America's Promise Alliance

Randolph County, West Virginia

• Community name: Randolph County
• Community or city website
• Population: 28,390
• Graduation rate: 82.6%
• Youth poverty rate: 22.0% 

Overview

For the first time Randolph County, West Virginia, has been named one of the 100 Best Communities for Young People.  The county remains dedicated to fulfilling the Five Promises—caring adults, safe places, a healthy start, effective education and opportunities to serve. Since 2008, Randolph County has increased its graduation rate to 82.6 percent, decreased youth tobacco use by 4.2 percent and decreased youth alcohol abuse by 8.6 percent. Its youth center, Upward Bound programs and the local YMCA provide recreational activities for young people and their families. Randolph County also works with the West Virginia Immunization Network and The West Virginia Adolescent Immunization Project in an effort to improve the health conditions of its young residents. In 2010, the county increased the amount of vaccines given to young people by 13 percent.

Community Programs

• The Strategic Prevention Framework State Incentive Grant indentified needs pertaining to substance abuse issues and donated funding.
• RAZE groups worked with the coalition to pass Clean Indoor Air Regulations and fight for tougher tobacco policies.
• Randolph County America's Promise Coalition has been successful in its effort to prevent youth substance abuse, yielding a 4.2 percent decrease in tobacco use and an 8.6 percent decrease in alcohol use.
• Youth Health Service Inc. has partnered with the coalition and schools to create a basic skills class for moderate to high-risk high school freshmen who are in danger of dropping out or abusing substances.
• The West Virginia Immunization Network (WIN) is a statewide coalition of more than two hundred representatives from public and private sectors who work to immunize every resident.
• The West Virginia Adolescent Immunization Project: Take Your Best Shot continues to address the low vaccination rates in the state and has increased the number of vaccinated 11 to 21 year-olds by thirteen percent.

Youth Voices

We have a SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions) in our High School. It is a student-led organization. The adults help keep us on track and help guide our ideas. However, it is a club where kids help kids. We want to make a difference not only in our lives but in the lives of others. SADD has helped a lot of us feel like we belong, that we are part of something bigger.

—Jaden