A New Year

Looking Back, Moving Forward

Asset Trainings Upcoming Assets Trainings

Applying the Assets

Asset #18: Youth Programs

Community Spotlight

Union City: Healthy Youth Club

What’s Happening at SVHS?

You Make A Difference Assembly

SVHS PYD Advisory Board

“Tie One On” Event

Shop Simply Scarves to Support

Positive Youth Development

Task Force Meetings

Join a PYD Task Force

Meet PYD

Kevin Buczynski

Inside

This

Issue

A New Year

4909 Jordan Road • Erie PA 16563 • (814) 898-6297 • www.youtherie.com

Our Mission

Positive Youth Development

of Erie County activates

communities to create

healthy, caring, and

responsible individuals.

Winter 2015 Volume 5, Issue 1

A new year is upon us, this brings new opportunities for growth and change; to raise awareness of Positive Youth Development’s efforts to promote “making a difference in the lives of youth” throughout Erie County.

Looking Back on 2014…

Celebrated Dr. Carl Kallgren’s contributions as long-standing Founder and Director of CORE and PYD up his retirement.

Continued Growth in Intensive Sites Union City Area School District Strong Vincent High School

Held several 40 Asset Trainings at which individuals, organizations, and other communi-ty services were given the knowledge and resources necessary to become asset builders for youth within their Erie County community.

Successful 11th Annual PYD Week— “Making Connections”— Focused on encouraging adults and organizations to become asset builders for youth in the community, to create positive and healthy relationships with youth.

Fundraising Initiatives– Raised funds through Erie Gives and #GivingTuesday.

Welcomed New Personnel Penn State PARC Faculty– Dr. Charisse Nixon, Dr. Melanie Hetzel- Riggin, and Dr. Nicole Shoenberger

PYD Staff Members- Jonathan Kinnear (Research Assistant), Karrah Kurpiewski (Comm Coordinator) and Kevin Buczynski (Strong Vincent PYD Associate Coordinator)

Looking Ahead to 2015...

What if all the youth in your community had caring values and all the schools had caring school climates? What would it look like if your neighborhood taught the youth peaceful conflict resolution?

Our vision: All Erie County children, youth, and adults are thriving and productive, creating diverse and successful communities.

PYD will hold true to the vision of a brighter future for Erie County as we move forward into the new year. PYD staff, advisory board, task forces, and partners will continue to work together to empower youth, encourage adults, and community groups to become intentional asset-builders for youth, and increase assets for all youth.

With your continued involvement and support we can help make Erie County a great place for youth to

grow up!

Explore our Annual Review, click here.

Looking back, moving forward

Asset Trainings

Join us for an Asset Training and gain the knowledge and resources to help young

people grow up healthy, caring, and responsible.

Upcoming Training Events:

Saturday, March 7th Friday, March 27th

Contact PYD for more details at (814)898-6297

Click here for a

complete list of the

40 Developmental

Assets!

Applying the Assets

Community Spotlight

Asset #18: Youth spend three or more hours a week in youth programs

After-school activities: Extra, but also essential It’s appropriate that the word is extracurricular,” but the word should really be essential-curricular. In fact, youth programs are so important that many schools are now calling them co-curricular activities. For many young people, youth programs at school and in the community are the highlight of their day. Youth meet new people who share their interests, introduce them to new pursuits, while spending time with adults who also enjoy the activity. Here are the facts Research shows that young people who regularly spend time in sports, clubs, or other youth programs have higher self-esteem and better leadership skills, and are less likely to feel lonely. About 57 percent of young people, ages 11–18, spend three or more hours a week in youth programs or extracurricular activities.

In your home and family: With your child, make a list of activities he or she wants to learn about. Rank the ideas according to her or his level of interest. Together, research ways to try out the top two choices. In your neighborhood and community: Check your local newspaper for upcoming community activities such as charity lunches, art openings, or athletic events. How many are youth-centered or allow youth participation? If you don’t see many, consider starting an activity. In your school or youth program: Discuss the following with the young people in your class or program: If you could start a club of your own, what would it be? How would you get it started? What materials would you need?

Encourage young people to join a school or community activity!

Developmental Assets® are positive factors within young people, families, communities, schools, and other settings that research has found to be important in promoting the healthy development of young people. From Instant Assets: 52 Short and Simple E-Mails for Sharing the Asset Message. Copyright © 2007 by Search Institute®, 877-240-7251; www.search-institute.org. This message may be reproduced for educational, noncommercial uses only (with this copyright line). All rights reserved.

One of the greatest gifts we can give young people is to help them discover their passions, skills,

and talents, as well as engage them in programs and activities that give them meaning and

pupose, and a greater sense of self.

How can you help young people discover and explore their own skills?

Do you have a passion that you could turn into a program and share with youth?

Union City: The Healthy Youth Club

After seeing many students practicing unhealthy eating habits, Jeanette Boyd, Union City kindergarten teacher, was encouraged to start a club to teach the students about healthy eating and to encourage physical activity. In 2006, she started The Healthy Youth Club.

The club meets twice a week after school throughout January and February. All 1st – 5th grade students are invited to join, as well as kindergarteners who have an older sibling in the club. The students begin by

preparing a healthy snack. They then break into four groups and rotate around four stations where they learn about the benefits of nutrition and exercise, run/walk, exercise, and play a game.

