for Children and Youth - Ventura County Star

OFFICE OF EDUCATION 

Creating 

Asset 

Rich 

Environments 

for Children and Youth 

A Call to Action 

“Ventura County CAREs” 

There is no power greater than a community 

discovering what it cares about. 

Margaret Wheatley, 2002 

VENTURA COUNTY 

Published by the Ventura County Office of Education 

Charles Weis, Ph.D., County Superintendent of Schools 

December 2007

© Copyright 2007 by the Ventura County Office of Education 

Photos courtesy of Boys and Girls Club of Greater Oxnard and Port Hueneme, 2007

Creating Asset Rich Environments for Children and Youth i 

Table of Contents 

Page 

Acknowledgements .......................................................................................................................................................................ii 

BASICO’s Vision, Mission and Goals........................................................................................................................................... iii 

Message from Dr. Charles Weis, Ventura County Superintendent of Schools............................................................ iv 

Message from BASICO Co-Chairs Juanita Suarez and Tim Blaylock................................................................................v 

Executive Summary........................................................................................................................................................................ vi 

Introduction.......................................................................................................................................................................................1 

Challenge A: Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drug use Including Binge Drinking........................................................3 

Challenge B: Bullying....................................................................................................................................................................10 

Challenge C: Disconnected from School and Community..............................................................................................13 

Linking the Challenges to Strategies for Action...................................................................................................................17 

Strategy 1: Promote Caring Adult Relationships with Children and Youth.................................................................21 

Strategy 2: Facilitate Meaningful Participation.....................................................................................................................27 

Strategy 3: Foster High Expectations for Children and Youth.........................................................................................32 

A Call to Action................................................................................................................................................................................ 36 

Resources...........................................................................................................................................................................................37 

References........................................................................................................................................................................................ 38

ii 

Creating Asset Rich Environments for Children and Youth 

Acknowledgements 

In the winter of 2005, Dr. Charles Weis, Ventura County Superintendent of Schools, sought nominations 

for the Ventura County Building Assets Strengthening Individals and Communities – BASICO – Commission. 

Twenty-two men and women who reflect the diversity and expertise of an entire community answered 

the call. 

Commission Members: 

Adilene Amaro, Ventura County Friday Night Live Youth Advisory Council 

Susan Baker, Interface Children Family Services* 

Tim Blaylock, Boys and Girls Club of Greater Oxnard and Port Hueneme* 

Elaine Crandall, Workforce Investment Board of Ventura County 

Bennie Crayton, Ventura County Behavioral Health* 

Val Donaire, Hueneme Elementary School District 

Jock Doss, First 5 Ventura County 

Susan Englund, United Way of Ventura County 

Jennifer Finnerty, American Cancer Society 

Jim Gilmer, Cyrus Urban Inter-Church Sustainability Network 

Don Henniger, Child Development Resources of Ventura County 

Jenny Jones, Ventura County Associations of School Psychologists 

Suzanne Kitchens, Ventura County School Board Association 

Yeni Magaña, Ventura County Friday Night Live Youth Advisory Council 

Cameron McMullen, Independent Living Program 

James Meznek, Ventura County Community College District 

Reyna O’Neil, Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Questioning (LGBTQ) Family Center 

Juanita Rivera-Suarez, Association of California School Administrators* 

Betty Roark, 12th District Parent Teacher Association 

Stu Semigran, EduCare Foundation* 

Jane Sweetland, California State University Channel Islands* 

Andre Vazquez, Ventura County School Counselors Association 

* Steering Committee Member 

Other Representatives: 

Tom Nikirk & Theresa Vital, Workforce Investment Board of Ventura County 

Special Appreciation: 

Annette Preciado, Project Specialist, Ventura County Office of Education 

Barbara J. D’Incau, Ph.D., NCSP, Consultant 

Bonnie Bernard, Senior Program Associate, WestEd 

Clay Roberts, Vision Training Associates 

Gretel Compton, Graphics Supervisor, Ventura County Office of Education 

Heidi Christensen, Ph.D., Research and Evaluation, Ventura County Office of Education 

John Cressy, Technical Writer, Whisenhunt Communications 

John de Miranda, Community Prevention Institute 

Lois Phillips, Ph.D., Phillips Consulting 

Lorraine Brown, Content Specialist, Ventura County Office of Education 

Millie Arnold, Senior Secretary, Ventura County Office of Education 

Patricia Contini, Director, Ventura County Office of Education 

Ventura County Friday Night Live Youth Advisory Council Alumni

Creating Asset Rich Environments for Children and Youth iii 

BASICO’s Vision, Mission and Goals 

Vision 

We envision Ventura County as a place where youth believe that adults and organizations care about 

and value them. 

Mission 

To establish a collaborative network of advocates creating and implementing a Youth Asset Development 

framework for the Ventura County community. 

Goals 

Educate BASICO members and share the vision of intentional youth asset development by informing 

the community about the need and importance of intentional youth asset development. 

Engage community partners and gain a wide range of organizations’ endorsement for creating and 

disseminating a framework for youth asset development. 

In collaboration with community partners, provide a framework for communities to develop policies, 

a process, and an implementation plan including a timeline for youth asset development. 

Evaluate BASICO’s successes against Ventura County California Healthy Kids Survey data and other 

measures that BASICO has identified.

iv 


Message from Dr. Charles Weis, 

Ventura County Superintendent of Schools 

Ventura County is a wonderful place to live. We benefit from a temperate climate and have abundant 

opportunities to enjoy a healthy lifestyle because of our mountains, beaches and parks. Ventura 

County also boasts a vibrant economy, is culturally enriched and has outstanding schools. This is indeed a 

great place to live and work. 

Yet, too many of our young people feel disconnected from their schools and communities. They are 

smoking, drinking alcohol and using drugs. Too many also are engaging in criminal activity and joining gangs. 

Something is wrong with this picture. 

In response to this concern, in December 2005, I sought nominations to establish a commission of influential 

community stakeholders that would address this critical issue. The members termed themselves the 

“Building Assets, Strengthening Individuals and Communities” – BASICO – Commission. I tasked the BASICO 

Commission with: 

◆◆ Creating a community profile through a comprehensive needs assessment 

◆◆ Researching proven strategies and best practices of successful youth programs, locally and nationwide 

◆◆ Preparing and submit a written action blueprint for local residents, schools, policy-makers and community 

groups that would establish Ventura County as a caring and nurturing environment for our 

young people 

Twenty-two men and women who reflect the diversity and expertise of our entire county answered the 

call. While they come from different parts of the county, what they all have in common is a passion for the 

welfare of our young people. For the past two years, they have found the time out of their busy schedules to 

prepare this Call to Action. I extend my sincere appreciation for the Commissioners’ dedication and perseverance. 

I am extremely grateful to BASICO members and Co-Chairs Juanita Suarez, representing the Association 

of California School Administrators, and Tim Blaylock of the Boys and Girls Club of Oxnard and Port Hueneme 

for their leadership. I also want to give special thanks to Patricia Contini and Annette Preciado of Ventura 

County Office of Education’s Health and Early Childhood Programs office for their diligent staff support for the 

Commission. 

This report tells a story about how we can work together to reduce youth drug and alcohol abuse and 

gang activity. All it takes is the will to act. Each of us can, through small acts of caring, build assets in our 

youth. These assets inoculate young people against self destructive behavior. 

With your help and the collective voice of BASICO, I am confident our community can make a difference 

in the lives of our young people and become a model for other communities to follow. Please join me in this 

Call to Action to make Ventura County a better place for young people to grow and prosper. 

Charles Weis, Ph.D. 

Ventura County Superintendent of Schools

Creating Asset Rich Environments for Children and Youth v 

Message from BASICO Co-Chairs 

Juanita Suarez and Tim Blaylock 

Imagine a world where all young people feel valued; where they develop the experiences, values, and 

qualities essential to growing up to be caring and responsible individuals. This is the goal of the “Building 

Assets, Strengthening Individuals and Communities” – BASICO – Commission. BASICO is working to mobilize 

our entire community to shift from viewing young people as challenges, to connecting with and seeing 

them as contributing members of society. A primary goal of BASICO is to transform Ventura County to ensure 

safe, caring and nurturing communities that embrace children and youth and support cohesive relationships. 

Remember the days when you were young? Did you have caring and supportive adults who provided 

the direction and opportunities that made you into the adult you are now? Think how valuable those persons 

are in your life and the difference they made as they mentored and supported you. This is your opportunity to 

do the same for young people in Ventura County. 

Young people need to feel they matter. Meaningful participation in leadership and service opportunities 

help youth grow as individuals who are empowered to make a difference. As adults, we can open doors 

for youth to have experiences that help build assets and positive relationships. Young people need to hear 

messages of high expectations from us. They need to know that we believe they can and will achieve success. 

Parents and families are the foundation of asset building, but all adults can and need to play a part in creating 

youth success. All of us can encourage, teach, coach or just listen to young people. 

What we propose is not new. We would like to see the simple concepts of caring adult relationships, 

meaningful participation, and high expectations become the basis for moving schools and communities forward 

to foster a sense of connection for all young people. 

