by Patreece Thompson

Patreece: Thank you so much Christina for the opportunity to speak with you about Youth in the Middle, (YiM) a pilot program that seeks to address youth development from holistic and systemic perspectives. We would like to learn a little about you. What inspired you to become involved with the  YiM Program?

Christina:  I was a former teacher for the 5th and 6th grades. Then I obtained my Masters in Education in Instructional Technology and curriculum design and later was involved as a program manager for NASA and The Tech Museum in STEM education – (STEM is an acronym for “Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics”).

I became interested in schools and reform. Through my network, I became connected with YiM because I wanted to be:  a. more in touch with school reform, b. in touch with schools that are doing the work of reform, c. in situations to think about school as a system.

(Read Christine’s Bio)

Patreece: As I understand it, this program started as a conversation between John W. Gardner former, Secretary of HEW during LBJ administration, and Dr. Milbrey McLaughlin, professor of education and public policy. What is a community school? How did Kennedy School come to be chosen for this “pilot”?

Christina: John W. Gardner was not involved in starting Youth in the Middle. He was a close friend of Dr. Milbrey’s (founder of the John W. Gardner Center for Youth and Our Community) and he allowed her to start the center in his name because our general work around community youth development is aligned with his philosophy of working with community to support young people who then give back to community.

A community school is one that “belongs to the community”.  It has an on-site Family Resource Center which assesses families’ eligibility for and provides access to county social services, family and youth counseling services, parent leadership classes, and comprehensive after-school programs through partnerships with community agencies.

The school is open extended hours and during vacations so the community can use it.

By definition then, community schools are concerned about the whole child – intellectually, mentally, physically and socially. Three years ago when the pilot was started in the Redwood City School District (RCSD), people realized that that although youth development took place during the school hours, the perception was that “youth development” happened after school. How could the concept of Youth in the Middle, with youth holistic needs at the center, occur throughout the school day?

Kennedy, as a community middle school was selected to start those conversations.

During the 2008-2009 school year at Kennedy Middle School, 73% of the students were identified by their families as Hispanic, 16% as white, and 11% as African-American, Asian, and Filipino.  In the same year, 38% of Kennedy’s students were identified as English Language Learners and 66% participated in the free and reduced lunch program.

The focus is on middle school because it was felt there was more need to help youth in that age group. With the elementary school age group, the teachers had time to bond with the children and really get to know them. They stayed with the students all day long. Teachers of that age group had a better understanding of child development.

However, young adolescence is a time of transition – students go to a new school. They are not able to form those bonds with teachers, and they need much more support. This was a niche area that needed attention. People tended to avoid involvement with students in grades 6-8 on the level that occurs with earlier grades.

Patreece: Does the designation of community school make this program’s success more possible than in a public/private/charter school and if so in what way? Must the school be a community school or can it be K-8?

Christina: This is a developing program for all middle schools. We have no experience with non-community schools. The YiM Guide is not prescriptive. A school can decide what areas to work on; there are rubrics for the different components.

Patreece: What is it about this venture between the Kennedy school and the JGC that you found really works?

Christina: The structure of the four work areas really provide the components that are important for success. The YiM Guide introduction provides a more detailed overview.

1. Engage Cross Functional Expertise in Support of Youth

Bring all constituents together: youth, parents, teachers, administrators, counselors, community partners (representatives of these groups) to envision full development for young people. This area addresses the question of how to make the process safe and equitable for all participants.

2. Situate Academic Learning and Achievement in the Context of a Youth Development Approach

This is a difficult area because of the approach. What happens initially is that conversations become either/or – either academics or youth development are to be the focus for reform. The approach is to shift the conversation to both/and. At the heart of schools is certainly academic achievement and in order to be successful academically, there needs to be support for students’ emotional, physical, and social aspects.

The task at this stage is to help educators with what they know to be true. Educators learn about youth development and its connection with learning. Youth development pertains to all kids, not just the ones at risk. We need to see youth who are leaders and contributing to society. Focus on the positives, and do it intentionally and systemically

3. Integrate Local and Research Knowledge

This work area helps participants to understand principles behind research and be able to adapt them to their local particular situation. What is provided is research background around youth development as well as a workshop format to follow.

4. Create Conditions and Habits for Shared Responsibility

This area is only about a year old and is more recent. It recognizes that because the model is based on the input of constituents and is not hierarchical, everyone must learn how they can be responsible for carrying out the vision. There needs to be skill building to foster the concept.

Patreece: The name “Youth in the Middle” – does it refer to youth in middle school and/or youth in the center of visioning, planning?

Christina: Yes – it’s a double entendre.

Patreece:  As I was scanning the guide which has rich material, I came across one of the aspects of culture that the program wanted to create – “No such thing as smart or dumb”. How did that show up in creating a motivating culture that emerged at Kennedy?

Christina: This is a work in progress. We refer to the work of Dr. Carol Dweck [Standford psychologist who studied the origins of self-concept and its role in motivation and impact on achievement]. She compared the “growth mindset” that could be changed through effort vs. “fixed mindset” achieved by looking smart and not risking learning in order to avoid looking “stupid”.

