What’s Strong with You?: Supporting Strength Discovery in the Youth Around Us
We hold the sacred task of helping the youth in our lives uncover their strengths and nurture what makes them come alive. Whether you’re a parent, caregiver, educator, mentor, or someone deeply invested in the well-being of children in your community, your role is invaluable. As a Christian, I am reminded of Proverbs 22:6
"Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it."
This guidance reflects the importance of fostering God-given abilities and supporting the journeys of self-discovery for the next generation.
With Black History Month upon us, it is an especially fitting time to reflect on the ancestral wisdom, resilience, and strength that has been passed down through generations. As a Black woman, I am grateful for my ancestors who embodied the courage and fortitude to reject myths of inferiority and embrace their inherent dignity. By helping children identify their strengths, we honor this legacy and equip them to carry it forward, rooted in the knowledge of who they are and whose they are.
At the same time, the dehumanizing attacks on DEI, baseless claims of "reverse racism," and increasing book bans make this work even more imperative. They cannot erase our history, because our sheer existence is a disruption to the world they are trying to create—a world that denies the truth of our resilience, brilliance, and inherent dignity. This is why uncovering strengths, particularly in marginalized communities, is an act of resistance and liberation.
Fellow school psychologist, Dr. Byron McClure, reminds us, "Now is the time to shift from what's wrong to what's STRONG!" This powerful mindset shift lays the groundwork for recognizing the unique gifts within every child and shows us how identifying strengths can become a transformative process. With this perspective in mind, let’s explore the practical tools available to help nurture these strengths in meaningful ways.
Tools for Strength Discovery
Another fellow school psychologist, Dr. Kelsie Reed, founder and CEO of the Strength-Based Collective, has created invaluable resources to help identify and nurture strengths in youth. In preparation for our podcast topic of core strengths, I headed straight to Dr. Reed’s site to download some of her resources, such as her free Elementary Strength-Based Interview Protocol and Elementary Youth Strength Survey—she also has resources for middle and high schoolers, as well as parents/caregivers, educators, and school psychologists. The materials I downloaded offer practical strategies and questions to help guide conversations with the youth in your life. For example, these resources have questions like:
Who is someone you admire and why?
What is something you would like to do in the future that you can't do yet?
If you were a superhero, what would be your superpower?
These simple yet profound questions help children recognize their unique gifts and affirm their self-worth. I recently used these tools to help me create questions for our podcast, focusing on how identifying strengths can disrupt harmful narratives. Some of the final questions I asked Emma included:
Discovery: Who is a Black woman or girl you admire, and what do you think makes her strong?
Discernment: What is something hard you’ve done before, and how did you make it through?
Determination: If you could do something today to make your community a better place for everyone, what would it be?
“Every child has a unique profile of character strengths - some strengths come more naturally than others. When children know their personal strengths, they are more confident, resilient and better prepared to handle life challenges.” —VIA Institute on Character
Additionally, the free VIA Character Strengths Survey, an evidence-based personality assessment, offers a kid-friendly way (ages 8-17) to explore strengths and discover the best parts of themselves. For instance, Emma, my daughter, took the survey and discovered her top strengths of kindness, love, humor, fairness, and bravery. Witnessing her light up as she recognized these traits was a reminder of the power of affirming our children’s unique abilities. What I love most about the VIA survey is that it’s accessible for younger children, whereas assessments like the Enneagram, which we took as a household, are best suited for adults and teens. Reading the Enneagram profiles of my husband and my two oldest daughters has helped me better understand them, but having tools like the VIA survey ensures that even younger children can explore their strengths.
Click this link to download my favorites list, which include a curated list of my favorite books, podcasts, and self-assessment tools like the VIA Survey.
Anchoring Strengths in Black History
Black History Month is a time to celebrate the resilience, wisdom, and contributions of Black people. Figures like Maya Angelou, Ida B. Wells, and Sojourner Truth exemplify the strengths of perseverance, courage, and eloquence—qualities that have shaped our collective story and continue to inspire. These ancestors did not believe the myths and lies of inferiority. Instead, they spoke truth to power and embodied the strengths that defined their humanity and dignity.
When we help the youth in our lives uncover their strengths, we connect them to this rich legacy. We show them that they, too, possess the resilience and brilliance to overcome challenges and contribute to their communities. Dr. Reed encourages us to:
Celebrate their unique strengths: Use tools like the VIA survey and Strength-Based Collective resources to identify what makes the youth in your life shine. Create a “strengths board” at home, in your classroom, or in your community spaces to visually celebrate these traits.
Model resilience and courage: Share stories of historical figures who used their strengths to create change. Encourage children to reflect on how they can use their strengths to address challenges in their own lives.
Foster a supportive environment: Designate spaces or a special container where children can explore their interests and talents, such as an art bin or a reading nook. Provide resources that align with their strengths and interests.
Engage in meaningful conversations: During car rides, dinner, or gatherings, ask open-ended questions like the ones I posed to Emma this week. Listen actively and validate their responses.
Disrupting Harmful Narratives
The process of uncovering strengths is not just about individual growth; it is an act of resistance. In a world that often devalues the contributions of marginalized communities, identifying our strengths helps us reject harmful narratives and anchor ourselves in truth. For historically marginalized folx, this means affirming our dignity and worth in the face of systemic injustice.
As I reflect on the strengths of Black people—our creativity, resilience, and unwavering commitment to justice—I am reminded of the importance of helping children see themselves through this lens. By uncovering and celebrating their God-given strengths, we equip them to navigate the world with confidence, authenticity, and a deep sense of purpose.
Questions for Reflection
Here are some questions to help guide your journey as someone supporting the next generation:
What are the top strengths of the youth in your life, and how can you celebrate them?
How can you model resilience and courage in your own life?
What stories of ancestral wisdom and strength can you share with the children you support this Black History Month?
How can identifying your own strengths enhance the way you support and connect with the youth in your community?
What activities or practices can you introduce to nurture the strengths of children in your care or sphere of influence?
As we move through Black History Month and beyond, let us commit to the work of strength discovery—in ourselves, in the youth we support, and in our communities. Together, we can honor the legacy of our ancestors and create a future where every child walks unapologetically in the fullness of who they are. In doing so, we reject narratives of erasure and instead build a world rooted in truth, dignity, and collective liberation.
