As Portage County Alliance for Youth recently celebrated 25 years of volunteers who work together to value youth, the group took the opportunity to honor community asset builders in Portage County. Knowing the assets are research-based and consist of 40 specific qualities, it was an experience to see the many diverse ways assets are being built and honored in youth.
The asset builders honored included:
- a couple who donated money to PCAY to continue building assets in youth in honor of their deceased brother (all assets);
- three adults who spend time at the Alternative School helping youth find a focus for life by learning auto care or woodworking (Assets 3,8, 14);
- a high school student who helped coordinate an honest look by his school at alcohol challenges in his school (7,8);
- a high school counselor who co-facilitates a sexual assault support group with her youth (5,7,31,32);
- a music company for sharing musical instruments with small children to help them develop an interest in music (17);
- a director of a children’s museum who actively promotes assets in their programming for youth and families (all);
- two youth leaders of a high school student council who promoted “Caps for a Cure” to raise funds for a student facing cancer treatments (5,8);
- a band instructor for coordinating a summer band concert involving youth and other generations working together to share with the community (7,8,9,17);
- two editors of a small town newspaper who promote developmental asset articles (all);
- a fourth grader who chose to not receive birthday presents but rather donate them to a caring support organization (1,8,26);
- a youth librarian who is housing asset material for the public and promoting assets to the community (all);
- a group of high school technology students along with their principal who raised funds for a teacher and his family facing the struggles of cancer (3,5,8,9);
- a former sheriff’s deputy who promoted prevention and internet safety through classroom presentations (7,14,27-31);
- a bank employee who donates time to Big Brothers Big Sisters and other community activities for youth (3,7,9,14);
- two high school students who promoted a Christmas Tree exhibit at the local mall so youth groups could promote their activities (8,9,17);
- an assistant Fire Chief who was awarded a state award for her fire prevention education (7,9,10);
- three young women who co-facilitate the Children’s Support Group at the Domestic Violence Shelter (5,7-10,12,14, 16,32);
- a school secretary who values youth and treats them with respect (2,5,6,12,14);
- a Refugee Strengthening Advocate who helps Hmong youth learn respect for each other in a support group at the local high school (8,14, 18,27);
- a social worker from Child Protective Services who works tirelessly to provide safety and support to youth in need (3,5,9,12,14,37);
- four teachers who go out of their way to guide and support the youth (3,5,9,12,14,16,26-31);
- a YMCA teen leaders club for serving in the community (8,18,39).
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE ASSETS, GO TO www.search-institute.org/assets/forty.htm and check them out. You can also go to www.pcayouth.org to learn more Portage County Alliance for Youth and how you can be an asset builder.
Submitted by: Dee Erlandson and Mary Ann Krems, PCAY
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