Team Kids Inc

TEAM KIDS OUTCOMES AT A GLANCE: FY 2020: O 4 STATES: TEAM KIDS CHALLENGE (TKC) IMPLEMENTED IN CALIFORNIA, VIRGINIA, NEW YORK AND ARIZONA O15 CITIES: TEAM KIDS UNITE IMPLEMENTED IN: O CALIFORNIA: COMPTON, IRVINE, TUSTIN, FULLERTON, COSTA MESA, RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA, NEWPORT BEACH, MISSION VIEJO, PLACENTIA, VILLA PARK, TORRANCE, PALOS VERDES O VIRGINIA: ARLINGTON O NEW YORK: BROOKLYN BOROUGH: BROWNSVILLE COMMUNITY O ARIZONA: TEMPE O4 CITIES: TEAM KIDS HOME EDITION IMPLEMENTED IN: O CALIFORNIA: FULLERTON AND VILLA PARK O ARIZONA: TEMPE AND PHOENIX O3, 700: NUMBER OF STUDENTS WHO COMPLETED THE TEAM KIDS HOME EDITION O$1,200: VALUE OF CHORES FOR CHARITY PROCEEDS AND IN-KIND DONATIONS COLLECTED BY TEAM KIDS HOME EDITION STUDENT PARTICIPANTS FOR CHARITY. O10: NUMBER OF 501(C)3 CHARITIES WHO BENEFITED FROM TKC AND STUDENT DONATIONS

TEAM KIDS CHALLENGE PROGRAM: THE TEAM KIDS CHALLENGE (TKC) IS TEAM KIDS FLAGSHIP PROGRAM. THE TKC IS ROOTED IN THE SEARCH INSTITUTES 40 DEVELOPMENTAL ASSETS FRAMEWORK, WHICH HAS SHOWN THAT THE MORE ASSETS CHILDREN ACQUIRE, THE LESS LIKELY THEY ARE TO ENGAGE IN HIGH RISK BEHAVIORS (ALCOHOL AND OTHER DRUG USE, CRIME), AND THE BETTER THEIR CHANCES OF POSITIVE OUTCOMES LIKE SCHOOL SUCCESS, GOOD HEALTH, AND POSITIVE LIFE CHOICES. GIVEN THE HIGH COST TO SOCIETY OF ALCOHOL AND OTHER DRUG ADDICTION, INCARCERATION, AND SO ON, EFFECTIVE INTERVENTIONS WITH CHILDREN BEFORE THEY HIT MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL AMOUNT TO A SUBSTANTIAL POTENTIAL RETURN ON INVESTMENT, PARTICULARLY IN COMMUNITIES WHERE SUCH RISKS ARE KNOWN TO BE HIGH.EFFECTIVE PROGRAMS THAT DO MORE THAN PREVENTION ARE OBVIOUSLY EVEN BETTER. IF INTERVENTIONS CAN PREVENT HIGH RISK BEHAVIORS WHILE BUILDING CAPABLE YOUNG PEOPLE WITH THE SKILLS AND RESILIENCY TO MEET THE CHALLENGES OF THEIR FUTURE, THEN THERES AN EVEN MORE COMPELLING CASE TO ESTABLISH AND GROW SUCH PROGRAMS.

