2016 Report for Cookie and Jane

" I Love You just the way you are."

2016 REPORT Thank you to the Friends and Family of Cookie Serrano and Jane Hill for helping Arizona's youth Realize Our Hopes, Fears and Most of All, Their Dreams...

RELEASE THE FEAR'S BRIDGING POSSIBILITIES =

Thanks to the Friends and Family of Cookie Serrano and

Jane Hill. This report reflects how the creative processes through the "Bridging Possibilities" enabling us to expand our reach to enlightened and enriched more youth. These results from 14 young lives at Sequoia School for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing and what they experienced together through the "Bridging Possibilities" Character Education program. Demonstrating the power and importance of inspiring and empowering our youth with the essential tools so that they’re able to make better life choices, find their gifts, and know that they matter! Allowing them to lead a more meaningful productive life and become tomorrow's leaders in Arizona and around the world, for a brighter tomorrow for all.

Inspiring & empowering kids with the tools to make better life choices. . . Y E A R S

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hat: Release the Fear, a non-profit health and human services organization, teaches Arizona’s youth the

life skills needed to combat the effects of Peer Pressure, Gang involvement, Bullying, Abuse, and Violence in our society and to make better life choices. Release the Fear (RTF) has worked with thousands of at-risk youth and adults in Arizona and around the world, offering experiential programs that help reverse the paralyzing effects of fear and diminished self-worth. Our programs encourage youth to explore safe and healthy lifestyles and to overcome disabilities through the development of leadership and social skills through evidence-based curriculum that meets National Common Core standards. Arizona Department of Education, accredited Release the Fear program as a Character Education program

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ow: These programs stimulate whole-brain thinking and develop metacognitive thought processing by utilizing

new applied-knowledge teaching methods. These programs demonstrate options that awaken a creative consciousness and expose the unlimited potential of critical thinking and problem solving to help participants develop better cognitive behavioral skills. Our trained facilitators guide participants through interactive creative activities and analytically explore the connectedness to their lives. Release the Fear utilizes inquiry-based learning experiences, an educational practice where the teacher/facilitator uses controlled questioning to serve as a learning guide in order to move students towards new understandings. Educational research shows that student retention increases when new learning is discovered through inquiry practices, as the student is able to take ownership of these findings. The teacher/facilitator must act as guide while being an expert questioner, thinking of the end objective at all times and posing questions to allow students to reach objectives on their own. When this is done, students are able to create new thought patterns which connect and build on their applied knowledge and personal life goals.

Without these essential life skills, the still- maturing minds of detained youth view their future as bleak with no hope for a “normal” life.

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pproach: Through experiential programs, we encourage participants to develop valuable core life skills, better

critical problem solving, and a healthy sense of understanding of self and others. Through the RTF programs, participants discover that anything is possible, that they have a purpose in life. They see why they do matter to the world, to the community, and most of all to themselves.

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ransformation: The Maricopa County Juvenile Probation Office released a 2010 report demonstrating the value of

Inside Out Bridging Possibilities workshops on 357 of their juvenile population. Thirty percent of incarcerated youth recidivate—meaning three out of ten will again find themselves in conflict with law and society and back behind bars.

For the incarcerated youth who participated in just one Release the Fear workshop, that recidivism figure dropped by 23 percent. For those who were able to benefit from multiple workshops, it dropped by 16 percent nearly half. That is an impressive impact on any child’s future as well as the community in general..

Release the Fear, Inc. has worked with youth in Arizona and internationally, in such places as Guam and El Salvador, instilling positive life changes for thousands.

"It amazes me how each one of the individual campuses come from created different people from different backgrounds, different eccentricities. Yet we were able to come together and bring them together and create something beautiful as one understanding one masterpiece, almost like a metaphor for what we can do as a community,.. As a new world."

M .B. age 16

Thank You For Helping Us Realize Our Hopes, Fears, and Most of All, Our Dreams...

Comparison of Recidivism Rates of RTF Workshop Particpants to All Juveniles in ADJC Care 68% 70%

57%

60% 43% 50% 32%

40%

Recidivated No Recidivation

30% 20% 10% 0% ADJC Recidivism Average 2011 to 2013

Release the Fear Workshop Participants 2012 to 2015

Average of 450-500 Arizona youth per year have found themselves in secure care or behind the fence at Arizona Department of Juvenile Corrections (ADJC) Out of that a three year longitudinal study was conducted 2012-2015 on 928 youth that participated in the Release the Fear program.

Above (left) percentages display the ADJC recidivism average from 2011- 2013; The percentages on the right are based on youth who have attended one or more RTF Character Education “Inside-Out Bridging Possibilities� programs either in secure care or while on parole within the community

Together we can create an amazing New World... through Understanding of Self and Others through the creative process. . .

