Conference will impact our youth in a positive way
Published in the April 1-14, 2015 issue of Morgan Hill Life
By Marty Cheek
Photo courtesy Morgan Hill Values Youth Fair
Morgan Hill youngsters enjoy a climbing wall in the community.
Morgan Hill youngsters enjoy the rock wall in the community.
People younger than the age of 18 make up about 29 percent of the population in Morgan Hill (as compared with 25 percent for the total state of California). This significant population segment of our community will one day become our leaders and business people, shaping the future of the city. And that’s one reason why various organizers have created the Morgan Hill Values Youth Fair which will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. April 18 at the Morgan Hill Community and Cultural Center.
“The Morgan Hill Values Youth Fair is a one-day event for our community to join together to help our youth thrive,” said Larry McElvain, the executive director of the Discovery Counseling Center which is a sponsor. “The conference will provide educational opportunities for parents, grandparents, youth workers, businesses or just about anyone looking to impact our youth in a positive way.”
In 2010 Morgan Hill was declared an “Asset Rich Community” by the city council and school board, creating a goal of all youth feeling valued and involved, he said. This was instigated by Mayor Steve Tate as a result of study by Project Cornerstone that concluded most youth feel their community doesn’t value them. The Community Asset Builders, a collection of youth-serving organizations and individuals, is dedicated to the same goal. The Youth Fair is a product of CAB’s efforts to inform parents and other adults who care for youth. This is done through workshops and booths where youth-serving organizations can promote the resources available to youth care givers.
The CAB and the Morgan Hill Parent University group joined forces in 2014 to put on the event for the first time last year, said Chris Ghione, director of community services for the city of Morgan Hill.
“Prior to that each organization put on their own separate event,” he said. “This year will be the second annual event and it is really coming together great. This is going to be an inspiring and fun event that parents will definitely benefit from. We will have free breakfast and lunch. We will also provide free childcare during the event for children ages 4 to 12.”
The Discovery Counseling Center was one of the founding CAB organizations and has been very involved in its growth, McElvain said.
“Discovery is dedicated to a healthy community. In addition to our services, we support most of the Morgan Hill public schools with counseling services,” he said. “Discovery will have a booth at the Youth Fair displaying its services so that attendees may drop by and ask questions.”
Others groups that will be involved include Morgan Hill Unified School District, the city of Morgan Hill, Community Solutions, Christian Counseling Center, the YMCA and the Healthy Kids Foundation.
“All families are busy, but families caring for youth are especially busy, and do not have the opportunity to see all that is available to them and their children in the community,” McElvain said. “The Morgan Hill Youth Fair is a one-stop opportunity to see the big picture of services available to them. This is especially true of minority families, who are also burdened financially and possibly by language barriers. While at the fair they can also attend workshops led by professionals in a subject area they are seeking information or help with.”
Photo courtesy Morgan Hill Values Youth Fair
Volunteers from Habitat for Humanity encourage other youth to get involved as part of developmental assets.
The Morgan Hill Values Youth Fair is a primary emphasis for both the city and the school district so Mayor Steve Tate, City Manager Steve Rymer, and Steve Betando, the MHUSD superintendent, will give welcoming speeches, he said.
The fair will provide eight workshops, most of them in both Spanish and English. The subject areas they will cover include: college preparation, school success, children’s health and fitness, children’s healthy emotion, bullying and social media web safety, suicide prevention, and gang prevention.
“Our most popular workshop is always the Youth Panel,” McElvain said. “The Youth Panel gives parents an opportunity to ask questions about life as a teen and the common issues students face. Parents are frequently surprised by the answers they get. This is a lively and very informative part of the fair.”
The city of Morgan Hill is one of the key partners in the planning and implementation of the event because the City Council has made it a priority to support the youth in Morgan Hill, Ghione said. He encourages families (particularly minority group families) to attend the fair to enhance the quality of life for their children.
“This event is a great way for anyone and everyone to learn how they can help youth succeed in life,” he said. “Parents, grandparents, teachers, youth workers, small business owners, and anyone that cares about youth will benefit from attending. There will be a plethora of community organizations there to present what resources they have available to the community and the learning sessions will give people a chance to better understand the needs of today’s youth.”
McElvain also encourages families as well as everyone who cares about young people to attend the Youth Fair.
“If you care for youth, come to this event,” he said. “Our hope is that a large number of parents and adults are exposed to youth and family services and provided the information they need to support their children’s success. If you are a youth-serving business, church, club, or other type of group this event will provide your organization a way to share your services with the community — so sign up for a booth.”
