About a year or so back I had just started volunteering on the United Way's Community Impact Team for Health and Positive Youth Development. Everything in regards to the group was fantastic. The other volunteers were extremely welcoming, the staff at the United Way, as always, was amazing. However there was one problem. Everyone in the group kept talking about “assets” in relation to young people in the community. Developing assets, building assets, expanding assets and to be honest, I had no idea what they meant. Assets to me meant material things like cars, boats or houses.
Not wanting to ask what I perceived to be a dumb question in front of the new committee I was part of, I used a life line. I called my good friend, Justin Carbonella, director of Middletown Youth Services.
"Justin. They keep talking about assets and I've got no idea what they mean." Justin laughed and then agreed to meet me for lunch to explain it all to me.
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Once we sat down for lunch he explained how assets, when it came to young people, were positive qualities that influence young people’s development.
These “developmental assets” help them become caring, responsible, and productive adults. Research has shown consistently that the more of these assets young people have, (for example- self esteem, sense of purpose, achievement, integrity, resistance skills, caring school environment) the less likely they are to engage in high-risk behaviors and the more likely they are to thrive within their community and school.
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And that is when the light bulb went on for me. These developmental assets were much more valuable then any material asset. While material assets fade away with time, the developmental assets that young people obtain will last them a lifetime. These assets will help them to be better people, better members of our community and to thrive in whatever their career choice may be. Quite a revelation when you think about it.
Fast forward to this past Monday morning. Justin Carbonella and Middletown Youth Services were putting on their first ever “Asset Builders of the Year Awards” on our campus in the Daniel Family Commons. An awards breakfast to honor eight individuals / groups that serve as "asset builders" for the youth in our community. Invited by Justin to attend and give a welcome address, I thanked him for the opportunity and reminded him, “Good thing I know what a real asset is now."
The group in attendance for the awards breakfast can only be described as remarkable community superstars. Mayor Drew, members of the Common Council, the Chamber of Commerce, NEAT, Odd Fellows Playhouse, the United Way, the Macdonough School, the Board of Education, the United Way's Young Leaders Society, Middletown High School, AME Zion Church, I Have a Friend – Youth Center, Que Phipps- our city treasurer, and on and on.
As the eight different individuals/groups came forward to accept a plaque for being named Asset Builder of the Year, their words of acceptance were strikingly similar. Their passion for working with young people and helping them build these developmental assets was truly inspirational. Priceless assets that will stay with these young people forever. To find out more about developmental assets, please check out- assetpromise.org.
