Serving at-risk junior high school students by modeling positive life choices
Abstract
With adult mentoring and community support, an after school program in Franklin County, Ohio focuses on encouraging at-risk junior high school youth to make positive life choices — specifically organized around the issues of teen pregnancy, physical and substance abuse, and academic success. John Magee submitted this effective practice to the Promising Practices in Afterschool e-mail discussion list in June 2003.Issue
Encouraging and modeling positive options for at-risk youth who are subject to cultural and peer pressure is crucial for those serving in programs involved with this population.
Action
Through an emphasis placed upon promoting a sense of belonging to a positive peer group, reinforcing positive choices, providing mentoring activities, job shadowing, and making community connections through community service, Back On Track (BOT) serves at-risk junior high school students. Effective program practices include:- The program serves both boys and girls after school four days a week for two hours (2:30 to 4:30 p.m.) Monday through Thursday.
- Two adult directors (in each unit) focus on:1. Improving social skills and positive choices through supervised social interaction with peers and adults2. Maintaining good school attendance trough modeling and stressing the importance of regular attendance and punctuality3. Promoting good behavior and positive character traits through modeling and personal example4. Achieving academic success by providing study time and help with schoolwork
- Besides the four directors, other adults from the community provide role modeling and counseling. For example, a Franklin community police officer joins the program on a regular basis to provide adult support and positive examples for the youth involved. Counselors from the county Community Mental Health Center provide information and training in pregnancy and substance abuse issues.
- Through a partnership with the Springboro Coffman Family YMCA, participants are able to use the facilities free of charge. Youth go to the "Y" on Thursdays (boys one week, girls the next), with the adult directors, to use the facilities and equipment.
- Through a partnership with the King's Island Golf Center, participants make use of that facility as well.
- A Back on Track Graduation dinner event is held at a restaurant for all BOT members who have successfully completed the year, and made progress toward their goals — with parents of the youth attending.
Context
The targeted students attend Franklin Junior High School and are identified as at-risk in one or more of the following areas: attendance, academic performance, behavior, family life. The ages range from 12 to 15 years old and are divided into two programs -- one for boys and one for girls. The boys group meets in the (city provided) Community Center, and the girls' group meets at the junior high school. Both spaces are provided free of charge to BOT. Parents are included in the selection process, and sign a contract agreeing to the purposes and provisions of the BOT program. Only students who agree to be helped, and who agree to attend without fail, are selected for the program. They must also sign the same contract with their parent(s) and/or caregivers. As of September 30, 2002 the program served ten boys and ten girls.
In addition to donated facilities, the local United Way helps with some of the funding, and the rest comes from a state Wellness Block Grant.
Outcome
Expected outcomes for each participant include progress toward:- Developing a positive sense of belonging to school and to a productive peer group
- Academic success
- Improved social behavior, attitudes, personal responsibility, and decision-making
- Improved, or maintained regular, attendance at school
- Improved relations with family and community members
- Prevention of teen pregnancy:As individual students in BOT develop more positive attitudes about themselves, their families, their peers, and their school, they are more likely to accept the advice and example given by the adult directors, mentors, and counselors of BOT. Once a sense of belonging to a positive group is firmly established, social learning can continue that focuses on positive life choices -- specifically organized around the issues of teen pregnancy, physical and substance abuse, and academic success. Specialists in these areas work with each group on a weekly basis.
Evidence
Through ongoing monitoring and evaluation, i.e., tracking attendance, grades, school behavior, involvement with juvenile court, and evidence of physical or substance abuse and pregnancy, statistics will be compiled for analysis and feedback for program improvement.Posted On
August 8, 2003For More Information
Resources
The Promising Practices in Afterschool Listserv is a virtual community of afterschool program staff, youth workers, school-age care providers, educators, researchers, policymakers, and others with an interest in keeping up-to-date on the latest in afterschool.To join the listserv or read more about it, visit the website at http://www.afterschool.org/communicating.cfmRelated Practices
Related sites
Resource Center for Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention (ReCAPP)
USDH&HS and SAMHSA: Alcohol & Drug Information