Thanks to the Friends and Family of Cookie Serrano and Jane Hill, 14 young lives from Sequoia School for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing experienced their Possibilities.

This workshop took place on November 21-23, 2016 Opening up possibilities for the young minds of Arizona’s youth for a brighter tomorrow.© “Bridging Possibility” workshops.

Through stories, activities and artwork, Release the Fear’s Workshops will help students to:

     

Draw One’s Fears and Awaken Hopes and Dreams Stimulate Creative Listening and Communication+ Bridge Understanding Discuss How Color Affects Us and Our Environment Senses Heighten Visual Awareness of Our Environment Turn Pain into Possibilities into Purpose.

The students are divided into groups or teams that they remain with throughout the workshop. In their small group, the students may be asked to complete an activity, to share responses, or to reflect on an exercise. Often times these groups can have students with different beliefs, various backgrounds, and even opposing gang affiliations. The workshop will end with a group created painting to be displayed for the public.

Participant Responses Participants are asked to reflect on several of the activities and then share with the group.

These responses are written in their words without edit.

The following responses are from the students who range in ages from 14-20.

The students are asked to reflect on the following question: How do you think this activity could help you in your daily life (In School, Out of School, or In Your Career)?

Creative Storytelling: Work together. Be confident. Ask for help and have one on one. Say “stop” or ask teacher, counselor, and adult. Stay healthy to doing lot and try our best! / Citizenship. Shows good behavior, maturity/fighting is unnecessary.

Shows a good example on how we should be treated. Help people, even if you do not know them.

Through the Hoops: Teamwork together. Getting stronger. / Teamwork. Teaches communication. Positive things, helping others. Working with a group.

Mirror Work: Because happy. My hair nice. / I don’t know…it felt normal, boring. / Cool. / I like myself because my face looks bit small and usually cute. / I feel beautiful and inspiring. / Since I have light blue eyes, but it different now. / I feel happy because I feel happy inside my heart. / I love look like cool, friendly, good behavior, and smart. How does it make feel?

Happy and smile. / Crazy, serious. / Trying to find my heart to become better person. Frustrated. / I am feel more funny. / Makes me feel energetic and good about myself. / I not like myself when look at mirror. So weird I feel little awkward myself so much. / I feel like weird.

Hero: My awesome former teacher Ms. Sarita. She is to me because she know how to make me laugh and always there for anyone! / Amber. Look like cool. / Myself. Because they are the most of the importance. Example for it, we need our important stuff. / My hero is my mom and my great grandma. I look up to my mom because she is the best person ever and I look up to my great grandma because she is a good role model for me. Because I love them and they mean everything to me. / My mother was a hero person for me. / Rick the Walking Dead. He know how to survive himself. He know what to do. Yes, he good actor from the Walking Dead. / Kevin Hart and Laine Heather. I want to important behavior and show how do mature. / People important honor them They’re Army! / Dad, mom, Narute, my two brother. Because they taught me right things. Their love are too strong. / I was hero my coach. I was good. I hero mom. My mom work hard to support to me. Thank you! / My parents. Because they help me with stuff that I can’t decide. Their personality is what matters. / Natalie Thomas. She look up me. If I need help she help me. She care about me all the time. / My hero my cousin. She love learn ASL. The Walking Dead.

Reflective Take Away Assignment: Help other each and teamwork. Communicate and hang out with new people.

Having more self-confidence. Be yourself and got support from other each and follow you dream. / Self-confidence.

It should make others feel positive about themselves. Heroes makes someone be positive. Helps believe in yourself, strong will.

Seeing Beyond: Thinking challenge. More ways to help with math and think hard on education. Help and future to think and don’t get bad decision! / Thinking, imagining, guessing. Describing the object. Art/English – help us imagine by describing. Show what you feel, sense.

Drawing One’s Fears, Hopes, and Dreams and Sharing: Feel good to tell and don’t be scared. No need to feel secret and need become open-mind. Ignore and ask for help. / Drawing. Helping each other, know more about us.

Show our feelings, less bullying. We are not alone, we have the same fears.

Reflective Take Away Assignment: Help and teamwork. Support, honesty, and communicate. Trust the right people and feel comfortable. / Helping. Help teach others, make friends, earn trust/respect. Show people how respect makes the world a less bullying place.

