Hillbilly Elegy and the Impact of Environment

I just finished reading Hillbilly Elegy by J.D. Vance (2016). The book is a narrative of a family life in Kentucky and Ohio and how it struggled with poverty and poor choices. I was reminded in a passage from the book that regardless of race, living location, and economic levels, "what separates the successful from the unsuccessful are the expectations that they had for their own lives." (p.194, Vance, 2018).

Throughout the book, Vance describes the frequent moves he endured as his mother seemingly made one poor choice after another. Frequently, the stressful family environment that constantly evoked the fight or flight reaction impacted J.D.'s perspective while providing important gut level preferences. Add to this, the collective low expectations held by community members that created ceilings that limit possibilities, and you have a childhood that is unfortunately similar to many young people.

What does it take to recognize, adjust , or shift expectations that get in the way of a young person's dreams? Vance points out that environmental and community pressures can be overcome by the message a child receives at home. In the author's case, a strong central person in a child's life, his grandmother, Mamaw, provided an opportunity to hear another narrative despite her coarse language and in-your-face problem-solving that differed from her hopes for the author's future. After a series of challenging options (four-year Marine career, Ohio State University, and Yale Law School), Vance met his future wife who was raised with a different set of rules and experiences. The author attributes her ability to manage the feelings evoked by his upbringing as being critical in guiding him to his dreams.

But what if that message is not heard at home? How can debilitating self-doubt be overcome? What does it take to stop a youth from underselling him/herself and stop confusing lack of effort for inability?
In Vance's case it was a series of obstacles that were overcome and a sense that he underestimated himself.

So how does a mentor guide a young person to begin believing in his/her worthiness and ability to set and reach dreams? I believe that for mentors to become a life-changing resource the youth must initially sense that he/she is accepted by the mentor and feel that strengths are noticed and valued. And while that can be accomplished with little effort by the youth, confronting challenges requires a great deal more. These obstacles can include the fear of succeeding, of failing, of going against unstated family and cultural rules, of not knowing how to navigate through the steps, and of missing key networks that serve as guides and mile markers. It might seem easier to keep things as they are and avoid pursuing the dream. While some may choose that, I believe there are countless others who are willing to persevere. Important is the need to see what things look like and how it feels when small successes are reached.

Key question: What are some effective strategies to guide a young person to risk failing in order to overcome a challenge? Where have you, the reader, found success?

How Relationships Increase Opportunities for Youth

One key factor in building successes for teenagers is the amount of ‘other adult relationships’ available for the young person. This group of relationships encompasses adults other than parents and other family members. The 40 Developmental Assets identifies this area as one type of support young people. Clearly, all of us need support, both long-term and situational, throughout our lives but for adolescents this resource carries even greater weigh.

While the effects of peer pressure are well documented and often the subject of the news media, the type and amount of relationships available to students receives less attention. A recent article by Julia Freeland Fisher (June 7, 2018) discusses the impact of varying types of relationships of student opportunity. In “The Other Gap That Schools Aren’t Talking About- Relationships”, Fisher notes the impact of relationships on opportunities and by inference, on future life outcomes.The article identifies three areas where the quality of relationships differ among students based on parent educational and economic levels.

College-educated parents are increasing the amount of time they spend with their children when compared to less educated parents. Part of this may be due to the long hours lower-wage earning parents spend at their jobs and the likelihood that the jobs occur during times when children are not at school (e.g. evening and late night shifts). Also, increasingly internet-based work allows for flexible employment hours and the ability to work from home, which is likely to not be available for lower-wage earning parents.

The social networks of more educated parents are more likely to include professionals, business leaders, politicians, and professors. This provides students with an awareness of possibilities and to develop pathways to future opportunities that may not be available for other students. Just as importantly, peer social groups reflect these networks.

Children coming from middle and upper class are more likely to participate in enrichment activities that build vocabulary, experiences, and connections. Informal mentors appear for conversations and outings that collectively provide greater opportunities and amplify the differences from students of poverty.

Collectively, these differences create opportunities gaps. Fisher points out the impact of these differences: higher grades, persistence in school, and personal relationships. The adage, “It’s who you know not what you know that matters,” is of consequence.

Educational Champions recognizes the impact of the gap in opportunities between different student groups. The program mentors seek to address these shortcomings especially for students who have limited access based on economic, language differences, and challenging homelife settings. The positive impact of an adult relationship outside of the family offers the chance to participate in novel activities, observe those who have created a path to reach their potential, and to set life goals based on these experiences.

The good news is that becoming a mentor is easy! Parent friends, coaches, and teachers frequently serve this role. Look for ways you can support a young person build on the three points noted above.

Reaching Those Needing a Boost

The Educational Champions program mentors high school students who need a boost to complete high school and be prepared for the step afterwards. Educational Champions focuses on motivating them, advocating for them when necessary at school or for other services, and guiding them to develop and use skills that will bring results. We are about sowing hope and harvesting accomplishments!

All too often, students run into obstacles that cause them to lower their expectations of themselves. Left unaddressed, these changes in perspective can lead to poor choices with peers, lessened educational accomplishments, diminished earning potential, and that empty feeling that goes with missed opportunities as seen in hindsight. Our program mentors students through the tough times and serves as a bridge between their aspirations and school, family relationships, and community-based programs. In the end, it encourages the student to take responsibility for future results and to benefit from the support of parents and family, teachers and counselors, and community members. In this way, the Education Champion program is not a school project but collaborates with the LINK Family Resource Center to access community services.

We engage the high school student who requires more than what the school and parents can provide. This is not due to indifference but because of circumstances that demand support beyond the time and ability of others. Our role is to work with the schools and community to identify and then help these students who would benefit from articulating their dreams and then guiding them as challenges arise. It starts with a dream, the students’ aspirations of themselves in the future. It begins working when the student accepts that they can make a difference for him/herself and becomes engaged in his/her future. That is the power an Educational Champion mentor can bring forth in our youth.

Reaching Out to Impact Lives

We mentor 'at-promise' high school students intending to motivate them to set powerful goals and to benefit from family and community resources in order to achieve their dreams. This is done through a program called Educational Champions.

We engage the high school student who requires more than what the school and parents can provide. This is not due to indifference but because of circumstances that demand support beyond capacity. Our role is to identify and then help these students articulate their dreams and then navigate the incremental steps in the right direction. It starts with a dream, the students’ aspirations of themselves in the future. It begins working when the student accepts responsibility and becomes engaged in his/her future. That is the power of a mentor to bring forth in our youth.

A foundation to our work is the Search Institute’s 40 Developmental Assets. Divided into external and internal assets, this research-backed resource offers clarity and strategies to those interested in supporting our youth.

Our focus in the Educational Champions (EC) program is to develop mentoring relationships with youth experiencing challenges resulting in poor choices or missed opportunities. Through the use of adult role models and relationships with adults outside the family, the EC mentor relies on a developmental relationships framework to build trust, convey empathy, challenge, advocate, and celebrate with the youth. The mentor seeks to provide inspiration to stretch beyond what seems possible.

I conclude this brief introduction by suggesting that the next time you feel overwhelmed by the needs of at-promise youth or hear someone complain about ‘those kids’, encourage them to consider ways they can make a difference for our youth. Suggest that they look over the 40 Developmental Assets.