Challenge Day funding
A team of teachers from Emporia Middle School and Emporia High School have raised $12,000 to bring an anti-bullying program to students, parents and educators in Lyon County, according to a news release from Tom Krueger, attorney and representative for The Hopkins Foundation.
Krueger said he and representatives of the Emil Babinger Foundation, the Loretto Langley Trust and the Reeble Foundation met at a luncheon Friday and each wrote a check for $2,000 to help pay for the cost of the “Challenge Day” program.
Clark had said at an earlier meeting that the first day of the three-day program will be spent setting up and planning logistics for the event. The remaining two days — April 22 and 23 — will be spent learning and participating in the program.
Other underwriters of Challenge Day are the Emporia Community Foundation, EMS and EMS PTO, Russ Lawson Painting and Kiwanis, Rotary and Sertoma clubs.
The Flint Hills Girl Scout Council brought “Next Step Community Workshop” to Emporia earlier this year for girls in the community.
Challenge Day addresses violence, racism, teasing, stereotypes and tobacco, drug and alcohol awareness within the context of teen life, Krueger said in the release. The program, founded by Rich and Yvonne St. John-Dutra of Concord, Calif., uses games, activities and group discussions to get its message across to participants.
A total of 100 students, educators and parents will participate.
zoahjoe (anonymous) says...
Did the school board approve this? Are all students required to attend?
October 4, 2007 at 7:26 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
citizen (anonymous) says...
As a parent of a student that goes to EMS I was never asked if this program SHOULD be brought to the school. Right now the school is teaching anti-bullying. $12,000.00 should have gone to the teachers that are instructing our kids right now. Did these foundation ASK the parents of the children if we want the program. I have told my son that he will not be going near the school on those two days. He will have 2 free days of school. He will not participate. Why was this not brought to a vote?
October 5, 2007 at 8:24 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
create (anonymous) says...
That's a pretty hefty list of underwriters. Weren't these people aware of all the opposition to this program? I remember all of the good evidence that was presented from out-of-state folks when this program happened in their town. Not a bit of it was good. I'm sorry to hear this. Now we have to hope the Gazette covers this thoroughly. I hope they plan to be there.
October 5, 2007 at 8:31 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Emporia_Spartan (anonymous) says...
This program should be carefully scrutinized before placing our children into suspicious hands in a locked-in environment during school time on school grounds. Doesn't the school board realize how vulnerable they are when turning over students, facilities, and school days to an outside group that has a very questionable reputation? My daughter will not be participating in the hug a stranger and sit on strangers' laps games during Challenge Day! Parents-- read up on this and ask the Board members to re-think this situation. If it does occur-- it should be a non-school day and away from school. What are you people thinking???? How much money is being given to the teacher-organizers?? There is something very fishy here. I am shocked that Tom Krueger would push this off on the foundation representatives as a worthwhile expenditure of funding. $12,000 would go a long way for all students (not just 100) if directed toward the anti-bullying program already being taught in our schools. Let's talk about a cost-benefit analysis here!
October 8, 2007 at 11:40 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )