Examples of a caring community at forefront of youths' experience
Asset No. 4 of the 40 Development Asset Framework is Caring Community. A caring community is one in which children feel that their neighbors support them, encourage them and care about them. In an effort to determine if Amherst really is a caring community, students were asked to express why they thought Amherst was the best community. Their answers were so reassuring that they deserve to be shared with a bigger audience.

Why do you think Amherst is one of the best communities in the United States?

Maria: "I don't know where to start. First of all, there is a bike path. I go on it all of the time. There is a Red Box program during summer vacation. There are counselors who work it, and we do crafts, play games and a lot more stuff. Another reason is because we are very safe. Our community came in first, second or third on the safest city list. Even the parks, fields, youth centers, bike paths, libraries and museums are so safe. I wonder why the burglars and robbers never choose Williamsville. Well whatever the reason is, it is surely working extremely great."

Alexis: "There are many activities for kids to do like soccer, baseball, basketball, tennis and football. Another good reason is because it was rated the second safest town in America. Probably something most towns don't have is their own museum, but Amherst does. You can go there and see and learn things about Amherst's history. One of the things they have there is a one-room schoolhouse."

Hannah: "Amherst has many places you can go to. For example, there are parks, libraries, museums, and we even have a college football stadium and hockey arena. All of these places are safe to visit. Amherst provides many leagues for sports and other activities. I play softball and basketball. If I ever moved out of Amherst I would be very sad, because I feel safe and happy here."

Brittany:"There are many things that make me and other people in my neighborhood to be safe. There are laws about helmets for people riding bikes or roller skating. The Amherst police officers are always on patrol making sure everyone is following the laws. The best thing in our neighborhood is that there are sidewalks. Sidewalks prevent anyone who is a crazy driver from running over kids, dogs or adults. One more thing that keeps everyone safe is speed limits, stop signs and crosswalks. I love my community. I feel safe at home when I'm in my back yard playing or sleeping in my bed."

Tim: "We have lots of safe playgrounds. In the summer the schools have this activity called Red Box. There is also a college named UB, a radio station, a library, a pool and a nature preserve. For young people to hang out there is a youth center and the Pepsi Center where they have sports, parties, games and an ice rink. There are a lot of friendly neighbors that are always kind and helpful."

Andree:"I'm sure that Amherst is the one place to grow up in because we have many caring adults here like parents, coaches, teachers, principals and many more, plus there are very healthy people here. We have sports teams for kids and the school has P.E., recess. We have healthy snacks and inspectors to see if our house is safe. The opportunity to help others is great, right? Nursing home to cheer up adults! We collect cans to donate to [the] needy. We have a M.W. Booster Club to collect pennies for the poor and adopt a child."

Gabriella:"What makes my community better is that many places like parks and nature preserves are kept very clean. I feel that this is due to the great pride that the community takes to make sure they are well kept up. Amherstis [a] very culture oriented place to live.There are many museums and libraries. My community is very diverse with many different races and cultures. I think that my town does very well to reflect these diversities.

The Town of Amherst also has great school systems, allowing us the opportunity to learn and grow. Government officials have created great opportunities in my town by creating and building many restaurants and stores, which allows youth the opportunity to work and understand today's economy. This helps us prepare for the real world when we get older like our parents.

Community centers and churches are also very present in the community, helping to keep families together, youth to stay out of trouble and keep our crime rates down."

Esha: "The Town of Amherst is the community to live in. To me, this community is made up of all the people who

live there, which include my family, my neighbors, my friends and my teachers. Amherst has many places to go - schools, neighborhoods, parks, fairs, libraries, local theatres, religious institutions and community centers. The most important part of the town of Amherst is

the very diverse group of young people

who are constantly involved in activities serving the community. We all work together with the common goal of creating a place where everyone is connected, all voices can be heard, all opinions can be shared, and all ideas can be made into actions. Living in a place and knowing that the ideas and opinions of youth are greatly valued and appreciated has made me feel like I hold an important role in the community."

It is wonderful that our youth actually like to live here. Sure, we all have our "days," but armed with all of these statements, parents really should not have to succumb to, "I'm bored" and "There is nothing to do." We do live in a great community as declared by our youth. A good family activity for you around the dinner table could be to see how many things your family likes about Amherst. One more example of what a great community this is is the fact that our local newspaper (The Amherst Bee) acknowledges the power of strong families and healthy communities by allowing for this space each and every month. Take advantage of it, and let us hear from you.

Contact the Amherst Task Force, 4255 Harlem Road, Amherst, NY 14226 or e-mail Sally@eccpasa.info.