March 13, 2005|By Tawanda W. Johnson | Tawanda W. Johnson,SPECIAL TO THE SUN
Mara Castelbaum has always enjoyed attending Burleigh Manor Middle School, but now she feels she has more of a voice in decisions that affect her school.
"The students get a lot more say, and it feels nice to be heard," said the eighth-grader.
For the past three years, the school has participated in the Howard County Connections Initiative, a program that focuses on bolstering "developmental assets," the positive experiences and qualities that affect a child's mental, physical, emotional and spiritual growth.
Students say the program has taught them to speak up and make their concerns and ideas known to administrators.
"I've learned a lot about leadership," said eighth-grader Eric Feinstein. "The students know what they want, and it's best when the students can make decisions."
Since 2002, the Horizon Foundation in Howard County has awarded the school grants totaling about $44,000, said Peggy Alexander, director of Howard County Connections, which is affiliated with Horizon.
Deep Run Elementary and Reservoir High also are participating in Connections.
Search Institute, a Minneapolis-based nonprofit group that promotes healthy development of children and communities, identified the assets during the 1990s. Its list of central elements that affect a child's development includes support, empowerment, boundaries and expectations, constructive use of time, commitment to learning, positive values, social competencies and positive identity.
A survey by Burleigh Manor administrators revealed that pupils wanted a greater voice in decisions that affect their school.
Principal Barbara Hoffmann said action groups were formed that resulted in pupils' taking leadership roles in activities and events.
"We were great as a school; now we're even greater," said Hoffmann.
An annual Rock-a-Thon that raises money for the Maryland Lung Association had always been planned by teachers.
Now, the pupils plan the event.
"They raised about $14,000," Hoffmann said about this year's event.
The pupils also formed Student Ambassadors, a club that welcomes newcomers to the school.
"They've created welcome bags and trinkets, and they also conduct orientation," said Laura Propert, a counselor at the school.
Meeting the program's objectives is also promoted through book clubs, student council, newsletters, the school's television news program and advisory meetings between teachers and pupils, said Hoffmann.
A "Mix-It-Up" day is being planned to show pupils the benefits of sitting next to new people during lunchtime.
Events known as Assets-in-Motion are organized throughout the year and focus on topics such as preventing bullying.
In January, pupils, teachers and staff members read Zlata's Diary, a book about a girl's life during wartime in Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina, in the early 1990s.
Because everyone in the school read the book, adults and young people always had something to talk about, said Hoffmann.
"I had one boy who came up to me and said he read the whole book in one day. He was so excited," she said.
The pupils' involvement in the Horizon Foundation's youth council has also helped them develop leadership skills.
For the past two years, the council has awarded a grant to Common Ground, a group of pupils from Burleigh Manor, Wilde Lake and Harper's Choice middle schools that meets to discuss issues relevant to middle schoolers.
Hoffmann said she has noticed a positive change in the school culture, especially as pupils find their collective voice.
"I feel the kids feel that this is their place," she said.
Eighth-grader Mary Wang concurred.
"We've gotten so much encouragement," she said.
Connections' Alexander said Burleigh Manor is doing a great job instilling the assets.
"It took a year for people to really see the overall benefits, but now they're seeing a positive shift," she said.
