LIVING UNITED Spring 2012 Fall 2009 : Page 2
LIVE UNITED WE CAN ALL FIND WAYS TO Little more than a month ago, children across our community returned to school, pencils sharpened and rulers at the ready, with thoughts of how their year might unfold. We can all remember the anticipation of meeting new classmates and teachers, opening the doors to new classrooms and opportunities. As professionals, parents and community leaders, we likely still carry similar sentiments through our daily lives—the excitement and maybe even nervousness that accompanies beginning a new job, attending an important meeting or becoming a parent for the first time. As an educator, I know first-hand how a student’s environment can affect his or her development thr the years. I also know just how fast young people are growing up today. Technologies are ever and multiplying; students have access to a deluge of information that can be both liberating and overwhelming. Socio-economic situations are rapidly shifting for many families in Rochester. P working harder just to keep up with basic needs. Young people are being confronted with greater personal and social pressures than ever before. This past summer, United Way of Greater Rochester announced a very ambitious goal: to make ev youth in our community ready for college, work and life by age 21. It’s the goal of our Blueprint for Change: School Age Youth, a focused plan for how we will address the development of young people in our community. For me and for many others in Rochester—educators, parents, guardians and young people themselves—this goal says so much. This plan speaks for the youth in Greater Rochester because their voices, thoughts and aspirations played a central role in its development. The plan represents a significant and real change in how we support our youth, a commitment to for a proven path for their progress and a community-wide responsibility to do all we can to get ther believe this plan will make a profound difference in the ability of our young people to become activ contributing members of our community—an outcome with positive results for all of us. Our children approached their return to school this year with dreams of the future. By investing in this plan, we can turn those dreams into realities. No matter our age, we can all continue to learn and gr in this community. And we can all find ways to LIVE UNITED. Thank you for your support in making this exciting work possible. Whether you give, advocate or volunteer, your commitment to our youth is greatly appreciated. Anne M. Kress President, Monroe Community College United Way Board Member 2
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