Developing a Strong Resilient Child: Key Successful Steps

1. Developing a Strong Resilient Child: Key Successful Steps Presented by: Juan Carlos Araque, Ph.D.

3. Objectives • Review the research on positive youth development and resiliency • Examine the relationship between developmental assets, academic achievement, and prevention of high-risk behaviors • Identify practical strategies for increasing developmental assets with young people and staff • Begin developing a school-wide and/or community-wide plan to initiate the implementation of asset building to increase academic achievement

4. Risk Factors • FAMILYHistory, management, attitudes, low expectations • PEERAlienation, friends, attitudes, early first use • SCHOOLPolicy, availability, labeling, moving, failure, involvement, truancy • COMMUNITYPoverty, involvement, availability, norms

5. What was there for you?

6. EXTERNAL ASSETS Support Empowerment Boundaries and Expectations Constructive Use of Time INTERNAL ASSETS Commitment to Learning Positive Values Social Competencies Positive Identity Categories of Developmental Assets

7. High Risk Behaviors ASSETS

8. Positive Outcomes ASSETS

9. The Gap in Assets Among Youth (Percentage of youth with each level of assets)

10. Academic Achievement and Assets • Studies have associated Commitment-to-Learning assets directly or indirectly with: • Increased high school completion • Increased enrollment in college • Higher grades • Higher achievement test scores • Better attendance • Less sexual intercourse and childbearing • Less drug use • Fewer conduct problems

11. From . . . To . . . * Young people’s problems * Young people’s strengths * Professional’s work * Everyone’s work * Young people absorbing * Young people as resources resources * Troubled young people * All young people * Accountable only for * Accountable as well for own behavior other adults’ behavior * Incidental asset building * Intentional asset building * Blaming others * Claiming responsibility The Asset-Building Difference

12. The Asset-Building Process Set up a leadership team that will begin to shape a vision and formulate a plan. • Generate awareness • Assess resources, students’ asset levels, and current asset-building activities • Prioritize assets • Form relationships that build assets • Create an asset-rich environment • Use programs and practices to build assets • Sustain asset building

13. Creating an Asset-Rich Environment • Staff in hallways • Doors open • All staff and volunteers trained • Hall friendliness the norm • Assets posted • Students involved in building assets • Assets part of evaluations • Physical environment warm and inviting

14. Thinking on Your Current Program and Practices • Looking at your schools programs, which developmental assets are you already building? • Which assets does your school and/or programs already promoting? • How can I use these programs and practices more intentionally to build assets?

15. The A.P.I. Study: Academics and Prevention InseparableResults from the two-year developmental asset project in La Habra, Orange County API STUDY: ACADEMICS AND PREVENTION INSEPARABLE REPORT AVAILABLE IN PDF FORMAT AT: www.ocde.us/assetbuilding

16. Academic Performance Index Scores Experimental: Elementary + 66 points Control: Elementary - 17 Middle + 23 Middle +16

17. Youth Development Framework Review • Pilot program 2000-2002 Orange County Health Care Agency Orange County Department of Education La Habra City School District City of La Habra La Habra Resource Center La Habra Chamber of Commerce Youth development defined by Karen Pittman (1990) “Youth development is the ongoing process in which young people are engaged in building the skills, attitudes, knowledge, and experiences that prepare them for the present and the future”.

18. The A.P.I. Study: Academics and Prevention Inseparable ASSESSMENT

19. In 1999, the FBI identified the area of implementation as the most violent city in Orange County with 9.2 violent crimes per 1,000 people. There were 127 juvenile arrests of which 64% were drug related and 20% gang related crimes. Area of Implementation

20. Experimental Group TWO schools: ONE elementary ONE middle school Hispanic 70% White 24% Asian 4% Black 2% English Learners 78 Control Group TWO schools: ONE elementary ONE middle school Hispanic 63% White 32% Asian 2% Black 2% Other 1% English Learners 67 Participating SchoolsDemographic Composition

21. The A.P.I. Study: Academics and Prevention Inseparable Pre-tests (survey, focus groups, and interviews) • Students 1,500 (experimental and control) • Two student cohorts • Teachers 300 (all participating schools) • Parents (PTA representatives in two schools) • Community members (city officials and community-based organization representatives)

22. The A.P.I. Study: Academics and Prevention Inseparable GOALS

23. The A.P.I. Study: Academics and Prevention Inseparable • Attended the youth development conference in the Summer of 2000 • Formed the Core Team: Students, educators and community members to lead project • Established ongoing teacher training opportunities: Meeting teacher needs • Introduced the video production class (elective) • Worked on parent involvement: Reading, math, conflict resolution, and parentshadow days

24. The A.P.I. Study: Academics and Prevention Inseparable RESEARCHED Programs and Promising Practices

25. Youth Development Models Multiple theories of frameworks defining youth development have surfaced over the last decade. These include: • Supports and Opportunities • Youth Competencies and Needs • Resiliency • Integrated Approach • Developmental Assets

26. Promising Practices Alignment with Asset-Building Framework Youth and adults in the school site voted to implement the following assets: • Service to Others - Asset #9 • Youth Programs - Asset #18 • Achievement Motivation - Asset #21 • Reading for Pleasure - Asset #25 • Peaceful Conflict Resolution - Asset #36

27. Asset # 9: Service to Others • Leadership and community service projects • Each classroom completed at least one project “My parents have adult conversations with me, they don’t talk to me like I am a little kid.” - Student

28. Asset # 18: Youth Programs • Lunch Bunch • Multi-media curriculum • YDF Newsletter • Middle school student-led parent conferences • Voices of change event • Parent shadow day • Cross-age mentoring “The YDF agenda has put parents and teachers on the same page” -Parent “[I am] self-motivated to get homework, [YDF] taught me responsibility” - Student

29. Asset # 21: Achievement Motivation • Invisible mentoring • Ongoing teacher training • Video production class • Music contest “The students love YDF. It gives them a safe and productive environment.” -Teacher

30. Asset # 25: Reading for Pleasure Middle school reading program Elementary school-wide reading program Reading and mathematics evening workshop for students and parents “YDF gave me a feeling that teachers had more trust in me.” - Student

31. A.P.I. Study: Academics and Prevention Inseparable Five findings are statistically significant (p < .05) Students in the control group showed: • A decrease in commitment to learning Students in the experimental group showed: • Significant increase in their test scores and commitment to learning • Connection with teachers, school, and community • Greater feeling of safety in school • Teachers’ attitude toward their work environment and level of involvement with youth showed improvement when promoting a positive “school culture” and empowering students at their school

32. Key Finding for Elementary Students Pre-test showed 6 out of 10 students like to learn Post-test showed 9 out of 10 students like to learn An increase of almost 30% from pre to post test

33. Elementary School Evaluation

34. Elementary School Evaluation