Write about a time when you were trustworthy or caring and helped someone else in a positive way. How did it feel afterward? I want to join ACE for help clean up and fix wood or car or light. Also help men or women. / Caring. I like to care about someone very much and it is a good feeling. / Kabre trusts me and supports me in everything I do even if it’s the wrong decision. / I always be there when someone need it. I feel inspire and caring in myself. / When I was trustworthy to helping few or one person as always in a positive way. I felt so immediately afterward. I helped myself for good people. / When I feel helpful to other guy. Because he don’t know how to the basketball and football. I was teaching some help how to learn. / There was this time where I would help my opponents, who were beaten down, stand up because they were tired. It’s a way to show respect. To this day, I still do it. / It’s wasn’t feel afterward to be honest. I feel like my heart building up. Feel so good. I just love make people happy and feel grateful. / I am trustworthy someone and I caring some that make them happy. / My family miss you and friends.

Funded By: The Friends and Family of Cookie Serrano and Jane Hill Date: November 21-23, 2016 Location: Sequoia School for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing %Male 47%

%Female 53

Ages 14-20

Do you think others (Kids my age, older & younger, Adults) have the same Fear as I do?

Pre %YES 66 %NO 27 %Other 7 Post %YES 69 %NO 23 %Other 8 Rate this statement: You feel comfortable speaking in front of others.

Pre % Not at all 20 % Sometimes 67 % All the Time 13 Post % Not at all 31 % Sometimes 54 % All the Time 15 Rate this statement: I believe I can make my hopes and/or dreams come true.

Pre % Not at all 13 % Sometimes 40 % All the Time 47 Post % Not at all 15 % Sometimes 47 % All the Time 38 Rate this statement: I respect my own decisions even when dealing with peer pressure.

Pre % Not at all 0 % Sometimes 80 % All the Time 20 Post %Not at all 15 % Sometimes 69 % All the Time 23 Complete this statement: I am trustworthy and see myself as a __. Follower, Equal, Leader Pre % Follower 40 % Equal 33 % Leader 27 Post % Follower 38 % Equal 44 % Leader 23 Have you ever been bullied? % Yes 40 % No 53 % No Answer 7 Have you ever seen someone being bullied? % Yes 60 % No 33 % No Answer 7 Did you do anything? % Yes 27 % No 40

% No Answer 33

Did you learn something in the workshop that will help you deal with bullying?

Post % Yes 69 % No 31 % No Answer 0 Thoughts Shared: Always speak up / Help people / Good citizenship / Lot people abuse people / Ask for help / Because I learned how to stand up to myself / Because was not here at the first day and forgot what we talked about yesterday / Some information I always know / Talk to bully’s victim and away from bully.

After attending the character education workshop and learning about compassion, if you saw someone being bullied, would you do something?

Post % Yes 77 % No 15 % No Answer 8 Thoughts Shared: Helping is necessary / I tried to stop bullying / Help them, teach them same lesson / I try help people / Stand up for yourself / I would help them and make the other people stop bullying / Tell the teacher or tell them leave him alone / I always like to help stop them / I will and if keep hurt him/her I would stand up.

Release the Fear, Inc.TM PO Box 3815 Phoenix, AZ 85030 www.releasethefear.org

Did you learn any skills, such as respect or responsibility, to help you make your own decisions not based on Peer Pressure?

Post % Yes 92 % No 8 % No Answer 0 Thoughts Shared: Listening and thinking help make decisions / Half / I learned that long time ago / I learn my myself / Must all remember your responsibility and respect everyone who are adult / My decision is mine. I am not somebody’s things. / Way less stress but lot of learn.

What do you think about color?

What % gave more thought and shared them about color.

Pre 100% Post 85% Thoughts Shared: Pre: Gray – It is like empty that how I mostly feel lonely / Yellow. That people are important to me are like a sun. / Blue / I like black ‘cuz match my style / Pink & Red / I think about color is black and white is most beautiful / Pretty to the color / Yes because color makes everything brighter / Color are normal as always / Blue, I help family / Brown, light blue / Color is a beautiful mesmerizing thing that tends to be peaceful / Red / I’m thinking about purple. I like purple. / Yellow, pencil.

Post: Color is naturally beautiful / Red / I learn now about a color purple or red / I didn’t change at all. I want to keep it that way / Blue, black, red / Like a rollow / I like color to the black. Then I was learn color the blue / Black, light blue, green / Yes all the time because color is a beautiful thing / Pink. I learn that pink is okay color. / When I think about color. Color express people’s feeling. / Colors are always normal.

My most important hope or dream is. . .

What % gave more thought to their Dreams becoming reality.

Pre 93% Post 100% Thoughts Shared: Pre: My hope is playing football more times next year as this would be my senior year. / I really have good hope dream / My dream child care / Went to be business law. / Go to college / My most dream future become responsibility and caring / I dream to become a volleyball player for ASU / To build a future / I can do thing hope special / Work at subway and chevron / Be successful in college / Because dream / My most important dream that I have it / The video caller.

