Quick Facts

2002 Profiles of Student Life: Attitudes and Behaviors Survey. Survey results from 2,128 youth from across Marquette and Alger Counties, Fall 2002.

External Assets

• Twenty percent of youth reported feeling valued by the community, Community Values Youth asset. Additionally, 25% of respondents indicated they are given useful roles in the community, Youth as Resources asset. Although there was no major difference between the way males and females respond to these questions, 8^th graders were much more likely to report feeling valued by the community and given useful roles in the community than both 10^th and 12^th grade students.
• Twenty-seven percent of students reported the Adult Role Models asset - parent(s) and other adults model positive, responsible behavior. Females (31%) were much more likely than males (22%) to have this asset and 8^th grade youth were much more likely to have the Adult Role Models asset than both 10^th and 12^th grade youth.
• High Expectations asset - both parent(s) and teachers encourage the young person to do well. This is an important asset in motivating our youth to achieve their highest potential. Forty-five percent of our youth reported having this asset with no significant difference between males and females. Fifty-nine percent of 8^th grade youth had this asset, but this number dropped to 36% by 12^th grade.
• With limited access, rural communities struggle to bring the Creative Activities asset to young people. According to the data, this held true for the youth in Marquette and Alger Counties with only 20% of youth having this asset. Females (25%) were more likely than males (14%) to report having this asset.
• While 68% of youth reported the Family Support asset, 24% of youth claimed the Positive Family Communication asset. Both assets decreased from 8^th to 12^th grade.

Internal Assets

• Females (32%) were more likely than males (20%) to have the Reading for Pleasure asset (aggregate 27%). However, 26% of youth reported the TV Overexposure deficit - watch TV or videos three or more hours per day. Males were much more likely than females to report this deficit.
• About half of the youth reported being Alone at Home two or more hours per school day.
• Forty-three percent of youth reported the Caring asset - young person places high value on helping other people. Females (55%) were much more likely to have this asset than males (30%).
• Thirty-five percent of youth reported the Cultural Competence asset - young person has knowledge of and comfort with people of different cultural/ racial/ethnic backgrounds. There was a significant difference between females (44%) and males (25%). Eighth grade students (39%) were more likely to have this asset than both 10^th (35%) and 12^th grade (31%) students.
• Achievement and Motivation, School Engagement, Homework and Bonding to School are important assets in the Commitment to Learning category. More than half of Marquette and Alger Counties' youth reported having these assets; however, females were much more likely to have these assets than males.
• Forty-two percent of youth reported having the Self-Esteem asset: males (48%) and females (38%). The percent of youth reporting a high self-esteem dropped from 8^th grade (43%) to 10^th grade (37%), yet this increased to 47% by 12^th grade.
• Seventy-four percent of females and 67% of males reported the Positive View of Personal Future asset. This asset increased from 8^th through 12^th grade.

Risk-Taking Behaviors

• According to the 2002 data, 25% of youth reported that they have "smoked cigarettes once or more during the last 30 days." This was down from 35% of youth in 2000. The 2002 data indicated females are using tobacco at higher rates than males and 13% of 8^th graders have smoked cigarettes.
• Thirty-six percent of youth responded they "rode with a driver who had been drinking once or more during the last 12 months."
• According to the 2002 data, 10% of youth indicated they "sniffed or inhaled substances to get high once or more during the last 12 months." Eighth graders were more likely than 10^th or 12^th graders to report this behavior.
• Thirty-one percent of youth reported that they have had sexual intercourse one or more times. There was not a significant difference between males and females reporting sexual intercourse. This behavior was reported by 11% of 8^th graders, 31% of 10^th graders and 53% of 12^th graders.
• Females were much more likely than males to report having attempted suicide one or more times. This behavior peaked in 10^th grade (20%).
• Eighteen percent of youth reported that they "have been in a group fight once or more during the last 12 months." Males (21%) were more likely to report this behavior than females (17%). Eighth grade youth were much more likely than 10^th or 12^th grade youth to report this behavior.
• Eighth grade youth (38%) were more likely than 10^th (30%) or 12^th (28%) grade youth to report having "hit someone once or more during the last 12 months."
• Thirteen percent of males reported that they "have carried a weapon for protection once or more during the last 12 months." Males (13%) were significantly more likely than females (5%) to report this behavior.

Thriving Indicators

• Females were much more likely than males to have the Succeeds in School thriving indicator. Thirty percent of 8^th grade students had this thriving indicator. This declined in 10^th grade (29%) and again in 12^th grade (26%).
• The majority of youth (82%) reported helping friends or neighbors one or more hours per week, Helps Others. This behavior was consistent across grades. However, females were significantly more likely than males to report this behavior.
• Females (70%) were more likely than males (46%) to have the Values Diversity thriving indicator - places high importance on getting to know people of other racial/ethnic groups. There was a significant decline in this thriving indicator from 6th grade (65%) to 10^th grade (60%) and to 12^th grade (53%).
• Less than half of the young people (48%) who took the survey reported having the Maintains Good Health thriving indicator.
• Forty-three percent of youth had the Delays Gratification thriving indicator - saves money for something special rather than spending it all right away.
• Most young people (72%) indicated that they do not give up when things get difficult, Overcomes Adversity.

Five Deficits

• Fifty-one percent of youth reported being Alone at Home two or more hours per school day.
• Twenty-six percent of youth reported one or more incidents of Physical Abuse (Have you every been physically harmed where someone caused you to have a scar, black and blue marks, welts, bleeding, or a broken bone by someone in your family or so meone living with you?). Eighth grade youth were significantly more likely than 10^th or 12^th grade youth to report that they have been physically abused.
  There was no difference reported between males and females.
• Twenty-nine percent of youth reported one or more incidents of being the Victim of Violence (How many times in the last 2 years have you been the victim of physical violence where someone caused you physical pain or injury?) Males (32%) were significantly more likely than females (26%) to report they have been the victim of violence.
• Half of youth reported the Drinking Parties deficit - attending one or more parties in the last year where other kids their age were drinking. There was not a significant difference between males and females. The behavior increased dramatically from 8^th grade (23%) to 10^th grade (55%) and to 12^th grade (73%).

Copyright©2003 by the Great Lakes Center for Youth Development except where noted
Contact Judy Watson-Olson or Karen Thompson at (906)228-8919 with questions/comments
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This page was last updated on Tuesday, January 06th, 2009