TURNING POINTS – A MENTORING PROGRAM FOR YOUTH

Turning Points is an academic mentoring program designed to match caring adults from the local community, one on one, with a child in need at Yucca Loma School. Created to service “at risk” children, Turning Points is constructed around several key points – to develop academic success, self esteem, confidence, and friendship between role model adults and elementary aged children. Currently, 76 mentors work one on one with 85 children each week. The goal is to increase the number of mentors and children served to more than 100 children. The volunteer community mentors for the program are carefully screened and trained through fingerprint clearance and formal mentor training. The mentors range in age from 16 to 81 years old.

The Turning Points program provides support and encouragement to children that might not otherwise receive this type of support from parents and family. The consistent support, each week by the mentors, helps motivate the children to improve both academically and socially. Children meet with their mentors either before school, midday, or after school. The inclusion of parents in activities with the children and mentors helps the parents better understand the importance of providing a nurturing environment. Parenting classes, interactive family activities, field trips, and other activities are important parts of this program.

Funding for Turning Points came in August of 1996 through Governor Wilson’s California Mentor Initiative. Governor Wilson wanted organizations within California to create innovative programs to help “at risk” children succeed. Recognizing that the population of students at Yucca Loma school is comprised of a large number of “at risk” children (more than 73% of the school population qualifies for free meals in addition to other at risk contributors), it was clear that a mentoring program would be an asset to the school. Yucca Loma School is the only school within the geographical area known as the High Desert receiving funding for such a program.

Turning Points has made a significant difference in the lives of the countless students and families. In addition, the school staff sees benefits and mentors themselves feel appreciated for their efforts. Aside from simple doing some community volunteer work for the sake of volunteering, the mentors sincerely have a love for children and a desire to see them succeed. Academically, there has been growth in the children. Additionally, the self-esteem and confidence of the children has increased.

AREA CHURCHES TOGETHER SERVING

Area Churches Together Serving (ACTS) is a volunteer-led and volunteer-staffed collaborative effort of 60 churches of different faiths in Aiken County, South Carolina. The member churches represent an ecumenical group that spans the race and class divisions within a Southern county—big and small churches; rural, suburban, and inner-city congregations; white, African-Americans, and Hispanic; mainline denominations and newly formed charismatic groups.

ACTS has served the indigent for emergencies and temporary needs in Aiken for 12 years. Today, more than 380 active volunteers serve burned-out families, abused women, low-income families and the homeless, through a referral system that includes the medical community, social service agencies, and member churches. Marge Glauser manages ACTS and there is also an Administrative Assistant. These are the only two paid positions.

In 12 years of operation, ACTS has provided a week’s worth of food, helped to clothe local residents, given furniture and house wares and vouchers for prescription medication, transportation, and utility bills for an average of 3,000 people per year. Their food distribution program for the elderly and poor alone means sorting and packaging six tons of food each month. ACTS began operations one day a week in a rented “hole-in-the-wall” office. The agency now operates six days per week in its own building, with office and warehouse facilities. In addition, ACTS helps support a free clinic that operates two evenings a week and missionaries in four foreign countries.

Aiken County has always had generous citizens who willingly contribute to meet the needs of the less fortunate. However, such charity was not always well coordinated and, as a result, needs went unmet and resources were wasted. ACTS volunteers have coordinated the charitable outreach efforts of their member churches and of the business community to provide services with efficiency and thrift.

ACTS realized at its inception that serious societal needs cannot be met piecemeal, that indigent families have multiple and interlocking needs. ACTS volunteers work to help needy neighbors get on their feet and on the way to better economic circumstances. The agency also ministers to spiritual needs and help to reconnect individuals with the larger community.

ACTS is a friendly, efficient place. Since volunteers dress to work in a warehouse environment, the casual observer cannot always separate the clients from the volunteer staff. ACTS is one place in Aiken County where people of all economic backgrounds, races, and ages work together harmoniously toward well-articulated goals. ACTS has grown from a small outreach involving a few churches to a large and effective volunteer organization that serves a geographical area the size of Rhode Island.

