A 2015 anural report v2

RELEASE THE FEAR'S BRIDGING POSSIBILITIES FOR Inspiring & empowering kids with the tools to make better life choices . . .

2015 Board and Advisory Directors HONORARY CHAIR Greg Stanton, Mayor, City of Phoenix BOARD OF DIRECTORS Rossana Gatlin -Chairperson Sara Greenwold– Secretary Don Dolin Cristal Houston Susan Kotnik Bill LaBrie Matthew Mapes Susan L. Shaffer Nahmias, Ph.D Max Sanel Blair Coe Schweiger Scott Tate NATIONAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE Dino De Concini David Gonzales, U S Marshal Nancy Hendrich Rev. Rebecca McClain Kellianne P. Miley, M. Ed. Joni Sledge

.

ADVISORY COMMITTEE Francisco J. Alatorre, PhD Crim Justice Rich Bauer - United Phx. Fire Kirk Baxter Miguel Berastegui Steve Church, President, Avnet ,Inc. Gina Clark Heidi Fogelsong Terry Goddard, former AZ Atty. Gen. Phil Gordon, former Phx. Mayor Office of U.S. Congressman, Paul A. Gosar Billie Jo Herberger David Howell Scott Jacobson Paul Johnson JoEllen Lynn Hank Marshall Rose Mofford, former AZ Gov Kathy Munson Bridget Pettis, WMBA Star Derrick Platt, PhD, Psyc /Juv. Justice RJ Shannon Tom Simplot, Phx. City Council Brenda Sperduti Meredithe Stefanowitz, M. Ed. Kim Sterling-Heflin Thelda Williams, Phx. City Council Gerald Richards, III Daniel Valenzuela, Phx. City Council EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Robert J. Miley, CEO / Founder

R E .

,

Dear Believers, "For the longest time, I tried to get others to love me. But what I never knew was that all I had to do was love myself to be happy. Thank you for helping me do that." Megan, age 15 The above quote is from a local youth—a participant in a Release the Fear program for disadvantaged and at-risk youth. Your support made that possible. Release the Fear worked with a lot of amazing kids this year, including Sequoia School for the Deaf and Hearing Impaired and Children's First for the homeless, expanding our reach.

So, what has been happening in 2015? Well we are celebrating twenty years from inception. “Incredible” is the only way to describe this past year for Release the Fear—a year spent helping Arizona’s youth and sharing Release the Fear’s mission throughout the Valley, throughout Arizona, and now in Washington DC (more about that in a moment).

In 2015, Release the Fear will have worked with 1,490 kids—that’s more then a 40 percent increase in our reach in the past two years. Since 2002, Release the Fear has interacted with over 8,000 Arizona youth, empowering them with life skills to help them cope with many of the issues they face on a daily basis, including conflict, peer pressure, and bullying. Release the Fear was awarded a National Endowment Grant this year. At the end of each of 12 workshops youth painted what they learned from the workshop and then those 12- 30 x 30 canvasses were brought together to become one large masterpiece. Youth completing workshops begin to realize their positive potential, that they matter and that by working as a team they can achieve amazing things as one community.

A three-year longitudinal study of 933 youth completed by the AZ Department of Juvenile Corrections showed the positive effect that Release the Fear programs have on recidivism. We are making a difference in their future and the future of Arizona. Next year, we project a 50 percent increase in the number of youth we reach—that’s serving an additional 2,595 young people throughout Arizona. We accept the challenge to meet this critical community need.

In October, I was selected as one of fifty-six national artists to contribute to “America Celebrates: Ornaments across the USA”—the 2015 holiday display in the President’s Park at the White House in Washington DC. My first thought was what an incredible inspiration this would be for the kids we work with. So, in following few weeks, youth in Release the Fear programs joined me in creating Christmas tree ornaments that will be displayed in our nation’s capital. The kids were in disbelief; one student said, “You mean, what we do on these ornaments… it’s going to go to the White House?” Another said "it's felt good expressing myself, doing what I love for the world to see.

We do not believe there are such things as bad kids; they just have not found their gifts yet, Thank you for helping us to help them find them..

Thank you for believing,

Robert Miley Founder and CEO

"Thank you for helping us realize if we face our fear, our hopes, and most of all, our dreams... are possible" J.B. Age 16 Amazing youth communicating findings from program, at Sequoia School for the Deaf and Hearing Impaired

Our supporters having been leaving their mark on the future of our community and the world. . .

Guardian Angels $10,000 - $100,000 Arizona Department of Education- License Plate Funding Avnet Herberger Foundation J.W. Kieckhefer Margaret T. Morris Foundation Michael & Cindy Watts Murphy Elementary #21 / AZ Department of Education National Endowment RICO Maricopa County Attorney General’s Office The Kemper and Ethel Marley Foundation

Champions $5,000 - $10,000 Arizona Business Bank Arizona Community Foundation BlackRock Investments Boeing Employees Community Cheryl & Ira Gaines COBiz Financial Cox Charities Desoto Central Market Executive Council Charities Fidelity Charity Florence Crittenton Girls Leadership Academy Genesis Academy John F. Long Kroger- Fry’s Food Stores PayPal Gives Phoenix Office of Arts and Culture Salt River Pima Maricopa Indian Community Wells Fargo Bank

