Selection as one of the 2007 100 Best Communities for Young People.

Neighborhood Networking Grants Signing Ceremony.

Ch. 1 Summer Kickoff sponsored by Promise Partners.

PROMISE PARTNERS: MISSION STATEMENT

Promise Partners mobilizes all of Pottawattamie County and empower people to share resources to fulfill the Five Promises for all children.

We work to mobilize people from every sector of American life to build the character and competence of our nation's youth by fulfilling Five Promises:

 

PROMISE PARTNERS: VISION STATEMENT

All Pottawattamie youth will be healthy and safe, have marketable skills and opportunities to serve, and will be engaged in positive activities with caring adults.

 

NEWS & EVENTS

Promise Partners & the Pottawattamie Youth Council Award $21,302 to Local Organizations

Fifteen local organizations in Pottawattamie County will receive funding for various projects and activities that will directly benefit children, youth, and families in the community. These projects create activities for children, expand networks, & aid youth in our area, resulting in lasting relationships between adults, youth, & children.

Below is a list of local organizations and their projects that are receiving support:

The selection of Community Networking Grants recipients is done by members of the Pottawattamie Youth Council and Promise Partners. Funding is provided by the Iowa West Foundation and the Community Partnership for Protecting Children initiative. Additional grant proposals will be sought by organizations in the fall to fund local projects.

 

Brittany Rupp Awarded Pottawattamie Youth Council Senior Scholarship

Promise Partners is proud to announce scholarship awarded to senior member, Brittany Rupp of the Pottawattamie Youth Council (PYC). Brittany has taken on a leadership role in PYC and has been instrumental in the group's successes—including speaking at community engagements, coordinating service projects, mentoring new members, and leading group activities. Brittany was selected to participate in the 2011 National Youth Grantmakers Summer Leadership Conference where she further developed her skills in philanthropy and service to others. Notably, Brittany has assisted service projects at the Micah House, baking cookies and desserts as a thank you to area non-profits, "free compliments" to the general public, and supervising and touring with children through the Trailblazers Program.

In addition to Brittany's volunteer work with PYC, she has excelled in his academics at Abraham Lincoln High School, is the Editor-in-Chief of her school's newspaper, and has been a referee for the Council Bluffs Youth Soccer Association. She has also spent time volunteering at Jennie Edmundson Hospital. Brittany will be studying nursing at Nursing at Morningside College. Best of luck to this up & coming leader!

 

Proms, graduations a time for parents to ask the tough questions
Tips parents should remember for talking with their children about tough subjects

For some, the teenage years are a time of dating, experimenting with alcohol or drugs and becoming sexually active. With proms, graduations and summer vacation upon us, parents should take this time to have a talk with their kids about the risks of drugs, alcohol, sexual activity and violence. The Youth & Families Committee of the Human Services Advisory Council offers the following tips for parents to remember when asking – and being asked – the tough questions.

Engage in conversation – Casually bring up your concerns early and often with your teen, and don't be afraid of a few sarcastic comments. Make sure that your message gets across and even offer solutions to any problems. Ask them who they are hanging out with at prom or which friend's house they are going to afterwards. Even have a conversation with their friend's parents to see if they are on the same page as you.

Don't ignore the signs – If you find your teen is behaving differently, ask questions to probe their feelings. Changes in eating habits, mood swings and signs of depression, as well as stumbling across lighters, are all indicators that your teen could be engaging in risky behavior.

Alcohol and drugs – Talk with your teen about these types of dangers. If they tell you they are going to party, ask them who will be there, how long they intend on staying and if any adults will be present. Alcohol and drugs generally leads to other risky behaviors, such as sex or violence.

Sexuality – May is Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month, which can be a great way for parents to begin discussing risky sexual behaviors. Talk with your teen often; rather than "The Big Talk," have several small conversations. It's okay to say, "I don't know," but follow up by suggesting that you research the answer together. The key is opening the door, and then leaving it open for discussing difficult subjects like sex and sexuality.

"One of the surprises to most parents is that their children often times want to talk about these things with them," says Jessica Simons, youth engagement coordinator at Promise Partners. "Often times, parents believe their children don't want to hear what they have to say, or think talking about sex or drugs will lead to their child engaging in those behaviors. The opposite is actually true. It's important for parents to take the opportunity to ask their teen about their plans and gauge their feelings, listening and being understanding along the way."

Start a conversation in the car – Car rides can be a perfect place for one-on-one conversations that may be uncomfortable, because you have each other's undivided attention; you are "stuck" together for a few minutes but don't have to stare at each other directly.

Have guidelines – Let your teen know that their friends are welcome, but also set guidelines, such as reasonable curfews on prom and graduation party nights.

Send a text – Put your thoughts in writing, let them know you want to talk, and remind your child of the things they do that make you proud. Start with "1-4-3" for "I love you," "Need 4-1-1" to learn their whereabouts, or "F2T" for "free to talk."

Just start talking – Don't wait to start talking-- take any opportunity you can get. Movies or TV programs suggesting some sexual activity or alcohol use can be good ice-breakers to start the conversation or consider talking about their future and their goals in a positive manner; this ensures they will come back to you for your advice and guidance. Talking to your teen about your values and why you hold them goes a lot further than "Just don't do it."

Local Economic Development Benefits of Early Childhood Programs: Investing in Kids
A blog by Tim Bartik

Tim Bartik shares his presentation and draft speech framed as responses to six skeptic questions/concerns raised about early childhood programs:

  1. Why should legislators and other policymakers believe advocates for early childhood programs when advocates claim the research evidence for these programs is convincing?
  2. Are early childhood programs really needed for any except the most disadvantaged kids?
  3. How does preschool help the entire local economy? Even if it helps former program participants, won't these former participants as adults just move somewhere else? Even if they stay, how will others in the local economy benefit?
  4. What are the short-term benefits of early childhood programs?
  5. Will preschool and other early childhood programs somehow undermine the role of parents? Wouldn't it be cheaper to focus on parenting rather than focusing on expensive preschool and childcare programs?
  6. Why should the government take on preschool when we haven't solved our many challenges with K-12 education? Won't anything we do in preschool be undermined by problems in K-12?

 

THANKS TO


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