In 1958, when our family moved into a little house on L Street, it didn't take a week before the grownups in the neighborhood got to know my sister, brother and me by our first names.
That summer, the big current bushes in our backyard were heavy with berries and the neighborhood children spent hours picking berries while our mothers made jelly. I also learned how to make brownies from scratch while I stood next to our neighbor, Grandma Michael, at her kitchen table, as she stood and stirred in the butter and melted chocolate. Life was informal. When we played hide-and-seek, we ran through backyards and hid. It was our neighborhood.
My family moved to the East edge of town two years later and it wasn't any different. There were a lot of stay-at-home moms with eyes on the street. We knew each other. After 40 years, I still remember all my neighbors' names. And, it wasn't much different 20 years ago when I was raising my children. My neighbor, Tom Nighswander, would tap birch trees for syrup surrounded by neighborhood children.
Today, our neighborhoods have changed. We have fewer grassy yards where kids can play or parents can garden. Moms and dads work long hours. There are more single parents and fewer eyes on the streets. Lots of kids are home alone. Our youth need us more than ever. There is no program or funding that can replace us.
Research shows that youth who have supportive adult relationships have increased positive development and decreased risky and problem behaviors. Dedicated mentoring helps youth improve their self-esteem, social skills, and career development, while reducing the incidences of delinquency, substance abuse, and academic failure. How does that impact us, the adults? Well, on average, a high school graduate will earn 74 percent more over a lifetime and is 15 percent more likely to be employed. Dropouts make up 75 percent of the prison population.
The good news is there are lots of things we can do. We can read at a school or just help distribute books. We can be coaches, or mentor a young person at our business or office or in a trade; we can be a big brother/big sister or a helpful neighbor.
Small acts can make a big difference. Ask Dawn Groth, a nurse. Many years ago, Dawn engaged two bike-riding boys in her Eastside neighborhood. Today, she knows the name of every youth in her cul-de-sac -- all 14 of them -- and they know her name, too. They call her "Miss Dawn." They work together on their bicycles and in the community garden Dawn started in her front yard two years ago.
Dawn talks with kids about school and life. Together, they have created a neighborhood that likes and takes care of one another. Parents talk to each other and know each other's kids. Dawn says, "The kids know I am here for them and they look out for me and my little dog."
This summer, Anchorage United for Youth encouraged the community to have conversations with coworkers, church members, friends and family. The conversation focused on what makes Anchorage great for youth? What's needed to make Anchorage a better community for youth? And what can we do, as individuals and as groups, to contribute to making Anchorage a great place for our youth?
The outcomes from these conversations will fuel the discussions and workshops at the Anchorage United for Youth Summit on Saturday at Dena'ina Center (12:30-4 p.m.). It's free and offers many ways each of us can contribute to enhance the life of the young people in our community.
Please come. Bring your time, thoughts, talents and experiences. You're needed. We don't have to be super volunteers or advocate big projects. All we have to do is our best and give a hand. As Dawn says, "These kids have changed my life. It is fun to be in a neighborhood of friends ... besides nobody ever eggs your house!"
Sheila Selkregg is a member of the Anchorage United for Youth leadership team, former Assembly member and city planner. She teaches in the public administration program at UAA's School of Business and Public Policy.
By SHEILA SELKREGG