After-school program to launch for Houston County middle school students
WARNER ROBINS — Eight organizations have teamed together to offer a pilot after-school program aimed at promoting positive behavior in Houston County middle school students.
The Life Institute will launch with 50 students in sixth through eighth grades who will spend four hours playing basketball and learning life skills on Tuesdays and Thursdays at the Warner Robins First Church of Nazarene in February and March. Financial literacy, career development, social media discretion and interaction with law enforcement are among the skills that will be taught.
The program is an initiative of the Houston County Commission on Children and Youth Kids' Journey, a collaborative of nonprofits and other organizations that's led by a community board that oversees a state-funded executive director. Former Executive Director Chevonnia Jones resigned in December, leaving the program without a primary organizer until late January.
In the meantime, Jeff Tarver is taking the lead. Tarver is the founder and chief executive officer for Life League, a midstate nonprofit aimed at reducing high-risk behavior in youths by teaching life skills through sports.
"We're going to be offering tutoring and mentoring, and we're also going to offer some basketball games ... and other activities to kind of give kids something to do after school," Tarver said. "We'll offer some classes for parents as well to offer them some support."
Kids' Journey's soon-to-be Executive Director Tian Foss, currently prevention programs director at the Rainbow House Children's Resource Center, said the Life Institute also will be an opportunity for parents to learn skills.
"The Rainbow House has parenting programs we offer to the community for free, so we're going to offer some of that support ... on Tuesday evenings," Foss said, adding that a survey of the parents will determine what will be the focus of lessons. "We will tailor those classes to meet those needs."
Since no money from Kids' Journey is being used to operate the Life Institute, transportation won't be provided and a $25 fee will cover a basketball uniform, food and supplies, Foss said.
In late January, Foss will start working as Kids' Journey's executive director, and her office will be located in Warner Robins City Hall.
Mayor Randy Toms said he's excited about the after-school program because the city was burdened by Gov. Nathan Deal's 2013 juvenile justice reform, which focused on alternatives to incarceration for high-risk juveniles.
"It was very frustrating from a governmental standpoint, you know. What do you do?" Toms said of the situation.
"You try to reach young people before they get in trouble, and I think that's what Kids' Journey is attempting to do," the mayor said.
Other organizations involved in the initiative include New Vision MSK Inc., Premier Athletic Training, S.A.F.E. (Students Awarded for Excellence), Connections on the Parkway Inc. and Single Mom's Connect Inc.
To register for Life Institute, visit www.lifeleague.net. Scholarships are offered on a needs basis.
To contact writer Laura Corley, call 744-4334 or follow her on Twitter @Lauraecor.
This story was originally published January 10, 2016 at 9:08 PM with the headline "After-school program to launch for Houston County middle school students ."