Youth Development Insight

By Kate Walker I wrote a post on youth development lessons from the hit TV series Ted Lasso . That inspired me to find similar lessons in my new favorite show, The Bear , which is about a renowned chef who returns to his hometown of Chicago to run his late brother’s struggling Italian beef sandwich shop. Chef Carmy dreams of transforming the restaurant into a world-class restaurant, but is constantly battling personal struggles, crushing debt, a rundown kitchen and unruly staff. Through it all, I draw important lessons in teamwork, leadership, personal growth and purpose. Teamwork and leadership The show demonstrates the value of diversity in a team, where different personalities come together to solve problems and overcome setbacks, from failed inspections to exploding toilets. As chef de cuisine, Carmy listens to the kitchen staff, seeking their expertise and advice before determining the path forward. Determined sous-chef Sydney studies and applies leadership lessons from Duke Unive

By Sarah Odendahl I sometimes find myself talking with other parents about the desire to help our children thrive as they grow - but what does thriving really mean? How do we define it? The  4-H Thriving Model describes youth thriving as "social, emotional, and cognitive learning." It also describes seven indicators of thriving, including "hopeful purpose." The model describes a hopeful purpose this way: "Thriving youth have a sense of hope and purpose, and see themselves on the way to a happy and successful future." How common is it for young people to feel this way?  We know that the  American Academy of Pediatrics declared a youth mental health crisis in 2021 , and that Gen Z experiences higher rates of anxiety about extreme weather and climate change and  perceive more dangers in life than previous generations . Two surveys from the end of 2023 asked youth about hope and purpose more directly. Gallup and the Walton Family Foundation report only 64-6