Submitted by Frank Spillers, Global Horizons, LLC, www.bewuca.com
All across our rural regions, schools struggle with budget cuts due to declining enrollment. Districts face decisions to close buildings and move students to schools in other towns and neighborhoods. Young people move to economic opportunities elsewhere. Sound familiar? So ask, individually and as a community, "How have we treated our young people as they've grown?"
We taught workplace skills to "at-risk" students for four years through our program, Coaching in the Classroom, in a rural school district, based on our book, The Be WUCA! Way, the ART of getting along. When students learned WUCA! skills to Welcome, Understand, Comfort and Appreciate yourself and others to build healthy relationships between people, the percentage of "at-risk" students plummeted.
Our work with this group gave us insights into what young people think about their hometowns. In this particular state, students slapped with the "at-risk" label are "at-risk" of not graduating, on time, with their class. Perhaps not so coincidentally, the "at-risk" kids usually stay in a rural community, becoming city and church council members, the mayor, school board members, and other community leaders. As students got to know and trust us, these are a few stories we heard:
- "I was walking down Main Street during the weekend, and a man was walking toward me and some of my friends. As we got closer, he changed sides of the street so we wouldn't actually cross each other." (Adults confirmed this: The kids made them feel uneasy and nervous, so they crossed the street to feel safer.)
- "My friends and I like to hang out on Main Street. If we're near a business - maybe sitting on the curb - the store owner will come out and tell us to go somewhere else. We're not hurting anything - we're just visiting."
- "Yeah, my hair is pink one week, purple the next and I love my tattoos and my music! So what? Why do I feel so judged?"
Would YOU want to stay?
Community and economic development needs to be more than just about creating jobs. We must create an environment where businesses - which create jobs - and people - who create quality of life - can thrive. It's about creating a place where people are part of their future for this is where wealth is created. To do it right and well, it must be intentional and include everyone, especially young people.
To address these community youth issues, we used a wonderful integration process called "Community Builders." This grassroots, values-based leadership program helps residents form positive relationships that build their communities and local economies intentionally to create wealth and jobs.
Fast-forward several months after many meetings, tours, educational programs, food, and fun. Once the community took time together to learn about each other and their towns, all found everyone delightful! After the Community Builders process:
- Another student, a fifth-year senior, was still not on track to graduate. Rather than having him drop out and not complete school, community members worked to get with him to get him into a Job Corps program, which he successfully finished.
- The class that was part of Coaching in the Classroom all four years graduated 100% of the students that started as freshmen. This feat was a first for this school in many, many years and was mentioned by the superintendent at commencement.
- Youth were asked to contribute in community development conversations.
- People stay on the same side of the street when encountering a youth.
If we really want to make a difference in our economies and grow our towns, we must take time to invest in relationship economic development. Wise communities build relationships with all their youth. The next time you see a young person in your community, cross the street to greet them and ask a simple question: "How does it feel to live in our community?"
