By Adam Straubel, Director of Development at Parkesburg Point Youth Center
Today, I saw a 7th grader with an
Iphone 4, an unemployed 25 year old living with his parents somehow shopping for video games, a teenager driving “his” 2011
car, a group of high school student all under 6 feet tall with only
NBA aspirations, and high school graduate who refused to work a job
'under his level'.
There are forces affecting all youth
today. They are the product of media, marketing, and parental
influence. These forces are slightly different for kids from rich
and poor homes.
It is not easy being a kid is born into
a family with money. Marketers have convinced your family and peers
that sustaining a certain position in life is essential. Your biggest
need by far is loving parents, which you may or may not have. Family
and friends all seem to have plans for your life that end in you
achieving success. From the age of 13, possibly younger, access to
prescription strength drugs is a phone call away.
It is not easy being a kid born into
poverty. It is highly unlikely that you have both parents at home.
Parents that are around are probably absent or unsupportive. Your
role models are popular musicians and athletes; they came from the
same background as you and managed to be successful.
Yet almost all
of these “heros” are self aggrandizing narcissists whose sexual
exploits and drug use are sensationalized by the media.
Both types of kids are tempted by
drugs—to self medicate the pain in their lives, to fit in with
peers, and to achieve some level of happiness that adults seem to
lack. Both types of kids have had success defined for them by
society. Societal definitions of success show a surprising lack of
humanity.
Society presents your average “at-risk”
youth as poor, struggling in school, or from single parent homes.
This concept needs to be reconsidered; all students face decisions at
young ages that can destroy their lives. In other words, all youth
are at risk.
We have been given too much and asked
little in return. A Haitian proverb says “gifts make slaves, as
whips make dogs.” As youth, we have been robbed of the satisfaction
of self sufficiency. Perhaps the answer to the question, 'why have
our kids failed, we have given them everything?', lies within the
question itself.
If you see some truth in the analysis,
perhaps you will agree with the following solution.
The Parkesburg Point has a vision where
youth are taught the value of hard work. What does that look like for a 13 year old kid in
the 21st century?
Based on research published in Time
Magazine in 2008, which tested implementing different incentive programs to improve test
scores with great success, the Point has developed an incentive program that rewards kids for
working through online math modules and reading books.
Our math program uses the free online
resource Khan Academy, which is a compilation of lessons on every math subject from
K-12 and modules that allow student progress to be tracked. Students in our program will
be rewarded for each module they complete.
Our reading program uses software
called Accelerated Reader, which has a quiz for almost every book
written to determine whether or not they have read it. Students will
be rewarded for every book read when they have completed the
associated quiz.
Harder math modules and harder books
will have a bigger reward. They will also be required to give 10% to
a charitable cause of their choice and save 10% for their future.
Parents will have the opportunity to
sponsor their own child going through this program. Donors will have
the opportunity to sponsor a child whose parents are unable or
unwilling to do so.
The genius of this program is how the
kids are paid. Rather than handing them cash, the money will be
redeemable at a Point Store, a market place selling the things that
kids need and want. Each student will have an account where the
money will be deposited.
I do not want my kids growing up in a
community where the median age of marijuana and alcohol use is 14
years old, 80% of high school seniors have consumed alcohol, and 1 in
5 teens have considered suicide.
I do want my kids growing up in a
community where youth value education; a community where kids push
themselves to learn calculus in 8th grade to earn money to save up
for a car; where kids read 15 books a summer to have a little
spending money; and where teachers get a little more community
support in developing our children academically.
Kids need hope. They also respond to
incentives. They do not sell drugs because they want to destroy lives; they do it to earn
money. If the community is serious about developing the next generation of ethical young leaders,
give them the incentive to invest in themselves from a young age, teaching the values that will make them
assets to local businesses and the community.
This vision is part of the Point's
larger youth development program that addresses the spiritual, emotional, physical, and academic needs
of the community. Through this vision we can create a culture among young people that we say
we want.
If you have any comments on this
vision, want to see a more robust description of the program and how it works, or want to be
involved in its implementation, please come to the Point and talk to us.
Volunteer. Become a monthly
supporter. We need your input, support, and guidance.
