Keeping Up Alternative School Suspension Program
Every 35 seconds a student is suspended from school in an American classroom. Where do these students go? In Orlando’s Orange County they can come to “Keeping UP”. This educational program is for short-term (10 days or less) suspended students. Students from grade levels K-12 attend 8:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. Monday – Friday. The program is concurrent with the Orange County Public School Calendar Year.
“Keeping UP” allows students to remain actively focused academically in a structured and supervised environment. This environment prohibits neighborhood and mall loitering and/or at home enjoying a “mini” vacation. Our endeavor is not only to have students keep up with their assignments, but to build self-esteem and character guidance in subjects such as anger management, conflict resolution, and peer mediation.
Through group and individual counseling, at risk behaviors are identified. We address the concerns that caused the suspension and offer ways of prevention/intervention.
“Keeping UP” will continue to make academic and social difference in students’ lives.
“Straight UP” Teen Health Program
Annually more than one million adolescent women become pregnant. Other teens become infected with sexually transmitted diseases. “Straight UP” is a health program that provides accurate and vital information regarding risk reduction measures.
Annually, “Straight UP” hosts a Teen Health Conference at a local theme park. In the past we have hosted key-note speaker and formal professional basketball player, AC Green. To promote continued education and leadership in the community, The Betty Jean Wells Memorial Scholarship Fund has been established. Annually this scholarship is given to a college bound student.
Through the “Straight UP” Teen Health Program, students and their families are empowered with the ability to make clear choices regarding their sexuality. “Straight UP” promotes self-esteem, positive peer pressure, building strong relationships with others and most of all, abstinence education with integrity.
Man UP, Mentoring Program
Man UP is a mentoring program for male youth middle to high school. The goals of this program are to foster healthy relationships, teach responsible and appropriate behaviors and social skills and encourage academic prowess. These goals are achieved by utilizing the four basic leadership development techniques. Connecting, Growing, Serving and Sharing.
These skills are taught by developing relationship on a recreational level the first few weeks, as healthy relationships are fostered by a team of responsible adult males, the youth are slowing brought into the class room setting for training that develop the connecting, growing , serving and sharing skills. As these skills are honed students reach into their own community and sphere of influence and connect with other, share with others and serve or give back.
Ladies UP, First! is a mentoring program targeted to young ladies in middle school and high school. Our purpose is to empower, equip, and encourage these young ladies to be women of integrity, purpose, self-respect and appreciation of others. Ladies First is designed to coach young ladies in their academic studies and goal achievement. We are inspiring young ladies to set positive standards that can be duplicated...above all to be LADIES FIRST!