Present: Kathy Hicks, Tatia Beckwith, Tom Crouch, Corey Pfund, Asa Young, Katrina Luetekebuerger, Michael V Anderson, Mary Hess, Roger Scott, Deanna Cada, Shawn Maxwell

 

Website Update - Roger reported that the review and or update website committee members are Cohen Barns and Kris Povlsen. Roger will check with the two of them to see about where we are in that process. 

 

Educational Toolkit Training Module - Katrina said there are a few ideas possibly training prospective partners or training keys members. She is exploring these two directions. Roger discussed process of working with community partners and how to continue to work with those asset specialists. 

 

Laptop Computer – The group discussed the need for Mary to have a computer for presentations. A motion was made, and seconded for the purchase of a laptop computer using the DCP/SAFE coalition building funds. 

 

Progress Report –

Keys Partnership - Mary finished the interview tool and is actively doing the interviews for dual purpose mapping. There are a number of indirect questions. Asa is continuing to work on that along with four or five students from the Sociology Department at NIU. Mary is currently piloting the tool with a group of local entities. 

Mary shared that she is continuing to work on the window clings. She is currently looking for a good “tag line” The clings would not have a date on them and be as it would be as an ongoing partnership. 

 

Asset Building Recognition Plan – Planning for the County-wide Asset Awards Ceremony is continuing. Roger, Tatia, and Cohen are working on this event. The Farm Bureau is available for this event. The event will be a breakfast with a tentative date of May 14, 2010. Nomination forms for KEYS Asset Builder will be sent out in the beginning of March. The deadline will be in April. There are five awards with five categories: education, business, civic, faith, and community. Roger shared that he is hoping community members will be nominated for this award. His hopes are to have this annual event sponsored in the future. He plans on this event generating funding. The committee will look at the nomination and share the final recommendations with the KEYS Steering Committee. The essay role models will be automatically entered in this nomination.  

 

Community mapping - Mary suggested that after she sends out the mapping tool that the members of the Steering Committee look at the list and work with any organization they feel they could map.

 

Essay Contest - 142 essays were submitted. Mary and Asa are currently in the process of reading the essays. Asa asked for help with reading the essays.  Criteria were developed for judging - there are 8 points that the essays will be evaluated on. They are working on putting these essays into a book. Of about 130 pages, bound, they are looking for an affordable source for printing. Mary offered to scan the essays and email them to the group members who would be willing to help read and evaluate the essays (Tatia, Corey, Kathy, and Tom). Announcements of winners are scheduled for late March. 

 

Family Skate Night is at the YMCA Friday, February 26 from 6 to 10 pm. Everything is free. The focus is family and relationships. There will be live music and a DJ. The group discussed ways to promote this event; DCP/SAFE will be making posters and have them available at the Y Saturday morning. 

 

January/ February Work

 

·        Met with leaders of new DYFL and explained assets – encouraged them to have youth involved with decision making

·        DeKalb School District Wellness Committee

·        Attended IL. Project Milestone workshop (Illinois Coalition for Community Services) - resource for leadership development, organizational development, program development, community engagement, and revenue development. Training conference will be on March 9 at Kish College.  

·        Assisted with developing plan for strategic planning for DCP/Safe Action Groups

·        Participated in Partner Parent Open House (with Juvenile Court Services and YSB) – information session for foster parents – presented on assets

·        Presented to Bob Pritchard’s Youth Advisory Council

·        Appeared on B95 with Cohen as guest DJ’s to promote essay contest

·        Attended DeKalb and Sycamore Chamber of Commerce luncheons

·        Phone conference with Greg Ryan – CCAMP

·        Talked with Nancy Castle – learned that KEYS will be funded $3,500 for purchase of CCAMP software – need to get $2,500 for technical assistance – will try to get through DCCF Community Needs Grant

·        Met with Jack King, Deanna and 4 sociology students re: community asset mapping –students will assist with conducting interviews. Each student was asked to have one completed by March 12. At that time we will reconvene to assess effectiveness of tool and process. 

·        Participated in America’s Promise Alliance Conference Call – re: applying for and qualifying for “100 Best Communities for Young People” award.Building on the legacy of our founder, General Colin Powell, we are the leader in forging a strong and effective partnership alliance committed to seeing that children experience the fundamental resources they need to succeed – the Five Promises (caring adults, safe places, a healthy start, an effective education and opportunities to help others) – at home, in school and out in the community.

·        Attended Asset Training in East Moline – conducted by John Shadowens, Manager of Prevention Services - The H Group - Marion, IL – follow up via email

·        Met with RAMP to discuss incorporating assets into their Young Adult Work Program

·        Met with Dave Juday re: Ideal Marketing assistance (subcommittee meeting on Monday).

·        Conducted community mapping interview @ KEC

·        Sycamore School District Wellness Committee – their plan for addressing wellness is completely based on the assets. They picked out the wellness related negative factors (at risk for low assets) and the group brainstormed what resources are in place in the schools and the community for preventative purposes. An asset subcommittee was formed to brainstorm ways assets can be more intentionally built in school and school related programs.   Already scheduled to conducted assets training to ALL middle school staff on April 15 (in afternoon – Three 40 minute presentations)

·        Presented to EC Class @ KEC

·        Writing YEP Grant

·        Getting quotes for book

 

 

 

Deanna shared the YEP grant deadline. She reported asset development portion has been included and things are going well. She shared that good things have come out of this experience especially that organizations are learning how to involve youth in their programming. 

 

Roger shared that he is looking at the mailing list and ensuring a proper utilization of this distribution list.

 

Next meeting March 19 and April 16, for the next two meeting dates, May 14^th (Breakfast Ceremony)

 

Homework assignment – Mary will let us know about the potential field trip

 

She will email surveys for Steering Committee Members to review and the skate night flyer. She will continue to work on the marketing materials along with students at local schools and professionals in the media field are working on a public relations project. Roger discussed the importance of including youth in this project and that this group may be a good source to include that population. 

 

 

 

The DeKalb County KEYS Initiative engages the community to build developmental assets with our youth through education, practice, and promotion.