Positive Youth Development Model
Prodigy is modeled after the Positive Youth Development model, which suggests that, given the right mix of social resources, most youth will flourish and develop into healthy adults (Butts, Mayer, & Ruth, 2005). The model, which has been adopted by many youth programs, encourages a holistic approach to working with youth. Programs which are based on the positive youth development model share three basic characteristics:
- They promote positive attitudes and behavior, even when seeking to prevent problem behavior.
- They provide formal and informal opportunities for youth to nurture their interests and talents, learn new skills, and gain a sense of personal or group recognition.
- They create an atmosphere of safety and hope, encoraging relationships with pro social, caring adults.
Prodigy encourages youth to understand the contribution they, as individuals, can make to their environment. Youth also learn that their environment is not just something that impacts them, but something they can impact in a positive and constructive manner.
Prodigy uses art as a means for the students to reach within themselves to understand and express their inner thoughts, feelings, and values. Art becomes a vehicle for self-exploration. Self expression, through the creation of art, is tied to building interpersonal skills. These social and interpersonal processes, which are incorporated into the creative process, helps students develop new styles of positive interaction with others. Ultimately, the Prodigy model seeks to stimulate and promote creativity and cultural expression among youth to ensure that they not only thrive, but prosper within their cultural context.
