BUTLER COUNTY — Nonprofit

and community leaders have created

ideas from a summit focused on helping children develop into successful adults.

Thirty-six ideas were determined during the Butler County United Way's "Youth Growing into Successful Adults" Summit two weeks ago. They ranged from more mentorship to arts programs for children to poverty issues.

"The summit proved to be an energizing process where many facets of the community came together to focus on the goal of youth becoming successful adults," said Maureen Noe, president and chief executive officer of the Butler County United Way.

The local United Way co-hosted the summit with other area United Ways and county agencies. During the two-day event, students, health, human and social service agencies workers collaborated to develop ways to improve children's lives as they grow older.

Suzanne Prescott of the Butler County Success program attended the summit and participated in subcommittees to help identify barriers

for students from impoverished

families.

"It was great to see members from the whole county to come together and start thinking about county-wide initiatives," she said.

The purpose of the summit was for the United Way to go beyond the scope of raising funds for programs of its partner agencies and begin to address ways to improve the county.

Next month, officials and community leaders will discuss what actions to take to implement the ideas from the summit.

Contact this reporter at (513) 820-2180 or ch

ubbard

@coxohio.com.