CHOICES Champion

CHOICES NEWS:

UPS Foundation Awards CHOICES $50,000 New Program Grant

The UPS Foundation has awarded a new $50,000 grant to support CHOICES program delivery across the U.S. This is the fifth consecutive annual program grant from the UPS Foundation, and brings the five-year total of contributions to $175,000. Funds will be used primarily to “seed” CHOICES delivery in new locations with the understanding that these locations will become self-sustaining in subsequent years. If you know of a new location that needs CHOICES and has an education and volunteer-minded chamber of commerce or service club, please contact us at info@choices.org.

What Happens in Vegas..? CHOICES!

With a new grant from the Nevada Community Foundation, CHOICES will be delivered once again to the students of Clark County School District in Las Vegas, Nevada. The $24,970 grant will help bring CHOICES to 4,500 ninth graders in the district, primarily through target schools that have been served in the past. In addition, business and community volunteers from across the city will team up to provide the presenters needed to serve these 150 classes. If you live in Vegas and want to help, please contact us at info@choices.org.

CHOICES Whirls Up a Storm at YWCA GirlsFirst Summer Academy

Seattle’s YWCA GirlsFirst is a year-long program that is open to girls entering high school who have the desire and potential for leadership and excellence (see www.ywcaworks.org/page/136). The program is specifically designed to attract Girls of Color who are faced with economic and social barriers to success. CHOICES partnered with GirlsFirst this year, delivering the CHOICES workshop to all the girls in their July Summer Academy…and then surprised them with a visit by two of the WNBA’s Seattle Storm players–Tanisha Wright and Shyra Ely!
Click here for photos and more.

CHOICES MANAGEMENT TIP OF THE MONTH

Time To Plan Your Next Presenter Training Session

As all CHOICES Program Managers know, volunteer presenters come and go occasionally as their jobs and lives change, so one of the most beneficial activities you can spend the off-season (summer) doing is recruiting and training new presenters. Scheduling a training date gives prospective presenters a deadline to respond to, and often helps with recruiting. Current presenters may also want to attend to refresh their workshop. So set a training date, get the word out, and train away! Please contact your CHOICES representative if you have questions about training content and timing.

CHOICES FIELD REPORT

Pittsburgh Airport Area Chamber Impacts Tough Neighborhoods

When Sally Haas, President of the Pittsburgh Airport Area Chamber of Commerce and Enterprise Foundation, visited CHOICES in Seattle last spring, little did she know what kind of environment she and her CHOICES presenters would face as they delivered CHOICES. When they visited Aliquippa Middle School this year, they were shocked to learn that the main street in town had been shut down due to drug dealers and the high crime rate. It was scary just driving to the school.

The students, only 13 and 14 years old, knew way too much about life - one was already pregnant. But Sally and her team knew the need was great, so they pressed on, and although the students were very tough on them the first day, they became quite engaged the second day, and the message got through. "The kids were really hard on us Day One," said Haas. "They operate in a tough environment and we quickly knew we'd have to tailor our delivery of the workshop differently. These are kids growing up too fast, too aware of the consequences that wrong decisions perpetuate." READ MORE