America’s Promise Alliance (the Alliance), the nation’s largest alliance dedicated to children and youth, in partnership with Capital One, today announced that Indiana County has been named a winner of its 2008 100 Best Communities for Young People (100 Best) competition. The 100 Best competition recognizes the 100 outstanding communities across America—large and small, rural and urban—that are the best places for young people to live and grow up. More than 300 communities in all 50 states applied for the honor this year. The 100 winning communities span 39 states.

 Indiana County was named a 100 Best community because of its commitment to provide different opportunities for its young people to grow and succeed. To combat some of the challenges that plague this college town, the Children’s Advisory Commission was formed to advocate for children and youth; the Commission assesses the needs of the children and youth of the county and develops programs or initiatives to meet those needs.  For example, youth have a safe and positive place to go after school in the Purchase Line and Homer Center School Districts at the Evergreen Boys and Girls Club.  Parents wanting to know more about child development and services for children can attend the annual Family Fun Fest.
Read the entire press release- HERE

About The Children's Advisory Commission

  The Children’s Advisory Commission (CAC), founded in 1995, convenes partners from all school districts, local government, human service organizations, health care agencies, and parents. With each member chosen and approved by Indiana County Commissioners, the CAC elects officers from its membership, and creates standing and ad hoc committees that accomplish its goals. By working together, member agencies impact families in creative and innovative ways.

The CAC seeks to improve outcomes for children and families through adopting a more holistic and less fragmented approach to service provision.  It will act as a network to enhance communications and mutual understanding among schools, social services, government, service and religious communities, and the public at large.  
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America's Promise 
National Action Strategies

About the America’s Promise Alliance

America’s Promise Alliance is the nation’s leader in forging a strong and effective partnership alliance comprised of corporations, nonprofit organizations, foundations, policymakers, advocacy and faith groups committed to ensuring that children receive the fundamental resources - the Five Promises – they need to lead successful, healthy and productive lives and build a stronger society. Building on the legacy of our founder General Colin Powell, the Alliance believes the success of our children is grounded in experiencing the Five Promises - caring adults; safe place; a healthy start; an effective education; and opportunities to help others - at home, in school and in the community. For more information on America’s Promise Alliance visit: www.americaspromise.org.

About Capital One

Headquartered in McLean, Virginia, Capital One Financial Corporation (www.capitalone.com) is a financial holding company, with 732 locations in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Texas and Louisiana. Its principal subsidiaries, Capital One Bank, Capital One Auto Finance, Inc., and Capital One, N.A. offer a broad spectrum of financial products and services to consumers, small businesses and commercial clients. Capital One's subsidiaries collectively had $83.3 billion in deposits and $146.4 billion in managed loans outstanding as of September 30, 2007. Capital One, a Fortune 500 company, trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "COF" and is included in the S&P 100 index.

1. Caring Adults 2. Safe Places 3. A Healthy Start 4. Effective Education 5.Opportunities to Help Others

Longitudinal research demonstrates that youth with more assets—regardless of whether they live in poor or high-crime areas or come from single parent homes—are better protected from a host of high-risk and often antisocial behaviors, including substance abuse, dropping out of school, delinquency, and violence than are youth with fewer assets. All Five Promises gain power when experienced on a consistent basis in numerous settings.

Indiana County demonstrates its commitment to the Five Promises in these ways. 

Caring Adults: Caring comes through formal mentoring relationships formed through matching organizations, church youth groups, scouting, and youth development organizations, which link Indiana County children with caring adults. read more....

Safe Places: Indiana County school districts protect children through after-school childcare and enrichment programs for students. Additionally, every school district is a member of the school safety committee, bringing together first responders, emergency management agencies and helping organizations. School staff uses the Incident Command System common language. read more..

A Healthy Start: To ensure that students start the day with a nutritious meal, all school districts enacted a breakfast program to students at little or no cost to student’s families. A similar program operates in the summer over the lunch hours in the summer, and serves over 100 children each day at five countywide sites. read more...

Effective Education: County schools are committed to the children. Families raising children with disabilities meet with a transition team before the child first enters school, giving the district time to prepare for the child’s educational needs, and to assist with transition to school. Every school district within the county provides full-day kindergarten, and several districts provide pre-K programs. With a student-to-teacher ratio of 15:1, all Indiana County schools meet Pennsylvania State System of Achievement Annual Yearly Progress standards. read more...

Opportunities to Help Others: County schools provide opportunities for children to volunteer. The Indiana County Volunteer Center reinforces the service learning curricula, and maintains communitywide volunteer opportunities for youth. read more...