Volunteers serve on the boards that govern ACTS activities and staff specific functions on a monthly or weekly basis. Many of the ACTS volunteers have been there for the full 12 years.

LYNNE KLEIN

Lynne Klein has been a teacher and a champion of children’s rights for more than 30 years. Klein paved the way for children’s art and ideas to be heard and seen by thousands, with an extensive traveling exhibition (displayed from ’91-’95) of children’s art and writing about other cultures. It was the strength of this project, her “first child,” that inspired Klein to develop the Children’s Quilt of Hope.

Incidents of hate crimes and violence in communities across America, served as the impetus of Klein to create a forum for discussion in homes and schools. The Children’s Quilt that Klein created and organized, does just that. It reaches thousands in a gentle, positive, hopeful way that springboards thought and discussion in classrooms and homes. The quilt debuted in May of 1998 and to date, is comprised of more than 70 panels of more than 1000 individual paper squares made by K-12 students.

Thousands are affected by the Quilt through its’ exhibition. This is the first public display by children about HIV/AIDS. The Quilt is breaking ground and opening up new avenues of discussion for families about life-threatening illness, hunger, loneliness, isolation and prejudice in communities that previously considered themselves untouched by such issues. The Quilt is a new forum for educating the public through the eyes of children, to keep the fight against HIV/AIDS and discrimination alive.

The Quilt of Hope Program establishes an open forum for very young children. It empowers children to impact their own community. It heightens awareness about HIV/AIDS, educates about prevention of the disease, dispels prejudice and combats the growing complacency about the disease. Honoring the children’s ideas and solution is important to Klein, who believes that “youth in service is integral to education.”

Klein teaches the community how children can be part of the solution to issues of hunger and food waste in their own neighborhoods. By challenging young minds, she believes we can eradicate this disease, and by working together we can rid our community of hate crimes.

The Children’s Quilt of Hope has received the following recognition: the JCPenney Golden Rule Award in Education; Junior Spirit of Marin Award for linking learning to community; a Marin County Board of Supervisors Commendation; a Marin County Fair Special Merit Award; selection for the Arts & Healing Network Community Education Project; and Third Place honors in Western Pairs Association 2000 Award of Achievement.

A kindergarten student, Anjuli Branz, (now 7 years old), created a hope square for the quilt, determined “to help the sick people who need food.” Remembering the quilt project, Anjuli organized, coordinated and ran her own bake sale at school to benefit Meals of Marin, a non-profit that cooks and delivers meals to homebound folks with like-threatening illnesses. This is the true spirit of the quilt&#151getting kids involved and empowered early to make a difference!

For her work, Klein was awarded the 1998 Martin Luther King, Jr. Humanitarian Award for outstanding efforts in the area of human and civil rights from the Marin County Human Rights Commission.

JOHN McCONNELL

The lifelong dream of John McConnell was to inspire others to appreciate and enjoy science and math. His dream has come to fruition and far exceeds his initial project idea called Science In The Hands Of Kids (Sithok). He developed hands-on science demonstrations for children after retiring as a physicist from Los Alamos National Laboratory. He took his program (Sithok) to the children in Grand Junction, Colorado, so that they could begin early to enjoy the excitement of what science can offer.

This project has grown into many presentations per month and more than 5,000 children each year learn that “math and science are cool.” McConnell has directly influenced some students. He has mentored one student since third grade, and this young man has been a winner in the State of Colorado Science & Engineering Fair. From the Sithok idea, McConnell created and developed a Sci-Tech Exploratorium in a vacant classroom at one of the elementary schools. This is a hands-on learning center for all students K-12, teachers, and parents.

McConnell has been an active volunteer with the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) over the years and helped establish the Senior Scholar Project (SSP) in 1992. This project, under the auspices of RSVP, was developed to assist students through mentoring and tutoring. He has been an exemplary member of SSP providing guidance to new volunteers and sharing the benefits of involvement with students in an intergenerational experience.

The Sci-Tech Exploratorium has been completed at McConnell’s own expense with assistance from a few local grant providers. The center has been opened to special groups even at night and on the weekends, which provides a stimulating experience for children and their parents. Students who are blind can enjoy the Exploratorium as much as sighted children, because all of the experimental stations are printed in braille. Teachers are able to enroll in classes taught in the Exploratorium and learn new teaching methods to use with their students.

