High Five Friday’s

by | Jan 19, 2018 | Uncategorized

The first Friday of each month, students at Salisbury Elementary school are greeted by Salisbury Police and Fire officers’ big smiles and high fives.  This program was started this past September after a suggestion from Tabitha Beebe, Secretary of the Salisbury PTA. Interactions with first responders are not always positive ones. This is an opportunity to change that narrative, as students are greeted with a smile, high five or joke. What a great opportunity for a natural positive interaction, says Jennifer Roketenetz, President of the Salisbury PTA.   We hear from parents that on days with High Five greeting’s students seem to move a little faster in the morning and are eager to get to school.  They look forward to it.

The Salisbury Police Chief, Tom Fowler, fully supports this project.  He says it introduces an opportunity for a positive interaction between youth and adults.  So many times youth only see police officers in a crisis situation, and this is an opportunity to build a positive interaction and trust between youth and police.

This program is helping to strengthen Assets among Salisbury youth as it builds positive adult role models, increases feelings of safety, and helps build a caring school climate and neighborhood, all of which are part of the 40 Developmental Assets.  Having a feeling that the community values them is a positive influence for youth, and having police and fire officers visit the elementary school is helping to show youth support and creating positive relationships at an early age.

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About Us The Essex County Asset Builder (ECAB) Network creates regional connections and supports for individuals, families and organizations from Amesbury, Georgetown, Newbury, Rowley, Salisbury and Newburyport, in using a positive youth development approach to help youth thrive. Positive Youth Development Being a part of the ECAB Network brings local and regional opportunities.  Locally, communities have access to trainings, data, and best practices, and receive guidance on implementation and outreach strategies that build positive youth development possibilities.  Communities also get the benefit of regionalizing efforts, where networking, combining resources, current policies, and a shared vision strengthen the towns and cities as well as the region. History Recently, the communities of Amesbury, Georgetown, Newbury, Rowley, Salisbury and Newburyport came together to form the Essex County Asset Builder Network.  Funded by a three year grant, the goal of this Network is to create a common language of asset- based youth development (creating protective factors). It has been shown that youth who have more assets are less likely to engage in risky behaviors.  This grant will use the 40 Developmental Assets framework to build these protective factors and reduce risk behaviors by focusing on both the youth and the environment that shapes them. The community partnership will enhance the great work already being done to support youth and families, as well as expand community supports, opportunities, and resources. Additionally, the grant will collect and disseminate regional data, coordinate shared resources and bring educational opportunities for various sectors of the community. Goal To spread the philosophy and practice of the positive youth development approach through implementation of 40 Developmental Asset framework within communities across the region. We will accomplish this goal by: Mission To use a positive youth development approach to build networks within each community and across the region that help decrease risk behaviors in youth and produce a healthier community. Vision A network of communities that welcome, value and empower youth through meaningful opportunities and collaborative efforts to support and strengthen youth assets and increase healthy decision making.