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Indiana County Delivers this Promise! The Indiana County Speaks Up assessment found a need for youth in rural county areas to develop life skills through positive adult role models. From these findings, the Evergreen Boys and Girls Club was formed. Other examples of positive adult support throughout Indiana County include the following programs: In Big Hands, Little Hearts, adults mentor at-risk children, offering them social and recreational adventures. Indiana County Children and Youth Services provides the Independent Living Program, through which member of the Quota Club teach life skills to emancipated teens. The Indiana Art Association gives youth a chance to learn painting under the instruction of local artists. Teens paint murals on building facades throughout Indiana County. Scouting allows area children to mature under the watch of troop leaders. Children with disabilities enjoy activity through specialized camps. Finally, the county puts on the "Reality Tour", an educational enactment of a heroin addict’s life.Back to top

Safe Places. Definition: Every child and youth needs and deserves to be physically and emotionally safe everywhere they are - from the actual places of families, schools, neighborhoods and communities to the virtual places of media - and to have an appropriate balance of structured, supervised activities and unstructured, unscheduled time.

Indiana County Delivers this Promise! Indiana County is predominately a rural county, and its rural status enhances child safety. First, our children’s physical vitality is preserved here through our natural habitation, including state and county parks that are perfect for swimming, walking, biking, and boating. We have invested in playgrounds, skating rinks, and ball fields, and we are developing a skate park for teens. Second, Indiana County insists upon travel safety through its Walking School Bus and car seat distribution projects. Third, we alleviate child abuse and neglect through our parenting education programs. Finally, agencies such as the Red Cross, the Indiana Fire Association, and the Sheriff’s Department hold periodic educational workshops for children and parents on essential safety skills including fire safety, safety from child abduction, bullying prevention, emergency preparedness, and related topics. Because our children are central to our lives, Indiana County invests time, money and effort into ensuring their safety.
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A Healthy Start. Definition: Every child and youth needs and deserves the healthy bodies, healthy minds, and healthful habits and choices resulting from regular well-child/youth health care and needed treatment, good nutrition and exercise, comprehensive health knowledge and skills, and role models of physical and psychological health. 

Indiana County Delivers this Promise! While most Indiana County children receive some form of health care coverage, 7% of our children are without health care insurance. The CAC is addressing this issue, seeking to assist families without coverage and advocating before our legislators on behalf of these children. Furthermore, the CAC and other organizations facilitate countywide nutrition and exercise programs. The Indiana Regional Medical Center (IRMC) has initiated the program, “WE CAN”—Ways to Enhance Children’s Activity and Nutrition, a program that promotes healthy weight for youth by teaching nutritional choices, increasing physical activity, and reducing idle time before “the screen.” The IRMC partners with Pennsylvania Advocates for Nutrition and Activity (PANA), which leads the county’s health improvement program. Additionally, the Community Health Advisory Council offers the “Passport to Trails” program through which two county elementary schools received “Keystone Healthy Zone” funds to install playground equipment and a trail. Consequently, our children’s health increasingly improves.Back to top

Effective Education. Definition: Every child and youth needs and deserves the intellectual development, motivation, and personal, social emotional, and cultural skills needed for successful work and lifelong learning in a diverse nation, as a result of having quality learning environments, challenging expectations, and consistent formal and informal guidance and mentoring. 

Indiana County Delivers this Promise! Effective education is evident across the seven Indiana County school districts and many private schools, which have educated county children while striving to increase their resources. Rural schools struggled to access technology. Old computers and access to out-dated dial-up Internet services put rural students at a disadvantage. However, the ARIN Intermediate Unit received a grant to install a Wide Area Network. This five-year, $15M was obtained through the Pennsylvania Department of Education, and is being used to purchase computers, add access to high-speed wireless Internet, and provide networking options throughout the school system. This system places Indiana County schools on the technology forefront, and gives Indiana County students the ability to compete within technology career fields. All school districts met the 2007 Adequate Yearly Progress targets, exceeding target graduation rates by over 10%. Some districts reported rankings in the 80th percentile in math and reading.  Back to top

Opportunities to Help Others. Definition: Every child and youth needs and deserves the chance to make a difference - in their families, schools, communities, nation and world - through having models of caring behavior, awareness of the needs of others, a sense of personal responsibility to contribute to larger society, and opportunities for volunteering, leadership and service. Answers could include civic and character education; volunteer opportunities to help children and youth; service-learning opportunities in school; faith-based organization and community organizations; mandatory service requirements; and leadership opportunities for children and youth in the community; etc. 

Indiana County Delivers this Promise! Part of Indiana County’s mission passes the tradition and importance of self-sacrifice and giving to our children. Families stress this goal, as do formal youth-focused volunteer programs. First, the Volunteer Center has a list of volunteer opportunities specifically geared toward teens. The Center coordinates projects for community service days throughout the year. In 2007, our youth collected and distributed food on Make a Difference Day. Second, Indiana Kiwanis Club members fund and volunteer for our county fair’s educational “Kiddie Farm,” held the Big Hands, Little Hearts Holiday Party. Third, through the Quota Club mentorship program, children in the foster care system raise money for deaf awareness and for the purchase of hearing aids. Fourth, service-learning is integrated into the curriculum at University of Pennsylvania and at local high schools, which require service for graduation. Lastly, local church youth organizations participate in mission trips to help rebuild hurricane-damaged homes.

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