McConnell envisioned an intergenerational program for seniors and students in Mesa County. Through this idea, he helped establish the SSP, which has grown from 20 members in 1992 to more than 150 senior volunteers. He serves as a member of the Education Committee, which oversees the SSP and is a guest presenter at all orientation meetings for new Senior Scholars. Thorugh the publicitiy about his volunteering with Sithok and the Exploratorium, he has inspired other seniors (55 and over) to mentor/tutor students. He has a Web site connection with the Department of Education to encourage others to construct science/math-learning centers and to serve as a resource for developing experimental stations.

The Exploratorium was developed so that any student in the school district could visit, and it provides a place for teachers to work on curriculum, and develop science assessments. There are continuing exhibits developed through the joint efforts of business/industry and higher education. McConnell foresees new science/math themes developing for the center, new students visiting each year, and new thrills by children being “turned on” to math and science.

COURTNEY THOMAS

Courtney Thomas has a commitment to volunteerism that began in her early teens. She gives countless hours to improve the lives of community members, not only in Allegany County (where she resides with her family) but also throughout the state of Maryland. The organizations Courtney serves locally include: the American Red Cross, the American Cancer Society, March of Dimes, Allegany County Nursing Home, Allegany County Public Library, the D.A.R.E. Program, Peer Tutor & Counseling, Latch Key Programs and Teddy Care International.

As a student at Frostburg State University, she began spearheading her own projects. Last year with the help of Penguin Books, Courtney coordinated a $150,000 community book giveaway during National Volunteer Week. Courtney also organized a shoe drive in conjunction with Asics Shoe Corporation. A donation of twenty-five pairs of brand new tennis shoes was made to Adventist Family Services in Hagerstown, Maryland and to the Washington County Department of Social Services Foster Care Unit. On Make A Difference Day 1997 she coordinated a Clean-up the Community Day Project, and for Make a Difference Day 1999 she organized “Spare Change To Spare A Child,” a program which collected spare pennies to purchase infant car seats for families who could not afford them. The $250 she raised was used to purchase five infant care seats that were later donated to the Western Maryland Health System.

Courtney also serves outside of her home county. In Baltimore, Maryland, she distributes sandwiches and water in front of City Hall on Sundays with Happy Helpers for the Homeless. Each year, she helps with the Maryland Special Olympics. She also works with the Howard County Patapsco Women’s Institute, the Ed Block Courage Awards (honoring NFL Football players for helping inner-city children) and the D.A.R.E. Program in Calvert County. Courtney is also very active with the Make A Wish Foundation of Western Maryland.

“Character Kids!” a service project that Courtney founded and directs, is her pride and joy. The project teaches youth the six pillars of character (trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, and citizenship) through mentoring. The “Character Kids!” program meetings are held on Monday and Wednesday evenings at Jane Frazier Village and Tuesday and Thursday at Fort Cumberland Homes, both of which are low-income housing projects in Cumberland, Maryland. Thirty Frostburg State University students serve as volunteer mentors for “Character Kids!” The program receives no funding and materials and supplies are secured through fundraising and the generosity of volunteers and area businesses.

In a community like Allegany County, with a population of just under 70,000 people, mentoring programs can have a significant impact in keeping kids out of trouble. A rural, economically depressed area with little industry, Allegany County has the second highest pregnancy rate in the state of Maryland and the second highest illiteracy rate as well. Through her “Character Kids!” program, Courtney is working to change this by providing positive role models for youth.

Community service is the better part of what the Miss America Organization is all about. As a local title holder, Courtney can reach out to people who may not have otherwise heard her message. Character Education and Community Service is her passion. She is committed to helping young people develop the values and abilities necessary for a successful life.

REV. ROBERT LAWRENCE

The city of Fall River, Massachusetts, was featured on national news in the summer of 1994 when a city police officer was gunned down while on duty issuing parking permits for a city celebration. The community was outraged by such needless and unwarranted violence in a quiet New England mill city that took pride in its law-abiding, respectful population.

