By Daniel L. Bamberg
The Alabama Cooperative Extension System began working with educators at Centreville Middle School and community volunteers to strengthen families through the Prosper program in January. Bibb County Extension agents, Erica Rhine and Joy Maxwell helped organize the program with the help of volunteers from Bibb County High Schools, the Bibb Belles and other volunteers.
On Thursday, March 24 five kids and their parents concluded the seven week program with an obvious enthusiasm and a renewed since of strength in their spirits.
The Prosper program, which is funded through the extension, was initially developed out of Penn State University and was then accepted at Iowa State until making its way to Auburn University and the Alabama Cooperative Extension.
The goal has been to lessen the amount of substance abuse and other concerns with today’s youth. The program is a flexible concept with the ultimate goal of opening real dialogue between children and adults, to break down some of the barriers, which separate the parent/child relationship, and to ultimately strengthen communities. It targets middle school aged children and their parents. Researchers believe pre-teenage and early teenage adolescence are the key years to recognize any situations taken for granted in the family structure, which may lead to social problems. The ultimate purpose as with most Cooperative Extension programs is to strengthen the overall communities.
“When the family dynamic is strengthened, the community is strengthened. When the community is strengthened the state is strengthened. When the state is strengthened the nation is strengthened. Impacting the root of our prosperity, the family, can make a tremendous difference,” said Jatunn Gibson of the Alabama Cooperative Extension at Auburn University.
The Bibb County Prosper team selected the program titled, “Strengthening Families.” This program was designed for parents and youth. The program was delivered within parent, youth, and family sessions using narrated videos that portray typical youth and parent situations. The sessions were interactive and include role-playing, discussions, learning games, and family projects designed to improve parenting skills, build life skills in youth and strengthen family bonds.
“We are going back to face to face communication,” explains Gibson. “That is a part of the family structure that has changed over the course of so many years. When a husband and wife don’t do something as simple as eat dinner with their child, where is the communication? This is one of the major areas that prosper focuses on, strengthening the communication among the family.”
Prosper’s 7 week program was held at Centreville middle School on Thursday evenings. Parents and children were provided a meal, received door prizes, and other compensations for attending. That got some people in the door but according to parents, results is what kept them coming back.
“This has been a wonderful and encouraging experience for my son and I both,” explained Ann Sheppard who attended the program with her son Travis. “He has really come out of his shell and opened up more since we began coming here.”
Angela Murphy attended Prosper with her son, Dustin.
“(Dustin) has caught on to a lot and learned some real important life lessons,” said Murphy. “It is difficult to pinpoint a single thing, which stands out over anything else. The program goes through so many different situations, which occur in the family. I am glad he and I took the opportunity to be a part of this.”
Synithia Williams oversees the progress of Prosper for the Alabama Cooperative Extension in seven counties, including Bibb.
“This is a fun and exciting program and environment for families,” expressed Williams. “People don’t leave here without a smile on their face. I’ve never seen anyone who hasn’t been in good spirits while coming and going from this program. They are enjoying learning core things which will hopefully help them to prosper in life.”
The Bibb County office of the Alabama Cooperative Extension hopes that the program will return next year. With surveys being conducted at West Blocton Middle School and the program being perceived as a success at Centreville Middle School, signs of a return seem encouraging.
“What we are hoping is that those parents who attended Prosper this year will encourage other parents to attend next year,” explain Maxwell. “We encourage every parent of a middle school child to look forward to participating next year.”
(photo in alphabetical order) Bernadette Allen, Izeah Allen Jr., Mason Burt, Mona Burt, Valerie Conner (PROSPER Facilitator), Jatunn Gibson (State PROSPER Leader), Dorothy Grimes (PROSPER Facilitator), Sharon Golden (PROSPER Facilitator), Matthew Hartzel (Bibb County Extension Coordinator), Celeste Heard, Carrie Hetzel (PROSPER Facilitator), Jimmy Holifield, Kenina Lynch (PROSPER Facilitator), Maleea Massengale, Joy Maxwell (PROSPER Team Leader), Angela Murphy, Dustin Murphy, Eric Rhine ( PROSPER Co-Leader), Ann Sheppard, Tamala Sheppard, Travis Sheppard, Ryan Thompson, Alliyah Underwood, Amiyah Underwood, Karen Underwood, Synithia Williams (PROSPER Prevention Coordinator). (photo by Daniel L. Bamberg)
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