TEAM KIDS UNITE, YOU CANT QUARANTINE COMPASSION: THE WORLD EXPERIENCED AN UNPRECEDENTED GLOBAL PANDEMIC. AS A RESULT, SCHOOLS CLOSED ACROSS THE COUNTRY. FOR MANY CHILDREN, THAT MEANT THAT THEY WERE FULLY DISCONNECTED FROM THEIR PEERS ESPECIALLY IF THEIR FAMILIES COULD NOT AFFORD SMARTPHONES OR TECHNOLOGY TO ENABLE THEM TO CONNECT WITH EACH OTHER DIGITALLY OUTSIDE OF THE CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT. FOR VIRTUALLY ALL CHILDREN, THAT MEANT THAT THEY COULD NO LONGER SEE THEIR FRIENDS IN PERSON. EDUCATORS, RESEARCHERS, AND PARENTS ALIKE BECAME CONCERNED ABOUT CHILDRENS MENTAL HEALTH AND SENSE OF BELONGING. AT ITS CORE, ONE OF THE TRADITIONAL TEAM KIDS CHALLENGE PROGRAMS STRENGTHS IS THAT IT ENABLES YOUTH TO CONNECT REGULARLY WITH EACH OTHER AND WITH OFFICERS IN PERSON. HOWEVER, THE UNANTICIPATED SCHOOL CLOSURES RENDERED THE TRADITIONAL PROGRAM IMPOSSIBLE, THEREBY REMOVING FROM THE YOUTH AND THE SCHOOLS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR POSITIVE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT AND POLICE-COMMUNITY RELATIONSHIP BUILDING. DURING THE COVID-19 STAY-AT-HOME MANDATES, TEAM KIDS CREATED THE TEAM KIDS UNITE, A VIRTUAL COMMUNITY SERVICE PROGRAM THAT GIVES STUDENTS THE CHANCE TO DO FUN PROJECTS AT HOME TO HELP PEOPLE AND BE KIND TO OTHERS. TEAM KIDS BRAINSTORMED MULTIPLE CHALLENGES THAT YOUTH CAN PARTICIPATE IN FROM HOME AND CREATED SCRIPTS TO PRODUCE SHORT VIDEOS LED BY TEAM KIDS COACHES TO ENGAGE AND INTRODUCE CHALLENGES FOR YOUTH TO PARTICIPATE IN. SOME OF THE CHALLENGES INCLUDED: - THANK YOU LETTERS TO ESSENTIAL WORKERS: DRAW/WRITE A THANK YOU LETTER TO ALL ESSENTIAL WORKERS. - CHORES FOR CHARITY: DO A LIST FAVORITE CHORE AROUND THE HOUSE, AND FOR EVERY VIDEO/PICTURE/DRAWING SUBMISSION OF CHORE, TEAM KIDS WILL DONATE A DOLLAR TO CHARITY. - SOCK PUPPET PLAYS: MAKE A SOCK PUPPET AND CREATE A PLAY ALL ABOUT SPREADING KINDNESS. - INTERVIEW YOUR PERSONAL HERO: INTERVIEW SOMEONE SPECIAL IN YOUR LIFE AND THANK SHE/HER FOR BEING A ROLE MODEL IN YOUR LIFE. - HANDMADE DOG TOYS: MAKE A HANDMADE DOG TOY AND DONATE TO LOCAL ANIMAL SHELTER. - JOKES FOR CHILDRENS HOSPITAL: WRITE/DRAW/VIDEO RECORD YOUR BEST KNOCK KNOCK JOKE TO SHARE WITH CHILDREN AT CHILDRENS HOSPITALS. TEAM KIDS HOME EDITION: IN RESPONSE TO THE UNEXPECTED SCHOOL CLOSURES, TEAM KIDS RAPIDLY YET STRATEGICALLY DEVELOPED THE TEAM KIDS CHALLENGE: HOME EDITION TO NOT ONLY EMPOWER AND AMPLIFY YOUTH VOICES, BUT ALSO TO PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR KIDS TO CONNECT WITH THEIR PEERS AND THE LOCAL POLICE DEPARTMENT. THE VIRTUAL ADAPTATION OF THE TKC WAS SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED AS AN ACCESSIBLE WAY FOR KIDS TO INTERACT WITH OTHER KIDS WITH THE SHARED PURPOSE OF MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN THEIR COMMUNITYALL FROM THEIR OWN HOMES.THE FALL OF 2020, MOST SCHOOL DISTRICTS CREATED HYBRID SCHOOLING WHERE CLASS WAS BACK IN PERSON AS WELL AS VIRTUALLY