Our goals are to promote the positive in young people, including competency-building skills, social skills, life skills, academic improvement, motivation, community involvement, etc. These kinds of programs have evolved by applying the research in positive youth development to youth programming. Knowing a child, listening to their needs, and exploring a variety of youth programs is the first step to making informed decisions. Sometimes, teens need a prevention vs. a youth development program, or a combination of both. Teenagers need to be understood and appreciated for who they are, not just for their grades or how well they do in sports and other activities.