Patreece: Are there early signs of accomplishing the vision of Gardner-McLaughlin et al in creating authentic youth development for middle school children?

Christina: We see early signs of success in individuals with ‘aha’ moments. For example,  a teacher was excited by the finding that 75% of kids are motivated by their families.

We are noticing shifts in thinking about other school members and how they talk about each other.  The changes are relational/interactional at this point.

Also we did have some measurable results: there is a  2/3rd reduction in suspensions in the  second year compared to the first year of the program.

The John Gardner Center is now surveying 2500 children with a youth developmental survey in the Redwood City School District . It is inquiring into student beliefs in academic achievement, how they feel about their capability and the practices their teachers use: practices that reinforce learning for sake of learning or practices that focus on performance-based learning leading to a more fixed mind set.

The researchers are finding when teachers use learning for the sake of learning children believe in their capabilities and perform better academically. This finding spans race, gender and culture.

Patreece: I really appreciate your providing us with wonderful concepts to build upon with youth in the middle.

We encourage everyone to learn more about this program by visiting the Youth in The Middle Guide on the John Gardner Center website.

The Art of Questions for Social Change:
Applications of Appreciative Inquiry

Date: March 26 and 27, 2010
Time: 8:30AM-4:30PM
Venue: William Penn House
515 East Capitol St., SE, Washington, DC 20003

A 2-day workshop for individuals, groups, and group leaders to gain a fresh perspective to an old idea.

This workshop is ideal for people in position of leadership, and for groups with projects or tasks that call for creative and innovative approaches. Teachers, community organizers, and people looking to build bridges for positive social change will all benefit from this workshop.

It is an opportunity to learn how to find common ground in a divisive world, turn dialog into action, and turn economic challenges into opportunities.

Sometimes simply finding the right question keeps people engaged, so we can find common ground, build community, and bring change to the world.  Appreciative Inquiry is a proven method for effectively doing this in the corporate, community and non-profit world.

Workshop Facilitators Marge Schiller and Joyce Lemke have worked with a variety of groups from schools to social service and advocacy groups to business leaders.  Marge is the founder and President of The Positive Change Core, and Joyce is an active member.  They have national and internation experience supporting education and youth communities with Strength-Based whole system approaches.

Cost: $125/person
($100/person for groups of 4 or more*)
$75 for students
Lunch is provided
Lodging is available
*groups of 4 or more from same organization/project

For questions, or to register:
Contact Brad Ogilvie
Phone: 202-543-5560
Fax: 202-543-3814

Download the flyer

This is the first in a series of interviews with the founders and members of Positive Change Core (PCC) to create a mosaic of relationship, perspectives, and reflections of their experience.

On Friday, February 5, 2020 Patreece Thompson interviewed PCC Founder, Marge Schiller, PhD.

Patreece: What are the images of hope that have evolved since PCC emerged from the ashes of 911?

Marge:  It is clearer than ever before that the universal, multicultural image of hope is in children. We see it now in Haiti that what affects and moves us to action is the hope we see in their eyes.

What is remarkable about children is their purity, their deep connection to what is best in us as humans.  They show us love, hope, and joy.

Patreece: As you are speaking, I’m remembering the picture of the young Haitian boy pulled out of the rubble left by the earthquake, raising his hands in victory, despite the ordeal he had just gone through.

Marge:  Yes, Children ARE victorious…

Patreece: What are some high points for you in PCC creating a culture where the strength of children are uplifted and expanded?

Marge: Positive Change Core is not only focused on the strengths of children. What is fundamental is the emphasis on multigenerational conversations … where “wisdom bridges” connect the generations in an equitable dialogue. That is what is ground-breaking.

Patreece: Are you saying that PCC always had this multigenerational core or was that an evolving perspective?

Marge: We always had that focus. There is the theoretical acceptance of our principle:  “don’t do anything about me without me”. But when we actually go to put that into practice, it is often challenging to get children and youth in the room. What is different from when we started is the realization that as much as elders have wisdom to impart to youth, youth has as much wisdom and strengths for elders to flourish in 2010 and beyond.

It is challenging for older people to embrace rapidly changing technology. Then is not the same as now.  I’ll be 72 in March … surrounding myself with young people (especially my grandchildren) has given me the opportunity at 72 constantly to consider reinventing myself.

With PCC we started with our first gathering, ‘A LEAP OF FAITH” at Case Western in Cleveland, Ohio. We had young people in the room. Now when PCC sponsors activities, young people must be there at every step. There is a multigenerational imperative.

For example, in talking with a young Brazilian colleague who founded The Butterfly Connection, he expanded the original idea from young leaders to an invitation to multigenerational leaders. So now we are all invited to be part of that initiative.

Young people provide the “predictable disruption” to foster rethinking. We see it in the White House, in world economy. It is no longer enough to build upon the successes of the past – we must stop and question what we are doing, see if it is what we need to be doing now – re-examine our strategies.