Greg Wolfe, California Department of Education Consultant, Safe and Healthy Kids Program Office, 

shares that “40 years of research has led us to the point where we recognize it is a moral imperative that our 

communities create policies, goals, and strategies that provide the youth we are responsible for serving with 

the developmental supports and opportunities that will help them live healthy and meaningful lives.” 

This is a Call to Action. Together we can make this a community where children and youth are valued 

and protected. We all can start today. It costs nothing, just takes a little time. 

Juanita Suarez and Tim Blaylock 

Co-Chairs, BASICO Commission

vi 


Executive Summary 

Creating Asset Rich Environments for Children and Youth: A Call to Action 

In Ventura County, too many of our young people are engaging in high-risk behaviors: drinking alcohol, 

smoking cigarettes and marijuana, using other drugs - and dying. Too many of them are also engaging 

in criminal activity and joining gangs. These problems are not overstated. The results of the California Department 

of Education’s 2005-2006 California Healthy Kids Survey (CHKS), which is administered by local school 

districts, are alarming. It reveals that alcohol use among 7th, 9th, and 11th graders in Ventura County exceeds 

that of students statewide and that 4,500 students out of 19,563 surveyed (23%) reported they recently engaged 

in binge drinking behavior. 

This Call to Action reflects the vision of a group of community members who are dedicated to improving 

the lives and the outcomes for Ventura County’s children and youth. We believe that every child should be 

happy and have a productive future, achieved through healthy lifestyle choices and preparation for success in 

all areas of life. 

School leaders share this vision. In 2005, Dr. Charles Weis, Superintendent of Ventura County Office of 

Education, appointed a task force of community leaders to form BASICO, Building Assets Strengthening Individuals 

and Communities Commission. BASICO members met regularly during 2006 and 2007 to find ways to 

energize and engage communities in supporting the healthy development of our children and youth. 

In developing this Call to Action, we explored the research and information on concerns and risks that 

our children and youth face today. Our work led us to identify three critical challenges that prevent our young 

people from reaching their potential to lead healthy, successful lives. 

Challenge A: Too many of our children and youth are using alcohol, tobacco and other drugs and engaging in 

“binge drinking. 

As self-reported in the CHKS, alcohol use is by far the biggest drug problem among Ventura County’s 

children and youth. Children as young as age 10 – 5th grade students – are drinking alcohol, and the numbers 

increase for older age groups. Our children are “binge drinking” – consuming five or more alcoholic drinks 

within a few hours. Our young people are smoking cigarettes and experimenting with marijuana – with some 

admitting to regular use. Where do our children get alcohol and tobacco? They get it from adults. 

Challenge B: Too may of our children and youth are bullied, especially at school. 

People often dismiss bullying among kids as a normal part of growing up. However, there is nothing innocent 

about bullying. In the 2005-06 CHKS data, almost half of our 5th grade students (46%) and one in six 

of 11th grade students (13%) reported they were pushed, shoved, slapped, hit or kicked by someone at school 

who wasn’t just kidding around. We tend to look the other way when children complain of being bullied and 

then are dismayed when one of them takes a drastic and destructive action to end the bullying. 

Challenge C: Too many of our children and youth feel disconnected from school and their community. 

According to local CHKS data, our community and our schools in particular, are not doing a very good 

job of helping children and youth feel they are worthwhile and that they belong. Only about half of our 7th 

grade students (45%) reported feeling connected to their school in the 2005-2006 CHKS. The rate of feeling 

disconnected increases at the high school level. When our youth feel that they do not belong in school or 

they think we do not care, they are more likely to drop out of school. Some feel so hopeless and alone that 

they think life is not worth living. 

Are you concerned? Are you ready to take action? Will you join us?

Creating Asset Rich Environments for Children and Youth vii 

These challenges are daunting and serious, and they affect all our kids – rich, middle class or poor, 

across genders and all ethnicities - and are visible in all parts of Ventura County. BASICO Commission believes 

that the solutions are within our grasp. We can change the outcomes for our children if we work together to 

create asset rich environments for youth. We just need to take action - to take that first step. BASICO is committed 

to bringing the message of hope through youth asset development to every adult and child within our 

community. Our research on student success, resiliency, and youth asset development led us to adopt three 

strategies to reduce alcohol and drug use, reduce bullying, and reconnect with our children and youth. These 

strategies are surprisingly simple – every one of us can implement them – and research shows they make a 

world of difference in the lives of young people. 

Together, these three strategies are the basis for Creating Asset Rich Environments for Children and 

Youth: 

Promote caring adult relationships with children and youth 

◆◆ 

◆◆ 

◆◆ 

Support connections to others 

Be someone who is “there” for youth 

Listen non-judgmentally 

Facilitate meaningful participation for young people 

◆◆ 

◆◆ 

Involve youth in relevant, engaging and interesting activities 

Provide opportunities for responsibility and contribution 

Foster high expectations 

◆◆ 

◆◆ 

◆◆ 

◆◆ 

Communicate consistent messages that children and youth can and will succeed 

Believe in youth’s innate resilience 

Offer youth-centered support 

Focus on strengths (WestEd, 2003) 

Promote caring adult 

relationships 

When adults in the community 

care about a child or youth 

and take a moment to ask how 

he or she is doing, our children 

gain a sense of value, belonging, 

and self-worth. There is 

nothing more powerful than 

knowing someone notices you 

and that someone cares. You 

do not need to be a community 

activist or even belong 

to an organization that is involved 

in youth development. 

You can start by saying “hello” 

and taking a positive interest 

in a young person anywhere in 

your community. 

Facilitate meaningful 

participation 

Children learn by doing. Adults create 

opportunities for children and youth 

to be productive at home, at school, 

and in the community by asking for 

their ideas and involving them in activities 

that they care about. We must 

also be willing to refrain from giving 

advice too quickly and instead become 

partners in working with our 

youth. As adults, we know that we 

try harder and we are more engaged 

when we believe someone is counting 

on us and is proud of the things we 

accomplish. We need to let our children 

and youth know that what they 

contribute is important and appreciated. 

Foster high expectations 

A wise person once said, “Nothing 

succeeds like success.” Our 

children and youth want to 

be successful and feel proud 

of what they achieve. High 

expectations are consistent 

messages that there is a standard 

to meet, one that can be 

achieved. By whatever method, 

we must convey to our children 

and youth that they can reach 

the goal. They must know that 

when they fall short, a caring 

adult will be there to acknowledge 

their effort, provide guidance, 

and encourage them to 

keep trying.

viii 



C 

reating Asset Rich Environments for Children and Youth – A Call to Action is not a program. This Call to 

Action describes three challenges that confront us and sets forth three strategies to improve the lives 

of our children and youth. These strategies are a way of living and relating to our children and youth every 

day. Other communities have worked together to create positive changes that promote the healthy and successful 

development of all young people. Ventura County can be a community that CAREs for youth. It will take 

a commitment from each one of us. We cannot put it off until next week, next month, or next year. We cannot 

wait for someone else to do it. Each one of us must answer this Call to Action. The time to act is now!

Introduction 

Creating Asset Rich Environments for Children and Youth 1 

“Young people are resources to be treasured and developed, not problems to be solved.” 

McLaughlin, Irby, & Langman, 1994 

For any number of reasons, teens and pre-teens are at a vulnerable stage in their lives. 

Whether it’s due to peer pressure, problems at home or school, the need to feel accepted 

– or maybe it’s just their way of exerting their independence – too often young people 

make unhealthy choices that can affect them for the rest of their lives. 

In Ventura County, too many of our young people are engaging in high risk behaviors: 

smoking, using drugs, drinking alcohol, recklessly driving – and dying. Too many of them also 

are engaging in criminal activity and joining gangs. 

Making a Difference by Creating Asset Rich Environments for 

our Children and Youth 

The good news is we can do something to reach our young people 

– before it’s too late. Forty years of resiliency research shows that 

when individuals, schools and communities focus on youth development, 

most young people – even those challenged by multiple risks 

and adversities – not only survive, but grow into thriving adults. 

What do young people need to succeed? Building resilient youth 

should be as basic as building competent readers, writers and mathematicians. 

In order to help children and youth avoid drugs, alcohol and 

other self-destructive behaviors, they need caring adult relationships, meaningful participation, 

and high expectations (Benard, 2004). These three key ingredients can and should be 

core features of every school in Ventura County and in the community at-large. 

Parents, schools, community groups, social service agencies, public safety agencies and 

healthcare organizations can do their part to develop youth assets and support our young 

people in learning to live productive and healthy lives. “Schools must do their best because 

they are a critical environment for youth, but they cannot carry the 

burden alone,” (Healthy Kids Program Office, 2001, p. 43). Family environment 

is the cornerstone of healthy child and youth development, 

but the schools are the “essential social environment” in which youth 

try out new behaviors and learn to take effective action in life. 

