Each of the following programs are offered to the school administrators and supported by an MYCP Prevention Coordinator in the Upper, Middle, and Lower Keys. Hundreds of local businesses make the work of MYCP possible.

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT TRAININGS

8TP (6TP)

The MYCP-sponsored transition programs are set for the Spring to benefit eighth-grade classes merging into the district’s three high schools. In Marathon, the program is called 6TP because it focuses on the incoming middle school class. The inaugural transition program was held in 2006 at Coral Shores with great success according to officials and students. Now all three schools plan to host the educational, high-energy, hands-on program to help students blend from rival middle schools into one cohesive freshman class.

In pre-transition program meetings incoming freshman receive a student-led introduction to life in high school both in and after class. Students create and present a Power Point production and host question and answer sessions at the middle schools for students to learn facts about grades, the campus layout, registration, semester requirements, athletics, and extracurricular options.

After last year’s transition program Lisa M. Blakely, the school counselor at Plantation Key School said, “The eighth-grade girls gave overwhelming positive feedback about this experience. They said they felt less nervous and more prepared to ‘cross the street’” into high school.

Statistics show, ninth-grade is the year of highest drop out rates among at-risk students. The developmental assets these -- and all youth -- need are to feel connected, safe and have a sense of choice and self confidence. The 8TP and 6TP activities meet all of those needs. That’s why it is a program designed with in-school and after-school components the entire class is invited and encouraged to attend. “Targeting at-risk students doesn’t work. Opening a program to the entire class, allowing the at-risk student to self-identify or reduce their risk factors does work,” said Safe School Coordinator Sunny Booker.

The 8TPs are feeder systems to the newly established Ninth-Grade Academies. The success of these programs sets students up for inclusion by their peers on and off campus. It also introduces students to adult leaders who will be able to offer future opportunities to enroll in leadership classes; benefit from special projects with Learn and Serve grants; and extra curricular events like the Challenge Day Reunion or Big Brother Big Sister mentor programs.

Challenge Day  www.challengeday.org

A one day workshop for high school age youth, teachers, parents, administrators, counselors and community members that successfully addresses the issues of violence, racism, teasing, stereotypes, tobacco, alcohol and drug abuse within the context of teen life. This powerful workshop creates incredible connections among participants and great possibility for students to unite, honor each other’s diversity and transform peer pressure into peer support!!

Challenger Program (Back to Top)

This is an advanced training for Challenge Day graduates. They learn how social oppression impacts emotional health and academic performance and they learn how to positively impact their school through intentional contributions and interventions. Each “Challenger” commits to performing and documenting one intervention or contribution activity daily throughout the school year. The follow up is may be supported by the MYCP Leadership Class, the Natural Helpers Coordinator and MYCP after school clubs.

Challenge Day Reunion

Challenge Day Founder Yvonne St. John- Dutra said on Oprah’s “High School Challenge” show in November 2006, “the problem isn’t a lack of people in school, it’s a lack of connection between them.” Monroe Youth Challenge Program, who plans to host at least five Challenge Days each year in Monroe County, makes connecting possible. More than 60 youth and 20 adults from all three high school communities in Monroe County participated in the first-ever Challenge Day Reunion. It was held at a central location on a Friday after early release.

“The openness and ‘be-the-change’ energy created at Challenge Day is awesome. This reunion gives students the encouragement and support to continue their commitment to be the change they want to see in their schools,” said Monroe Youth Challenge Program (MYCP) Director Sunny Booker. MYCP, a grass-roots, non-profit organization under the Monroe County Education Foundation, hosts the event.

At the Challenge Day Reunion activities similar to those used at Challenge Day are employed for ice-breakers and team building. “My favorite game is the hug tag. We have fun,” said Key West High School Freshman Lindsey Vinson. If asked by a peer why they should consider going to Challenge Day next Fall, Vinson says, “They should go so they can learn about different people – not just the same people they’ve been hanging out with the last six or seven years.”

Two objectives met in the four-hour reunion were for students to plan their own school’s eighth-grade transition program and train to be peer facilitators at them.

