Each CYS program at Fort Monroe held activities over CC! Week. For instance, Donna Balance is the director of the School Age Services, and her after-school class of 6- to 10-year-olds built a display and baked cookies for parents. In addition, a Hampton police officer spoke to her class about being responsible citizens and avoiding drug and alcohol abuse.
“Positive role models are so important to the program,” Ms. Ballance said. "It really makes a difference when successful individuals within our own community -- to include brothers, sisters and older students -- step forward to say, 'This is what I accomplished by being responsible,' and 'It’s cool to care for others and respect your community.'"
Community service is a key element of Fort Monroe's CC! program. Ms. Ballance’s class conducted a “Coats for Kids” drive and gathered donations for a local food bank. Youngsters from the Fort’s Child Development Center also performed numerous cleanup projects in November.
"At such a young age, our kids may not understand the general concept of community service or citizenship," said CDC director Susanne Elsass. "But they can learn the basic building blocks of those traits, like the feeling of pride when you do a good deed or the positive response from others when you lend a helping hand. It's very effective. A lot of our kids who’ve moved on to the older youth programs here are still very much involved in community service."
The CDC also recently unveiled a new CC! display at the Center. Youngsters created much of the artwork, and the display lets parents post the names of children who exemplify any of the Six Pillars.
"It may seem like the simplest thing, but it means the world to our kids to see their name highlighted," Ms. Elsass said. Depictions of columns adorn her classroom, each labeled with one of the Six Pillars. She adds names whenever a student displays that Pillar.
“Positive role models are so important to the program,” Ms. Ballance said. "It really makes a difference when successful individuals within our own community -- to include brothers, sisters and older students -- step forward to say, 'This is what I accomplished by being responsible,' and 'It’s cool to care for others and respect your community.'"
Community service is a key element of Fort Monroe's CC! program. Ms. Ballance’s class conducted a “Coats for Kids” drive and gathered donations for a local food bank. Youngsters from the Fort’s Child Development Center also performed numerous cleanup projects in November.
"At such a young age, our kids may not understand the general concept of community service or citizenship," said CDC director Susanne Elsass. "But they can learn the basic building blocks of those traits, like the feeling of pride when you do a good deed or the positive response from others when you lend a helping hand. It's very effective. A lot of our kids who’ve moved on to the older youth programs here are still very much involved in community service."
The CDC also recently unveiled a new CC! display at the Center. Youngsters created much of the artwork, and the display lets parents post the names of children who exemplify any of the Six Pillars.
"It may seem like the simplest thing, but it means the world to our kids to see their name highlighted," Ms. Elsass said. Depictions of columns adorn her classroom, each labeled with one of the Six Pillars. She adds names whenever a student displays that Pillar.