Every one of us has a role to play in promoting the well-being of 

our children and youth. Positive development in the first two decades 

of life does not come from a program or a curriculum. We believe that 

every adult in Ventura County can make a difference in the life of one 

young person by offering a “close sense of connection” and helping 

open doors of possibility for our young people to develop the capacity 

Key Term: Resiliency: 

How children and youth overcome 

risk and adversity to become competent, 

confident, and caring individuals 

(Werner & Smith, 1992). Resilience 

is a capacity of all youth 

for healthy development and successful 

learning (Benard, 2004). 

Key Term: 

Youth Asset Development: 

A focus on positive youth development 

and building individual assets 

that will help youth attain a 

range of healthy outcomes for themselves 

and society; a vision that 

names the core element of healthy 

development and the community 

individuals taking action needed 

to promote these building blocks. 

to grow up healthy. The role of adults becomes one of fostering a sense of connection to the 

community rather than providing services to adolescents (Healthy Kids Program Office, 2001). 

We can achieve positive youth development if the whole community works together. 

That is why BASICO (Building Assets Strengthening Individuals and Communities) was 

created. We, as parents, business owners, program directors, educators and concerned com-

2 Creating Asset Rich Environments for Children and Youth 

munity members believe we cannot afford to lose even one child to underage drinking, drug dependence, 

gang involvement or suicide. The BASICO Commission believes that it is possible and necessary for individuals 

and institutions to establish a collaborative network of advocates to create and to implement a youth asset 

development Call to Action for the Ventura County Community. 

In our work, BASICO reviewed risk and achievement data in 

Ventura County, discussed community strengths and assets that exist to support our young people, and 

read relevant research related to Youth Asset Development. Our discussions led us to focus on three challenges 

that we feel are critical to overcome in helping our young people succeed and thrive. They are: 

◆◆ Challenge A: Alcohol, tobacco, and Other Drug Use including Binge Drinking 

◆◆ Challenge B: Bullying 

◆◆ Challenge C: Disconnected from School and Community 

We can meet these challenges by implementing the following three proven effective strategies: 

◆◆ Strategy 1: Promote Caring Adult Relationships 

◆◆ Strategy 2: Facilitate Meaningful Participation 

◆◆ Strategy 3: Foster High Expectations 

Data for the challenges in this Call to Action come from the California Healthy Kids Survey (CHKS 2004, 

2006), which is a comprehensive youth health risk and resilience data collection tool for local education agencies 

and is sponsored by the California Department of Education (CDE). Used by California schools since 1997, 

the CHKS consists of age-appropriate questions for students in grades 5, 7, 9 and 11. Students anonymously 

report on behaviors related to substance use, peer relationships, adult support, safety, and physical fitness. 

The CHKS results are used to develop programs for alcohol, tobacco, other drugs, and violence prevention. 

The strategies we promote were developed from research-based programs that have been proven to be 

effective in diverse communities like those in Ventura County. 

This document, Creating Asset Rich Environments for Children and Youth: A Call to Action, is based on a 

hopeful vision. The Commission envisions Ventura County as a place where young people believe that adults 

care about and value them. This is not about creating a new program. Rather, BASICO intends to spur a 

movement that will mobilize the community at-large, including individuals, schools, and all community agencies, 

to be intentional asset-builders for children and youth. 

This Call to Action is only the start. It will be a living document that will evolve over the next several 

years. A copy will appear on the Ventura County Office of Education’s Web site, www.vcoe.org, which will allow 

schools, community- and faith-based organizations, governmental agencies and community members to 

keep current on the latest research, local data, research-based practices, and community progress in the area 

of youth asset development. 

We have the resources to help our young people. Now we just need the personal and collective action. 

The time is now! Our children need each and every one of us to take action.


Challenge A 

Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drug 

use including Binge Drinking 

“A child who reaches age 21 without smoking, abusing alcohol 

or using drugs is virtually certain never to do so.” 

Joseph A. Califano Jr., Chairman and President of the National Center on 

Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University 

So, why do young people smoke, drink alcohol and take drugs? There are many reasons. Generally, 

they are curious, they want to be accepted and belong, their friends are doing it, it makes them feel 

older, they want to rebel, and/or they are bored. Young people may drink and take drugs because they lack 

healthy relationships with their peers and caring adults, as well as with themselves. They may feel isolated and 

disconnected from the world around them. They may feel unable to engage in positive activities that will improve 

their self-esteem. 

What are Alcohol, Tobacco, other Drug Use and Binge Drinking when used by young people? 

The following definitions are used by the California Healthy Kids Survey: 

Tobacco Use is when a youth smokes one cigarette. 

Other Drug Use is when a youth uses marijuana or any controlled substance (other than alcohol or 

tobacco). 

Binge Drinking is when a youth consumes five or more alcoholic drinks within a few hours in a row on 

the same occasion. 

Alcoholic Drink is one can/bottle of beer or wine cooler, glass of wine, mixed drink, or shot glass of 

distilled spirits (liquor). 

Illicit Drugs are drugs other than alcohol or tobacco, such as marijuana. 

Why it Matters 

Alcohol misuse is by far the biggest drug problem among our children and youth in Ventura County. 

Students in Ventura County begin alcohol use at young ages and engage in binge drinking. Where do our 

children and youth get alcohol? From adults like us. 

Early alcohol use on among children and youth 

◆◆ Early alcohol use is more likely to result in adult alcoholism (Grant & Dawson, 1997) 

◆◆ Alcohol dependence increases by 12% for each year under age 21 that a youth begins drinking. “The 

average age of a child’s first drink is now 12, and nearly 20% of 12 to 20 year olds are considered binge 

drinkers” (Faden & Fay, 2004) 

◆◆ While many adults believe that underage drinking is an inevitable ‘rite of passage’ that adolescents 

can easily recover from because their bodies bounce back quickly, the opposite is true. Youth who begin 

drinking alcohol before age 15 are four times more likely to become dependent on alcohol than 

those who wait to begin drinking until age 21 (Grant & Dawson, 1997)


Binge drinking is both prevalent and dangerous 

◆◆ Binge drinking is common among high school students in the United States and is strongly associated 

with sexual activity, violence, and other risky behaviors. Researchers found that the likelihood 

of engaging in other risk behaviors - including sexual activity, smoking, and physical fighting - was 

greater for binge drinkers than for drinkers who did not binge and for nondrinkers (Miller, Naimi, 

Brewer, & Jones, 2007) 

◆◆ Among the disturbing long-term effects is that teenage binge drinkers are more likely to abuse alcohol 

as adults and are less likely to finish their education, get married, hold a job and be financially independent 

(Miller, Naimi, Brewer, & Jones, 2007) 

◆◆ Binge drinking is particularly dangerous for young people since they often combine alcohol with other 

high-risk activities, such as impaired driving 

◆◆ Binge drinking is also strongly associated with poor school performance (Miller, Naimi, Brewer, & 

Jones, 2007) 

Alcohol permanently damages the developing brain 

◆◆ The effect alcohol has on the developing brain is more devastating than it would be on the adult 

brain. This is due to the teen brain’s immaturity and the damaging effect of alcohol on the rapidly 

growing frontal cortex. (American Medical Association, 2007; White, 2007) 

◆◆ Binge drinking seriously damages the brain’s frontal lobe, which continues to mature through age 20. 

This area of the brain is responsible for planning, impulse control and decision-making, among other 

functions (Spano, 2003) 

◆◆ Additionally, both short-term and moderate drinking impairs learning and memory in youth far more 

than it affects adults. Long-term damage to a teen’s brain from early alcohol consumption can be irreversible. 

Alcohol can permanently damage the hippocampus, a part of the brain important in forming 

memories (AMA, 2007; Spano, 2003) 

Alcohol and other risks 

◆◆ Underage drinking is a factor in nearly half of all teen automobile accidents – the leading cause of 

death among teenagers (American Medical Association, 2004) 

◆◆ Alcohol use contributes to youth suicides, homicides and fatal injuries – the primary causes of death 

among youth after car crashes (AMA, 2004) 

◆◆ Underage drinking is linked to as many as two-thirds of all sexual assaults and date rapes of teens 

and college students (AMA, 2004) 

◆◆ Alcohol is a major factor in unprotected sex among youth, increasing risk of pregnancy and contracting 

HIV or other sexually transmitted diseases. (AMA, 2004) 

What the Data Tell Us 

Whether we like it or not, teenage drinking is widely accepted by adults. An American Medical Association 

(2005) report revealed that one out of three young people surveyed said they were able to get alcohol 

from a consenting parent. If we wink at under-aged drinking and say, “Kids will be kids,” we are doing a great 

disservice to our young people. 

The National Picture 

Alcohol and other drug use are linked to poor attendance, lower grades, and lower scores on the Academic 

Performance Index (API). The API is an indicator of the achievement level of the students in a subgroup 

or school. Studies found that 66% of ninth graders and 68% of eleventh graders who used alcohol or other 

drugs received grades of “C” or lower (Austin & Skager, 2004).


