STEPS Introductory Video

         Since 2008, STEPS has taken Southington by storm. Between ABC classrooms, local events, newspaper articles, public service announcements and spoken word, STEPS has become a name in town. However, sometimes the name doesn’t give justice to all of what STEPS does within this great community. So, what exactly is STEPS?

          In an introductory video, produced by Dream-Frame Productions, connected with many community leaders and youth to talk about what STEPS means, what the coalition does and its positive impact within Southington.

          To watch the video, please use the following link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1NzHrTQEZ5c

          The video was also presented at the State of the Town meeting held on Thursday, January 19th, 2012. Sue Saucier, Director of Southington Youth Services eluded that one can’t speak about Southington without acknowledging the efforts STEPS has made to promote healthy and successful youth.

          In describing the community, Dr. Joseph Erardi, Superintendent of Southington Schools said, “What’s different about Southington is that, at least in my experience, it is blessed with many more caring people who are willing to stand tall for the next generation.” As the quote is said, it takes a village to raise a child, and in Southington, the caring community makes the STEPS mission of developing healthy and successful youth, much more attainable. Within the past 3 years, STEPS has received incredible support from all sectors of the community from media to law enforcement to town government, which is vital to help support and “get a safety net around our kids,” as John Myers, Executive Director of the Southington YMCA said. “It’s not just the parents and it’s not just on the schools” that need to help, John said, and when STEPS asked for community involvement, “in true Southington fashion, everyone jumped on board.”

          Not only does STEPS truly embrace community initiative, but this coalition also creates a concept – that when adults make positive connections with kids, Southington is a better place to live. Mr. Dan Hart, teacher at Southington High School explained that STEPS is not a program but rather, a philosophy. STEPS does so much, but the focus is really to help our youth gain more Developmental Assets, because the more assets youth have, the more likely they are to have positive life outcomes, and the less likely they are to engage is risk-taking behaviors. Nancy Chiero, another SHS teacher described the mission of STEPS as a community’s  “paradigm shift; a culture change,” in that Southington’s mindset about kids is slowly changing so that community members make a more deliberate effort to be positive role models and make connections with our youth.

       “Our goal is to bring the community together and unite youth with adults,” STEPS Youth Council President Joe Rogus stated in the video.

       One deliberate effort is highlighted in the ‘Introduction to STEPS’ video. Kelly Leppard, STEPS Youth Prevention Coordinator explained that this 2011-2012 school year is unique. “Each school, every teacher, every administrator, is going to be building assets with our students in Southington,” through Asset Building Classrooms, or ABC teams.

      In its third year of the Drug-Free Communities grant, STEPS is working hard to build awareness and promote the assets.

      “We need to stay on it -- so it’s a matter of policy change, environmental change, and culture change throughout the whole community so after a while, it just becomes everyday life of how we support our kids,” John Myers emphasized.

       Our introductory video is located on the STEPS website --- click here to share with your friends and family!