Highlighting America’s 100 Best Communities for Young People
The 100 Best Communities for Young People competition honors outstanding efforts on behalf of young people by multiple sectors of communities. In cities, suburbs, small towns and counties across the country, this annual competition is leading communities to assess their efforts, work more effectively together for young people, and share best practices. Each week one of the 2007 100 Best Communities will be highlighted in the America’s Promise Bulletin and on our web site.
Tempe, Arizona
By Christopher Epps
A major suburb of Phoenix and home to US Airways’ headquarters, Tempe is a place fortunate to be led by progressive leaders who hold children in high regard and understand that the community thrives when residents have safe and caring neighborhoods.
For many years, a dry river bed running through this city was the site of several household and industrial landfills. Challenged by a local Arizona State University professor to transform this eyesore, environmental design students came up with a plan to turn the river bed into a lake. Six years ago, their dream turned into reality as the Tempe Town Lake, a visual, recreational and economic jewel, was created.
Of the five largest east valley cities, Tempe has the highest rate of child poverty. Aware of poverty and many other challenges faced by the community, Tempe devised objectives to ensure children receive basic health care, parents have the knowledge they need to help their kids, the community is supporting efforts to reduce child abuse and that early childhood development is a community priority.
A focus to improve the quality of life for all Tempe citizens, with an emphasis on those in greater need, is a goal of the People Improvement Plan. Developed in response to the need for long-range planning to anticipate the resources necessary for future human service needs, the plan also has a youth development component.
To earn the recognition as a 100 Best community, several programs were reviewed including:
Experience Corp: Comprised of retired citizens who tutor students, kindergarten through third grade, in reading, the tutors are trained in the reading curriculum used in the schools and visit the students during the school day.
Mayor's Youth Advisory Commission (MYAC): MYAC provides a youth voice in local government. Believed to be one of the nation’s oldest, the 20 person commission is made up of representatives from each of Tempe's middle and high schools, enjoying the same status as any of the city’s other boards or commissions. MYAC hosts the annual Youth Town Hall where youth and adults exchange ideas regarding issues faced by Tempe's youth and propose solutions that can be implemented.
The Committee on Youth, Family, and Community (TCYFC): This 25-member city commission has participation from all three school district superintendents, several city department representatives, faith-based organization representatives and many nonprofits. TCYFC serves as the policy board for collaborative community partnerships and grants, hosts the Youth Courage Awards, and is responsible for maintaining data on youth in the community. The commission is also responsible for the development of an award-winning after-school program housed in every elementary school, serving all Tempe children regardless of their parents’ ability to pay.