As the minister of a large, urban church in the heart of Fall River, Reverend Dr. Robert Lawrence felt the need to make a public statement, not just in words, but communicated through a place for action that demonstrated his concern for public safety. It occurred to him that there was an urgent need to get guns off the city streets. Because of Fall River’s high unemployment rate and a population that is economically disadvantaged, Lawrence felt that groceries would be in greater demand than guns. As a result, he voluntarily raised the necessary funds to purchase weapons from gun owners in exchange for $50 grocery certificates. He formulated a gun buy-back program entitled “Guns for Groceries.”

Lawrence presented his program to the Mayor of Fall River and the Chief of Police, both of whom enthusiastically endorsed the plan that would ensure safer streets. The program was supported by the neighboring towns of Somerset, Swansea, Westport, and Dartmouth, Massachusetts, as well as Newport, Middletown, and Portsmouth, Rhode Island. In the three-year period during which Lawrence has carried out his “Guns for Groceries” program, nearly 1,200 assault weapons, shotguns, 22-caliber guns, 38-caliber “Saturday Night Specials,” and a large variety of foreign-made gunds were redeemed for grocery certificates and taken to a foundry to be destroyed.

In May 1998, Lawrence presented the 1,000th gun to the former Governor of Massachusetts and former Democratic candidate for the Presidency of the United States, Michael Dukakis. He expressed his feeling that the voluntary efforts of Lawrence resulted in a significant project that contributed to the safety of the general public and potentially saved many lives.

Lawrence “Guns for Groceries” program continues to be held twice a year and is recognized by the general public and by law-enforcement officials as a substantial deterrent to crime. The city of Fall River has expressed appreciation for the effectiveness of this program through honors awarded to Lawrence in recognition of his concern and compassion for the safety of innocent people and his accomplishment in creating and managing a program that greatly benefits society by combating violence.

LAWYERS FOR CHILDREN

The Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association and Foundation created a new committee in 1996, Lawyers for Children. The goal of this committee was to find unique ways in which the legal community can assist children in the area. With the creation of “It’s Not OK: Let’s Talk About Domestic Violence and Children” by the American Bar Association, the committee was encouraged to address the needs of children who are witnesses to domestic violence.

“It’s Not OK” is a video for children of any age who witness domestic violence. Produced in association with the Walt Disney Company, the video is intended for use only by trained professionals. It imparts the messages that violence is not the way to express anger, it’s not the child’s fault, and there are steps that kids can take to be safe. Since its creation, Lawyers for Children have partnered with more than 35 area shelters, social service agencies, police and hospital emergency rooms. They have provided the video, three books written for children: When Mommy Got Hurt, Something’s Wrong at My House, and I Wish the Hitting Would Stop. They also created two posters: Five Messages for Children Who Witness Domestic Violence, and Four Safe Ways for Children to Respond to Domestic Violence.

The need for a multidisciplinary approach to domestic violence in the community was demonstrated during implementation of the video project. The professionals involved indicated that while several projects have been implemented in the area that address domestic violence, there is little or no coordination of these projects between various sponsoring organizations, and no programs that specifically address the effects of domestic violence on children. Statistics regarding domestic violence indicate that children who witness violence in the home normally identify along gender lines with their parents’ relationships (i.e., sons of abusive fathers tend to become abusive adults and daughters become victims), and child abuse is 15 times more likely to occur in household where domestic violence is present.

An annual “Domestic Violence and Children” conference was instituted on October 29, 1998, since October is nationally recognized as Domestic Violence Awareness Month. The goal of these conferences is to empower professionals in the community to better deal with this unique problem. More than 100 professionals attended the full-day conference. The cost of admission was $10 and a child’s item for donation to one of the six shelters in the metropolitan Kansas City Domestic Violence Network.

