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The Boys & Girls Clubs of America released its Youth Report To America—a national survey of 46,000 young people ages 13 to 18. From the Iraq war to violence in schools to education and the pursuit of the "American Dream" the report is a revealing look at the hopes, dreams and concerns of teens.

One of the coolest things about this survey is that is was developed and conducted by teens—so the respondents were probably a tad bit more truthful. The nine-page report is loaded with interesting stats, here's what stood out for me:

• Only one in three teens polled (33%) believe that knowledge is a key to success—that seems low to me! Still, nearly 74% think college is necessary to meet their career goals.

• More than 57% of all respondents say their children will have more challenges than they have. I think every generation can feel this way, but feeling hopeless can lead to inaction. And that leads to the next point…

• When asked "What things can make life better for future generations?" almost 40% said finishing school (smart!). But only 22% said being involved in their communities and JUST 13% said pushing for equal opportunities for everyone.

We can't settle for this disconnect. We need to help all teens see the power of social change and how fighting for all people's rights is the same as standing for yourself (it's their world!). We can start by letting them know that they have rights. Read on for their views on racial harmony which do indicate a strong desire for equality for all.

• More than 1 in 3 youth stated that their relationship with their parents/guardians was most important to them. And 44% admitted that their guardians had more influence over their decisions than their friends (who came in second at 19%). Shocked? Don’t be. Even though teens are pushing for more independence, they tell me they still crave care (even from a distance) and boundaries (even if they don't always like 'em) from their parents. It's simple: It makes them feel safe. They're not totally ready to have the whole weight of the world on their shoulders…

• And the No. 1 way teens say their relationships with adults can be improved? Listening to one another!

When we wrote RESPECT every girl we interviewed said the same thing. And boy don't we all know it. If we all open our big fat ears, the respect will really start to flow. Instead of advising or telling each other what to do, we can all act like good reporters, instead. This means listening close to each other and asking powerful open-ended questions. Teens want to have their say—and they deserve it. Speaking up is a Respect Basic (so is listening up!).

• Speaking of listening, this whole section is worth a close read:

What is the biggest problem in your community?
Crime: 29.88%
Peer pressure: 25.74%
Teen pregnancy: 18.71%
Lack of jobs: 16.07%
Other (drugs, gangs, all of the above): 9.59%
(The teen girls I work with every week through Girls For A Change say the *exact* same thing. In fact, their social change project this year was tie between trying to keep their local middle school little sisters from getting into gangs vs. getting pregnant. After many heart-to-hearts, they decided to develop a teen pregnancy prevention program for girls ages 12 to 14!)

What causes teens the greatest stress?
Peer pressure/fitting in: 37.00%
School: 25.47%
Relationships: 19.24%
Violence: 11.35%
Other (school, money, all of the above): 6.94%

What is your greatest fear?
Going to war: 26.72%
Not graduating from high school: 25.69%
Losing a good friend: 19.46%
Not getting a job: 15.90%
Other (dying, losing loved one, God): 12.23%

What is the No. 1 problem facing teens in America?
Drugs/Alcohol: 39.69%
Lack of security/violence: 21.05%
Race relations: 15.96%
Poverty: 14.91%
Other (peer pressure, sex/teen pregnancy, all of the above): 8.38%

• Like generations before, they are worried about violence and race relations. They say ending racism and creating harmony among all people will reduce conflict, unite our country and strengthen communities.

• Here's my favorite. More than 69% feel that one of those responsibilities that Americans have is to vote. And when asked "What is your idea of the American dream?" Personal happiness won by a landslide at 41%.

Now they didn't say having a massive Super Sweet 16 party, iPods or being famous, OK? Young adults totally get it that deep down, having a mission in life and following your passions is the real deal. And living the dream starts with having respect on the inside, creating strong relationships, and spreading respect for all people. They spoke, let's listen. And lend our support.

Comments (0) | by Courtney on March 18

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