News keeps us connected. It helps communicate what we all, as asset-builders, do in communities. It shows the breadth and depth of the asset movement not only in Colorado, but nationwide.

Our goal is to share what is working in the field of asset-based youth development, communicate what ACY is doing, and set the foundation for open dialogue around youth issues.

DPS Today Highlights Asset Approach in Denver Public Schools
DPS Today, published annually by Denver Public Schools, is a resource and enrollment guide distributed to families of new students throughout Denver. The 2002 guide features the article, "Assets for Colorado Youth: Making a Positive Difference," describing the framework of the developmental assets and how ACY is promoting the asset approach in Denver Public Schools.

KBNO Talk Show Airs Positive Youth Development
In June, ACY's Executive Director María Guajardo Lucero was the guest on KBNO's weekly radio show hosted by the Mexican consulate. The show is broadcast across metropolitan Denver. Dr. Guajardo Lucero described the importance of positive adult role models in young people's lives and gave away 30 Asset Action Packs to listeners who called in.

Conversations for Kids Convenes Education Leaders
To illustrate the connection between positive youth development and academic achievement, Assets for Colorado Youth convened a forum of education leaders at the district and state level in June to hear how the Expect Success Project is enhancing parent engagement and school climate in five low-achieving Denver schools. In its first of a community forum series, "Conversations for Kids," ACY and a research team member from the University of Denver presented early findings from the Expect Success Project. One educational leader commented, "Expect Success is powerful because it concentrates on individual schools. We can teach professionals about parent engagement and get them excited, but then they walk back into their buildings and get right back into a rut. We need the entire school and community partnering in the effort."

Cultural Competency Trainings
ACY provided its training workshop on cultural competency, "The Spirit of Culture," to groups from Aurora Public Schools, the Early Childhood Education Advisory Council, After School Initiative grantees from western Colorado, and Leadership Denver during the first half of 2002. The all-day training was developed from an ACY publication, the Spirit of Culture, authored by María Guajardo Lucero, Ph.D. It provides participants an opportunity to learn, share and explore the role of culture and diversity in adolescent development.

Spring Asset Summit
On April 4-5, ACY hosted a Summit at Copper Mountain, bringing together more than 80 asset-building champions from 50 schools, agencies and businesses across Colorado to celebrate the 5-year anniversary of the asset initiative in Colorado. Attendees were able to network and reconnect to the statewide asset movement.

A celebration dinner included an Outstanding Asset-Builder Award ceremony to highlight some of the innovative strategies that communities and organizations have used to mobilize around positive youth development. Other highlights included performances by the young dancers from Folklorico Mexicana and the Kaiser Permanente Educational Theatre Program, X-Change, as well as a discussion on the makings of a movement led by Dr. Vincent Harding of the Iliff School of Theology.