Program puts focus on growing children
NORTH COVENTRY >> Motivational speaker Thom Stecher pulled out his wallet and waved it in the air
“Human success skills are not what I can acquire here,” Stecher told the crowd of families seated in the North Coventry Elementary School gym.
Success, he insisted, touching his hand to his chest, comes from within. His words clearly resonated with the parents in the room, who, accompanied by sometimes squirming children, were celebrating their graduation from a 13-week Empowering Families program.
That program focused on the 40 developmental assets that research has shown children need to mature into resilient adults. Over 30 families completed the program.
North Coventry Elementary is the first school in Pennsylvania to be awarded a grant to run the program, which was developed by an organization known as RezilientKidz.
Principal Brad Bentman and Instructional Support Teacher Kellie Bean applied for the grant after attending a National Elementary and Secondary Education Act (NSEA) Conference in Kansas City, MO, where they were accepting a National ESEA Distinguished School Award.
Bentman said they were pleased with the program, and hope to offer it again at another Owen J. Roberts elementary school. The 18-month grant would cover books needed for a second program, he said.
While the grant didn’t cover the costs of the graduation ceremony, Bentman said the success of the program and the dedication of the families merited a celebration. He was particularly happy that more than 30 families participated.
“We only expected 10 or 12,” he said.
Stecher, who is a nationally recognized educational consultant, served as the keynote speaker for the small commencement ceremony. The event also included food, cake, certificates and a gift of Jenga for all families to take home. Why Jenga? Bentman explained that the game served as an important symbol throughout the program.
“There’s a lesson in the curriculum about bringing all the pieces together. Each piece fits together to make the whole,” Bentman said.
Those pieces are the 40 developmental assets that children need as they grow. Throughout the Empowering Families program, parents attended weekly sessions to engage in discussions and activities about those assets. The sessions were led by facilitators and based on research that has shown that the more assets a child has in his or her life, the more likely he or she is to engage in healthy behaviors, avoid risky behaviors, and thrive.
Empowering Families is North Coventry Elementary School’s name for the RezilientKidz program.
According to the RezilientKidz website, the developmental assets are based on decades of research by the Search Institute, an organization that “conducts and applies research to promote positive youth development.” Stecher called that research “cutting edge” and said the program is unique.
“We spend a lot of time looking at what’s wrong with children,” Stecher said. “This program looks at what’s right with children.”
The 40 assets are broken into categories of external and internal assets. External assets are built around family supports, empowerment, boundaries and constructive use of time. Internal assets are grouped by commitment to learning, positive values, social competence and positive identity.
Parents who attended the program spoke highly of it.
“I think it was nice to have all the assets laid out in front of me, and to be able to come up with a plan, and to know these are the things we need to work on to be successful,” said parent Denise Yannick. “We all know these things are important. They guide you on how to put that into action in your home.”
The sessions were facilitated by over 20 teacher and parent volunteers who participated in a RezilientKidz training program last year. One of those facilitators was parent Tammy Hartman. She said the parents met in small groups and discussed various assets during each session. Those discussions often led to valuable and sometimes emotionally charged conversations.
“If you were struggling with something or had an experience that worked, you could share it with the group and they would give you feedback,” Hartman said.
Parent Amy Lignelli spoke of the bond that developed between her and the other parents in her group.
“The course creates a nice intimacy with the families involved,” she said. “You get to know people, share struggles, victories and advice in an atmosphere full of trust.”