BASSETERRE St. Kitts, May 27th 2011 - In our pursuit to source materials to assist our schools in addressing the issues facing children today we came across this book published by Burgess Publications "Cool Calvin No Bandanas For Me" In No Bandanas for Me, Calvin convinces a schoolmate that gang life would only lead to a life of strife. Calvin urges him to confide in his teacher, guidance counselor, principal and police in order for him to break away from gang affiliation. Valuable life lessons are learned in this book that will enhance the life of any child. In keeping with a consistent character education theme, there are lessons on empathy, responsibility, sympathy as well as civic duty. Calvin also makes children aware of how simply being an accomplice is a crime alone. He gives great advice on how to avoid becoming an accomplice as well as becoming adept at conflict resolution. This book is now in over 600 schools in the U.S..
Operation Future has purchased and received 90 copies of this book and will distribute three to every primary school in the Federation following the Easter Break.
Well the first quarter of 2011 has certainly seen no rest for the members of Operation Future.
We continue to be seen in the schools, churches and community centers through our Federation.
It is always nice to see projects come to fruition, in 2011 Operation Future undertook the substantial task of hosting a conference entitled; Youth, Crime and Violence; a case for community intervention. So often conferences come and go with little impact.
We are pleased to say that this conference was different. In the first quarter of 2011 we have seen many of the groups from the conference initiate their plans and programs. We have seen an initiative of graffiti removal in Nevis, the Co-Cathedral Parish in East Independence Square designated February as Conscientization Month and Operation Future was invited to do a power point presentation on ?Signs and Dangers of the Gang Culture in St Kitts & Nevis? to the congregation, Cayon Secondary school's guidance counselors designated an entire week in February to anti-violence and requested Operation Future to speak. Operation Future was also invited to speak in Sandy Point at the Seventh day Adventist Church to a Community Life skills session.
These are only a few of the community initiatives coming from conference in which Operation Future participated. Two big events in February need to be mentioned.
First, our president, P.C. Lauston Percival, was selected as a result of his work in Operation Future to attend a three week course in the United States entitled; Children in the Criminal Justice System. The course was tremendously informative and covered all aspects of the justice system from the Supreme Court to closed and open custody structures. Operation Future intends to utilize the information learned by Lauston to benefit the children of the Federation.
Second, Operation Future had its second annual silent auction fund raiser, the event was hosted at Four seasons Resort, Nevis and was a tremendous success. We thank all who contributed to this fantastic event and promise that your faith has been well placed.
Greater Achievement for Every Child The Broken Glass Theory claims that neighborhood decay lead residents to withdraw from public life of the neighborhood and thereby reduce the efficacy of informal social control, leaving the area open for more serious criminal elements and crime. In essence the neighborhood surrenders control of their community and the community disintegrates to a gathering of individual homes concerned only with their own wellbeing, the villages that raises the child disappears.
Small businesses under attack from the criminal element leave the community, eliminating vital services and jobs driving the communityinto a further state of disrepair. The first step to returning health to a community is to undo the damage, address the issues of decay and return orderliness, make the community safe, small business will return as will jobs. In short the community once again takes control, claims ownership of the problem and becomes involved in implementing solutions.
Operation Future, firmly believes that attitude is heavily influenced by surroundings. As such we strongly support clean up and beautification initiatives that come out of communities, particularly when we see these projects initiated by young men and in communities that in recent years have fallen on hard times and are, unfortunately, referred to as hoods or ghettos.
In the first quarter of this year we have seen such initiatives coming out of communities like McKnight and Newtown in St Kitts, communities commonly associated to crime and violence within our Federation. It is even more heartening when we see these initiatives driven by young men who many people previously had given up on. In both McKnight and Newtown we are seeing a resurgence of church and bible amongst young men who had not so long ago turned their back on the good book for a more nefarious lifestyle.
Operation Future has supported the initiative of these young men by sourcing paint and gardening implements as well as providing guidance Operation Future continues to work diligently in the schools and communities of our country to return peace to our nation.
Although we have a lot of work to do we are definitely seeing changes for the positive, with continued work and with your support we firmly believe we are embarking on a positive path and peace will be returned to our nation.
*************************
DISCLAIMER
This article was posted in its entirety as received by SKNVibes.com. This media house does not correct any spelling or grammatical error within press releases and commentaries. The views expressed therein are not necessarily those of SKNVibes.com, its sponsors or advertisers.
