C ommitted to empowering learners of all ages to take an active role in improving their communities © Copyright IGESL – All rights reserved Creating A Strong Foundation for Youth 2009 Missouri Service-Learning Conference October 5-6, 2009 Communities Under Construction Joan Lennon Liptrot

© Copyright IGESL – All rights reserved Asked by his teacher to summarize the life of Socrates in four sentences, a student said: Socrates lived a long time ago. He was very intelligent. Socrates gave long speeches. His listeners poisoned him. - Anonymous

© Copyright IGESL – All rights reserved While Socrates knew a lot about many things… he apparently didn’t know much about how to: engage participants, ignite their passion for learning, or take advantage of the ways the brain learns best!

© Copyright IGESL – All rights reserved What Does It Take? What helps a young person to grow up to be a healthy, responsible, successful adult? 1. Each person gets 2-4 note cards 2. Write one idea per card

© Copyright IGESL – All rights reserved What Does It Take? 3. Use the piece of yarn to make a circle in the center of your table. 4. Share your cards. 5. As a group divide your cards into 2 groups: Inside the Circle- things that a person needs in him/herself such as interpersonal competence and planning and decision making skills Outside of the Circle- things that a young person needs as an influence in his/her life such as family, school, or the community

© Copyright IGESL – All rights reserved Developmental Assets Studies Beginning in 1989 Search Institute began surveying students in grades 6-12 in communities across the United States. The work continues today in almost every state with hundreds of thousands of youth! The assets build on the work and research of people in the area of child and adolescent development, prevention, youth development and resiliency. Benson,P., J. Galbraith and P. Espel, What Teens Need to Succeed, Free Spirit Publishing.

© Copyright IGESL – All rights reserved Focus of Studies They focused on why some kids prevail, not fail. What positive factors allow some to beat the odds while others get trapped? Why do some get involved in dangerous activities while others lead productive lives?

© Copyright IGESL – All rights reserved Findings The more a young person has the more likely he/she is to succeed. The assets promote outcomes such as doing well in school or having successful peer relationships. The more assets a person has the less likely it is that he/she will engage in problem behaviors such as illicit drug use or cutting school. They found the effect of assets to be cumulative.

© Copyright IGESL – All rights reserved Research shows that assets both promote positive behaviors and attitudes and help protect young people from many different problem behaviors regardless of » Gender, » Ethnic heritage, » Economic situation, or » Geographic location 2006 Search Institute

© Copyright IGESL – All rights reserved There are 40 assets grouped into two categories.

© Copyright IGESL – All rights reserved External Assets Outer factors that a young person needs as an influence in his/her life such as family support or the community values youth.

© Copyright IGESL – All rights reserved Internal Assets Items that a person needs in him/herself such as interpersonal competence and planning and decision making skills

© Copyright IGESL – All rights reserved The average 6 th through 12th grader surveyed has 18 of the 40 assets.

© Copyright IGESL – All rights reserved The Power of Assets to Promote Search Institute, Minneapolis, MN

© Copyright IGESL – All rights reserved The Power of Assets to Protect Search Institute, Minneapolis, MN

© Copyright IGESL – All rights reserved  The higher students current asset levels, the higher their GPA. In addition, the more assets a students reported, the higher their GPA three years later.  Students' asset levels are twice as important in predicting achievement as demographic factors such as gender, family composition, socioeconomic status, or race/ethnicity.  Low-income students who experience more developmental assets appear to be more likely to do well in school than low-income students who do not experience many developmental assets. Research Reveals: 2003, Insights & Evidence, Search Institute

© Copyright IGESL – All rights reserved 2 X 2 Stand up and find someone from a different table and discuss this question? Which assets do you promote and help students develop?

© Copyright IGESL – All rights reservedResiliency

Take another note card Think about what life was like 20 years ago… Make a list of all the things young people stressed or worried about every day. Resiliency

© Copyright IGESL – All rights reserved Take another note card Think about what it is like to be a teenager today… Make a list of all the things young people stress or worry about every day. Resiliency

© Copyright IGESL – All rights reserved Resilience can be defined as: the capacity to spring back, rebound, successfully adapt in the face of adversity, and develop social and academic competence despite exposure to severe stress… even the stress of everyday life.

© Copyright IGESL – All rights reserved Young people have specific developmental needs: Safety Love Respect Accomplishment Power Meaning Adapted from “Fostering Resiliency in Kids: Factors n Family, School, and Community” by Bonnie Bennard; Resiliency in Schools: Making it Happen for Students and Educators by Nan Henderson & Mike Milstein; and original Kauai study by E Werner

© Copyright IGESL – All rights reserved Provided with the following environmental strategies:  Caring and Supportive Relationships  High Expectations  Opportunities to Participate  Life Skills Development  Clear Consistent Boundaries Adapted from “Fostering Resiliency in Kids: Factors n Family, School, and Community” by Bonnie Bennard; Resiliency in Schools: Making it Happen for Students and Educators by Nan Henderson & Mike Milstein; and original Kauai study by E Werner

© Copyright IGESL – All rights reserved  Social Competence  Problem Solving Skills  Autonomy – Opportunities for Mastery & Self Awareness  Bright Future – Belief in Self, Hope, Goals We can expect the following youth outcomes: Adapted from “Fostering Resiliency in Kids: Factors n Family, School, and Community” by Bonnie Bennard; Resiliency in Schools: Making it Happen for Students and Educators by Nan Henderson & Mike Milstein; and original Kauai study by E Werner

© Copyright IGESL – All rights reserved RICCO Relationships Independence Competence Creativity Optimism Bouncing Back- Strengthening Resilience Through Service Learning, National Dropout Prevention Center, Marty Duckenfield, Sam Drew, & Rebecca Flood, 2008

© Copyright IGESL – All rights reserved Picture this! Create a picture or symbol that represents the concept of resiliency

© Copyright IGESL – All rights reserved Does service learning promote developmental assets or develop resiliency in youth?

© Copyright IGESL – All rights reserved As you watch this project profile identify Assets being developed or Resiliency traits being strengthened.

© Copyright IGESL – All rights reserved Assets and resilience are traits and behaviors that youth can learn and practice in school, and which can help achieve success beyond the classroom!

© Copyright IGESL – All rights reserved So, What can you do to help others understand the how service learning builds a strong foundation for youth? Be specific. Give an example.

© Copyright IGESL – All rights reserved “… public education does not serve a public. It creates a public.” Neil Postman Final Thoughts/Reflections

© Copyright IGESL – All rights reserved Have a great day!