According to the 2005 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance (YRBS) reports by the Centers for Disease Control 

and Prevention, nationwide: 

◆◆ 

43% of students surveyed in grades 9-12 had at least one drink of alcohol in the last 30 days 

◆◆ 

26% of students surveyed in grades 9-12 engaged in binge drinking behavior 

◆◆ 

29% of students reported current cigarette use 

◆◆ 

38% had used marijuana one or more times during their life


The California and Ventura County Picture 

One in four 11th 

graders said 

they consumed 

five or more alcoholic 

drinks in 

a row within a 

couple of hours 

in past 30 days. 

Alcohol use among 

Ventura County of 

7th, 9th and 11th 

graders exceeds 

that of students 

statewide for almost 

every type 

of drinking behavior 

surveyed. 

Did you know? 

Alcohol is cheap, attractive, and accessible to our children and youth. Alcoholic drinks marketed 

to youth come in nontraditional containers that look very similar to popular energy 

drinks but contain alcohol. “Pocket Shots” or “Shot Paks” that also contain liquor are packaged 

to look like candy.


Smoking and Youth 

◆◆ As noted in the analysis of the 2003-2005 statewide data from the California Healthy 

Kids Survey, current smokers are significantly more likely than nonsmokers to engage 

in alcohol and other drug (AOD) use, be involved in violence and gang membership, 

and experience school-related problems and disengagement (Austin, McCarthy, 

Slade, & Bailey, 2007) 

◆◆ The striking difference between students who smoked vs. didn’t smoke cigarettes in 

the past 30 days suggests strongly that current smoking is an indicator of the presence 

of, or potential for, other risk-taking behaviors and for school and personal 

problems (Austin, McCarthy, Slade, & Bailey, 2007) 

Cigarette smoking 

rates are slightly 

lower among 

7th and 9th grade 

teens in Ventura 

County, compared 

with California. 

Marijuana Use 

◆◆ Young people who smoke marijuana are more likely than non-users to go on to experiment 

with other drugs (CAADAA, 2000) 

◆◆ Young people who use marijuana regularly often lose interest and are not motivated 

to do their schoolwork. Marijuana use interferes with thinking, learning, reading comprehension, 

and math skills (White House Drug Policy, 2003) 

◆◆ Young people who use marijuana frequently are at increased risk for violent behavior 

and delinquency (White House Drug Policy, 2003) 

◆◆ Marijuana users report more depressive symptoms and suicidal thoughts than people 

who never used the drug (White House Drug Policy, 2003)


Marijuana use 

among young 

people in Ventura 

County 

is above the 

state average. 

Did you know? 

Almost 1 in 5 students in Ventura County reported that they used prescription painkillers “to 

get high” four or more times in their life (California Healthy Kids Survey, 2005-06). 

Dr. Jeff Robinson is seeing the consequences of prescription drug abuse firsthand in Ventura 

County Medical Center’s emergency room. “More kids are coming in the ER in the last two 

years than I’ve ever seen in the 20 years I’ve worked here,” Robinson told the Ventura County 

Star in an April 13, 2007 article. Deaths from prescription drug overdose are “one of the terrible, 

tragic outcomes of kids taking this stuff” (Foxman, 2007). 

Be Part of the Call to Action 

We now know that children and youth who do well in school are less likely to engage 

in destructive behaviors like smoking, drinking alcohol, or taking drugs. We also know that 

many of our youth obtain these substances from adults. 

But which comes first: alcohol and drug use, or school failure? A study by the Social Research 

Institute at the University of Michigan provides an answer. Patterns of educational success 

or failure are well established for children and youth by the time they reach 8th grade 

(Bachman, O’Malley, et al., 2007). School failure tends to come early in the sequence of problem 

behaviors. “In general, substance use appears to be largely a symptom, rather than a 

cause, of poor academic adjustment…” (Serwach & Johnson, 2007, pp. 3). Alcohol use and occasional 

heavy use including binge drinking emerges among children and youth as early as 

elementary school (California Healthy Kids Survey, 2004, 2006; Bachman, et al., 2007). “Whatever 

can be done to improve the educational successes of children and adolescents will have 

a very valuable benefit – reducing their substance use” (Serwach & Johnson, 2007, pp. 3).


Self-assessment: 

◆◆ Are you taking a stand to protect the health and lives of youth by not allowing under-age drinking? 

◆◆ What have you or your organization done to help reduce tobacco, drug and alcohol use among our 

young people, including binge drinking? 

◆◆ What can you do in the future? 

◆◆ What resources will you commit to reducing alcohol, tobacco and other substance use among Ventura 

County’s young people? 

◆◆ What policy action should you or your agency consider to help improve the lives of youth?


Challenge B 

Bullying 

“Bullying is a problem that large numbers of kids confront on a daily basis at school; it’s 

not just an issue for the few unfortunate ones. We knew a small group gets picked on 

regularly, but we were surprised how many kids reported at least one incident.” 

Jaana Juvoen, UCLA professor of developmental psychology 

People often dismiss bullying among kids as a normal part of growing up. Who wasn’t bullied at one 

time or another during childhood, right? 

But there is nothing innocent about bullying. It is harmful, and can have lasting effects on the victim, 

the bully, and even the bystanders. Bullying, which happens mostly at school, occurs when a person or group 

repeatedly tries to harm someone who is weaker. 

Bullies can take the fun out of school, and turn something simple like a ride on the bus, a walk to class or 

a visit to the bathroom into a scary event that is anticipated with worry all day. 

Bullying, commonly thought to be a problem for boys, is just as prevalent among girls. It often takes the 

form of intentional verbal abuse or malicious gossip by several girls ganging up on one girl. 

What is Bullying? 

Bullying is intentional, repeated hurtful acts, words or other behavior such as name-calling, threatening 

and/or shunning someone, committed by one or more children against another child (U.S. Department of 

Education, 2003). Bullying may be physical, verbal, emotional, or sexual, and involves a real or perceived 

difference in power between the bully and victim. 

Physical bullying includes pushing, shoving, slapping, hitting, kicking, punching, poking, strangling, hair 

pulling, beating, biting, shoving, slapping, pushing, or excessive tickling. 

Verbal bullying includes acts such as hurtful name-calling, teasing, gossip, having rumors or lies spread 

about a student by a peer, sexual jokes, comments or gestures made to him or her, or being made fun of. 

Emotional bullying includes rejecting, terrorizing, extorting, humiliating, blackmailing, or rating of personal 

characteristics such as race, disability, gender, ethnicity, or perceived sexual orientation, as well as 

manipulating friendships, isolating or ostracizing an individual, and peer pressure. 

Sexual bullying includes many of the actions listed above as well as exhibitionism, voyeurism, sexual harassment, 

sexual propositioning, and abuse involving physical contact or sexual assault. 

Bullying also occurs under names such as hazing or “initiation rites” that are perpetrated against new 

students or members of a sports team or club. 


Bullying often leads to greater and prolonged violence. Not only does it harm victims, bullying negatively 

affects the climate of schools and community youth activities, and reduces the opportunities for children 

and youth to learn and achieve. 

Bullying harms victims: 

◆◆ Grades may suffer because attention is drawn away from learning 

◆◆ Fear of the bully may lead to absenteeism, truancy, or dropping out 

◆◆ Victims may lose or fail to develop self-esteem and a sense of self-efficacy


◆◆ Victims experience feelings of isolation, and may become withdrawn and depressed 

◆◆ As victims become adults, they may be hesitant to take on social, intellectual, emotional or vocational 

risks 

◆◆ Victims are more likely than non-victims to grow up feeling socially anxious and insecure, and display 

more signs of depression 

◆◆ If the problem persists, victims occasionally feel compelled to take drastic measures such as weaponcarrying, 

planned vengeance, or suicide 

Bullying harms bystanders: 

◆◆ Bystanders feel unsafe and powerless to take action 

◆◆ Bystanders may be afraid to associate with the victim for fear of retribution from the bully or lowering 

their own status in the group 

◆◆ Bystanders report feelings of guilt or helplessness for not standing up for the victim 

◆◆ Bystanders fear reporting bullying incidents because they do not want to be called a “snitch,” “tattler” 

or “informer;” often they believe adult intervention will be ineffective 

◆◆ In some cases, bystanders are drawn into bullying behavior by group pressure 

Bullying even harms bullies: 

◆◆ As a group, bullies attend school less regularly than non-bullies and are at-risk for dropping out 

◆◆ Bullying may lead to increased violent tendencies, including delinquency and criminal behavior 


Bullying and harassment occur most often out of the view of teachers and other responsible adults. If 

perpetrators go unpunished, a climate of fear develops. Both bullies and victims need help in learning new 

ways to get along in school, on teams, and in community programs. Bystanders need to be empowered to 

take action to confront bullying behavior. 

Did you know? Cyber-bullying 

Bullies are now taking advantage of the Internet and cell phones to intimidate and harass 

their victims day and night. Forms of cyber-bullying, a growing problem in homes and the 

community as well as schools, can range in severity from cruel or embarrassing rumors to 

threats, harassment or stalking. 


In the 2003-04 school year, i-SAFE America (2007) surveyed 1,500 students from across the country on 

cyber-bullying, and the results show that bullying is no longer about the strong picking on the weak in the 

schoolyard. The physical assault has been replaced by a 24-hour per day, seven days a week online bashing, 

with savvy students using Instant Messaging, e-mails, chat rooms and social websites such as “My Space” as 

well as websites they create, to humiliate a peer. 

