PROJECT CORNERSTONE

Project Cornerstone is a school, home and community initiative founded in 1999 to support young people throughout Santa Clara County.  Project Cornerstone is designed to support the 40 developmental assets that the Search Institute has proven through research to be essential for children and youth to thrive (Project Cornerstone added 1 more asset, culture and identity for a total of 41).  The Search Institute study involved more than two million children and teens across the United States.  The results found a direct correlation between the number of asset indicators a youth demonstrates and his/her decisions.  The fewer assets a child has, the more likely s/he is to experiment with drugs, alcohol, other high-risk activities, and even suicide. 

Many communities and school districts in our county have adopted the Project Cornerstone mindset around building strong asset networks so that youth will feel connected and valued. Project Cornerstone provides several avenues for families, schools, and communities to integrate the developmental assets into their daily interactions with youth.  Why has MUSD embraced Project Cornerstone?  Through our application of the Research Institute and CA Healthy Kids surveys we found that nearly 1 in 5 of our middle and high school students lack a number of the assets that a person needs to develop resiliency and avoid high-risk behaviors. These developmental assets include positive connections with adults, opportunities for service to community, and strong values.  Our schools have embraced Project Cornerstone and we are determined to change the fabric of our school community in order to halt this trend amongst our students.
 
Project Cornerstone provides several avenues for families, schools, and communities to integrate the developmental assets into their daily interactions with youth. If you would like to become involved in our Project Cornerstone efforts, please submit your contact information here:
 
I am interested in volunteering to support Project Cornerstone in our community!

Resources: 
​What is Project Cornerstone? (video)
41 Developmental Assets PDF
41 Developmental Assets and Resources
MUSD Developmental Assets Survey Results
Santa Clara County Survey Results
How Project Cornerstone Transformed Los Gatos
8 Keys to Thriving Youth 
MUSD and Project Cornerstone 2016 Slide Presentation
MUSD 2011 Youth Developmental Assets Survey Results
Ten tips for middle school parents