WHY LIFE SKILLS?
Tenacity believes that the literacy and tennis skills that our young people learn at the After-School Excellence Program are much more valuable when coupled with the life skills necessary to be successful students and citizens. Our focus revolves around helping students build the capacity to understand themselves and others. We expect that by the time our students enter high school they are equipped with tools such as empathy, respect, responsibility, and teamwork.In Tenacity, we refer to these abilities as “resilience.” Resilient young people make healthy choices, remain strong, and even thrive despite challenges to their continued success. They are able to adapt to difficult situations by turning to the internal and external resources, or assets, available to them.
>Learn more about our approach to measuring the resilience of our students
Staff at Tenacity see it as our responsibility to support our students in developing as many of these assets as possible. These range from imbuing in our students a positive sense of self, to fostering a love of reading, to providing positive adult role models. Research has shown that the more assets a young person has, the more likely he or she will experience healthy and safe adolescent development.
Fostering resilience in middle school youth does not happen quickly, nor can we do it alone. This is why students commit to three years in our program, and why staff partner closely with students’ school-day teachers and families. The After-School Excellence Program experience begins with a home visit where we set the stage for ongoing communication between the program and the family.
As we build these relationships with our students’ families, we also work with their teachers and schools. One of the primary ways we help maintain and grow our children’s resilience is by serving as a bridge between their multiple worlds. Children and families learn early on that through their commitment to Tenacity, they will receive support and information that helps them navigate school and community life. In turn, school professionals know they can turn to Tenacity to think of new ways to reach families. Membership in the Tenacity community truly serves as a hub for learning and growth.
Being resilient is a positive outcome on its own. Our experience has also shown that when students feel cared for and part of the Tenacity community, they are more prepared for challenges on the courts and in the classroom.
To learn more about resilience and the many assets important to positive youth development, please visit the informational websites of the Search Institute & Youth Work Central.
