I can’t believe it’s almost time for graduation! Several of my THRIVE students will be heading off for new adventures soon. Some of these students have been with me since they were in the 8th grade. I feel like they belong to me…although I’m sure their parents would dispute that since I haven’t been feeding them, clothing them, or paying any medical or orthodontic bills. I am so proud of each of them and the work they have done. You all make me proud!
Several young people from THRIVE participated in an Above the Influence activity called “Be It” last summer. We talked about branding and celebrity reputations. Then we asked youth to come up with a slogan for their own lives. Several local youth’s slogans were selected by Above the Influence and are being promoted on billboards and on radio in our area. They have also been featured in the Southeast Missourian and the Cashbook Journal. Way to go Nic, Jacob and Tyler!
This month, our focus is Asset #20*: Time at Home
Youth is out with friends, with nothing special to do, two or fewer nights per week.
Nationally, only 51% of youth report having this asset.
5 Steps to Build “Time at Home”
1. Set aside one evening per week as family time. Play games, have a family book club, watch an uplifting movie, or take a walk together.
2. Limit your child’s time on the computer, playing video games, or watching tv.
3. Eat dinner together as much as possible! Make it a time to connect with each other.
4. Encourage your child to get involved in sports, music, or other after school activities.
5. Get to know your child’s friends and encourage them to hang out at your house. Provide opportunities for them to DO something.
SPREAD THE MESSAGE
You can help spread the asset message in our community! Please add the following message as an e-mail tagline for the month.
“Feeling valued is a crucial part of human development. Kids need to believe that they matter to adults.” – Peter L Benson from Parent, Teacher, Mentor, Friend
*The 40 Developmental Assets are relationships, values and qualities that help kids succeed. The Assets were developed by Search Institute in Minneapolis, MN and are being promoted by a local youth development initiative called THRIVE. For more information on THRIVE, call 573-651-3747, ext. 118 or visit our website www.capecountythrive.com
I had the pleasure of spending the week between Christmas and New Years at home with my kiddos doing “lazy” stuff like sleeping in, watching movies, eating too much, etc. It was a learning experience for me because this was the first time I remember being off work, at home, for days in a row that nobody was sick and that I wasn’t pressured to do something specific for work or school or be somewhere at a specific time. It was awesome!
Don’t get me wrong, I love my work. I miss my THRIVE students like crazy when I’m away from them for an extended period of time, and feel like what I do makes a difference. But, I highly reccomend engaging in activities, like watching old movies (all the way from the 80′s – ha!) that generate deep belly laughs from your children. Those kinds of connections are restorative to your soul!
Now that I have been rejuvenated, I am ready to get out there and empower some young people!
I have a confession to make…I am a technology immigrant. I didn’t grow up with blogs, social networking and texting, but I am trying to learn as fast as I can. Over the past year, I have not done a stellar job of blogging (much to the dismay of our Office Manager who set this feature up), but after archiving all of the past Activating Asset newsletters, I think I have the hang of it. I will TRY to do a better job; however if my posts are lame or boring or “old” I would welcome other THRIVE members to become guest bloggers!
Remember that Christmas is as much about your “presence” as it is about your “presents”!
Wishing all of my THRIVE youth, their families, teachers, school administrators, community partners, and friends a very Merry Christmas and a happy, healthy, and peaceful New Year!
This month, our focus is Asset #19*: Religious Community
Young person spends one or more hours per week in activities in a religious institution.
Category: External
Asset Subcategory: Constructive Use of Time
Nationally, 58% of youth report having this asset.
4 Steps to Build “Religious Community”
1. Understand your child’s developmental abilities and accept that he or she may not be able to sit still for an entire service. Provide a book for the child to look at or an activity that the child can do quietly.
2. Encourage your child to ask questions and talk about the lessons that he or she is learning during worship and other activities.
3. Help your child develop relationships with other adults who will nurture his or her spiritual development.
4. Enjoy music, stories, and art with religious or spiritual themes.
SPREAD THE MESSAGE
You can help spread the asset message in our community! Please add the following message as an e-mail tagline for the month.
To bring up a child in the way he should go, travel that way yourself.
- Josh Billings
*The 40 Developmental Assets are relationships, values and qualities that help kids succeed. The Assets were developed by Search Institute in Minneapolis, MN and are being promoted by a local youth development initiative called THRIVE. For more information on THRIVE, call 573-651-3747, ext. 118 or visit our website www.capecountythrive.com
To get in the holiday spirit, the THRIVE group at ECHO made gingerbread houses!
25 people represented the THRIVE Initiative in the Parade of Lights in downtown Cape Girardeau on Sunday, November 27th. We’d like to send a BIG thanks to Brian Kapp for letting us use his truck and for driving our display!
We’d also like to thank Andy Taylor for sharing his construction skills, Jenny Barna for her wrapping and decorating skills, Nikki Wolfe for her help and for making sure we got fed, and Debbie Mehner for her cleaning and organizational skills…and all of the youth who gave their time on the work day and the parade day! You guys are AWESOME!
Asset #18: Youth Programs
Young person spends three or more hours per week in sports, clubs, or organizations at school and / or in the community.
Category: External Asset
Subcategory: Constructive Use of Time
Nationally, 57% of youth report having this asset.
4 Steps to Build “Youth Programs”
1. Encourage youth to try out for a sport at their school or through the local Parks and Recreation program.
2. Look into scouting or other programs that promote doing something good for others.
3. Help your child get involved in something at school, like Student Council, a THRIVE group, a book club, an art program, etc. These clubs allow young people to meet others with similar interests.
4. Allow your child to see you participate in healthy socialization with groups at your church, through the Chamber of Commerce, at work, at school, or other places in the community.
SPREAD THE MESSAGE
You can help spread the asset message in our community!
Please add the following message as an e-mail tagline for the month.
“Research tells us that from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. is the most dangerous time of day for young people – when crime involving youths doubles – as they leave school and return to an empty household or neighborhood street unsupervised. The answer, according to a consensus of experts, is to provide afterschool programs in every community.” – Denzel Washington
*The 40 Developmental Assets are relationships, values and qualities that help kids succeed. The Assets were developed by Search Institute in Minneapolis, MN and are being promoted by a local youth development initiative called THRIVE. For more information on THRIVE, call 573-651-3747, ext. 118 or visit our website www.capecountythrive.com
