Belonging, Mastery,
Generosity, Independence

Hart Explains How Mooseheart’s Program Stresses All 4 Qualities;
Two ’05 Grads Demonstrate Them


Scott D. Hart
Executive Director, Mooseheart Child City & School

> Beyond air, water and food, Scott Hart described four basic human needs, around which the entire program of care at Mooseheart Child City & School is based: Belonging, Mastery, Generosity, and Independence.

Mooseheart’s Executive Director explained, in his Sunday report to a Joint General Session of men and women of the Moose: “We celebrate as a fraternity, not only the academic and vocational achievements of our young adults, but also their courageous spirit in overcoming some of life’s toughest obstacles while still in their youth; of mastering skills that make it possible to build for future independence and success; of seeing the value of being generous and knowing that the most important gift they can give someone is their time and attention. By graduation day, our seniors have spent years learning what it means to be part of the Moose family--simply belonging,” Hart said.

“What does belonging look like at Mooseheart?” Hart asked. “When a child first arrives... and sees his/her name in lights on the message board, we immediately begin to develop the concept of belonging... Children are welcomed with their favorite home-cooked meal, a favorite toy, an inviting bedroom with pictures of their loved ones prominently displayed.” Hart continued:

“Mastery--At Mooseheart,we take pride in doing our best the first time, all the time, because we believe the level of our expectations for youth behavior and achievement can only be as high as it is for ourselves. To teach competence, achievement, and self-control in life, we must be models first, teachers second, encouragers third.

“Generosity--We want to move our youth from a position of needing help, to providing help. The sooner a child can focus on helping others, the sooner they can break free from the preoccupation with self ... here, the Moose fraternity is the necessary role model...our youth are volunteering their time at nursing homes, food pantries, homeless shelters and delivering meals to shut-ins... this is simply our youth modeling what you have taught them!”

And finally, Hart said, “Independence. The purpose of Mooseheart’s program--with its point cards, privileges and teaching interactions--is to build internal discipline, self-control, and wise decision-making within the child. We are always moving our youth from a position of dependence, toward active responsibility, self-reliance, and empowerment... our youth are taught to be capable leaders, creative thinkers, and self-disciplined members of the larger community--practicing their band instrument rather than playing video games; training for the next athletic season rather than sleeping in; feeding their (4H) lamb or piglet rather than hanging out on the front porch, and arriving early to the job at Steak ’n’ Shake or Chuck E. Cheese, rather than walking in 15 minutes late.”

Having described the basics of the value system that Mooseheart seeks to instill in all its youth between the day they’re admitted and the day they graduate, Hart then brought to the lectern two Class of 2005 graduates whose articulate and self-confident presence gave vivid testimony to the success of Mooseheart’s program.


Mooseheart Class of 2005 valedictorian Britney Magyarosi hugged Grand Regent Patricia Mancuso after she presented $110,000 to Mooseheart Child City & School from the Women of the Moose.

Britney Magyarosi, who came to Mooseheart from Warner Robins, GA Lodge 1688 at age 14 in August 2001, was first:

“I stand before you today, having accomplished all I have, thanks to each of you. The Moose family has helped me find out who I am, and what I want out of life... I had lived much of my childhood taking care of the adult household responsibilities, and I really wanted to be a kid... At Mooseheart, there are so many wonderful peers and staff that it is near impossible to ever feel like your family isn’t around. Many times they really, really frustrated me with rules, point cards, and ‘consequences,’ but looking back, I see all the good that has come from the standards I was taught to live by... At Mooseheart, the chance to excel is definitely in the hands of the student, because of all the tools that are placed right at our fingertips... I am truly grateful for the second chance at life that you have given to me. Your time invested in children will never go unappreciated. You are the backbone to our lives.”

In August, Britney will be a freshman at Macon State University in Georgia, on a Women of the Moose scholarship.

Next was Joseph Tezanos-Pinto, who was sponsored into Mooseheart by Sacramento, CA Lodge 1020 at age ten in late-May 1997: “A few days after I arrived was Mooseheart’s graduation. There were more than 1,000 Moose members on campus, and I swear I have never been around so many people who didn’t even know me, but were happy to see me. They were smiling, shaking my hand, and hugging me as if I were their own child. From that day on I never doubted the decision to come to Mooseheart, because I knew that I was surrounded by a great group of people who loved me... I participated in baseball and basketball, and the thing I loved most about playing for Mooseheart were the uniforms; we always had the coolest uniforms of everyone in our leagues.” He recalled Moose Lodges and Associations funding student trips: “No student had to do anything extraordinary for you; that’s when realized that this passion of the Moose wasn’t just love, it was an unconditional love. I couldn’t do anything to earn your love--because it was already there, waiting with open arms.”

Joe will be attending Sacramento City College, and later Sacramento State College, on scholarship provided by the California/Nevada Moose Association.