While on STF, participants are expected to refrain from smoking, drinking, drug use, and romantic relationships. They follow a conservative dress code and must strictly adhere to both the schedule and the safety standards set in the program.

Although the program's participants are Unification Church members, much of their training and activities focus on transcending the barriers between people of different religions, races, and backgrounds to harmonize the community, which is the very goal of the Unification Church.

STF cultivates heart and character, leading young people to become persons of conviction, who can dream big and accomplish those dreams. Experiences of front line training in fundraising, witnessing, Divine Principle lectures and Service for Peace projects lead participants through a process of inner transformation, where they firmly establish their relationship with God, True Parents, and True Family. Divine Principle comes to life in building relationships of true love, teamwork, harmonizing with people of all different backgrounds, and practice in conflict resolution. Blessed children will gain a strong foundation for creating a harmonious and victorious Blessed Family of true love through developing such relationship skills. STF equips the Blessed Children to fulfill their destiny as Abel to love and save Cain, to take ownership of God's Providence, and commit to a lifetime public mission.

* "Three years" include two-consecutive years of training and 1 year of foreign mission work anytime after training period.