The i-SAFE America survey revealed: 

◆◆ 42 % of kids have been bullied while online; 1 in 5 has had it happens more than once 

◆◆ 35 % of kids have been threatened online; nearly 1 in 5 has had it happen more than once 

◆◆ 21 % of kids have received mean or threatening e-mail or other messages 

◆◆ 58 % of kids admit someone has said mean or hurtful things to them online. More than 4 out of 10 say 

it has happened more than once


The Ventura County Picture 

Bullying is a greater 

problem in the 

elementary years, 

and decreases as 

students get older. 

However, more 

than one in 10 

high school students 

report 

physical bullying. 

Did you know? 

Two out of every three 7th, 9th, and 11th graders – 65% – reported having rumors or lies 

spread about them by a peer, had sexual jokes, comments or gestures made to them, or 

were made fun of because of their looks or the way they talk in school. 

Be part of the Call to Action: 

Transforming the peer culture of our children and youth is perhaps one of the greatest 

challenges in the area of reducing or eliminating bullying (Murphy, 2004). The norms, actions, 

beliefs and values of youth culture and the complacence of adults regarding bullying must be 

addressed with a paradigm shift that establishes new norms that foster respect and absolutely 

will not tolerate bullying and harassment. 

Self-assessment to Reduce or Eliminate Bullying: 

◆◆ Does your school or organization have a system and/or policies to identify, report, 

and respond to bullying and harassment incidents? 

◆◆ What role do you have in identifying, reporting or responding to bullying and harassment 

of adults, youth, and children? 

◆◆ Do individuals, schools, and organizations take reporting of bullying, harassment, or 

victimization seriously? 

◆◆ What are you, your school or organization doing to reduce bullying? To support victims? 

To empower bystanders to report bullying? 

◆◆ Is your agency’s bullying prevention program broad in scope and based on sound research? 

◆◆ How well does the climate of your school or organization promote universal respect 

for all individuals, regardless of race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion, disability 

or difference?


Challenge C 

Disconnected from School 

and Community 

“Start by including us in your planning and conversations, knowing that we care just 

as much as you do about creating high schools that bring out the best in students and 

teachers. Invite our ideas and perspectives. Let us explore together where we agree and 

differ, what’s doable and what’s not. Make us part of the solution and not the problem.” 

What Kids Can Do and MetLife Foundation, 2004 

Complex reasons and experiences trigger a youth’s disengagement from school – 

the decision to stop learning and quit participating in school as a major life activity 

(Whelage, Rutter, et al., 1989). Other terms used to describe disconnection from school include 

“disaffection, lack of commitment, alienation” (Zins, Bloodworth, et al., 2004, pp. 4) and 

disengaged. A wide range of students – and not necessarily those with the least intellectual 

ability or those with the greatest learning challenges - become disengaged from the process 

of being a student. One well-known measure of students’ disengagement from school is the 

“dropout rate,” but there are other risk indicators including absenteeism, low grades, few or 

no friends, and lack of involvement in healthy activities with peers at 

school. Community disengagement is reflected in delinquency, vandalism, 

gang and criminal activity perpetrated by our children and youth. 

Sadly, a few children and youth become so alienated that they find 

ways to drop out of life. 

What is School and Community Connectedness? 

Children and youth who are connected to their school and community exhibit healthy 

attitudes, behaviors and relationships that promote ongoing engagement and participation. 

These beliefs and behaviors include: 

◆◆ 

◆◆ 

◆◆ 

◆◆ 

A commitment to attending and participating in school and community activities 

Developing positive relationships with peers and adults 

Having a close relationship with one or more persons 

Belonging to one or more groups, organizations, or clubs 

Key Term: Connectedness: 

A sense of closeness, affiliation, 

or bonding to a person(s), 

group(s), institution(s), or idea(s). 

(Healthy Kids Program Office, 1999.) 


Too many of our youth become disconnected and leave school too early (Carnahan, 

1994). For some, the road to disengagement and dropping out begins early – in the elementary 

years. There are complicated interactions between a student’s individual characteristics 

and school factors that create the conditions of risk for disconnecting from school and lead to 

a student’s decision to drop out. 

Caring support and attention from adults is a great and often unspoken need and desire 

of young people who become disconnected from school and community. When not 

finding it in positive ways from involved adults and peers, children and youth may engage 

in self-destructive behaviors such as joining gangs as a way to gain attention, support, and


a sense of belonging. Some young people become alienated from family, friends, and life in 

general, and may take the path of isolation that may result in depression and suicide. 


The research literature frequently cites the harm done by the twin forces of race and 

poverty, yet we have not been able to commit the energy and resources sufficient to mute 

their negative impact on our children and youth. School personnel may assume that students 

share a common language, culture, and home environment that support learning. Yet 

for some children, there is a discrepancy between what is expected at school and the child’s 

characteristics or the family’s culture. There may be a “poor fit” between the child’s or youth’s 

needs and what the school provides (Carnahan, 1994). The discrepancy between the young 

person and school can widen over time to the point that the youth feels so detached from 

the schooling process that he or she drops out. 


Students who drop out of school share one characteristic: they don’t see the value 

of education in their present and future lives. Children and youth who drop out differ from 

those who stay in school in predictable ways. 

No single factor predicts the regrettable outcome of school disconnectedness. According 

to some reports, children and youth living in poverty and those of minority status – especially 

Latino/a and African-American youth – are more likely to fail to complete high school 

than Asian and white middle class youths. These figures mask one important national fact: 

proportionately, the U.S. dropout population is overwhelmingly white. Too many children of 

all economic levels and ethnic backgrounds do not achieve a level of education that prepares 

them to become productive, successful working citizens. 

The California and Ventura County Picture 

Are our schools succeeding in helping students feel engaged and connected? Not according 

to the 2005-2006 California Healthy Kids Survey, which revealed that only 45% of 7th 

graders reported feeling highly connected to their school. What is also discouraging is that 

the percentage becomes progressively lower the older the students get, and the closer they 

get to graduating. 

In Ventura County, 

the percentage of 

students reporting 

feeling connected 

to school decreases 

from the 

7th to the 9th and 

11th grade levels.


The lower the percentage 

of students 

reporting of school 

connectedness, 

the higher the percentage 

of binge 

drinking behavior. 

For some students, their friends, family, and community fail to provide the personal recognition 

and connection that these children and youth need. When students don’t feel a part 

of family, school and community, they are at greater risk for engaging in unhealthy behaviors 

like cigarette smoking, drug and alcohol abuse, early sex, violence against others, and suicidal 

thoughts and attempts. 

One in three 7th, 

9th and 11th grade 

students reported 

feeling so sad or 

hopeless for two 

or more weeks that 

these feelings prevented 

them from 

doing some of their 

usual activities. 

Did you know? 

In Ventura County, the percentage of students reporting feelings of sadness or hopelessness 

increases as the grade level increases. Older students feel more disconnected with school 

and report more depressive symptoms than younger students.


Be Part of the Call to Action 

For too long, adults in schools and in the community have defined our children and youth by “risk” characteristics 

instead of viewing each child’s unique strengths and assets. Risk factors include individual, interpersonal, 

and environmental characteristics that result from conditions of adversity such as poverty, illness, 

or abandonment. Focusing on risk factors centers the “problem” on the student or the student’s family, rather 

than on the school or community characteristics, practices and policies – factors that can be changed and improved 

(Brown, D’Emidio-Caston & Benard, 2001). Looking at students’ school and community connectedness 

is a way to focus on the positive relationships between students and their peers, other adults, and the school 

and community environment. 

Self-assessment: 

◆◆ How has your school or community organization reached out to students who are non-traditional 

leaders? What techniques have you found effective in reaching and involving these students? 

◆◆ How can we better recognize and build upon the strengths and individual assets of all our children and 

youth to keep them connected with their school and community? 

◆◆ What can we do to improve our efforts to reconnect with our children and youth who become disengaged? 

◆◆ How do our current policies and procedures prevent us from increasing youth participation in activities 

that involve them?

Linking the Challenges to 

Strategies for Action 


“Effective youth engagement efforts are driven by an intentional philosophy 

about change that young people and adults understand and own.” 

Pittman, Martin, & Williams, 2007 

A Youth Development Approach 

The three strategies for Creating Asset Rich Environments for Children and Youth – A 

Call to Action described in the next section of this document are not independent; 

they are interrelated. All three must be part of a comprehensive, coordinated effort to reach 

out to and engage children and youth for their own health and safety; to build resiliency. Every 

one of us – parent, community member, volunteer, teacher, or service provider – can 

make an effort to make a difference by reaching out to one child every day. 

Youth Asset Development is both a philosophy and an intentional approach for providing 

youth with the critical supports and opportunities they need to 

grow and thrive academically, socially, and emotionally. “Youth development 

shifts the focus from deficits to assets, from fixing negative behaviors 

to building youths’ strengths.” (California Department of Education, 

1999, pp. 4). 

