Search Institute

Congratulations to Children First in St. Louis Park, Minnesota, who recently won (For the fourth time!) the 100 Best Communities for Young People Award, given by America’s Promise Alliance. While Children First should be commended for continuing to build assets and creating strong and healthy communities, we also want to commend them for the innovative way they’ve chosen to live out the honor awarded to them by the Promise Alliance. We recently spoke with St. Louis Park High School Senior and active member of Children First, Leigha Sledge. She shared with us the story behind how she and her colleague, Jackie Adelmann, also a Senior at St. Louis Park and member of the alliance, came up with a creative way to celebrate the award.MORE

In St. Louis Park, Minnesota, four Girl Scouts engaged community members in a Developmental Asset painting project. Working toward their Silver Award, these young women, all students at St. Louis Park Junior High School, have collaborated with their Girl Scout advisor, Jeanne Tatarek, and their community advisor, Karen Atkinson of Children First, to commission 40 paintings, each representing one of the Developmental Assets.MORE

Students in first, second, and third grade at Aquila Primary Center in St. Louis Park, Minnesota, have the opportunity to be a part of their school’s Service Club, engaging in short- and long-term service-learning projects every other Tuesday after school.MORE

You may not guess it from the look of things today, but ten years ago in St. Louis Park, MN, birthplace of the Healthy Communities • Healthy Youth initiative, 44% of all 9th graders were failing one or more of their classes. This worrisome fact prompted action.MORE

“When I think about Asset Champions, I think about superheroes,” observed St. Louis Park high school senior Laura at an Asset Champion meeting in her community.MORE

Asset building as an economic development strategy? It is almost a no-brainer, says St. Louis Park City Manager Tom Harmening.MORE

1998 – Several youth approach the city council and make a presentation in front of a regular council meeting asking the city to rent a mobile skatepark so kids in St. Louis Park can use it.MORE

Sunday, May 18, 2008 was the 15th annual Children First Ice Cream Social, and the first one featuring superheroes.MORE

When asked how asset building has affected Pastor Carl’s life, he responds, “As I think about it, I grew up in a home of Asset Builders.MORE