Agenda for Children is Louisiana's statewide child advocacy agency. Its mission is to make Louisiana a state in which all children can thrive, by ensuring that the basic needs of children and familie

The Indiana Youth Institute (IYI) is a leading source of information and tools for nonprofit Indiana youth organizations. We also reach educators, policymakers, government officials, and others who can impact the lives of Hoosier children and promote healthy youth development in Indiana communities.

IYI's programs and services are organized into three areas: useful information, practical tools, and the promotion of positive youth development.

Can 21^st century schools build community by turning to traditional events like homecoming? Some educational leaders think so. Rob Capriccioso reports.

There is growing recognition that in youth development programs, like many other endeavors, quality counts -- but it also costs. The Forum For Youth Investment's journal, Forum Focus, summarizes the research and examines the components of high-quality supportive settings, and how to measure quality from the perspective of what young people need to heal, grow and contribute.

Eli Newberger, author of The Men They Will Become: The Nature and Nurture of Male Character, is a pediatrician, teacher, and musician. He invites you to explore the developmental processes of young boys.

The United Press International reports on research indicating that middle-class kids may experience difficulty as they hit seventh grade-including increased anxiety, depression and beginning substance abuse. Researchers cite two possible causes: increased academic pressures and feeling isolated from parents.

More than 2 million teenage and pre-teen girls turn to YM for advice on boys, beauty and fashion. But thanks to new editor Christina Kelly, readers looking for diet tips will have to go elsewhere. This article appeared in WomensEnews.com.

An idea for a film on the problems that adolescent girls face turned into an exploration of girls who succeed. The result is 5 Girls, part of the POV series on public television. Filmmaker Maria Finitzo spoke with Connect for Kids' Caitlin Johnson about the surprising strength of her subjects.

How do the stories in POV's documentary 5 Girls strike someone finding her own path through the tough terrain of adolescence? Sharon Feder, a 17-year-old senior at Edward R. Murrow High School in Brooklyn New York, found a lot to like in this review from Youth Communications.

Most American teens grow into responsible, ethical, problem-solving adults. But as many as one-quarter are at high risk for dangerous behavior. The conclusions of this landmark Carnegie Commission report point to ways of meeting young people's enduring needs.