Post: Achieve my goal in RIT / Go Join football / I want to be a writer and business law / My most important dream, of course / To be youtuber, to make a songs / I want work child care / I want to go to college / My most important to the dream. My coach the football / Work at subway and I also want to be actor / My most important dream is to make my great grandma and people proud / To be a writer / To have my own room and feel safe around my family / Be CSI and grow a beautiful family and protect my future children.

One thing I learned in workshop that will help me reach my dream is: Post 100% discovered something new in the workshop.

Thoughts Shared: To let your feelings out / I most math / I think about it / I dreamt about artist. I love art or something / I already learned long time ago. / Pursuing my goals / In for life / Yes, I am really very important for help and teamwork / Follow your heart because follow what you want / I learned that it’s ok to be scared but don’t give up what you do / Must focus and pay attention your work and on responsibility and remember them too. / I should be out there, putting myself there. / More responsibility as always! As equal not leader.

Coming into the workshop, which Character Count did you want to improve or work on to help you? How did the workshop help you improve it?

Post 77% discovered something new about themselves in the workshop.

Thoughts Shared: Trust. If you trust people you know, you may be successful / Because want NBA / No because workshop can’t help me to improve. But I can work in a workshop greatly. / I learn from Rosie because she told me about how to help friends and how not to lose them / Caring. I learned how to support other people / Positivity and it help me to have positive attitude / I learn what your fear about hoops and ball and acting. What your dream and fear and memory. / Work on my attitude and try to tell someone about your problem or secret / I want to improve my fear with people. They helped me try.

What did you learn New in the workshop about a classmate or friend?

Post 77% discovered something new about classmates or friends in the workshop Thoughts Shared: That my friend fears snakes / Many friend fears / I was at communicating with new friend like this / Basis taught me how to keep a friend’s and how to help them / I miss part it / We was learn for friend / I learn with them about all the stuff we did / It’s okay to express or tell someone your feelings / I learned their feeling about the workshop / That they tell about themselves a little but most fear about trust, kind, and respect.

For nine years, Release the Fear has had the opportunity to interact with over 8,500 troubled youth; these youth now know they have a life purpose. They know their wishes and dreams can come true. They know they are worth it and that they matter!

Our evidence-based curriculum has helped .

troubled kids in schools, jails, detention, and treatment centers. Through the creative processes of art, music, and communication, we teach kids cognitive behavioral skills to build self-esteem. They learn tools to help them succeed in school, conflict resolution, and to address peer pressure, and bullying.

Between the years 2007 and 2015, Release Fear has shown constant improvement upon youth’s pre- and post-reporting’s learned about perceptions of themselves.

In addition, during the years of 2012 and 2015, Release the Fear has contributed to an overall improvement of youth’s self-reported willingness to assist another if bullied. Despite a decline of reported learning’s about proactive options to prevent being bullied, their learning consistently remained over 78 percent.

TM

RELEASE THE FEAR 2016 Program Budget: A Arizona Department of Education approved Character Education program; Release the Fear's "Bridging Possibilities", One Workshop Instructional Programming: Program Supervisor/Trainer Co-Facilitator / Trainee Reporting and Evaluations: Pre/Post Inventories Final Report Supplies and Other Workshop Exp Art & Printed Supplies Recognition for Students, Postage, Mktng Internal Coordination, Support & Workshop Presentation Travel Expenses – Average TOTAL

$680.00 $300.00 $150.00 $ 70.00 $ 80.00 $ 60.00 $300.00 $ 60.00 $1,700.00

Inspiring & empowering kids with the tools to make better life choices. . . www.releasethefear.org 602-818-6959 Release the Fear’s mission, since 1996, is to counter the effects of violence in our communities by turning fear, anger, and hate into acceptance, hope, and self empowerment, bridging endless possibilities through the creative process . Release the Fear, Inc.TM PO Box 3815 Phoenix, AZ 85030 www.releasethefear.org

Thank you Cookie Serrano and Jane Hill and friends for this opportunity and for believing in our mission and vision.

Because you understand that each and every child and adult deserves to be inspired and empowered with the tools to make better life choices. Today because of your support, they know their Can-Do spirit, and are more open to realizing they have unique gifts to share with the world around them.

Most sincerely,

Robert J Miley CEO and Founder

Office- 302 W. Monroe- in Downtown Phoenix Mailing-332 W. Lynwood Phoenix, AZ 85003 info@release the fear.org www.releasethefear.org