Search Institute Speaker/Trainer Feedback Form
Speaker/Trainer Name: Christine Beyer
Location: Ft. Worth Independent School District
Ft. Worth,TX
Title of Event: BDASC TOT
Date(s) of Event: Jan 23 & 24, 2009
Sponsoring Organization: Ft. Worth ISD, Counseling and SDFSC
Client Contact Name, phone, and email: Kathyrn Everest, Counseling and Guidance
Coordinator 817-871-2800
Rene Moore, SDFSC Coordinator
817-871-2836
Audience Census:
Number of Participants: Day 1 70 Day 1 30
Youth (under 21): 1 1
Young Adult (21-30): 27 10
Adult (31-60): 42 19
Older Adult (over 60): ______0_____ 0
The Setting:
Why were we invited in? What is the Context for the youth development work you discovered in this community?
About 8-10 years ago the United Way, Tarrant County Youth Collaboration and the City of Ft. Worth sponsored assets training with the hope it would spawn a movement in Ft. Worth and, in particular spread to the school district. This did not happen. This latest effort has been sponsored by the school district, with the hope it will spin back to the city/entire community. [Who knows the right way to do this work?!]The mover is Kathryn Everest, Counseling and Guidance Coordinator. She is dynamic, committed and passionate to asset development in Ft. Worth youth. She is also one of those people who believes completely that the developmental assets have come onto her life for a reason, not by accident – and that they have the potential to shape positive outcomes for all youth. Kathryn herself is a trainer and is very articulate about DA. Loved her passion!!
Kathryn told me Ft. Worth ISD sent $240,000 back to the Feds last year in unexpended SDFSC funds! Clearly she is not going to let that happen again.
Kathryn’s current 3-year plan is to do BDASC TOT trainings every year. She is requiring TOTs to do 5 trainings and is also supporting them with quarterly meetings during which they will process, share experiences, what’s worked, their successes, challenges, and progress.
While Kathryn is the driving force she has turned over the organization and management of this asset movement to Rene Moore, who is the SDFSC coordinator (less than a year in this position). Although Rene was a bit overwhelmed when assigned the organization of this recent training event (admittedly not a small task) I found that she too is an ardent believer in the asset model. (My ‘leave behind” for Rene was Quick Start for Asset Building in Your Prevention Program.)
There had been some conversation between the client, VTA and myself about postponing this training to a later date in order to garner more participants for the DAY 1 BDASC, however, the client decided to proceed with the original dates. Remarkably, 30-40 additional participants showed up on DAY1, because, I am told, Rene extended personal invitations and made personal phone calls and visits to key community members. Attendees included reps from Boys/Girls Club, YMCA, Jr. Achievement, a Christian Learning Center (before and after school care), Camp Fire Girls/Boys, Ft. Worth Afterschool Programs, Ft. Worth ISD reps from Departments of Public Engagement, Student Engagement, Parent Engagement.
Impressively, the mayor pro-tem, Kathleen Hicks, delivered the opening remarks. She gave the first 15 min of my usual opening!! In other words, she is an asset champion and is very well-versed in the model and all its implications. Ms. Hicks expressed her personal support, as well as the city’s, for Ft. Worth ISD’s asset vision. The Deputy Superintendent, Dr. Linares, also spoke eloquently and expertly about the asset framework. I was actually blown away by the level of understanding and support from these people in leadership positions.
Youth Development in this Community:
What is especially noteworthy in this community with regard to positive youth development?
FWISD has some interesting ‘departments’ that are focused on ‘engagement’. They include Student Engagement, Parent Engagement and Public Engagement. Each has coordinators who head up programming that increases graduation rates and decreases dropouts. Representatives from all these departments attended the two-day TOT.
Did any participants mention interest in a deeper level of asset-building strategies? If so, how?
Name any organizations or sectors that seem to play a pivotal role in supporting or spearheading asset building in this community.
Ft. Worth ISD is spearheading this 3-year initiative. They are collaborating with the city and hope to have this movement be city-wide.Are youth involved in leading or running any asset-building activities? Any examples?
Rene Moore indicated that there are numerous opportunities to collaborate with youth – serving organizations but she was not aware of any ‘youth – led’ activities.Did you hear concrete examples of how asset building has become an integral part of the community? Please also list any compelling STORIES about strengths and challenges for
possible use in future publications or communications, along with contact info.
Community Questions, Issues, Needs/Improving SI’s image in the field
Were there any customer service issues that need to be handles by Search Institute? Please be specific.
Rene suggested that participant folders with handouts be put together and mailed along with other materials. She was a bit overwhelmed with the volume of handouts (which I can empathize with…)
Any questions that were especially difficult to answer?
Type question(s) here and your answer (if you were able to answer it). Include the name of any SI or VTA staff member with whom you like to discuss this.
What is the hardest thing they’re facing right now in the positive youth development efforts?
Rene indicated that coordination among agencies will be a challenge until they hear about assets and are trained.What did participants say they need in order to promote assets in their communities and/or organizations?
Check all that apply:
Technical assistance (coaching, peer learning, consulting, etc) products
evaluation support training other:______
Please list comments, new ideas, or new types of assistance they mentioned.
