Snippets from Oct. 29 Asset Champions Gathering

The World Cafe format was used during the October 29th Asset Champions Network Gathering. The format is designed to foster real conversation which also helps build communitiy in our asset building work. This makes it impossible to summarize all the great discussion, but here are some snippets from the meeting.
- Growing connections with kids is important.
- Kids teaching adults & the value of that.
- Keeping on the look out for the "invisible" child.
- Advocate for kids especially when rules don't make sense or work for youth.
- Adult influence is important & you need to preserve in developing relationships.
- Be intentional about asset building. In reviewing the service club at Aquila School, it touches 28 assets!
- Asset building: it's not efficient, but it's effective.
- Teachers have a significant impact on asset building.
- Responsive classroom is being carried beyond school hours into after school programs. What about into secondary buildings? Businesses? Homes?
- Assets are almost a "social grace."
- Smallest things make the biggest difference.
- An important asset for high school students is sense of purpose. When they have it other things make sense: homework, achievement motivation, etc.
- Community service can be tied into educational system. Motivate people at a young age.
- Older people need to pay long-term attention to the young.
- Boundaries: How rules are decided and who's involved is important. Kids should have a voice in it.

Quartery Gathering & Trainings

The next Quarterly Gathering of the Asset Champions Network is Monday, October 29, 7 - 8:30 p.m. at Knollwood Place Apartments. All Asset Champions, and would-be Asset Champions, are invited to participate. Knollwood Place Apartments are part of the Ackerberg campus located behind the Knollwood Target at 3630 Phillips Parkway.
Why attend? - Get to know other people in St. Louis Park committed to making this a better community for youth.
- Share ideas about ways to build assets in our kids.
- Further your role as an Asset Champion.
- Enjoy delicious treats provided by Knollwood Place.

Two Asset Champion trainings will be offered in November for those who have not attended one yet. Both will be at City Hall. Details are: Monday, November 5, 2-4:30 p.m. or Tuesday, November 13, 6:30 - 9 p.m.
Why attend? - Learn more about Children First & its history.
- Become familiar with the 40 Developmental Assets.
- Explore your role as an Asset Champion.
- Meet others in our community who are committed to kids.
Please let us know if you are coming by Emailing Karen,info@children-first.org

Champion Charge - Summary

Champions who came: Marilyn, Barb, Kari, Tom, Susan, Margaret, Mary, Brad, Mick, Wes.

Champion Charges are informal gatherings where Asset Champions can connect and share ideas.

• I’m being more cognizant of saying hi to kids of all ages. Find out one thing they are interested in. Compliment them or ask about that interest.
• Many art opportunities: Oct. 14 Lake Forest Art Crawl as a fundraiser for Dollars for Scholars. Student artists invited to participate. Arts & Culture Grants deadline is Oct. 15. Want to get the word out that youth can apply. Last year grant recipient, high school junior Julia worked with an art mentor to create a mural. Oct. 23 there will be an arts & nature program for 12-14 year olds at Westwood Nature Center. Info at www.slpfriendsofthearts.org
• High school has a bulletin board and hopes to get “150 ways” posters out in school. There has been discussion about murals.
• Lenox received an Arts Grant to create a three-dimensional mural in its entryway. Artists involved span the ages from seniors to preschoolers.
• Next week a contingency from St. Louis Park, including two young people, will be honored in Washington D.C. during the “100 Best Communities for Young People” celebration.
• A group in the community is looking into a circulator bus for kids.
• Park Nicollet Foundation provided a grant for field trip transportation to the Minneapolis Institute of Arts.
• A video club with 18 kids has started at the junior high. They will be producing video, including commercials, for cable.
• The Community Education Roundtable will be trained in asset building at their October meeting.
• Ascension Lutheran Church is working with STEP to collect items most needed by the food shelf.
• The City Council recognized the nature center’s junior naturalists at one of their meetings last month.
• Mayor Jacobs spent two days at the junior high teaching students the history of St. Louis Park. He has also done this in Spanish for Park Spanish Immersion students.
• Meadowbrook’s family celebration was wonderful connecting residents with many local organizations.
• Fifty seniors staffed the Caring Tree at Knollwood Mall where they collected school supplies.
• ECFE had city vehicles, ambulances, etc., on display.
• Citizens Independent Bank is involved in the Halloween Party at Westwood Nature Center and Day One, the back-to-school celebration.
• Children First postcards were available at National Night Out parties.


Ideas for things to be done:
• Train city staff.
• Tie in with new residents’ information.
• Use display case at Central Community Center to feature kids’ art.
• Share information from this gathering.
• High school Asset Champions want to get student Asset Champions together to help direct what should be done.
• Tie asset message into high school staff meetings.
• Share at neighborhood gatherings, i.e., State of the City.
• Be intentional in tying assets to what we are doing. Have the conversation with others involved in projects about what assets are being addressed.
• Focus on a couple of assets or an asset category. Find the ones that are most tied to what you/your organization does.
• Look for ways to tie the asset philosophy into the response to infractions by young people.
• Don’t pass kids without saying hi. Take the opportunity to talk to kids.