by Gayle Manchin and James Hunt

More than a third of the residents of Mercer County, W.Va., live in poverty. For years, their young people also lived with the all-too-familiar problems ? substance abuse, teen pregnancy and juvenile crime ? that often haunt impoverished communities.

Then a group of citizens got together. They formed a coalition drawing on every sector of the community: mayor?s offices, schools, parents, law enforcement, business, faith-based groups and young people themselves.

Local businesses and adult volunteers provided job shadowing.

County high schools required students to complete 100 hours of community service before graduating ? and involved local governments and community groups to match young people with those opportunities.

Through such concerted efforts, Mercer County has witnessed a transformation. Teen pregnancies and substance abuse have fallen dramatically. The rate of young people who have used marijuana is 94 percent below the national average. Of 150 non-violent, first-time offenders brought before a novel teen court program, only four have been in trouble again.

Last fall, Mercer County was named by America?s Promise as one of America?s 100 Best Communities for Young People.

As the first lady of West Virginia and NLC?s president, we both know that the award is powerful testimony to the importance of municipal partnerships that improve the well-being of our young people.

For this reason, NLC, through its Institute for Youth, Education, and Families is already drawing upon examples from award-winning communities to promote and encourage new city-led efforts.

Five Promises to Youth
In West Virginia, our work at the state level and in communities such as Clarksburg have been guided and shaped by our longtime involvement with America?s Promise ? The Alliance for Youth.

Initially founded as a result of the President?s Summit for America?s Future in 1997, America?s Promise builds consensus around five essential resources that every young person needs: caring adults, safe places, a healthy start, effective education and opportunities to help others.

Research shows that young people who receive all five ?promises? are much more likely to become successful, productive adults. And experience shows that it takes coordinated, multi-sector partnerships at both community and state levels to achieve this.

In his inaugural and State of the State addresses, Gov. Joe Manchin made a goal of building West Virginia?s efforts for young people around this framework: ?If we are providing the five promises to every child in West Virginia, then we are on the right track. If we are providing the resources to our children, then everything else will follow.?

Our legacy should be that every child in this state has the support to grow into a competent, caring adult, obtain a good-paying job with benefits and contribute to the community.

Even with limited resources, city leaders can play key roles in these efforts by partnering with schools, business leaders, faith-based groups and a broad range of nonprofit and neighborhood organizations.

An energizing idea behind America?s Promise is that there are no ?turf? issues when it comes to serving young people. We all have something to contribute, and we can do it more effectively together than independently.

Moving Forward
Over the years, we have witnessed firsthand the power of this approach in West Virginia. We recognize the five promises as a productive framework that provides both structure and accountability:

? Caring Adults: Bring together education/non-profits/faith-based agencies and volunteers who can serve as mentors and role models.

? Safe Places: Bring together afterschool and summer enrichment programs, camps and business partners to create new opportunities for young people.

? Healthy Start: Create partnerships between health care organizations, public health agencies, youth-serving groups, and national and state prevention programs.

? Effective Education: Build connections between preschool, K-12 education, vocational/technical training, community colleges, four-year colleges and the work force and economic development systems as part of a seamless continuum of learning.

? Opportunities to Help Others: Create inclusive communities that inspire young people to serve and assure that all stakeholders have a seat at the table.

With our governor leading the effort to bring youth and families into the forefront, city leaders in West Virginia have greater access to the information and models they need to build sustainable programs.

The five promises also help ensure that our programs focus on the most pressing needs of youth and families.

We have much work to do. More than 40 percent of American young people say they doubt whether they can realize the American Dream for themselves. These findings cut across lines of race, geography and economic status. Even those young people who seem to be doing well are asking for help in specific areas. These data give us a clear call to action and a roadmap.

Through cross-sector efforts, we can give every citizen the opportunity to embrace the challenge.

Local and state leaders cannot think solely in terms of ?programs.? They must also be catalysts and facilitators who empower communities with flexibility and creativity.

Every strong family builds a stronger community. Every strong community builds a stronger state. It is happening in Mercer County and across West Virginia. It can happen everywhere if we keep our promises to our next generation of citizens.

Details: To learn more about America?s Promise-The Alliance for Youth, visit www.americaspromise.org. For additional information on municipal efforts to address the needs of America?s youth, contact NLC?s Institute for Youth, Education, and Families at (202) 626-3014 or go to www.nlc.org/iyef.

Gayle Manchin is the first lady of West Virginia. James Hunt is president of NLC and councilmember of Clarksburg.