2017 BE U Success Prep Academy Report

2017

REPORT

RELEASE THE FEAR'S BRIDGING POSSIBILITIES =

Thanks to the foresight of the Pendergast

Elementary School District Team.

This report reflects how the creative processes through the "Bridging Possibilities" program and our facilitators, enabling us to expand our reach to enlightened and enriched more youth. These results from young lives and what they experienced together through the "Bridging Possibilities" A Character Education program. Demonstrating the power and importance of inspiring and empowering our youth with the essential tools so that they are 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

.. .

Robert asked me to write a brief summary about the time Release the Fear worked with Success Prep Academy. Please see the following:

The program leads worked with the students over eight weeks. During this time, students were provided strategies to acknowledge their own feelings. They participated in yoga and physical activities as strategies for relaxation and self-control. Students began implementing strategies to be more successful in academics and social situations.

Thank you,

Kelsie Pennington ELA RtI Coordinator Pendergast Elementary School District

= Helping participants realize the best thing to B is U if you want to .

achieve your hopes, dreams and the endless possibilities in your life.

"It amazes me how each one of the individual canvases 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

W

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

H

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.

A

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.

T

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.

"In the Bridging Possibilities workshop we realize that you have to go .through a few hoops to achieve your dreams. . ." John D.

Thanks to Pendergast Elementary School District, 6 young lives from Success Prep Academy experienced their Possibilities.

This workshop took place from March 20th- May 22nd 2017 Opening up possibilities for the young minds of Arizona’s youth for a brighter tomorrow. © “BE U” workshop 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.

Funded By: Pendergast Elementary School District Date: March 20th –May 22nd 2017 Location: Success Prep Academy Rate this statement: I believe I can make my hopes and/or dreams come true.

Post 0% Not at all 50% Sometimes 50% All the Time One thing I learned in workshop that will help me reach my dream is: Thoughts Shared: I learned to not be a jerk/ Taught to be respectful/Work Hard/ Self Reflection Skills/ Listening and being great all the time/ Focus/ In the workshop, which character count did you learn most about to help you obtain that goal?

Thoughts Shared: That it feels good/ To be respectful/ Respect/ Respect/ Communication What was your favorite activity in the workshop?

Thoughts Shared: Hand in bag – seeing beyond/ Hand in bag- seeing beyond/ The blind drawing/ Line Activity/ Walk the line/ Items in the bag Did you learn anything that will help you improve your communication skills?

Post 0%Not at all 20%Maybe 80%Yes Thoughts Shared: Taught me to be caring/ To talk to people with respect and caring/ everything Mirror Work: Look at yourself in the eyes only and tell yourself that you love or like yourself just the way you are.

Write a couple words, how does it make you feel?

Thoughts Shared: At first, I didn’t think it worked but then sometimes I believed myself (rarely) but other time my anxiety came over/ Stupid/It made me feel happy and ok with myself

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 20112013; 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

For ten years, Release the Fear has had the opportunity to interact with over 9,500 disadvantage and at-risk 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 2016, Release the 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 2016, 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.

# of Students

RTF-Youth/Yr. 2500 2000 1500 1000 500 0

TM

(2016) (2015) (2014) (2013) (2012) (2011) (2010) (2009) (2008)

Female:

921

697

452

256

295

185

170

221

259

Male:

1054

791

764

560

495

398

370

394

229

Thank you for the

opportunity to make a difference in these incredible youth's young lives...

Most sincerely, The Release the Fear team

Robert Miley CEO/Founder

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