Project Cornerstone

Project Cornerstone is a YMCA community initiative, with the mission to create an environment in school communities for students to feel valued and respected. Their ABC program - Asset Building Champion, focusses on developmental assets like building relationships, skills, experiences and values that help young people thrive. Click here to learn more.
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About Us

Project Cornerstone Asset Building Champions (ABC) (www.projectcornerstone.org) is a Santa Clara County-wide collaborative of community leaders and numerous partner organizations working together to provide all children and youth with the support, opportunities and boundaries they need to thrive and be successful contributors to society. Decades of research conducted by the Search Institute (www.search-institute.org) identified 40 essential building blocks that are the cornerstone of healthy development. These building blocks, also known as developmental assets, are the experiences, values, relationships and opportunities that all children and youth need to succeed. To better serve our multi cultural community in Santa Clara County, Project Cornerstone added a 41st asset, cultural diversity.  In schools, Project Cornerstone enables caring adult role models to assist in building these developmental assets.

At Williams two programs, the ABC Program and the Chinese Cultural Project, are used to assist in developing the 41 assets. These programs are staffed with volunteers in each classroom to teach developed lesson plans.

Chinese Cultural Project: Uses selected Chinese literature with a moral and/or educational lesson to expand students’ knowledge of the Chinese culture and traditions. Time Commitment: 4 hours per month.  Classroom Volunteers (1/classroom): Attend one 30-minute training session per month. Present one 20-minute lesson per month. Time Commitment: 10 hours. 

Project Cornerstone ABC (Asset Building Champion) Program: Utilizes English literature with a moral and/or educational lesson to provide students with relationship skills and interpersonal competence.  Time Commitment: 1-3 hours per month. Classroom Volunteers (1-2/classroom): Attend 1 hour training session every other month. Present one 45-minute lesson plan 8 times during the school year (~once/month from September thru May). Time Commitment: ~15 hours per school year.  The books and lessons are already prepared.  You choose which activity after you read the book that is most appropriate for your class and grade level.

Project Cornerstone ABC of Santa Clara County has a list of recommended books. These books can be used as excellent starting points for a discussion about character building and bullying with your children.  These books assist all parents in helping to teach their children about proper behavior; at school, at home and in our community.  For more information, visit www.projectcornerstone.org.