Every day I read about the perils of our disadvantaged youth around the country.  Teen boys as young as 13 and 14 who are joining gangs, getting arrested for drugs, getting shot and leaving their families with anguish, pain and a lot of questions.  As a mother of a 17 year old boy, I truly wouldn’t know what to do or how to handle it.

I read an article in the New Haven Register, "How a New Haven kid thanked his uncle for setting him straight" and it brought tears of joy to my eyes.  I hope this story inspires people who care about inequality in our society to make a difference by becoming a mentor.  You don't need special skills to be a mentor, just an ability to listen and to offer friendship, guidance and encouragement to a young person.

In November, Kate Harrington (pictured right)- our Full Day School Readiness classroom teacher- came up with the idea of a Center-wide reading challenge.  She and I collaborated to form "The Bookworm Reading Challenge," which encourages literacy, cognitive development, and parent involvement in their child's education.  Since November 14th, more than 1,500 books have been read at home (to 174 children).   Each classroom has an individual goal, based on the number of children in the classroom and the hope that parents will read to their children at least one book per day/night.

For so many children and families in New Haven and surrounding towns, Farnam Neighborhood House is a home away from home.  Farnam offers a variety of programs, many of which have been around since I was a kid. 

As a kid, I participated in Biddy Basketball and at the time, I had no idea what basketball was or how it was played.  I quickly learned about this exciting game from the staff and volunteers.  I dedicated myself to improving and studying because the Farnam staff and volunteers told me it was my choice to change my life circumstances.  Several years later, I received college scholarship offers from several prominent Division I schools, but decided on a local Division II university. 

Last month, as part of the United Way of Greater New Haven’s Success by 6 Turns Six celebrations, All Our Kin held two great events to celebrate an economic evaluation of the Family Child Care Tool Kit Licensing Program. The evaluation, conducted by the University of Connecticut Center for Economic Analysis, revealed that the Tool Kit project delivers $15-20 of economic benefits for every dollar spent.  

At Solar Youth, we believe that achieving long-term success, no matter where you come from or what challenges you face in life, depends on the acquisition of core personal and social competencies. This belief is backed by a growing body of research in the positive youth development field. Solar Youth uses the Search Institute’s Developmental Asset framework, one of the most widely used approaches to youth development in the U.S., in determining which outcomes we seek for our youth.

There is much to be grateful for in 2011.  It is the time of year to reflect, celebrate with friends and family and to be hopeful for the future.  We have done our reflection and we are grateful to live and work in Greater New Haven.

The school reform effort in New Haven has gained tremendous momentum during the past year.  The leadership of our community understands that education is the key to future success and the entire community has become engaged in making the changes we need to ensure educational success for all of our children.  In July, 110 students were granted college scholarships through Promise, a component of the school change initiative.  Going forward, students that graduate from a New Haven public school and meet the eligibility requirements, including a 3.0 grade point average in high school, 90 percent attendance rate, a record of good behavior and completion of 40 hours of community service will have their college education paid for by Yale University.