These days it’s all about the youth, both in theory and in
practice. One of the most helpful ideas to ensure Morgan Hill’s
children develop in a healthy and productive setting, city and
school officials agree, is the
”
41 Developmental Assets
”
that were identified several years ago by youth advocate
organizations.
These days it’s all about the youth, both in theory and in practice.
One of the most helpful ideas to ensure Morgan Hill’s children develop in a healthy and productive setting, city and school officials agree, is the “41 Developmental Assets” that were identified several years ago by youth advocate organizations.
Click here to view the 41 developmental assets
The hard part is how to condense such a long list of the necessary attributes for a healthy and successful childhood into a concrete activity or program.
But council members and Morgan Hill Unified School District officials say it might not be that difficult, as they are seeking a natural environment that inherently values and supports young people as any adult should, and to incorporate the assets as a kind of ethereal whole enveloping the community rather than a visible or touchable schedule or policy.
A “starting point” to achieve that enthusiasm for the young was the city council and school board’s adoption of a joint resolution supporting the 41 developmental assets, and vowing to promote their widespread support among community members, councilman Larry Carr said.
Now the community officials need to work on bringing together everyone from the many sports leagues, faith-based groups, nonprofit organizations and others that work with children and continuing to discuss how to best serve the youth, Carr said.
“Is this something we want the city or the government to do, or do we want the community to get behind it? Success would be the community taking it on,” Carr said. Now it’s time to have a real conversation about the values of our community and perhaps who wants to lead a team.”
The list of the first 40 assets was developed by the Search Institute think tank several years ago. Project Cornerstone, a local effort of the YMCA Silicon Valley that tries to improve the relationship between children and adults, added the 41st.
To people who grew up in healthy families, the assets sound natural – having family support, a caring school climate, the community valuing the youth, feeling safe, doing homework, integrity, honesty, caring and the ability to peacefully resolve conflict are some examples of developmental assets that the average successful adult grew up with, according to Project Cornerstone coordinators.
Morgan Hill Youth Sports Alliance president Jeff Dixon said he and the coaches he works with have an instinctive understanding of the 41 assets, and will work harder to promote them now that the city and school board are trying to organize a widespread effort.
“The beauty of Project Cornerstone is it gives structure and guidance to folks that help our kids develop,” Dixon said.
To the adults who work with children, one of the most important assets is that young people should be valued by the community.
The results of a recent survey of students in MHUSD and throughout Santa Clara County, conducted by Project Cornerstone, found that only 32 percent of elementary school students surveyed feel the community values them, and 28 percent of middle and high school children feel the same way. Those numbers are higher than the national average, and about on par with the county average.
That survey conducted in the fall of 2010 interviewed about 1,300 MHUSD students of all ages to determine what assets local children possess, according to Project Cornerstone executive director Anne Ehresman.
In general, long-term study of the 41 assets has found that a young person who possess at least 31 of the assets is living in a “thriving” atmosphere, while those 21 to 30 have an “adequate” youth, Ehresman explained. Those who possess one to 10 assets are considered “at risk.” According to the survey, about 4 percent of MHUSD elementary students and 8 percent of middle and high school students are at risk.
The community can measure its success at promoting the assets by conducting subsequent surveys to see if those percentages are trending up or down.
However, officials noted the survey did not include non-English speaking students, and some parents might not have given permission to their children to participate.
The school district, naturally, is behind supporting its students, but with Project Cornerstone it puts a name to the community’s efforts, said school board trustee Shelle Thomas. “The community is strong in its support, but something you never say is ‘we are strong enough,’ because we never are. Everyone, from the board, to the superintendent, to the teachers to the classified staff, is committed to it every day. They know the difference they can make and making children be successful, it’s just great. It’s the conscience of the community,” Thomas said.
She did say the clunky name “41 developmental assets” may be the biggest problem. “It’s more about individuals making an effort every day to make a difference in children’s lives,” Thomas said.
The act of asking the child in your neighborhood about his or her summer and getting to know them – especially their names – is far more impactful than waving hello or good-bye from a passing car. “Until you take that step or calling them by name, just little things to show the value. And it’s not different with our senior citizens and respecting them and not treating them as if they’re invisible. Best part of it, we can come together to acknowledge it,” she said.
Young people who are active at the El Toro Youth Center, run by Catholic Charities, on Hale Avenue feel like they’re valued by grownups in Morgan Hill. The teenagers there, in particular, are also the students who want to help others and be role models to younger children.
“I want to help kids and give them the encouragement that I didn’t have when I was little,” said Jose Ortega, 16, a Live Oak High School student. Ortega has attended the youth center, which offers a variety of academic and recreational activities for kids, since he was 10, and was there Tuesday afternoon filling out an application for a summer job.
“I come here to help out the smaller kids, because some parents don’t really care,” Ortega said.
He added that sometimes it seems adults in the community approach him and other teenagers with suspicion or distrust at first sight, but they warm up when they start talking and learn more about the kids.
Jared Hernandez, 15, and Tori Sanchez, 15, added they think adults are supportive of the youth in Morgan Hill, and in general they treat kids with respect and “patience” – and Morgan Hill is a better and safer place for kids than surrounding communities.
“Everything’s nice and clean,” Hernandez said. “I feel safer here than other cities like Gilroy or San Jose.”
Sanchez said the adults in Morgan Hill are more active with youth interests than they are in Watsonville, where she moved from.
El Toro Youth Center staff are closely familiar with the 41 developmental assets as they attend training seminars about the concepts, according to youth center supervisor Alban Diaz, 24. And the city is a big supporter of the El Toro facility, which serves about 60 kids age 6 to 18 daily. The city’s redevelopment agency built the center’s building.
“We are involved with the city. Mayor Steve Tate comes here all the time,” Diaz said.
The city of Morgan Hill has been a longtime supporter of the 41 assets, having first adopted a resolution promoting them about 10 years ago, Mayor Steve Tate said.
It wasn’t until this year that the council decided to adopt a more wide-reaching “youth agenda” as one of its goals for 2011. Getting together with the school board for a joint meeting in June was part of that effort. About 60 people who are involved in youth activities in Morgan Hill attended that meeting where, after a discussion of the most recent student survey on the assets, many realized they have been promoting the traits for healthy youth without even knowing it.
Tate said the city of Los Gatos also started working on incorporating the developmental assets into the life of their community years ago, and has enjoyed a robust following as a result.
“We hope it becomes an ongoing, embedded thing,” Tate said.