Believers $ 400-$1,000 Aaron Scott American Express Foundation Candace McCaslin Delwyn Worthington Don and Rosie Paluch Dr. Susan Shaffer Nahmias Jared and Michelle Arsdale Judith Ann Guilds Kathy & Chuck Munson Kenneth and Zoe Higgins Labelle Forstrom Larry & Leslie Stewart Mary Reinhart Olney Gallery at Trinity Cathedral Pamela Mann Rex Gulbranson Robb Walton Robert Miley & Fran DuAime Roxanna & Tom Hamilton Sara Greenwold Starshine Academy Stateside Presents Inc United Fire Fighters Association, Inc Valley Leader In-Kind Supporters Housing Opportunities Richard Fox Webmaster Volunteers and interns ASU

Friends - $200 Bobbi Kiese Cathy & Ronald Jones Chad Lauer Cionne McCarthy Dana Naimark Dorothy Kent Dyane Welt Faith Knight Jack Fields Jane Hill Jay Em Joan Kelchner & James Trocki John Palacio Judy Guilds Kathleen Serrano Lori Bruggman Mark & Lois Francis Nick Quellet Oest Metalworks Roxanne Hamilton Sharon R. Stetter Vernon & Sharon Bitz William Miley

gin we could have dreams, we can see our dreams clearer and be them."

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 400-500 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

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, with 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 to 2015, Release the Fear has contributed to an overall improvement of youth’s self-reported willingness to assist another if bullied. Learning options to prevent being bullied, consistently remained over 78 percent.

2015 Overall Survey Percentages Results of 74 Bridging Possibilities Workshops RELEASE THE FEAR 2015 RTF Pre/Post Survey Results OVERALL PERCENTAGES Bridging Possibilities Workshops 1415 Students in 74 BP Workshops Male 54.42% Female 45.58% – Youth Ages 10-67 87.10% discovered something new about themselves.

90.86% discovered something new about classmates and friends.

Pre 64.77% compared to Post 77.68% realized that they are not alone in their fears.

Pre 87.52% compared to Post 97.22% realized that they can make their dreams a reality.

82.26% learned something to help them deal with bullying.

88.86% stated that they would do something if they saw someone being bullied.

Adobe Mountain – 199 students Sullivan Elementary – 174 students Florence Crittenton – 122 students Garcia Elementary – 108 students Hamilton Elementary – 84 students Governor’s Office of Family Faith and Children, AZ Teen Leaders – 75 students Kuban Elementary – 72 students Kenilworth Elementary – 55 students Estrella Vista – 51 students Canyon State – 46 students Children’s First Academy – 45 students Pendergast – 42 students Larry Kennedy Elementary – 40 students Genesis City Academy – 39 students New Foundation – 33 students Heard Elementary – 25 students U-Turn – 41 students Littleton Elementary – 22 students Quentin Elementary – 22 students Kiban Elementary – 21 students Magnet Traditional – 18 students Sequoia Elementary – 18 students Excelencia Elementary – 17 students Salt River Indian Community – 15 students Copper King Pause – 9 students SRP MIC – 7 students Lower Buckeye – 5 students 2nd Chance – 5 students Star Learning Academy – 5 students

"I learned in Release the Fear how to express myself in a more positive way."

K.C. Age 13

June 2015 Discover U Summer Camp - Survey Percentages Results RELEASE THE FEAR Discover U Summer Camp RTF Pre/Post Survey Results OVERALL PERCENTAGES 75 Students (3 Summer Camps) Male 28% Female 72% – Youth Ages 9-20 92% discovered something new about themselves 95% discovered something new about classmates and friends.

Pre 54.5% compared to Post 71% realized that they are not alone in their fears.

Pre 68.8% compared to Post 90% realized that they can make their dreams a reality.

81% learned something to help them deal with bullying.

93.5% stated that they would do something if they saw someone being bullied.

Pre 37% compared to Post 37% feel that they can Relax and Breathe All the Time.

Pre 39% compared to Post 23.5% eat fruits and vegetables and drink water daily.

Pre 84% compared to Post 83.5% like how they feel after exercise.

Larry Kennedy School – 20 Students Florence Crittenton – 37 Students Genesis Academy – 18 Students June 1-4 2015 Larry Kennedy School Results 20 Students (1 Summer Camp) Male 53% Female 47% – Youth Ages 9-13 June 15-June 18 2015 Florence Crittenton Results 37 Students (1 Summer Camp) Male 0% Female 100% – Youth Ages 12-17 June 22-June 28 2015 Genesis Academy Results 18 Students (1 Summer Camp) Male 56% Female 44% – Youth Ages 10-20

Release the Fear, Inc. ® PO Box 3815 Phoenix, AZ 85030 www.releasethefear.org 602-818 6959

"We learned sometimes you have to go through a few hoops to achieve your Dreams."

J.P. Age 15

Inspiring and empowering thousands of youth with the tools to make better life choices .

. .

P & L January through December 2015

P & L January through December 2015

"It amazes me how each one of the individual canvases created by 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."

-L.B. Age 16

Release the Fear, Inc. Projected Budget 2016

"Learning the magic of creating something good as a team, incredible" M. P. Age 13

Thank you for believing in our

mission and vision for the last twenty years. For understanding that every child is deserving to be inspired and empowered with the tools to make better life choices. Today they are that much closer to finding their gifts they have to share with the world around them.

Office- 302 W. Monroe in Downtown Phoenix Mailing-P.O.Box3815 Phoenix, AZ 85030 info@release the fear.org www.releasethefear.org