Assessing Their Assets

IRONWOOD - Thursday morning there was an Asset Building “Youth Forum” held on the campus of Gogebic Community College. The forum was organized by Betsy Wesselhoft. Mrs. Wesselelhoft has held several of these forums in the past, but none lately. She has acquired a grant which enabled the production of this year’s Youth Forum.Bettsy is very concerned with the well being of our area’s youth. Bettsy formerly directed the mental Health Facility in Wakefield. Her husband is Steve Wesselhoft, Dean at G.C.C. Youth development is obviously a family affair at the Wesselhoft’s home.

Participating in this Youth Forum were approximately 60 students from the six High Schools that make up the G.O.I.S.D. (Gogebic Ontonagon Intermediate School District) Each school principal was asked to select the ten students that would be participating in Thursdays event.

The program itself was produced by the Great Lakes Center for Youth Development.

The process of Asset Building is based upon 40 key developmental assets, which are divided into two sub-groups: 1) External Assets; support, empowerment, boundaries and expectations, and constructive use of time.
2) Internal Assets; commitment to learning, positive values, social competencies, positive identity.

In 2009 the 532 eighth, tenth and twelfth grade students of Gogebic and Ontonagon counties were surveyed relative to those forty developmental assets. The youth scored high in several categories, but dismally low in many more categories.

Seventy-two percent of the Students taking the survey felt that they ahd a Positive view of their future. It was the Highest ranking asset. Only nineteen percent of those taking the survey felt that there was a Caring School Climate.

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At the Thursday Forum, the students worked on their own survey so to speak. In a procedure very similar to a goal setting program, the kids placed colored dots on wall mounted pages, representing the 40 assets. Where a student felt comfortable or strong with and asset, he or she would place a blue dot on that page. If however, the student felt less comfortable or less confident about an asset, they would put an orange dot on the page.

Standing back, one can quickly see where the positives and negatives assets are in the minds of the students.

The three highest strengths defined by the group were 1) Family Support, 2) Positive View of Personal Future and 3)Safety.

The three areas of concern for the students were 1)Caring School Climate 2)Restraint and 3) Honesty.

After identifying the Assets above, the students divided into their school units to discuss what they could do back at school to improve those areas of concerns.

Finally, representatives from each group told the other students gathered what specifically they planned on doing for one area of concern.

The program for the day was presented by Paul Olson, a youth development associate from the Great Lakes Center for Youth Development.

Also attending the Forum was, Bruce Mayle, Supt., Gogebic Ontonagon ISD, and Vicki Nelson, who is the 4H Director at the MSU Extension Office.

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