FROM HOME. AS SCHOOLING RETURNED, TEAM KIDS REACHED OUT TO SCHOOLS IN HOPES OF BRINGING BACK TEAM KIDS ON CAMPUS. UNFORTUNATELY, SCHOOLS WERE NOT READY FOR IN-PERSON PROGRAMMING; HOWEVER SOME SCHOOLS WELCOMED THE PROGRAM VIRTUALLY. SOME OF THE SCHOOLS INCLUDED : -SUNSET AND BRET TARVER ELEMENTARY FROM THE CARTWRIGHT SCHOOL DISTRICT IN ARIZONA -AGUILAR AND ARREDONDO ELEMENTARY FROM TEMPE SCHOOL DISTRICT IN ARIZONA -ORANGETHORPE ELEMENTARY FROM FULLERTON SCHOOL DISTRICT IN CA -VILLA PARK ELEMENTARY FROM ORANGE SCHOOL DISTRICT IN CABELOW IS A BREAKDOWN OF TEAM KIDS HOME EDITION: VIRTUAL KICKOFF ASSEMBLY: PRODUCED VIDEO WHERE TEAM KIDS COACHES ALONGSIDE PUBLIC SAFETY PARTNERS, INTRODUCE THE PROGRAM TO THE ENTIRE SCHOOL VIRTUALLY. TEAM KIDS COACHES DESCRIBE THE TWO KEY COMPONENTS OF THE PROGRAM WHICH INCLUDE THE VIRTUAL WEEKLY CHALLENGES AND VIRTUAL LEADERSHIP TEAM MEETINGS WITH UPPER GRADERS. PUBLIC SAFETY PARTNERS SHARE THE POWER OF TEAMWORK AND SHARE HOW POLICE AND FIRE WORK AS A TEAM. VIRTUAL WEEKLY CHALLENGES: THROUGHOUT THE PROGRAM, THE ENTIRE SCHOOL IS INVITED TO PARTICIPATE IN YOUTH LED WEEKLY CHALLENGES TO BENEFIT VARIOUS LOCAL CHARITIES. CHALLENGES INCLUDE FUN AND UNIQUE WAYS FOR STUDENTS TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE FROM THE SAFETY AND COMFORT OF THEIR HOME. EACH CHALLENGE BENEFITS DIFFERENT CAUSES THAT STUDENTS ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT SUCH AS HELPING THE HOMELESS, CHILDRENS HOSPITALS, AND ANIMAL SHELTERS. LEADERSHIP TEAM MEETINGS: UPPER GRADERS AT THE SCHOOL ARE INVITED TO BE LEADERS AND TOGETHER, WORK AS A TEAM TO HELP OTHERS IN THEIR COMMUNITY. STUDENTS ON THE LEADERSHIP TEAM WILL VOLUNTARILY GIVE UP THEIR LUNCHTIME ONCE A WEEK FOR FOUR WEEKS TO MEET WITH TEAM KIDS COACHES, COLLEGE INTERNS, AND PUBLIC SAFETY PARTNERS. MEETINGS ARE HELD VIA ZOOM OR GOOGLE MEETS MEETINGS. DURING MEETINGS, STUDENTS WILL GET TO PARTICIPATE IN FUN ICEBREAKERS ACTIVITIES AND IDENTIFY, DISCUSS, AND BRAINSTORM A STUDENT-LED SERVICE PROJECT THAT THEY CAN ALL CONTRIBUTE SAFELY FROM HOME. STUDENTS BRAINSTORM CAUSES THEY ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT AND TOGETHER VOTE ON A COMMON CAUSE TO HELP. VIRTUAL LEADERSHIP TEAM SERVICE PROJECT: STUDENTS ON THE LEADERSHIP TEAM WILL BRAINSTORM A SERVICE PROJECT RELATED TO THE CAUSE THEY ALL VOTED ON. FOR EXAMPLE, STUDENTS WILL CREATE A PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT (PSA) VIDEO ABOUT A CAUSE TO SHARE WITH THE REST OF THE SCHOOL VIA SCHOOL ANNOUNCEMENTS. DEBRIEF MEETING: DURING THE LAST MEETING, TEAM KIDS COACHES WILL REVIEW WEEKLY CHALLENGE OUTCOMES AND SHARE SERVICE PROJECT STUDENTS ON THE LEADERSHIP TEAM WORKED ON. STUDENTS WILL GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE WHAT THEY LEARNED BEING PART OF THE LEADERSHIP TEAM AND CELEBRATE THEIR SERVICE PROJECT. PUBLIC SAFETY PARTNERS WILL ALSO CONGRATULATE STUDENTS ON THEIR HARD WORK AND SHARE THEIR EXPERIENCE BEING PART OF THE PROGRAM.