ALIVE Jones County: Making a Difference for Our Youth
Elizabeth Kilgore, Coordinator of ALIVE Jones County, says, “Research conducted by the initiative indicated four key areas of concern that impacted the quality of life in Jones County: the breakdown of the family, teenage pregnancy, health care access, and poor nutrition and exercise. The group realized early on that these concerns were not unique to Jones County; however, the individuals associated with the initiative wanted to see positive change in our community.”
Numerous programs have targeted the four key areas of concern over the years, but the ALIVE Jones County program is best known for several programs developed to target youth. They are TGIF (Teens Getting Involved for the Future, STARS (Striving Toward Awareness and Respect for Self), EMPOWER (Encouraging Meaningful Parenting Objectives While Engaging in Responsible Actions), parenting classes, the Mother-Daughter Conference, and BodyWorks. In 2006, ALIVE Jones County teamed up with the Laurel Exchange Club to incorporate another aspect in its services. The Exchange Parent-Youth Resource Library was developed to educate area citizens about child abuse prevention.
TGIF
One of the most recognizable programs of ALIVE Jones County is the Teens Getting Involved for the Future (TGIF) program. The program focuses on training Teen Leaders to carry a message of healthy choices to younger teens and preteens. Teen Leaders guide seventh-grade students through a series of six sessions that encourages sexual abstinence until marriage. Teen Leaders are 11th- and 12th-grade students and are chosen through a referral, application, and interview process. These teens are thoroughly trained, and an adult sponsor is assigned to give classroom support. Through this program, the Teen Leaders are taught integrity, and respect for themselves and others. The Teen Leaders participate in a number of activities throughout the year.Each February, ALIVE Jones County sponsors a Youth Abstinence Rally for seventhgrade students. The Teen Leaders participate in many more community service events throughout the year. “Abstinence is working! With TGIF being the only abstinence school-based program in the area, the Jones County teen pregnancy rate and teen birth rates decreased for four consecutive years,” says Kilgore.
STARS
Striving Toward Awareness and Respect for Self (STARS) is a special program in Stainton Elementary School that is a collaboration with the Laurel School District and the ALIVE Jones County Families First Resource Center. The program works with approximately 20 girls who the principal and teachers believe have high potential and can benefit most from the extra guidance that the program coordinator and mentors can provide.It is the intention of STARS, its coordinators, and its mentors to provide meaningful opportunities and positive examples that will allow each participant to grow and develop at her own rate to be her best self. STARS’ philosophy recognizes the life-long benefits reaped from developing a positive self-image, an awareness of culture, and a love for learning.
STARS seeks to be an effective partner with teachers, parents, and community members to provide opportunities for participants to develop personal interests and gifts and delight in learning, and to become well-educated, balanced, and capable members of their schools, communities, and society.
EMPOWER
Through the collaborative efforts of ALIVE Jones County Families First Resource Center, and the Laurel City School District, the Encouraging Meaningful Parenting Objectives While Engaging in Responsible Actions (EMPOWER) program was launched in Laurel High School to enhance the parenting skills of local teen parents.Alive Jones County EMPOWER program’s philosophy is based on the belief that every parent wants to provide his or her children with the best spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical developmental support possible. It is the intention of the EMPOWER program to provide meaningful opportunities and information that will allow each participant to achieve their goal of being the best parent that they can be. EMPOWER program’s philosophy recognizes the longterm benefits of young parents being completely involved in the early childhood development stages of their children and beyond. The goal of this program is to address specific parenting issues that teen parents face from a positive, asset-building perspective.
PARENTING CLASSES
Professionals in the field agree that parenting skill classes may ensure the healthy growth and development of children. ALIVE Jones County Families First Resource Center offers weekly parenting classes to young adults. A variety of subjects that includes Parental Responsibilities, Financial Budgeting for the Family, Understanding Behavior, Communicating with Your Child, Self-Awareness, Stress, Building Your Child’s Self-Esteem, and Discipline that Works are explored. Classes are held weekly and run in 10-week sessions. The classes are made up of both mothers and fathers who have expressed the desire to enhance their parenting skills and become better parents. “Through the parenting classes for the first month of the new grant year we have already served 40 parents. Last year we served a total of 80 parents during the year,” states Kilgore.MOTHER-DAUGHTER CONFERENCE
ALIVE Jones County and South Central Regional Medical Center present an annual Mother-Daughter Conference in a relaxing French-bistro setting to help celebrate the special bond between mothers and their daughters. The years between being a little girl and becoming a young woman are often fraught with confusion, raging emotions, numerous questions, as well as the age-old struggle for independence. It is hoped that this will open lines of communication between mothers and daughters and set precedence for future communication. Members of the medical community are present to speak with mothers and the daughters about listening and talking to each other, even hearing between the lines in some cases. Discussions are offered regarding the very confusing puberty years with both groups. The young women are given information about the changes in their body over the next few years, and mothers are given tips on how to discuss these changes with their children.BODYWORKS
BodyWorks, an obesity education and prevention program sponsored by South Central Regional Medical Center and ALIVE Jones County, celebrates a healthy nondiet lifestyle for adults and children of every size. Classes are held weekly and run in 10-week sessions. Solid habits prevent eating and weight problems instead of intensifying them. BodyWorks teaches how to stop dieting for good and get on with living in healthy ways, feeling good about oneself, rather than impatiently pursuing crash diets in hopes of losing unwanted pounds. The program provides a kit, free of charge, that includes a weekly planner, shopping list, recipe book, pedometer, magazine-style publication for parents and children, and DVD demonstrating menu planning, shopping for healthy foods, cooking, and family meals. All to help promote and support you and your family as you reach a healthier lifestyle.
In the early years of the ALIVE Jones County Community Health
Initiative, programs were funded solely by South Central Regional
Medical Center, but now the programs are fully funded by grants
and donations. The community health initiative received a $280,000
grant from the Department of Human Services to fund programs this
year, and the Laurel Exchange Club made its annual contribution of
$30,000 recently to bring the total budget to $310,000.
“Lives have been changed as a result of the many programs sponsored by ALIVE Jones County. We sincerely appreciate the financial support we have received over the years, and we look forward to another year of serving our community,” Elizabeth Kilgore concludes.
