SALINEVILLE – Southern Local Schools will soon implement a campaign in partnership with the Columbiana County Educational Service Center to inform students that “YOU Matter Here.”

District Federal Programs Coordinator Kristy Sampson said plans will begin in January to begin brainstorming strategies which stress students’ importance in both the school and the community. The project stems from a developmental asset survey from the Search Institute conducted by the Columbiana County ESC and involving junior high and high school students countywide who are between the ages of 12 to 18. The developmental assets are building blocks for healthy development to help young people grow up healthy, caring, and responsible.

“Columbiana County ESC partners with the guidance counselors to conduct the asset survey every couple of years with students to determine which of the developmental assets the students have developed and which assets the students need support with. They are going to do a campaign kickoff this year entitled, ‘YOU Matter Here,’ to focus on the main asset categories or pillars identified as areas of need based on student responses, and they are encouraging school districts to review the data and find ways to implement the ‘YOU Matter Here’ concepts with their youth.”

Sampson added that the survey data indicated three main pillars, or categories, where students’ responses indicated a need for support: sense of belonging and self-identity; parental presence and power; and community involvement. The campaign aims to boost awareness and positivity, and she will coordinate a stakeholders’ meeting over the next month to begin planning for implementation at Southern Local.

“We’ll host a meeting with stakeholders to look at our county data and district specific data to move forward in supporting our students. We will work with Melissa Galbreath, the lead for the Columbiana County “YOU Matter Here” campaign to begin our process. This is the first time we’ve done this campaign,” she continued, saying one aspect may be to seek the development of a third space for kids to find enrichment and support. “Research shows that kids who have positive environments outside of home and school possess more of the positive developmental assets.”

But more discussion will be needed before efforts get underway.

“We can plan activities and supports to help our kids here at Southern Local realize they matter here in our buildings, they matter here in our classrooms, and they matter here in our extra-curricular activities as well as in the community,” Sampson said.

Any community member interested in becoming involved with the planning process may contact Sampson at the administrative office by calling 330-679-2343, Ext. 4203, or email kristy.sampson@slindians.org.