“My hope is to get the kids excited about exercising and eating healthy, and hopefully they will establish lifelong healthy eating habits and continue to incorporate exercise into their lives,” states Jeanette. “Children that eat healthy, and exercise regularly miss less school, and are generally happier and have a better outlook on life.” Throughout the program, students keep a training log to measure personal progress, and at the end of two months they participate in a ‘half marathon’ in which they run or walk 13 miles, read 13 books, and do 13 good deeds. Students that complete the marathon earn an award, and a t-shirt. This year, 159 students are participating in The Healthy Youth Club. The Healthy Youth Club in Union City is an excellent example of a program designed to enhance the lives of young people!

4909 Jordan Road • Erie PA 16563 • (814) 898-6297 • www.youtherie.com Positive Youth Development

News,

Updates

&

Events

Strong Vincent Update What’s Happening at SVHS?

SVHS PYD Advisory Board

“You Make A Difference” Assembly

PYD sponsored “You Make a Difference” Day at Strong Vincent High School. A school-wide assembly recognized students and teachers at SVHS who are working together to make a positive impact within the school.

The event included the distribution of blue ribbons to staff and students who help to create an atmosphere of positive relationships. The assembly fea-tured special guest speaker Erie County District Attorney, Jack Daneri.

Strong Vincent has implemented a Positive Youth Development Advisory Board in an effort to promote the 40 Developmental Assets into the school’s climate. The board’s action strategies include an emphasis on education, support, activities, outreach, parents, and community enviornment.

*This meeting is open to all community members. Please contact PYD for future meeting dates.

To Support

Positive Youth Development of Erie County

Come to shop for fashion scarves and

accessories to show your support for PYD!

PYD Board Member, Diane Wilson, has joined forces with “The Scarf Lady” of Simply Scarves to raise support for PYD of Erie County. The event will include scarf tying demonstrations, door prizes, and refreshments.

Simply Scarves will donate 25% of sales from event and online at www.Simply-Scarves.com from 3/20-3/23.

RSVP to Positive Youth Development at 814-898-6297 or pyd@youtherie.com

www.Simply-Scarves.com

JOIN US...

SATURDAY, MARCH 21ST

OPEN HOUSE 11:00 AM– 5:00 PM

WHOLE FOODS CO-OP

COMMUNITY ROOM

1341 WEST 26TH STREET

ERIE, PA 16501 Click here for more.

2/24/15 Parent Task Force Meeting Community Care Behavioral Health, 9:30 am—10:30 am

2/24/15 Teen Pregnancy Prevention Task Force Meeting Crime Victim’s Center, 2:30 pm— 4:00 pm

2/25/15 Media Task Foce Meeting Brew HaHa Café, 3:00 pm—4:00 pm

Task Force Meetings

Looking for a way to be involved in our organization?... Join a PYD Task Force! Each Task Force is comprised of a group of individuals, including professionalss, parents, and community members working together to infuse the 40 Develop-mental Assets throughout Erie County.

4909 Jordan Road • Erie PA 16563 • (814) 898-6297 • www.youtherie.com Positive Youth Development

Contact PYD for more details at (814)898-6297

Meet PYD

Positive Youth Development is

Proudly Supported By: Additional Links:

Contact Us Penn State Erie, The Behrend College

Susan Hirt Hagen Center, CORE

(Community•Outreach•Research•Evaluation)

Phone: 814-898-6297

Address: 4909 Jordan Road Erie, PA 16563

Fax: 814-898-6270

Website: www.YouthErie.com

Make a Donation

Online at www.YouthErie.com/donate

By Phone: (814)898-6297

Like PYD on Facebook! Explore Our 2013-2014

Annual Review!

Kevin Buczynski,

PYD Associate Coordinator at Strong Vincent High School

Kevin Buczynski graduated Penn State Behrend with a bachelor’s degree in Communication. After graduation, Kevin joined the Air Force, and was deployed once to Iraq and once to Qatar. He is currently in the Air Force Reserves and is working to attain his master’s degree in Administraion of Justice at Mercyhurst College.

Why do you want to work with CORE/PYD?

I want to work with CORE/PYD because I want to make a difference in the community and be a positive role model for the youth. It is exciting to launch and run programs that support the positive development of young people. It is about creating the bond with people, programs, institutions, and systems who provide all youth, troubled or not, with the supports and opportunities they need to empower themselves. I want to form Youth Development strategies and focus on giving young people the chance to form relationships with caring adults, build skills, exercise leadership, and help their communities.

What’s your favorite developmental asset and why?

My favorite Developmental asset is Asset #14 Adult role Models: Parents and other adults model positive, responsible behavior. Growing up I was always getting into trouble. My father was in the military and my mother was always working, so my grandfather was my “constant” growing up. He taught me right and wrong, and he was always involved in my life whether it was school, giving me rides, cooking or an emergency. He would always say yes. He was a positive role model in my life. I want to take from my experience and try to be a positive role model for the youth at Strong Vincent.

What do you hope to achieve through your position at PYD?

I hope to develop the Asset Framework at Strong Vincent. Resiliency and prevention are critical to the positive development of young people. I want to engage youth within their communities, schools, organizations, peer groups, and families in a manner that is productive and constructive. I hope to recognize, utilize, and enhance youths' strengths and promote positive outcomes by providing opportunities, fostering positive relationships, and furnishing the support needed to build on their leadership strengths. Also, I want to build support for all young people by helping them to develop a sense of a competence, usefulness, belonging and empowerment through research, programs, providing services,and opportunities.

4909 Jordan Road • Erie PA 16563 • (814) 898-6297 • www.youtherie.com Positive Youth Development