The Search Institute’s latest research on developmental assets 

adds to the growing evidence that comprehensive, asset-based approaches 

to education and youth development have tremendous 

potential to contribute to the academic success of students from all 

backgrounds and in wide range of communities. Students with more 

environmental and personal assets were dramatically more likely to do 

well in school and avoid school problems. (Search Institute, 2003). 

A youth asset development approach “engages students’ innate 

resilience and their capacity for communication and cooperation, selfefficacy, 

empathy, problem-solving, self-awareness, and goals and aspirations” 

(WestEd, 2003). 

The following two illustrations demonstrate the degree to which 

students in Ventura County reported levels of total school and community 

assets that support resilient development. These data from the 

2004 and 2006 California Healthy Kids Survey show that the total number 

of school and community assets, as reported by our students, has 

not increased. 

Key Term: Youth Development 

Youth development is “the process of 

promoting the social, emotional, physical, 

moral, cognitive, and spiritual development 

of young people through 

meeting their needs for safety, love, 

belonging, respect, identity, power, 

challenge, mastery, and meaning” 

(WestEd, n.d.) 

Key term: Assets 

Include external supports, empowerment, 

boundaries and expectations, 

and internal commitment 

to learning, positive values, 

social competencies, constructive 

use of time, and positive identity. 

Key term: Self-efficacy 

A person’s perception of his or her 

ability to reach a goal; one’s judgments 

of personal capabilities to initiate 

and successfully perform tasks, 

expend effort, and persevere in the 

face of adversity (WestEd, 2003).


About one in 

three 7th graders 

report a high 

level of school assets. 

The percentage 

is even lower 

for 9th and 11th 

grade students. 

Two out of three 

7th graders report 

a high level 

of community 

assets. The percentage 

is somewhat 

lower for 

9th and 11th 

grade students. 

Key Term: Protective Factors: 

Relationships, social experiences, 

competencies, and skills that buffer 

youth from health-compromising 

behavior and increase positive 

outcomes; external supports 

and opportunities for youth, such 

as caring relationships, meaningful 

participation in activities and 

high expectations, that foster positive 

developmental outcomes. 

The goal of youth asset development is to promote resilience, 

which is the term applied to the innate capacity in all children for 

healthy development in spite of risk and adversity that is present. 

When young people experience home, school and community environments 

that provide environmental assets or protective factors, they 

are more likely to develop resilience, resulting in improved personal, 

social, educational and life outcomes.


High levels of 

school and community 

assets 

are related to 

lower levels of 

binge drinking. 

High levels of 

school and community 

assets are 

related to lower 

levels of sadness.


The following illustration depicts the youth development process as described by Bonnie Bernard 

(2006). Parents, family members, educators, neighbors, and community members in schools and youth organizations 

provide protective factors for children and youth that help meet their developmental needs. These 

adults and organizations use caring relationships, high expectations, and opportunities for youth participation 

to promote positive developmental outcomes for children and youth. The result is greater youth resiliency 

and positive health and lifestyle outcomes. 

Youth Development Process: 

S C H O O L / 

O R G A N I Z A TI O N 

P R O V I D E S 

P R O TE C T I V E 

F A C T O R S 

C a r i n g R e l a t i o n s h i p s 

H i g h E x p e c t a t i o n s 

O p p o r t u n i t i e s f o r 

P a r t i c i p a t i o n f o r A l l 

M e m b e r s 

Resilience in Action 

T H A T M E E T 

C H I L D R E N ’ S 

D E V E L O P M E N T A L 

N E E D S 

S a f e t y 

L o v e & B e l o n g i n g 

R e s p e c t 

M a s t e r y 

C h a l l e n g e 

P R O M O TI N G 

C H I L D R E N ’ S 

P O S I TI V E 

D E V E L O P M E N T A L 

O U T C O M E S 

S o c i a l C o m p e t e n c e 

P r o b l e m S o l v i n g 

T H U S 

P R O D U C I N G 

P O S I TI V E 

E D U C A TI O N 

O U T C O M E S 

P o w e r 

M e a n i n g 

A u t o n o m y 

P u r p o s e & F u t u r e 

A n d 

R E S I L I E N C Y 

Benard, B. (2006) http://www.wested.org/chks/pdf/21st_bb.ppt . 

1 3 

Youth asset development is not a highly sophisticated or complicated prescription for dealing with 

the challenges confronting our youth. It is about people, programs, institutions and systems that provide 

all young people – at-risk or not – with the supports and opportunities they need to empower themselves. 

Youth development begins with all of us. 

Let’s join together in answering this Call to Action. Each of us can enact the strategies of promoting caring 

adult relationships, facilitating meaningful participation, and fostering high expectations for our children 

and youth.


Strategy 1 

Promote Caring Adult Relationships 

with Children and Youth 

“We exist not as a mass of independent individuals, but rather in the context of a vast 

web of relationships; and these connections are what allows us to pursue collective 

action effectively…Every sector has a role to play in a caring society, whether by 

supporting, facilitating, or directly providing care to youths and those in need.” 

D. Rauner, 2000 

Every child and youth needs and deserves support and guidance from caring adults in their families, 

schools and communities. This includes fostering ongoing, secure, trusting relationships with parents 

and other family adults, as well as relationships with teachers, mentors, coaches, youth volunteers, and 

neighbors (Search Institute, 2006). 

Research shows that young people who have healthy relationships with caring adults who talk with 

them and believe in them have a sense of hope and future, and are less involved in destructive behaviors. 

Young people need to feel valued and celebrated, and they deserve our recognition. The self-confidence, 

trust and practical knowledge young people gain from caring adult relationships help them grow into 

healthy, happy, resilient, positive, caring and self-sufficient adults. 

What is a Caring Adult Relationship? 

Caring adult relationships are supportive connections to others; it means having a person who is “there” 

and who listens non-judgmentally (WestEd, 2003). For a child or youth, it is a teacher or other adult who 

knows when they are absent, who listens to them when they have something to say, and who notices when 

they are upset about something. 

How It Matters 

Studies show that increased “school connectedness” decreases absenteeism, fighting, bullying and vandalism 

while promoting educational motivation and classroom engagement (U.S. Department of Education, 

2007). Students with strong ties to their school are also less likely to be involved in risky health behaviors like 

cigarette smoking, drug and alcohol abuse, early sex, violence, and suicidal thoughts and attempts. 

Investment in a child’s social and emotional well-being through caring adult relationships produces 

long-term positive effects not only for our young people, but it also positively affects the well-being of the 

entire community. We all benefit, children, youth and adults. 

Ventura County Picture 

How well are we doing in Ventura County in establishing caring adult relationships with youth? 

According to the 2005-2006 CHKS data, as seen below, the percentage of students who reported having 

a high level of caring adult relationship at school were: 

◆◆ 61 % of 5th graders 



◆◆ 32 % of alternative school students


The percentage of 

students reporting 

a high level of 

caring adult relationships 

in school 

decreases as they 

progress through 

the grade levels. 

High levels of caring 

relationships 

with adults at 

school are related 

to less binge 

drinking across 

grade levels.


Ventura County 

schools, where 

students report 

higher levels of 

caring relationships 

with adults, 

tend to have higher 

API rankings. 

In the same survey during the 2005-2006 school year, the percentage of students in 

Ventura County who reported having high levels of caring adult relationships in the community 

were: 




◆◆ 48 % of alternative school students 

A greater percentage 

of students 

report high levels 

of caring relationships 

in the community 

than at 

school, yet close 

to a third of students 

overall are 

not reporting high 

levels of caring 

adults in their life.


Lower levels of 

binge drinking 

are associated 

with higher levels 

of caring adult 

relationships in 

the community. 

What We Can Do! 

We can do more to reach out and engage our children and youth in a caring, healthy 

and positive way! 

Success Story: Creating Caring Relationships with Children and Youth 

“Take a Second. Make a Difference.” 

Not that long ago, Kansas was a place of front porches and communities. A place that, when a child did 

something – for better or for worse – someone who cared was there to see it. Things have changed. Today, 

people are busy and more scattered. They can’t seem to find the time to connect with their neighbors. 

The idea of a community goes no further, unfortunately, than this side of a privacy fence. And that’s 

what we were out to change with our campaign “Take a second. Make a difference.” 

While it may not seem possible that learning a child’s name, or simply offering a friendly wave and smile 

makes a difference, it does. We have research that proves it. We also know it in our hearts. 

We’ve learned that the more connections a child makes with adults other than their parents and teachers, 

the healthier that child will be. For a child, these connections lead to healthier living and less risky behaviors. 

We want to make Kansas a place where adults connect with children and where we put youth first. In 

the end, it helps us all. http://www.kansashealth.org/communications/publicService.html


We can connect with young people just by showing them we care. It is simple, really. When you cross 

paths with a child or youth, say hello. If the opportunity arises, ask them about themselves, and listen to what 

they have to say. You will discover most are very thoughtful and that you have more in common with young 

people than you ever realized. You do not have to be a community activist, or even belong to an organization 

that is involved in youth development. Little things like that can make a difference in a young person’s life, 

and it does not cost you a thing – just a little bit of your time. 