Conference attendees received written materials and had the opportunity to share in a unique networking opportunity. Participants in the 1999 conference held a candelight vigil following the day-long seminar, to honor survivors and remember victims of family violence. Response to the conference was overwhelmingly supportive. The 2nd Annual interdisciplinary conference was held on October 28, 1999 and the 3rd Annual is scheduled for October 26, 2000. Also in 1999, Lawyers for Children also worked with elementary educators to incorporate “It’s Not OK” in safety education curriculum in the schools.

WUSL POWER 99 FM

“Stop the Violence/Increase the Peace” is the heartfelt mission of Power 99FM WUSL, lasting for more than 10 years. The station’s commitment was inspired by the high-profile murder of five-year-old Marcus Yates in 1998, who was tragically killed in the crossfire of a drug-related shootout. In fact, public safety has consistently ranked as Power 99 FM listeners’ #1 concern, as revealed by the station’s quarterly survey of top community issues.

Power 99 FM has received local and national recognition for its anti-violence campaign. Honors include an unprecedented three National Association of Broadcasters Crystal Awards for Community Service for the station’s innovative approach to the issue. In June of 1998, Power 99 FM raised $3,000 in three hours for the family of the racially motivated Texas dragging murder victim. Power 99 FM air personality, Dave Sanborn, traveled to Jasper, Texas, to deliver the money raised by the station and the Philadelphia branch of the NAACP, which totaled nearly $10,000.

In 1999, Power 99 FM gave $12,000 for its “Stop the Violence Increase the Peace” Scholarship. The scholarship awards twelve 11th graders a thousand dollars each for outstanding essays on violence prevention. All of the 36 recipients awarded the scholarship during the past three years are currently attending college. During that year, Power 99 FM donated $2.2 million in airtime to public service announcements, special anti-violence messages, and live broadcasts. Power 99 FM air personalities also made more than 250 public appearances for a wide range of anti-violence and youth organizations.

Power 99 FM extends its anti-violence campaign to prevention through education with its Powerhouse Computer Interactive Program. The station completely funded the $100,000 pilot program for implementation in three middle schools, which uses state of the art computers and educational software to assist academically at-risk youth. The program incorporates a mentoring program, which involves every member of the radio station, from secretary to General Manager. The Philadelphia School District posted 100 percent attendance among the participants and initial assessment indicates that students achieved significant measurable increases in grade point averages.

According to Philadelphia School Superintendent, David Hornbeck, “the Powerhouse Computer Learning Center program is a wonderful example of the type of program that will prepare students to function in an increasingly technical society. Power 99 FM has shown its commitment to this city’s young people by sponsoring a program that will make a real difference in their lives.”

In November 1999, Power 99 FM set aside four hours during the station’s highest rated program for an extraordinary broadcast called “Power Moves for a Safer Community.” The station brought in Philadelphia’s top law enforcement and prevention experts to talk about ways listeners can increase the peace in their neighborhoods. In addition, the station’s staff stayed after hours to help field the overwhelming number of listener phone calls directed to an onsite team of 20 members of Philadelphia’s Narcotics Task Force, agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration, ATF agents, and members of the Philadelphia Anti-Drug/Anti-Violence Network.

For the final hour of the program, in what is highly unusual for a popular music station, Power 99 FM stopped the music entirely and went all talk with a town meeting between the experts and listeners. Meanwhile, the team of law enforcement officers cited more than 100 reports of illegal gun and drug activity and is currently investigating them with the goal of making arrests.

CORPORATE CHAMPIONS FOR CHILDREN

Corporate Champions for Children is a coalition of companies and organizations in Tarrant County, Texas that advocates for quality childcare. Established in 1993 with 10 members, the coalition has grown to 17 companies representing 54,000 employees and continues to recruit new members and increase partnerships with other organizations.

Twenty-nine top decision-makers represent the corporations by volunteering on various committees. Each member designates a representative to serve on the working Task Force. Employees of these corporations and an additional 19 volunteers from collaborating organizations, serve on and chair subcommittees for strategic planning, media, school-age care, mildly-ill/emergency childcare, and others.

Corporate Champions’ work is based on the realization that family structure has changed, with 60 percent of all children under age five lacking a “stay-at-home” parent and more children in third party care than ever before. Also, early education is critical since 70 percent of learning takes place by age five, and early experiences shape the way people learn, think, and behave for the rest of their lives. Finally, Corporate Champions’ works to improve the quality of child care, which studies show that 86 percent of childcare centers are poor to mediocre, with 40 percent of infants and toddlers in poor quality facilities.