Patreece: Finally, building on the best that has occurred already, what is one wish that you have for PCC?

Interestingly this question led into a wide-ranging reflection on how a wish is really focusing on a gap. However, when we focused on posing a similar question to a child, Marge said “a child MIGHT not answer/understand that question. They would want to know what is most fun about the learning.” Once again, Marge redirected the issue to what is simpler yet most important!

Patreece: What about PCC has been the most fun for you?

Marge:  The relationships with the maximum mix of people – that is fundamental to PCC.

The world has been touched and saddened by the devastation and destruction wrought by an earthquake in Haiti. Rescue teams including religious organizations, medical and military personnel swarmed Port Au Prince in an effort to prevent further loss of life and hope.

But back in Fulham, West London, a little 7 year old named Charlie Simpson cried at the images of Haitians suffering from homelessness, lack of food and death of loved ones. He was particularly touched by the children many of whom became orphans. He appealed to his mother to help him set up a sponsored bike ride around a nearby park. She set up a web page on www.justgiving.com which allows donors to contribute to UNICEF.

His simple message: “My name is Charlie Simpson. I want to do a sponsored bike ride for Haiti because there was a big earthquake and loads of people have lost their lives. I want to make some money to buy food, water and tents for everyone in Haiti.”

With that simple statement, his simple act of riding his bike eight kilometers (five miles) around a park and the dream of raising $500 (US), Charlie has to date raised over £100,000 ($160,000). There was an outpouring of support, encouragement and money from those who were inspired by this act of compassion on the part of one so young.

The learning lesson here is one of the elegance and simplicity of the dream and the act. Charlie’s dream is huge – to be able to supply the needs of everyone in Haiti – but his action was wonderfully simple. Only a child or one that is child-hearted could combine these elements into effective action that can change the world.

Patreece Thompson

I found this uplifting story of seven year old Charlie.  I remembered how Patreece was moved by another story of a 14 year old, Jake, below who had to jump in and help when he saw another in need.  It also reminds of the message in our dear colleague, Judy Rogers’ book, Something Beyond Greatness, when there is a calling to act – you just can’t not do it.

I’ve pasted in the story of Charlie from Wend.

When seven year old Charlie Simpson saw the grim  images of post-earthquake Haiti on television he reacted as most children his age would: he broke down and cried. But instead of begging his mother to change the station, the young bicycling aficionado asked how he could help. To date the West London youth’s philanthropic push–a five-mile sponsored bicycle ride around a local park–has raised $204,459.186 for UNICEF and inspired people throughout the world to lend a hand with disaster relief in Haiti.

Charlie set out to raise £500 (around $800) for the Unicef Haiti Appeal by riding his bicycle 7 laps–about 5 miles–around a local park, asking for sponsors along the way. But some savvy adult (presumably his mother or father) set the young philanthropist up with an account at a website where donations can be collected online and once word about Charlie’s mission hit the internet, teary-eyed grown ups all over the world started opening up their pocketbooks.

From Charlie Simpson’s donation site:

“My name is Charlie Simpson. I want to do a sponsored bike ride for Haiti because there was a big earthquake and loads of people have lost their lives. I want to make some money to buy food, water and tents for everyone in Haiti.”

Robyn Stratton-Berkessel

Here’s a Wordle word cloud about PCC.
(With thanks to Patreece Thompson & Sue James)

“We saw him put his hand up and saying, ‘help, help,’ so we went over to him and pulled him on our board,” Satherley said on Monday.

Jake Satherley and his partner in this extraordinary exploit, Spencer Jeams, rescued a middle aged man who was drowning in the ocean off the east coast of Australia. They are members of a lifeguard training program for under 14 year olds.

This brief story was cited over 5,000,000 times in Yahoo and Google between 1/11/10 and 1/12/10 with almost the exact wording except for one report on abc.net that was different. There Mrs. Satherley reveals that the children had not been taught how to save people; that training would come in a couple of years. Jake’s mother added that her son has always been the type of child to save sick animals, birds, or lizards.

This story is an inspiration about the innocence of children who, under the belief that they can, actually did – and jumped into a situation to save a life. Jake and Spencer used the training they received and took it to the next level instinctively. They responded without hesitation to their innate gift to be aware of a need and to act.

Who would have thought that saving a lizard could translate into rescuing a person?

May we as adults take the opportunity nurture that spark in every child that coul someday blossom into the fulfillment of a dream for them, for others and for ourselves.

Patreece Thompson

I read about this in the Sun Sentinel Newspaper, Florida USA

State Senate President Pro Tem, Rosa Franklin, who is a Democrat from Washington State, understands the power of negative labels. She wants 54 state law designations such as “at risk” and “disadvantaged” to be re framed to a new term, “at hope”.

Here is what she said: “We really put too many negatives on our kids. We need to come up with more positive terms.”

Senator Franklin believes that this could lead to a paradigm shift in State Government and in classrooms.

Marge Schiller