The city of Ames is recognized nationally as one of the 100 Best Communities for Young People by America’s Promise Alliance and ING.

America’s largest organization dedicated to youth and children, America’s Promise Alliance, along with ING, a global financial service company, teamed up for the program’s sixth year as initiative to end high school drop out rates.

More than 350 nominations are submitted every year, and Ames is receiving the award for the second year in a row.

“Through its innovative and far-reaching programs, Ames is taking bold and effective steps to help their young people graduate and lead healthy, productive lives,” said Marguerite W. Kondracke, America’s Promise Alliance president and CEO. “[Communities are] developing programs and implementing initiatives to provide young people with the essential resources they need to graduate from high school and succeed in college and a 21st century career.”

As a community, Ames is taking the positive steps to begin programs for youth, and keeping them strong.

Peter Orazem, ISU economics professor and Ames City Council member, said Ames has a “very good school system, high graduation rate with high proportion going onto college … we have youth programs, youth and shelter services that are very successful agencies.”

Youth and Shelter Services is one of the programs that made Ames stand out for this award.

More than 160,000 children, students and parents have benefited from their programs. From adolescent pregnancy prevention, counseling, emergency youth shelters and health awareness, YSS is focused on helping youth in any way they can.

And this is just the beginning to the list of youth programs Ames has to offer. Ames is also teaching the value of community involvement.

New programs such as AmeZone, established in 2009, is “a service learning group for kids in Story County, 6th through 12th grade. We discuss service projects they’d like to do while teaching life skills; understanding why you’re doing what your doing,” said Josh Kriz, main coordinator from United Ames Inc.

AmeZone is led by United Ames Inc. as well as the Volunteer Center of Story County. Both organizations helped the program get off the ground. Their biggest project thus far, the Service Patch, is a garden full of fresh produce, all donated to local food pantries.

“Service Patch has brought out hundreds of different volunteers, and 1,000-plus hours of volunteering was put into it. [More than] 500 pounds of fresh food was put back into the community, all done by kids,” Kriz said.

AmeZone is open to the public, but they focus on getting young kids to be proactive and finding their own ways about improving their communities. Kriz said, “We want to see Ames’ youth as leaders and demonstrate the power that they have.”

Other programs in Ames recognized by the America’s Promise Alliance and ING were mentoring programs, such as Great Relationships in Pairs, offered by YSS; ACCESS, a women’s center that provides counseling, advocacy and play groups for children; and also Big Brothers Big Sisters of Iowa.

Big Brothers Big Sisters is one of the best ways for ISU students to get involved, and really seeing themselves making a difference. Students can become older mentors for children, helping them realize their potential for brighter futures.

Most of the credit for this award goes towards the Ames School District for guiding their students in a positive direction when it comes to the most important part of a child’s life: their education.

“Due in part to the unique collaboration between the community and the university, many of the programs and resources available to youth are widely endorsed and supported by a number of organizations, including the Ames Community School District,” said Dan Culhane, president and CEO of the Ames Chamber of Commerce.

Ames High School was named by Newsweek Magazine as one of the top 1,200 high schools in the country in 2008, with graduation rates near or above 90 percent every year.

“Approximately half of Ames High graduates attending college at Iowa Regents Universities, maintain a grade point average above 3.0 in their freshman year,” according to the school district’s website.

The students of Ames are making great strides in impacting their community beyond grade school, whether it’s in college or not.

“These winning communities refuse to let the challenges they face be the determining factor in the lives of their children and youth,” said Alliance Chairwoman Alma Powell. “Instead, they are helping to build an infrastructure of assertive, successful and dynamic young people that are the future of this country.”