Youth Programs are an Asset to Kids, Families, and the Entire Community!

Hello Montville! Yes once again I am a little behind the ball on getting my blog post written and submitted, and I apologize. Before I knew it January slipped out and February snuck in! The asset for the month of February is Youth Programs: A young person spends three or more hours per week in sports, clubs, organizations at school and /or in the community ( i.e. After school programs, etc.).  Encouraging our kids to become involved in activities that promote physical health, self-esteem buidling, & social and emotional conections is essential to their overall well-being!

Often when budgets get tight it seems that youth programs and activities are the first thing to get cut, and unfortunately this  is actually the case in many towns and cities nationwide. My advice: Fight Team Fight! Advocating to save/restore youth programs is important work and requires time, passion, and patience. Sometimes there is nothing more fierce than a passionate pack of Soccer Moms (or Dads)!

Don't get me wrong, academics are deeply important, and as parents, educators, and administrators we often feel the caught between a rock and a hard place, feeling forced to choose between intra-mural soccer and science, hoops or history, music or math...when the truth is kids can have both. Raising successful children includes exposing them not just to "reading, writing, & arithmetic", but providing them with the opportunity to become part of something beyond the social expectations of..... well, society! If you look at any college application today entire sections are devoted to civic/extra cirricular activities, and community service...I believe this is mainly because colleges are looking for young people whom are well-rounded individuals with not only a strong sense of self, but also a strong sense of "Team".

So please take a minute to think about the impact that Youth Programs have in your community, and then think about the impact of NOT having them!