Good Vibrations: YouthQuest Students Learn About Healthy Interactions

To set the stage for a great year, YouthQuest students are learning skills that will help create a positive environment where they can interact with each other in a healthy way. With activities that follow the theme of “Good Vibrations,” students will learn math, language arts, science and social studies, while exploring concepts such as making friends, choosing their words wisely and expressing themselves.

“We want to help students understand that their words and actions can have an impact on others,” says Cheryl Adkins, program director for YouthQuest. “For instance, by studying Maya Angelou’s poem ‘Life Doesn’t Frighten Me,’ students will learn the power of words.”

Other activities students will participate in this month include:

• Creating a friendship puzzle
• Building a totem pole as a team and
• Making self-portraits based on caring words.

Parents can extend the lessons learned in YouthQuest with the following activities:

• Replacing time-outs with time-ins. With time-outs, children can view it as rejection and may be in the dark about why they’re being punished. With time-ins, a child is removed from a situation and parents sit down to talk about what happened.
• Reward good behavior. Instead of depriving your child of something when they don’t listen, choose to reward them for following your lead. Rewards can range from a simple “thank you” to a knowing hug.
• Be a positive role model. Your child watches and learns from what you do. By being dependable, attentive, loyal to loved ones and taking care of yourself, you are showing your child positive behaviors they can emulate.

YouthQuest is made possible through the generous support of the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation and 21st Century Community Learning Centers.

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