Young people do not just need caring adult relationships, they want them. When they have caring adult 

relationships, they thrive. 

Take Action – “Ventura County CAREs” 

Individuals and parents can: 

◆◆ Foster a positive attitude about young people 

◆◆ Get to know a young person in your neighborhood 

◆◆ Ask youth questions and listen to their answers 

◆◆ Be a positive role model 

◆◆ Be a tutor or mentor to a young person 

Schools, after-school programs, counseling agencies, community-based organizations, and 

youth development agencies can: 

◆◆ Encourage parents, grandparents, extended family members, friends, neighbors and other community 

adults to volunteer in the classroom, at local events, etc. 

◆◆ Coordinate regular family fun nights with parent and family education 

◆◆ Establish incentive programs in which youth and adults are recognized for their efforts in creating a 

caring climate 

◆◆ Create a mentoring program 

◆◆ Bring in community members to serve as role models and interact with children and youth 

◆◆ Provide career/professional/civic job shadowing opportunities for young people so they can explore 

and learn about career options 

Self-Reflection 

◆◆ How do your organization and your child’s school encourage positive beliefs about youth that are affirming 

and empowering? 

◆◆ How do people in your organization and neighborhood develop intentional ways to name, know, and 

engage children and youth in constructive ways? 

◆◆ How does your family promote asset development, not only for your own child/ren, but also for other 

youth? 

◆◆ How well does your faith organization mobilize its capacity for intergenerational relationships, parent 

education, values development, and service to youth in the community? 

◆◆ In what ways does your business or organization support youth with employment, volunteer, and 

mentorship opportunities? 

◆◆ To what extent does city and county government promote youth asset development through policies, 

training, and resource allocation?


What are other ways you and/or your organization can promote caring adult relationships 

with children and youth? 

◆◆ 

◆◆ 

◆◆ 

___________________________________________________________________________________ 

___________________________________________________________________________________ 

___________________________________________________________________________________


Strategy 2 

Facilitate Meaningful Participation 

“If the next generation has no stake in the neighborhood, I don’t care what you do to it, it’s going to 

deteriorate. We’ve got to have youth at the table, not just as invited guests, but as strong players.” 

Garland Yates, Rebuilding Communities Initiative 

Within Ventura County, there is a wealth of human resource agencies dedicated to improving the 

well-being of our children and youth – schools, colleges, youth programs, community centers, after 

school programs, human service agencies, foundations, businesses, and more. However, there is still a lot 

more that agencies can do to engage young people in meaningful ways. 

We all need to feel that we matter to those around us, that our voice is heard, that there is relevance to 

what we do, and that we are valued. Our young people are no different; they, too, want to make a positive impact 

in their homes, schools and communities. 

It is important that we help foster opportunities for young people to experience meaningful participation 

by involving them in activities where their voice is heard and they actively work with adults to study, 

plan, and implement the changes that may benefit them. It is also important we take the time to let young 

people know that what they contribute is important and appreciated. 

What is Meaningful Participation? 

Meaningful participation is the involvement of young people in relevant, engaging, and interesting activities 

while having opportunities for responsibility and contribution at home, at school, and in the community 

(WestEd, 2003). 

How it Matters 

Research (Pittman, Martin & Williams, 2007; California Department of Education, 1999, 2001) shows that 

young people who engage in meaningful participation in school and community activities have improved 

chances for positive and healthy development, including improved academic achievement and positive work 

behaviors. To engage young people, schools and organizations must be intentional in recruiting a diverse 

group of youth to join as partners in making and sustaining policies and procedures that affect them. 

The Search Institute states that meaningful participation builds “Developmental Assets,” and its research 

indicates that the more assets young people possess the better chance they have of growing up to be healthy 

and responsible, and the less likely they are to make harmful or unhealthy choices. 

Research conducted by Whitlock (2004) indicated that, although students reported feeling connected 

to their schools, “nearly 50% of the respondents felt that people their age were not permitted meaningful opportunities 

to influence institutional policies and practice.” The relationships that the students had at their 

schools with the teachers and staff played an important role in how engaged the students felt.



According to the 2005-2006 California Healthy Kids Survey, the percentage of students 

reporting having a high level of meaningful participation in school were: 

◆◆ 16 % of 5th and 11th graders, 

◆◆ 17 % of 7th graders and 

◆◆ 13 % of 9th graders in Ventura County 

Over 80% of our 

young people believe 

they do not 

have a voice in 

making school 

rules, in determining 

the products 

that contribute 

to their grades, 

and in evaluating 

the effectiveness 

of school practices 

and policies. 

More young people 

report high 

levels of meaningful 

participation 


than in schools. 

The “take home message,” is that too many young people in Ventura County who participated 

in this survey revealed that they are not engaged in meaningful participation in either 

school or the community.



Meaningful participation is not a program – it is as simple as taking the time to listen to youth and engage 

them in planning and working to improve the organizations, communities, and activities to which they 

belong. Youth need to be involved not just for the experience, but more importantly to bring about results, 

and then to share in the credit and celebration for their accomplishments. 

Success Story: Creating Meaningful Participation 

Project Cornerstone is the Santa Clara County-wide collaborative working to mobilize the entire 

community to shift from reacting to children and youth as problems to connecting with them so they 

thrive. It aims to ensure that every aspect of a diverse community - individuals, businesses, community 

organizations, schools and government - understand and embrace the fact that interacting with young 

people is important...and that every interaction makes a difference. http://www.projectcornerstone.org/ 

index.htm 

Young people need a core group of adults who are willing to work with them as partners to try on new 

roles and ways of accomplishing the mission of the group. We can start by building youth and adult capacity. 

Providing youth with authentic opportunities to participate and make decisions on issues that affect them involves 

a learning and trust-building process that is likely to shape not only the youth, but the adult members 

as well. The work begins by engaging youth on one or two key issues that they are passionate about – something 

that is affecting their daily lives. The issue may be broken school bathrooms, food choices in the cafeteria, 

or the type of recreation facilities available in the community. But we won’t know what is important to 

them until we create an open dialogue with our children and youth to identify one change that could make 

school or community a better place for them. Once we learn about these issues from our youth, we can link 

the changes to broader systemic efforts to reform and improve youth services. 

Integrating service-learning programs with school and community is one way to create positive effects 

on students’ sense of social responsibility, as well as on their academic success. Service learning allows students 

to apply their academic skills and knowledge to address real-life needs in their own communities. It 

provides a compelling reason to learn, teaches the skills of civic participation, develops an ethic of service and 

civic responsibility and builds their self-efficacy. (Search Institute, 2003).


The following illustration describes eight levels of youth participation. Meaningful participation starts at 

Rung 5. Shared decision-making of youth and adults, Rung 8, is clearly the best demonstration of meaningful 

participation. The greater the chances youth have in being part of decision-making that affects them in the 

most significant areas of their lives, the greater their connectedness to their school and community. As adults 

we must be willing to step aside and be a guide to the youth in this process rather than telling them what to 

do.




◆◆ Model community service and include children and youth in service to others 

◆◆ Promote opportunities for youth to serve, lead and make decisions 

◆◆ Let children participate in family decision-making, including planning family activities, vacations, 

meal planning/preparation, household responsibilities, etc. 

◆◆ Recognize and acknowledge children’s contributions by letting them know that what they do in the 

family, at school and in the community matters 

◆◆ Encourage and support children and youth to participate in one or more clubs, teams or other youthserving 

organizations 



◆◆ Allow young people to be part of the decision-making process and provide them with leadership 

roles, i.e. through agency governing boards 

◆◆ Encourage, promote and support youth interests 

◆◆ Provide a venue for young people to be heard 

◆◆ Institute peer mentoring and peer mediation programs 

◆◆ Promote opportunities for youth to serve, lead and make decisions within school and in the community 

◆◆ Have children and youth suggest a school/community service learning project of their own and support 

its development 

◆◆ Provide opportunities to participate in music, the arts, sports, or engage in a hobby 

Self-Reflection: 

◆◆ How were the Vision, Mission, and goals of your organization informed and shaped by input from the 

young people you serve? 

◆◆ What are you doing to provide meaningful opportunities for young people to participate in and contribute 

to your organization, school or neighborhood? 

◆◆ Are you intentionally seeking and engaging young people as partners in community change? 

◆◆ How is your organization, including school, youth or community centers, strengthening the commitment 

to youth leadership and involvement? 

◆◆ Does the makeup of your organization’s board of directors and standing committees reflect the constituents 

(youth) you are intending to serve? 

What are other ways you and/or your organization can promote meaningful youth participation? 

◆◆ 

◆◆ 

◆◆ 

___________________________________________________________________________________ 

___________________________________________________________________________________ 

___________________________________________________________________________________


Strategy 3 

Foster High Expectations for 

Children and Youth 

“The greater danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high 

and we miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it.” 

Michelangelo 

Young people in Ventura County will live up to the expectations of adults who show them they care. 

It is as simple as that. 