Faculty Training (Back to Top)

Faculty trainings focus on tools needed to take Challenge Day, Challenger, and Natural Helpers concepts into the classroom to support student mentors and leaders in their effort to create a positive learning and school environment.

MYCP Leadership Skills/Techniques Class (Back to Top)

MYCP piloted this class at Coral Shores High School during the 2002-2003 school year. While meeting Florida Sunshine State Standards with the use of the Natural Helpers Peer Assistance Curriculum, a psychology text, and a text specializing in conflict resolution, this class emphasizes communications skills, leadership analysis, and healthy emotional expression. Students are encouraged to become agents of change and model inclusion, acceptance, and respect. Personal and group community service projects are required. These include peer tutoring/mentoring, random acts of kindness, and school wide campaigns that build a more supportive school environment…i.e. clean up campaign, school norm project, substance abuse prevention presentations, etc.

Regional Youth Development Workshops (Back to Top)

These events can be customized to be a few hours or a few days with a motivational speaker and skill building activities such as rope courses. Teens from all three high schools are brought together to build friendships and diminish school rivalries as they learn new peer assistance and leadership skills. Retreats focus on building life, leadership or academic skills, confidence, empathetic relationships among peers and adults and strengthening commitment to service and positive social behaviors.

Two such workshops are planned for the 2003-4 school year.

Student Awareness Day  http://www.hdec.org/     (Back to Top)

This program is free to our schools and has our youth look at the dangers of discrimination and prejudice and the need to celebrate diversity and differences. Student Awareness Day is an educational symposium hosted by Miami-Dade Community College and sponsored by the Holocaust Education and Documentation Center at FIU. It is a powerful day of speakers, films and personal testimonies by Holocaust survivors. Round table discussions are held with approximately 8 students per table, a facilitator and a Holocaust survivor. The day culminates with students signing a letter of commitment to end violence and prejudice at their respective schools. All high schools are invited to use this event as an educational field trip. It is highly recommended for History, English and Leadership Classes, NHS, or any after school clubs that are committed to making a positive impact on their campus. This event is for high school students and is held in March. Transportation from the Keys is provided.

Youth Ethics, International Humanitarian Law
http://youthethics.org/index.php
Each year we partner with local Rotary Clubs to develop and send youth presentation teams and participants to their Annual Youth Ethics Conference in Miami Beach. At the conference, senior high school participants are challenged to consider ethics and integrity as they relate to business, sports, politics, personal, and professional life. This student driven event includes key note speakers, round table discussion and break out sessions led by youth presenters. This conference further supports the goals of the Monroe County Public Schools' character education initiative. This event is supported by the MCSD who provides transportation to and from the event for Monroe County youth.

DRUG AWARENESS AND PREVENTION TRAININGS   (Back to Top)

Florida National Guard’s Knight Vision Drug Reduction Program
http://www.floridacounterdrug.com/ddr.htm

This training gives students a general understanding of gateway drugs and peer pressure.

• Assembly - National Guard officer presents a drug education class to students grades 3 thru 12. Supports Sunshine State Standards for Healthy Literacy grades 3-5. This 1 hour presentation is dynamic and engages all high school ages.

• Train the Trainer- After a 5 hour training course, middle or high school aged students are certified to teach the Knight Vision Anti Drug/Tobacco class to middle and elementary school students.

AFTER SCHOOL CLUBS   (Back to Top)

The after school clubs sponsored by MYCP offer continued trainings in interpersonal skills taught at Challenge Day. These meetings include peer mentoring activities, life skills training, group and personal community service projects, and school wide campaigns that contribute to a more positive campus environment and relationships among peers. The two existing MYCP clubs are:

Coral Shores High School’s SMILE Club
(Student Mentors Improving Life Everyday)

4-H Seasons of Service http://monroe.ifas.ufl.edu/

SOS Team – Seasons of Service: Community service, training, and personal development

Learn and Serve Projects   http://www.monroe.k12.fl.us/mycp/servicelearning.htm