If one were to ask their spouse, boss, or neighbor who influenced them the most in their life, they would probably get a heartfelt honest answer back.  Some may answer that someone said something negative and that person motivated them their entire life (see Michael Jordan’s Junior Varsity Coach), while others will say that the person that influenced them the most was their mother, father, grandparent, coach, or teacher.  Whether we like it or not, we (adults) have an influence on younger generations today.

If I were to ask you, personally, while you are sitting in your recliner, who influenced you the most, you would be able to tell me without thinking twice.  The values and lessons learned many years ago still hold strong today.  Your Boy Scout leader may have taught you how to make a fire, your father may have taught you how to irrigate, your mother may have taught you patience and planning, your Pastor may have taught you forgiveness.  Whether you know it or not, many people have molded you to who you are today.  This past year our staff has went to training on the 40 Developmental Assets and how they affect the youth of today.

The following is an excerpt from www.parentfurther.com that explains the 40 Developmental Assets and why they are needed today in schools and our communities.  Some of these assets are natural and easy, while others are hard and demand attention.

What are Developmental Assets?

When you think about the word “assets,” what comes to mind? For many people, their first thought is financial resources, the kind of “assets” the bank looks at when you apply for a loan. In our context here, assets means valuable resources of another kind.

The researchers at Search Institute, a nonprofit organization in Minneapolis, Minnesota, have named the valuable resources that young people need “Developmental Assets.” These assets are 40 values, experiences, relationships, and qualities that bring many benefits to the young people who have them.

Why do Assets Matter?

Studies have shown that when young people have more of those 40 assets, they are more likely to be leaders, to be careful of their health, and to do well in school. And when young people have more of those 40 assets, they are also less likely to use drugs, become involved in violence, or participate in underage drinking. In short, the more of the assets a young person has, the more likely he or she is to succeed in many aspects of life.

(The following information is based on surveys of almost 150,000 6th- to 12th-grade youth in 202 communities across the United States in calendar year 2003.¹)

One analogy that is often used for the Developmental Assets is that they are like the building blocks of healthy youth development. Just as you need quite a few blocks stacked up to build a solid tower, you need quite a few of the assets to “build” a healthy, sturdy, stable young person. To carry the analogy further, when adults intentionally help young people gain more of the assets, we call that “asset building.”

The Developmental Assets form the basis for all of ParentFurther.com, the only parenting site founded on assets. By building assets with and for your children, you can ensure that they will have the skills, tools, and experiences they need to grow into successful adults who make good decisions for themselves and positively influence those around them. Assets have power for all young people, regardless of gender, economic status, and race or ethnicity.

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1. Developmental Assets: A Profile of Your Youth (Minneapolis, MN: Search Institute, 2005), 2003 weighted aggregate dataset, unpublished report.