Secretaries José Aristodemo Pinotti and Floriano Pessaro	Gilberto Dimenstein explains Aprendiz Project	Floriano Pessaro, José Aristodemo Pinotti, Flávio Pimenta and Rosa Macedo

São Paulo, December 1, 2005 --  Mark Mannes, Director of Applied Research of the Search Institute, Barbara Pearce and John Nehme (both of the Texas Georgetown project) visited Sao Paulo November 28 – December 2^nd  to discuss the Forty Assets Methodology. This methodology, developed by the Search Institute, develops positive values in youth through self-esteem building activities and community support. The U.S. consulate in partnership with the BankBoston Foundation, SENAC University, the Abrinq Foundation and the São Paulo Catholic University has supported the adaptation of the Forty Assets methodology to a Brazilian context. Through this joint effort, 3000 young Brazilians were given questionnaires to elucidate the twenty internal and external assets that are crucial to healthy development in São Paulo communities.   In a meeting at the U.S. Consulate with the presences of Municipal Secretaries of Education José Aristodemo Pinotti and of the Social Action Floriano Pessaro and the journalist Gilberto Dimenstein, among other authorities and specialists in the educational area, the participants discussed the possibility of adopting this method in social programs and educational courses in the city of São Paulo. The seminar held on December 1 at Senac (National Center for Commercial Education) with the presence of 250 educators, NGOs representatives and professionals of the educational, health and social action areas, Mannes, Pearce, Nehme and the Brazilian partners shared the results of the adaptation of this research to the Brazilian reality. During his visit, 19 year old John Nehme, also spoke to young Brazilians of the Aprendiz, SENAC and Meninos do Morumbi NGOs about his experience as a youth leader working with the Forty Assets program.

Consul David Wolfe talks to a participant of the meeting at the Consulate	John  Nehme speaks to young Brazilians of Aprendiz project