Thursday, February 18^th

Animal Assisted Therapy Proves Successful With Troubled Teens

Troubled teens experiencing emotional and behavioral issues often benefit from animal assisted therapy, according to mental health professionals. Studies such as Redefer and Goodman (1989) and Kogan, Granger, Fitchett, Helmer and Young (1999) document the benefits of interaction with a therapy pet, and Mallon (1994a,b) cites benefits of farm animals and dogs at a residential treatment facility for children with conduct disorders.

Equine assisted psychotherapy (EAP) is an emerging form of therapeutic intervention beneficial to the mental health and healing of teens undergoing treatment for depression, anxiety, ADD, alcohol or drug abuse and other disorders. Read More

Back to top

Control or Cooperation

Culture or Structure – The Teacher Leader astutely points out the importance "creating a positive, productive and trusting relationship between the administrative team and the teaching staff." When all is said and done, any school improvement effort that focuses on changes in structure is doomed to failure unless the culture of the school changes. When school change is mentioned, many think immediately of reconfiguring bricks and mortar, changing the physical configuration of a school building, altering schedules, acquiring new technology, or purchasing equipment. But schools are not about bricks and mortar. Schools are about people and what they believe and expect, how they think, and how they interact and work together. Read More

Back to top

Project 180 Teaches Empowerment, Gang Prevention

"These kids don't wake up bad"

If Project 180 can turn students from failing grades to being at the top of the class, then officials believe they can do the same to prevent kids from gang activity.

For several years, the project has empowered many kids to stay on track academically, emotionally and spiritually. And now, the program has added gang prevention and intervention to its objectives.

"They must have it on all three levels," said Titus Hopper, director of the program. "It’s like a net. If we can get kids within that net, it creates empowerment." Read More

Back to top

Project Reentry Attempts to Help Released Inmates

How willing would you be to give an ex-offender a second chance after paying his debt to society?

This is just the issue that's being addressed through Project Reentry. The project is grant funded and during their February monthly meeting the Edgecombe County Board of Commissioners approved the submission of a $227,936 grant application to the Governor's Crime Commission to continue funding.

The United States Department of Justice explains that reentry "involves the use of programs targeted at promoting the effective reintegration of offenders back to communities upon release from prison and jail." Read More

Back to top