I just spent some time this weekend re-connecting with many of my classmates from high school. I loved high school! What a great group of people. I am not just reflecting back through some rose colored glasses. School can be great...and it was.
So what made it that way? The Center For Disease Control completed a comprehensive longitudinal study of over 36,000 adolescents and report the following: “Of all the protective factors examined, school connectedness was found to be the strongest protector against substance use, school absenteeism, early sexual initiation, violence, and risk of unintentional injury (such as drinking and driving or not wearing seat belts).
- School connectedness was second in importance, after family connectedness, in protecting adolescents from emotional distress, eating disorders, and suicidal ideation and attempts.
- Research also shows a strong relationship between school connectedness and educational outcomes, including school attendance; staying in school longer; and higher grades and classroom test scores.”
Connectedness…that seems to be the secret sauce. We all need to have that personal sense of belonging. It begins with that core principle that drives our organization – unconditional positive regard.
In our digital world we have an opportunity to make contact to so many people. But contact is not connection. Caring, accepting, listening, understanding, is needed to go beyond mere contact to meaningful connection. I hope you are able to say, like me, “I loved high school.”
Thanks, Kent. I like that unconditional positive regard!
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