The 2024 Olympic Games have started in Paris, France. My Chicago Bears will be playing on Thursday in the Hall of Fame NFL football game, kicking off a new season of hope for me and fans across the nation. These events prompt today's post.
That award could have categories for a) building public awareness; b) recruiting volunteers; c) raising and/or giving money; d) supporting program infrastructure; e) starting new programs in places where more are needed, or where specific types of programs are needed.
These are medals that can be earned by people who "help" tutor/mentor programs thrive and constantly improve. A second category could be awarded to those working within individual programs, such as a) outstanding student effort; b) outstanding tutor/mentor volunteer; c) outstanding tech support or infrastructure volunteers, d) outstanding program design; e) outstanding communications via website and/or blog; etc.
What categories would you recommend? Who would judge such events? Who would provide awards?
When you think of team sports, do you think of all the resources and talent needed to put a winning team in the Olympics, or in the NFL or any other professional or college level sport?
I've used this graphic in many articles to visualize the different roles that need to be taken to make high quality, non-school, youth tutor and/or mentor programs available to youth living in high poverty areas.
While it's the responsibility of the people who organize the team (or the program) to find all of these resources, couldn't awards be given to those who help draw these resources to one, or many, tutor/mentor programs in Chicago or other places?
While it's the responsibility of the people who organize the team (or the program) to find all of these resources, couldn't awards be given to those who help draw these resources to one, or many, tutor/mentor programs in Chicago or other places?
Below are four graphics that visualize the need for "teams" of talented people to help youth have the support they need.
The graphic below shows that such teams are needed in every high poverty neighborhood, in every individual program, and at the city-wide level, to assure that there are teams operating in every high poverty area. Here's one article using this graphic.
The graphic below shows that such teams are needed in every high poverty neighborhood, in every individual program, and at the city-wide level, to assure that there are teams operating in every high poverty area. Here's one article using this graphic.
The "Virtual Corporate Office" graphic shown below uses a map of Chicago to signal a need for tutor/mentor programs in EVERY high poverty area of the city. It shows a variety of activities that could be happening within each program. And it shows support that industries could provide to help one, or many, programs operate at a high level of efficiency. Here's one article using this graphic.
Imagine how many more people might be thinking about these graphics if they were being promoted on social media by star athletes, in every sport, or celebrities like Beyonce or Taylor Swift. Imagine an award ceremony, attended by the First Lady, or First Gentleman, giving gold medal recognition to those who help tutor/mentor programs help kids move through school and into adult lives, jobs and careers.
If celebrities, and every-day people, make an on-going effort, every week, for many years, to draw attention and support to libraries where they can learn about ways to help youth and youth serving programs, the attention and resources flowing to these programs will grow, helping them keep people in place longer, and build greater knowledge and capacity to help youth through school and into adult lives.
That idea is visualized in the graphic below, used in this article.
Many awards are given for doing good work. I wrote this article in February 2024 about the NFL Honors Awards. I wonder if anyone has a library that just lists all the different awards that are given to people who do "good things".
If such a list existed, we could compare the award criteria to those I suggested above. Do they make a long-term impact, or are they random acts of kindness?
When I say, "long-term" I'm thinking of programs that connect with youth when in elementary or middle school, then stay connected through high school graduation, or longer. See this graphic in this article.
To help kids through school, these awards need to be given every year, in every city for many years, if the goal is to help end poverty for every youth through education and a decent job.
To help kids through school, these awards need to be given every year, in every city for many years, if the goal is to help end poverty for every youth through education and a decent job.
Awards should even be given to bloggers who create their own articles calling for people to build and sustain youth serving organizations in more places.
Maybe someone could give medals to youth who create and share new versions of these graphics. I outlined this idea many years ago on this page, but never found someone to make it a reality. Could that be you?
If you're doing this I'd love to see your article. Connect with me on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and/or LinkedIn. See my links on this page.
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