Kathryn mentioned the community initiatives in Providence, RI; Northside ISD in San Antonio; and Project Cornerstone in Santa Clara County/San Jose, CA. I went on all these websites and was particularly impressed and informed by the Project Cornerstone website. They would be an important model/resource to anyone doing this work. Project Cornerstone’s website includes links to results and outcomes – very important to pay attention to!When asked by one participant whether there was an ‘essential’ single resource recommended for educators I responded ‘Great Places to Learn’. She then asked me if there was a Study Guide that accompanied the book? I said ‘No, but that would be a good idea!’ Yes? A Study Guide would add to the value of this book as a resource to educators and would strengthen our recommendation to clients.
Curriculum and its Delivery:
What was the best part of delivering this event?
I don’t know if it is the TOT model itself but I find two days with ‘kindred spirits’ to be very fulfilling for me. This training took place at the Riley Center on the campus of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. I stayed in a guest room in the Center which made it very easy to ‘commute’ by elevator 2 floors to the training room! The training room had an integrated AV system. In addition, a young woman, Ashley, assisted me in the morning with the ‘power up’.The participants were warm, engaged, engaging and committed. They bonded with one another and I believe they will be a support to one another.
What was the most difficult part?
My host had set up the room on Fri but I was able to get in and finish up on Sun. I spent most of my time rearranging chairs and tables for 75 people that had been set up in a curved theater style! Even after all the conversation with host they seemed to think this was the only option in the room for 75 participants. So 1 ½ hour later the room was arranged with individual tables seating 5.There was a little confusion on the folders (an extra folder had been run for TOTs for Day 2). This was ok in that the host just kept those for the next scheduled TOT.
If you could change one thing about the design of this event, what would it be?
Rene Moore thought with the next TOT they have she would try to schedule that Trainer Orientation (Day 1) the evening before. If this works we would have a full day for the BDASC and still be able to finish by 4:00 rather than 5:00pm.Follow-up:
Should SI or VTA make any follow-up contacts? If yes, please provide names, addresses, and telephone numbers.
Two TOT participants were long time mentee and mentor. Wallace was a teacher of Candis’s when she was really struggling. Repeatedly he advocated for her when others wanted to give up on her. Today she is a senior in hs and is a program coordinator for a community based organization serving at-risk youth. Candis LOVED the asset framework and is excited to take in forward in the work she does with youth. (When I receive my copy of TOT sign-in sheets from Rene Moore/host I plan to contact Candis and Wallace and talk to them about presenting at the HCHY conf.) I have attached photos of Candis and Wallace.Who should contact them? (Check as needed)
From Search Institute:
Community Liaison Research Survey Services
Training Unit Resource Consultant (products)
VTA Training Coordinator VTA Manager Other: ______
Other:
I talked to Rene Moore and Kathryn Everest about combining a Link n Learn with subsequent TOTs. They were interested in that model.
I also recommended engaging youth through either Change of Heart or Leading with Assets.
I am including the following notes from my host phone calls. Some info is repeated, some not.
Kathryn Everest, Rene Moore (Elementary Guidance and SDFS) Held at Riley Center; Kathryn Everest is Guidance and Counseling Coordinator
Three year implementation plan = District goal is over 3 years is that all schools have DA training; hoping TOTs will do training through the Leadership Academy, in addition, they want them to be asked to come to schools. 142 campuses and 80,000 students. Ordered 30 rolling backpacks!
school and youth 817-392-6129
Dr. Linares – she is deputy superintendent
Kathleen Hicks, mayor pro-tem will give opening welcome and remarks. She has been through the asset training and is looking forward to collaboration with schools; sees this as a positive thing.
Have America’s Promise Youth Summit coming up in March 30, 09 – purpose is to improve graduation rate and reduce dropout; Grant through Parent and Public Engagement Departments; client cautions about not linking DA training to Summit so as not to ‘steal their thunder’; client does not want the ‘summit to drive the assets training or the assets training to drive the summit’
Participants: k-12; 30 TOTs; 40 others including community (decision makers and dignitaries – many may leave at noon). Not the first presentation of DA; there was a city effort about 10 years ago (TCYC – Tarrant County Youth Collaboration) where they tried to get it into the schools) not successful; client Rene “everything done seems to be a “pilot” in FWISD
Agency people are already working with students; 3 afterschool people attended Peter Benson 1 ½ hr presentation
Interested in having a spring follow-up with the TOTs; want to track presentations made by TOTs; plan quarterly meetings, turning in sign in sheets, turn in evaluations about training and trainer.
Ft. Worth has several ‘academically unacceptable’ schools
AV system is all integrated; 1 ½ hr lunch out each day; Day 1 till 4-5pm; Day 2 3:45p
My training notes - Stories and Points to make:
· Mayor’s 100 Teens
· How do the Dev Assets impact instruction?
· Save Influencing Appropriate Behavior for Day 2
· Don’t think as ‘pilot’ but as the building of a culture grounded in the 40 Developmental Assets.
· Houston model of tracking – eval forms and ‘contract’ for presenting during the year after training.
· Communities that have embraced DA: Northside ISD, San Antonio; Providence, RI; Project Cornerstone, San Jose, CA.