CHOICES Champion

CHOICES NEWS:

Clockwise from Upper Left: Jim Elias, Gary Shenk, Mike Repass, Bill Weigand, Richard Cordova,
Leo Muller, Tiffany Markey, and Shannon Kavanaugh (Not Pictured: Joe Stowitschek)

In this season of joy we are extremely thankful for the wonderful work we are privileged to do, the wonderful partners we have in you, and the many thousands of teens we are honored to serve. We wish you all a wonderful holiday season and a very fulfilling 2010!

CHOICES MANAGEMENT TIP OF THE MONTH

Rookie Presenter Makes Key Play in Mesa

New Bank of America Presenter Ashley Moeding was prepared for anything her students were ready to "dish out" when she presented CHOICES for the very first time in Mesa, Arizona this fall. She even had a trick up her own sleeve; before delivering the workshop she spent $50 of her own money to buy a real key to attach to each CHOICES key chain.

When she handed out the key rings at the end of the workshop, she told her students that the real key was for whatever their choices were in school and life: a dorm room if they were going to college…a car when they had a good job…or maybe even a new home. She suggested they put it on their backpack so they would be reminded several times a day that the choices they make will determine what their key will unlock in their future.

The veteran classroom teacher observing Ashley’s presentation remarked that Ashley kept the most difficult of her six classes very focused, and that every student was reached…including an autistic child! Congratulations, Ashley, for making such an impact, and thanks for your commitment to Mesa teens!

CHOICES FIELD REPORT

Do the Math: 1993+17=18,000 in Greater Valley Chamber, Sayre, PA

It all adds up for CHOICES Program Manager Linda Murrelle of the Greater Valley Chamber of Commerce. Linda calculates that CHOICES began in 1993 in Sayre, PA and has run for 17 years since then, and they have served 18,000 students in that time. Linda adds that their area is very depressed economically, so she is very happy that they keep finding the funds to support CHOICES there.

To multiply the fun even more…about six years ago one of their chamber members offered to supply CHOICES T-shirts to give to every student at the end of the second day of CHOICES, along with their key ring…and they have done it ever since.

On a personal note, all of Linda’s nieces and nephews have been through CHOICES, and a grandson just went through it this school year in the 8th grade. The photo above shows a proud Linda with her nephew Stephen Yanuzzi, left, and grandson Seth Murrelle showing off their new CHOICES T-Shirts!

Thank you, Linda for your many years of service and commitment to the youth of Sayre, Athens, Towanda, Northeast Bradford, Epiphany Elementary School, Towanda Catholic School, North Rome Christian School, Waverly, NY and Tioga Center, NY…wow!