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Showing posts with the label Sarah Odendahl

Helping youth find hopeful purpose

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...

Sparks for the future

By Sarah Odendahl It’s the time of year when “adulthood” is becoming a very real concept for many of our youth - college acceptance letters are arriving, tuition deposits are due, graduation ceremony and celebration plans are underway. When I think back to that time in my life, I remember lots of people asking variations of, “Can you make money doing that?” when I told them about my plan to major in theatre and music. It was the height of the Great Recession, so I can’t really blame folks - and yet, at 18, it was impossible not to be hurt by the lack of support from the adults around me. In 2011, Dr. Peter Benson of the Search Institute in Minneapolis gave a talk at TedxTC . He spoke about the research they were doing into “sparks” by asking youth, “Tell me what it is about you that gives you joy and energy.” In his talk, Dr. Benson defines sparks as “something that gives their life hope and direction and purpose” and explains the three different categories of sparks: a skill or ta...

Expanding global citizenship with theatre

By Sarah Odendahl "The need to attend to global citizenship education is essential" are the first words of a 2006 article from UNESCO . The article identifies that of the four pillars of education from an earlier UNESCO report, " 'learning to live together', remains the biggest challenge." One of Minnesota 4-H’s goals is to help youth develop global citizenship skills. A quick Google search identifies many other organizations - from Fulbright to National Geographic - that have learning opportunities with the same goal. How can youth workers across organizations help youth build these skills? Emerging research shows that youth’s personal sparks help direct them to growth, contribution, and connection. Youth workers who can harness the skills, interests, and special qualities of youth and connect them to desired learning outcomes see increased odds of success. My personal spark for theater arts is one I enjoy sharing with youth; it’s also one that can easily ...

Benefits of creative writing in groups of youth

By Sarah Odendahl The secret artist - it’s a popular media trope. A teenager who enjoys writing, drawing, or writing songs does so in private, with most of their family and friends oblivious to their talent. It can make for a compelling story, but research is showing that youth have much more to gain by performing their creative endeavors in a group of their peers. There is a wealth of research spanning decades that shows that creative and artistic formats can help improve mental health and emotional well-being.  More recent research adds to what we know by exploring the impact of creative work that is made and shared in a group setting. Engaging in creative writing in a group setting can help youth: Develop and understand their identity . A writing group that creates a safe environment for participation allows youth to "feel free to be authentic (be how they like to be) and honest about their thoughts and feelings." Develop relationships between peers . Youth have an op...

Theatre as a tool for internal growth

By Sarah Odendahl Stop by the 4-H building at the Minnesota State Fair, and there’s a good chance you can catch part of a theatrical performance. Arts-In and Share the Fun performances take place throughout the state fair and showcase 4-H members participating in the performing arts project . As adults on the outside, it's easy to observe the skills that youth gain while participating in a theatrical performance: teamwork, confidence, and public speaking or technical knowledge. What’s harder to see are the internal changes and connections that performing arts can have on youth, whether they are performing or observing. Recent qualitative research out of Canada concludes that even watching live performances can have an impact on identity formation in teens. After watching a live play as part of a school trip “several students commented on how the artistic portrayal of a parental relationship inspired them to think more empathetically about their own families.” Youth were able to ta...

Keeping youth safe: Teen dating violence and the role of youth workers

By Sarah Odendahl In a few short days, October will be here. October brings notable holidays like Halloween and Indigenous People’s Day, and it is also National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Domestic violence, also known as intimate partner violence, takes many forms. One of those forms is what’s known as dating violence. A 2019 CDC survey showed that 1 in 12 U.S. high school students who had dated in the previous 12 months had experienced physical and/or sexual dating violence. The CDC states that “teen dating violence profoundly impacts lifelong health, opportunity, and wellbeing.” Can youth workers have an impact on teen dating violence? Research suggests yes. A 2022 study that spanned 25 New England high schools showed that youth who underestimated school staff’s response to teen dating violence had less intention to personally intervene in situations of dating violence. The same group reported higher belief in rape myths and higher denial of responsibility for dating vi...

Supporting youth mental health

By Sarah Odendahl In spring of 2008, I was a junior in high school struggling with the fallout from a recent breakup.  One day I walked into the band rehearsal room - a class I shared with my ex-boyfriend and about 50 other teens - feeling particularly upset. When I saw my ex walk in, suddenly it felt like all the oxygen left my body. I couldn’t catch my breath, the warm-up noises were overwhelming, and I didn’t know what to do. A good friend pulled me from the room and sat on the floor of the hallway with me until I could get a deep breath again. Looking back on it now, that breakup doesn’t elicit much emotional response, but to teenage Sarah it cut incredibly deep. I was coping the best I could, and learning social-emotional skills along the way, but I didn’t have the language to address what I later learned was the first of several panic attacks I would suffer that spring. In 2010, a study in the Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry found th...

Supporting teens for healthy social media use

  By Sarah Odendahl Teen social media usage has been making headlines the last two months, both nationally and right here in Minnesota. Whether it’s concerns about how social media shapes teens’ social and emotional health or concerns about cyberbullying , inappropriate content , and documenting illegal behavior , it can sometimes feel like the digital landscape is out to destroy our youth. I was a teenager when Myspace, Facebook and Twitter came onto the scene, so it feels like I grew up alongside what we now call social media. I’ve received inappropriate messages, watched classmates suffer consequences for photos of underage drinking, and posted things that make me grimace when they pop up in “Memories.” A generation later, we know better what pitfalls come with teens using social media, yet problems continue to arise. How can parents, teachers, and youth workers help youth make smart choices around social media? Listen to youth’s opinions on social media: Data from Pew Res...

The importance of consent in youth development

By Sarah Odendahl On April 28, you’ll find me wearing denim jeans and a teal shirt. Why have I planned my outfit in advance? To show solidarity with victims of sexual violence. April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. April 28, 2021 is Denim Day , a date that marks protest against a 1999 Italian court ruling in which a rape conviction was overturned due in part to the victim’s clothing choices. Both events seek to raise awareness of what constitutes sexual violence, how common it is, and what consent means. Youth workers have a particular need to understand issues around consent and sexual violence. 1 in 9 girls under the age of 18 experience sexual violence at the hands of an adult, and young adults 18-24 are at particular risk of sexual violence . A 2007 study  on campus sexual assault by the National Institute of Justice found that 35% of victims didn’t report what had happened because “it was unclear that a crime was committed or that harm was intended.” Conversations abo...

Journaling as self-care for youth

By Sarah Odendahl In many ways, COVID-19 has become the central factor in our lives; the virus is defining how and where we work and go to school, how we shop and celebrate special events, and what activities we do in our free time. We hear about COVID-19 each day on the news, see commercials and billboards about prevention, and make daily choices about how best to protect ourselves and our loved ones. Adolescence during the pandemic While COVID-19 might be the single biggest stressor in adult lives, for youth, especially teens, it is just one of many challenges they face. Adolescence is a time of significant change  in physical bodies, brain structure and function, and social interaction. Teens are molding their identities, creating their value systems, and planning for their futures. With or without the pandemic, questions regarding college, careers, romantic relationships, and how they interact with the world around them are ever-present. Many teens need extra guidance and ...