Over the past six months, I’ve been involved in a leadership development program for adults in the agriculture industry (shout out to Missouri ALOT). Countless conversations with many of the 25 individuals in the program have gotten me thinking about how much it matters when adults intentionally make the effort to expand possibilities for youth. Many of us in the ALOT program have our careers in agriculture today because someone opened a door for us when we were teenagers, connecting us to one new opportunity that soon led to another.

Helping a young person connect to other people and places that broaden their world is one of the most powerful ways an adult can promote growth and development. These connections serve to inspire youth to see new possibilities for their future.  It is an amazing thing when a teenager looks toward someone they admire and thinks, “Wow, that could be me someday!”

The most exciting part about expanding possibilities is that it can be done without a huge amount of effort.  How long does it really take to send an email to virtually introduce a colleague to a young person who has similar interests or skills? How difficult is it to ask the teenager who lives next door ride along to an evening meeting that might be interesting?  If you’re interested in more specific ideas about how to expand possibilities for young people, be sure to check out this great resource from the The Search Institute.  Today I challenge all of us to be intentional about connecting youth with people and places that can broaden their world.