PWC Recognized as a 100 Best Community for Young People!

Prince William County (PWC) is recognized for the first time as a 100 Best community through its strong promotion of youth development programs focused on physical, social, educational and moral growth. The Healthy Communities Healthy Youth (HC·HY) Council empowers the community to build the 40 Developmental Assets® through educating, communicating, empowering and serving the community. The Office of Student Management and Alternative Programs created several opportunities and paths to finish high school, and, as a result. the dropout rate decreased by 52.8 percent over the last four years. The community also works to develop youth leadership skills through Learn and Serve classes, Leadership classes, and Students L.E.A.D (Learning Essential Assets of Development) committees.

School administrators facilitated students' efforts to create a district-wide committee called Learning Essential Assets of Development (L.E.A.D.). They develop leadership skills through planning, presentations, and decision making of service projects and assist with the annual County Student Leadership Conference. Because of L.E.A.D.'s involvement in human rights issues, the County's Human Rights Commission created a Student Sub-Committee to meet quarterly to educate and inform the Commission. Additionally, the Park Authority uses The First Tee program to successfully implement the nine core values of the program by becoming a mentor to other youth.

Most notable were the combined efforts of local government and businesses to fund construction of two facilities dedicated to youth development. One is a community center/day care facility in the most socio-economically depressed housing area and the other is the largest Boys and Girls Club in Virginia. These two facilities made a positive impact on school attendance, academic performance, and safety in the community. Another successful collaboration -- Comprehensive Child Study (CCS) -- addresses students' poor academic performance caused by issues outside the school. CCS is a partnership of staffs from school and the County's social services, mental health, juvenile probation, and parent education services to solve issues within families.

Boys & Girls Clubs, Scouting, 4-H, fitness clubs, and sports teams provide many of the youth with access to caring adults in a healthy supervised atmosphere. Several coalitions work on specific issues, including the Child Protection Partnership, the Prevention Alliance, and the Gang Response Intervention Team (GRIT). In addition, parents also receive support through Subsidized Parent Education programs, which offer tools on raising healthy children, managing anger, and addressing issues specific to at-risk populations.