There is nothing more powerful than knowing that someone believes in you. We know that when youth 

are met with rigorous curriculum, they try harder and are more engaged. When young people feel that someone 

is counting on them and is proud of the things that they accomplish, they are more successful in school 

and in life. 

What are High Expectations? 

High expectations are consistent communications of direct or indirect messages that convey to a young 

person that he or she can and will succeed in achieving a goal. High expectations communicate a belief in a 

young person’s innate worth and are focused on their strengths. (WestEd, 2003). 

In the California Healthy Kids Survey, high expectations are measured by a child or youth reporting that 

a teacher or adult: 

◆◆ Tells them when they do a good job 

◆◆ Wants them to do their best and who believes that they will be a success 

Whether at school or the community, we communicate to young people that there is a standard, which 

they are expected to achieve, such as: 

◆◆ Completing assigned work at an acceptable standard 

◆◆ Demonstrating mastery of age-appropriate skills 

◆◆ Participating in voluntary service to others 

Along with high expectations for youth, adults have the responsibility to provide needed supports and 

guidance. Adults also model how they meet high expectations through their own behavior. 

How It Matters 

Young people will respond to high expectations and boundaries, both in school, and in the community. 

They will do their best, if given the chance. Are we giving them the chance? 

Messages of high expectations for young people are a factor in supporting positive youth development 

and are related to stronger school connectedness, better grades, and low alcohol consumption. (Austin & Skager, 

2004). By providing youth with caring relationships, high expectations, and opportunities for meaningful 

participation, we meet the fundamental developmental needs that must be met if they are to become happy 

and successful. (WestEd, n.d.).



According to the 2005-06 California Healthy Kids Survey, 63% of 5th graders – nearly 

two out of every three students in Ventura County – reported having high levels of expectations 

from adults in their schools. However, the percentage drops to 51% for 7th graders and 

38% for 9th graders. The rate rises a bit – 42% – for 11th graders. 

Fewer than half 

of high school 

students report 

having high expectations 

from 

their teachers 

and school staff. 

Did you know: 

At all grade levels, boys are less likely than girls to perceive high levels of expectations in the 

school setting. 

More students report 

high expectations 

from adults 


than in schools.


Even though more students report adults in the community hold high expectations for them, only 

about half of the youth are receiving that message. We can, and should be, doing more to convey high expectations 

to our youth in schools and the community. 


We must set high standards in our schools and communities, and we also must provide our youth with 

the support they need to meet, or exceed, the standards. It is essential that we also address the needs of a 

wide variety of youth. In our global marketplace, there is an increasing number of high-skilled jobs that require 

technical, rather than academic, training. Career pathway programs are one example of how to engage 

youth early in connecting their life choices with long-term goals. A career pathway is a coherent, articulated 

sequence of rigorous academic and career/technical courses for students, beginning in the 9th grade and 

leading to an associate degree or baccalaureate degree and beyond, an industry-recognized certificate and/or 

a license. 

Success Story: 

Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) preparatory program 

AVID is a 4th through 12th grade system to prepare students in the “academic middle” for fouryear 

college eligibility. It has a proven track record in bringing out the best in students, and in closing the 

achievement gap. http://www.avidonline.org/info/?tabid=1&ID=549#results 



◆◆ Let children and youth know what is expected – and then model that standard 

◆◆ Share your own dreams and accomplishments and how you achieved them 

◆◆ Promote a sense of responsibility, show young people what to do, and allow them to take ownership 

of their actions 

◆◆ Celebrate accomplishments and let children know that you are proud of them – academically, socially, 

emotionally and spiritually 

◆◆ Give youth encouraging messages like “You can make it; you have everything to achieve your dreams, 

and I’ll be there to support you” 



◆◆ Implement a school or agency-wide goal to recognize the accomplishments of all children and youth 

◆◆ Adopt a “you can do it” attitude for everyone, including staff 

◆◆ Keeps goals high and attainable without lowering expectations 

◆◆ Make sure all children and youth know that you hold them in high regard 

◆◆ Compliment the positive actions and beliefs of children and youth as much as possible 

◆◆ Encourage children and youth to support and compliment each other on their actions and achievements 

◆◆ Allow children and youth to dream big and experiment with creative solutions and ideas


Self- Reflection: 

◆◆ What are you, your school or your organization doing to provide opportunities to foster high expectations 

for our young people? 

◆◆ Does the overall mission of your school/organization reflect high expectations for adults as well as for 

young people? 

◆◆ Do you hold high positive expectations for youth and provide them with the supports necessary to 

succeed? 

◆◆ Are you creating environments that promote academic achievement and personal success? 

What are some other ways you and/or your organization can promote high expectations in 

young people? 

◆◆ 

◆◆ 

◆◆ 

___________________________________________________________________________________ 

___________________________________________________________________________________ 

___________________________________________________________________________________



This document is only the beginning. 

At a time when many people feel overwhelmed by the problems and challenges facing our children 

and youth, communities across the United States are working together to help our young people. 

Instead of focusing only on reducing risks and intervening in problems, these communities are rallying to rebuild 

the foundation that all young people need – a foundation that has crumbled for far too many of them. 

Ventura County can be one of these caring communities, Creating Asset Rich Environments for Children 

and Youth, but it takes a commitment from all of us. We cannot put it off until next week, or next month, or 

next year. The time to act is now. 

Together we can make it work. Whether you are a parent, a teacher, a school administrator, a member 

of a community- or faith-based organization, a policymaker, a business leader or just a concerned citizen, become 

involved. We believe that it is only through such close alliances that effective and lasting solutions can 

be realized. 

The Search Institute believes: “Uniting a community to nurture the positive development of youth is 

much like playing in a jazz ensemble. Each musician must know the tune and listen to the other ensemble 

members; all players must improvise together — sometimes taking the lead and sometimes blending into the 

background. To create a community-wide commitment to youth, all the ‘players’ need to be an ensemble — 

working toward a common vision of what is needed to promote the healthy development of young people.” 

Please join us in the “Ventura County CAREs” movement. You don’t have to be a BASICO member, or a 

community activist, or even belong to an organization that is involved in youth development. You can volunteer 

to be a tutor, or become a mentor to a young person. 

You can start by letting our young people know you care. It’s easy, really. When you cross paths with a 

child or youth, say hello. If the opportunity arises, ask them about themselves, and listen to what they have to 

say. You’ll discover most are very thoughtful and that you have more in common with young people than you 

ever realized. 

Little things like that can make a difference in a young person’s life, and it doesn’t cost you a thing – just 

a little bit of your time. 

Success Story: A Statewide Initiative 

Kansas – Best State for Children 

What if we could make Kansas the best state in the nation to raise a child? Who says we can’t? Continuing 

the Foundation’s focus on early childhood development, this campaign is designed to begin a statewide 

discussion about children’s needs both now and in the future. Through television, radio, newspapers 

and billboards, the media component of this campaign asks Kansans to visit beststateforchildren.org and 

share their visions for how we can be a state that puts children first. Together, we will reach our goal of making 

Kansas the best state in the nation to raise a child, and do it by the year 2020.


Resources: 

Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs 

◆◆ Adolescent Substance Abuse Knowledge Base. www.adolescent-substance-abuse.com 

◆◆ American Lung Association. www.lungusa.org 

◆◆ American Medical Association. http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/275/7/521 

◆◆ Journal of Adolescent Health. www.adolescenthealth.org/journal.htm 

◆◆ Journal of the American Medical Association. www.jama.ama-assn.org 

◆◆ National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. www.niaa.nih.gov 

◆◆ National Institute of Medicine. http://www.iom.edu 

◆◆ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. www.samhsa.gov 

◆◆ United States Surgeon General’s Office. www.surgeongeneral.gov/topics/underagedrinking/ 

◆◆ UCLA/Rand Center for Adolescent Health. www.rand.org/health/adolescent/bully.html 

Bullying 

◆◆ California Department of Education’s Safe and Healthy Kids Annual Report. www.cde.ca.gov/ls/yd/re/ 

shkannualreport.asp 

◆◆ California Safe Schools Coalition. www.casafeschools.org 

◆◆ National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, NetSmartz, http://www.netsmartz.org/ 

◆◆ U.S. Department of Education. http://www.ed.gov/admins/lead/safety/training/bullying/bullying_ 

pg37.html 

School and Community Connectedness 

◆◆ National KIDS COUNT! http://www.aecf.org/MajorInitiatives/KIDSCOUNT.aspx 

◆◆ School Connectedness and Meaningful Student Participation, United States Department of Education. 

www.ed.gov 

◆◆ The Forum for Youth Investment. www.forumfyi.org 

◆◆ The Upstate Center of Excellence: ACT for Youth. www.human.cornell.edu/actforyouth 

Youth Asset Development 

◆◆ California Department of Education. www.cde.ca.gov 

◆◆ California Healthy Kids Resource Center. www.hkresources.org 

◆◆ Institute for Youth Development. www.youthdevelopment.org 

◆◆ Search Institute, www.search-institute.org 

◆◆ The Public Agenda. www.publicagenda.org 

◆◆ WestEd: www.wested.org


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