March 26, 2009

Building our major assets

Project Cornerstone celebrates 10 years of asset building

By Carol Rosen
Editor

Project Cornerstone, the Bay Area nonprofit organization devoted to fostering 41 developmental assets in area youth, celebrated its 10th birthday last Thursday at San Jose’s Fairmont Hotel during its annual Asset Champions Awards Breakfast.

Past and present Castillero teachers and staff reunite for a great cause. Photos courtesy of Project Cornerstone

Eight hundred guests filled the ballroom, eager to celebrate an organization whose foundation is paved with equal parts heart and hard work. They gathered to honor an array of schools with caring climates, adult role models, exemplary youth and corporate champions committed to improving their communities.

The morning got off to a festive start when teenage sisters Megan and Shannon Haley sang a duet from the Broadway musical “Wicked” that set off the first round of goose bumps. Singing “For Good,” the Haley sisters made sure their vocals and the relevant lyrics started off the morning with a touching tone.

Colleen Wilcox, former county superintendent of education and current chair of Project Cornerstone’s executive board, followed with an enthusiastic welcome and special recognition to the many city leaders in attendance.

One such leader was San Jose’s Chief of Police Rob Davis, who emceed the event along with Julie Pasek, a senior from Sobrato High School. Davis testified to the effects of adult role models when describing his son Zachary’s warm and wondrous reaction to a thank you note he received from his pre-school teacher.

Almaden teen Shannon Haley reads a story to sum up Project Cornerstone’s 10 years of asset-rich history.

Shannon Haley, an eighth grader at Bret Harte Middle School, then took the stage to sum up the organization’s 10-year history in the form of a storybook. It was accompanied by an entertaining slide show with photos and animation.

Most notable, within the story, was that Project Cornerstone was founded after the results of a survey given to 7,000 area youth in the year 2000. From the results, it was discovered that only 15 percent of the children reported feeling valued by the adults in their community, and only 22 percent thought their schools were caring and welcoming places.

These statistics warranted prompt action to organization founders Pam Von Wiegand and Dave Thornton, executive leaders of YMCA, educational consultant Linda Silvius, County Supervisor Blanca Alvarado and former San Jose Mayor Susan Hammer.

The response by adults involved with Project Cornerstone has been amazing throughout the 10 years of its history. With city council members and residents committed to making their towns more asset-rich by sponsoring youth summits and youth commissions, the organization now boasts some 1,800 volunteers who work in schools to build assets in our youth.

Project Cornerstone: an amazing story of success for youth Top: San Jose Police Chief Rob Davis and fellow emcee Julie Pasek pose with Positive Peer Influence award recipient Akash Nigam. Below: Times Media staff writer Shana McLean Moore delivers the keynote speech. Photos courtesy of Project Cornerstone

Once Haley brought the crowd up to present day with the organization’s accomplishments, Times Media staff writer Shana Moore gave the keynote speech. Her message fit with the essence of Project Cornerstone, which aims to surround youth with a protective web of support. According to Moore, this web is called community, and it is just as important for the adults as it is for children.

Moore shared her own “aha” moment of moving to a new area and becoming a stranger in a new town, which led her to appreciate exactly what she had left behind in the Bay Area. The realization struck her when shopping in her new local Safeway and discovering she never saw a familiar face. “One day I had a really morbid thought,” said Moore. “I wondered if I dropped dead right there, if anyone – after they finished the cleanup on aisle 7 – would actually miss me.”

Upon returning to the Bay Area “with all of its glorious diversity and can-do spirit,” Moore found herself committed more than ever to conduct what she refers to as Operation Deep Roots—to re-establish connections and forge new ones. She went on to communicate three inspirational quotes forcing the audience to focus on appreciating the community around them, and inspiring them to work toward sustaining and building upon their connections—for the sake of the children of their communities, and for themselves.

Chinese dancers from Williams and Guadalupe Elementary Schools then took the stage with colorful costumes and festive ribbons to highlight the organization’s 41st developmental asset, Positive Cultural Identity.

Project Cornerstone President Anne Ehresman gave out the awards and wrapped up the event by thanking those in attendance for continuing to support area youth through their participation with Project Cornerstone.

“In these challenging times, it is encouraging to see so many hundreds of people from every part of Silicon Valley gather to honor the fine work of this year’s award recipients,” Ehresman said. “We are grateful to the community for their financial support, as well as for their ongoing efforts to support children and youth,” she added.

Tracy Cressio who created the Positive Solutions 4 Children program at Williams told the Times, ”I sat there this morning smiling and enjoying every second. All I could think was: This is a room of hope.”

Students in attendance were equally affected. Project Corner-stone’s Youth Partnership Direc-tor Kelly Noftz conveyed the surprise of a student leader from Los Gatos High School. “Here was this very involved, go-getter kid who was truly shocked to see and hear that there are so many people in our community who dedicate – really dedicate – their hearts and souls to providing safe and caring places for kids to learn and grow. It is so important for more kids to see us in action, with them, and on their behalf,” said Noftz.

And that alone will be the inspiration to continue forth in Project Cornerstone’s 11th year of asset building.