Since getting involved with Marysville’s Community Coalition, I’ve heard lots of talk about Developmental Assets, a training program that encourages “intentional interaction” with young people in order to help our children connect to the community in a more meaningful way.

Many members of the coalition are educators or work in the social services sector, so their vocations put them in close contact with young people daily. I wasn’t sure how to implement the ideas of Developmental Assets into my own behavior, but I learned more about the program’s power at an early morning meeting on May 1.

Those in attendance were invited to “change how you walk in the world on behalf of kids.” We learned about the importance of assets in the lives of children and found out that, surprisingly, a child’s perceived asset bank was a better indication of success than race, gender, socio-economic background or education.

So what exactly is an “asset”? The training program, developed by the Search Institute and presented by members of Marysville Kids Matter, lists 40 assets for kids in grades 6-12. They include family support, a caring school climate, creative activities, adult role models, involvement in service to others, responsibility, cultural competence, self-esteem and a sense of purpose.

Simply stated, a Developmental Asset is a perception of security, empowerment, equality and caring. Asset-building is about relationships, opportunities and positive experiences.

Kids gain assets from the primary adults in their lives—parents, caregivers, teachers, coaches—but it goes even further. Each of us encounters kids during our day, and those encounters can be opportunities for asset-building. The owner of a corner store, the next-door neighbor, the sales clerk, the barista, the newspaper editor…all of us can have a powerful impact on children simply by being intentional.

Carmen Rasmussen, a Marysville City Councilmember and a member of Marysville Kids Matter, shared an example of her encounter with a group of middle school girls. As she approached them, Rasmussen smiled and said, “Hello.” Nothing out of the ordinary, just a verbal acknowledgement of their presence.

The girls stopped and looked after her, wondering who she was and why she talked to them.

“Those girls thought it was weird that an adult would actually speak to them,” said Rasmussen. “This community would be radically different if every adult would walk the talk, making sure kids know that we see them, we value them.”

Research has shown that the more assets young people have, the less likely they are to engage in risky behavior. A person with a higher number of assets is also more likely to find academic success, to be engaged in his or her community and to make positive choices in his or her own life.

Rasmussen told the story of a school bus driver who, on the first day of school, takes photos of all the kids on her bus. She learns and uses the kids’ names, and even makes personal cards for their birthdays.

“Do you imagine there’s a discipline problem on that bus?” she asked the 50 or so adults in attendance at the breakfast. “That intentional interaction impacts the rest of that child’s day.”

As a reflective exercise, those in attendance were given a checklist of questions, including:

 “Do I ask young people what’s important to them and take their responses seriously?”

“Do I invite young people to share my interests or to join me in a service activity?”

“Do I give young people positive feedback when I see them trying hard to work at a problem or doing something kind for someone else?”

Finding honest answers to these and other questions may help us all become asset builders within our community.

Look for more information about Developmental Assets and the Marysville Kids Matter initiative in the coming months. To find out about upcoming training sessions, contact Cathy Schindler, president of the Marysville Community Coalition, at cathy@hasco.org.

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