Financial resources pledged by the companies during the past five years totals nearly $1 million. The money is used to educate and train childcare providers, provide equipment to centers and family child care homes, increase public awareness of the need for quality early childhood education, and advocate for related legislation on local and state levels.

Since 1993, Corporate Champions programs have provided training and on-site technical assistance to more than 500 teachers and directors in 155 childcare centers and 157 home-based providers. In 1993, there were seven centers in Tarrant County accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children, a voluntary certification denoting exceptional quality. Corporate Champions programs have assisted 31 of the now 43 accredited centers in Tarrant County to achieve this level of quality. Also, there was only one home-based provider in 1993 that was accredited by the National Association of Family Child Care. Now, there are 54 accredited family childcare homes in Tarrant County and surrounding communities. In fact, Tarrant County has 60 percent of the total accredited homes in Texas.

From a legislative angle, Corporate Champions employees have written letters to the state legislators, served as panel members to educate legislators, and testified at hearings to improve state standards for childcare. In 1996, the Legislative Committee spearheaded the writing and passage of legislative bill HB 155, which requires anyone caring for up to three children in a home not related to the caregiver to be listed with the Texas Department of Protective and Regulatory Services and undergo a criminal history check. They also advocated for passage of HB 2875, which requires DPRS to establish minimum training standards for caregivers. The Fort Worth Star-Telegram, a Corporate Champions member, produced a special section dedicated to work/family and childcare issues in order to raise awareness.

WEST ST. PAUL NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION PROGRAM

In the City of West St. Paul, Minnesota, there are 11 Volunteer Neighborhood Associations who work in a close partnership with the city to combine the organizational initiatives & priorities of the neighborhoods with city resources in order to develop projects which build community, revitalize each neighborhood and make West St. Paul a better place to live.

The city is completely divided into Neighborhood Associations and since citizen volunteers are the key to the operation of each neighborhood, any resident, property owner & business located within the boundaries of a neighborhood are members.

In 1994, West St. Paul’s City Council was searching for an innovative initiative to involve citizens in the future of the city. Out of this grew an idea to create volunteer Neighborhood Associations to give the citizens of West St. Paul the opportunity to participate at the grassroots level in formulating neighborhoods initiatives and making recommendations to the city. Funding for the neighborhoods was and still is currently provided through a yearly endowment from the city for projects which build community and revitalize the neighborhoods.

Through 1998 and 1999, West St. Paul’s neighborhood volunteers set out to make an impact on the city. More than 100 volunteers were active on the elected Neighborhood Resident Councils. The Neighborhoods’ Make A Difference Committee raised awareness of domestic violence in West St. Paul with a walk down Robert Street in which 70 residents participated, a Make A Difference Fair in which over 100 residents attended and a fund raising campaign in which $2,500 was raised for two local domestic violence shelters. More than 800 city residents attended Neighborhood National Night Out Events (crime prevention efforts).

The Neighborhood Association Program lists among its many achievements receiving the only League of Minnesota Cities (over 800 cities are members) 1998 City Achievement Award in the category of Citizen, Community, and Youth Involvement presented to cities in Minnesota with a population of 10,000 or higher. In addition, 243 residents attended the Spring All-Neighborhood Meetings and 419 residents attended the Fall All-Neighborhood Meetings. These numbers represent a 76% increase in attendance from previous years.

Today’s small cities are challenged by tight budgets, endless work, and often times people in need. In West St. Paul, the volunteers who run each Neighborhood Association work in a close partnership with the city to overcome these and other challenges by combining the organizational initiatives and priorities of the neighborhoods with city resources. It is this partnership which allows West St. Paul’s citizens to be more involved in the future of their city. Ultimately, West St. Paul’s Neighborhood Association Program is an example of how success can be obtained when a city and its citizens voluntarily join together and are committed to constructively resolving conflicts and seeking solutions to make their community better.