How One Class is Changing Teens’ Futures

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Before entering her first year at William Fleming High School, Ireland Maxey was nervous. Nervous about her new school, nervous about taking more difficult classes, and nervous about her future.

Expanding Horizons

During her first semester, she took African American Culture and Contemporary Issues (AACCI), a class offered by TAP in partnership with the school. It gave Ireland the guidance she needed to be excited about her high school journey and beyond. AACCI teaches the diverse history and culture of Africa and examines the experiences of Black people in America, all while teaching students a myriad of useful skills, from conflict resolution to mindfulness. Project Discovery, a TAP program, works in tandem with AACCI to prepare students for college success. Lateefah Trent, Project Discovery’s program coordinator, states, “Our biggest goal is to show students that there is something beyond the zip code they live in.” Once in class, Ireland blossomed.

“After a few weeks in class, she became less reserved,”says Antonio Stovall, who teaches AACCI. “She started asking meaningful questions about history and cultural identity. Then she began thinking more about college… Her overall outlook on life changed.” Now, thanks to AACCI and Project Discovery, Ireland plans to graduate high school early and attend college.

Thinking Beyond High School

“I want to major in psychology after learning about mindfulness in class,” says Ireland. “If not for AACCI, I would have never learned how to meditate. Now I use meditation any time I’m feeling stressed.” Recently, Project Discovery has taken to the outdoors, leading students on hikes, through ropes courses, and on other confidence building and stress-reducing excursions meant to both broaden students’ horizons and reinforce the benefits of outdoor activity on physical and mental health. Antonio sees these trips as integral to Ireland’s success.

Not many students have the initiative to participate outside of class, but “when we have activities outside of school, like hikes or wilderness survival classes, Ireland is always there,” he says.

Together, AACCI and Project Discovery have given Ireland a new perspective and the tools she needs to achieve her goals. Given the programs’ impact on her, Antonio says he sees Ireland “going on to college and doing great things.”

Learn more

To learn more about this program, email Lateefah.trent@nulltapintohope.org.  

Children play outside at Craig County Child Care Center

TAP Head Start Partnership in Craig County

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Before Craig County Child Care Center existed, the area’s only option for early childhood education was a half-day preschool open three days per week. Once the Center opened, families had more reliable childcare. But as the only licensed provider in Craig, the community’s need surpassed what the Center could provide–that’s where TAP Head Start came in.

A Successful Partnership

The partnership began in 2016 when TAP provided funding for eight children to attend the Center tuition-free. The partnership has since grown to slots for 26 children.

“When we partnered with Head Start originally, we were operating on a shoestring budget. This has really grown our facility,” says Teresa Oliver, the Center’s executive director.

TAP also helped the Center improve its service quality through curriculum selection and staff training. “We use a high-quality curriculum that we didn’t use before. Hygiene and health has become a focus of ours, so all of our children brush their teeth every morning and get dental checks every year. All of our children get vision checks every year. That’s not something that was happening, especially in a rural community like ours,” says Teresa.

All Center staff now have Child Development Associate (CDA) credentials and an endorsement in early childhood, and some, Teresa says, “have completed the advanced certificate program at Virginia Western.”

Beyond Childcare

Teresa notes that the partnership’s benefits go beyond childcare. “It’s helped with parents being able to go to work,” she says. “If you didn’t have a quality childcare center that you felt comfortable and safe sending your kids to, then how did you work outside of the home? Now that we have these paid-for slots, we’ve had more families that have been able to go to work and have an income.”

One such parent is Kristin Foster, a single mom. With reliable childcare, she’s been free to work toward her associate degree and the next step in her career.

“I want to thank TAP and the Center for everything they do…,” Kristin says. “They always go above and beyond.”

Find out more about TAP Head Start

Click here to find out more about our early childhood education programs.

Man holding a binder smiles at the camera in a classroom

Youth Leadership Programs Launched

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Djuan Hankins is passionate about helping youth athletes. He’s been coaching girls’ and boys’ basketball for 19 years and been the head JV girls coach at William Fleming for the last six. This experience made him a natural choice to spearhead TAP’s Coaching Boys Into Men (CBIM) and girl-focused Athletes as Leaders (AAL) programs as our youth services specialist. Both programs help coaches and other community members learn to empower youth to stand up for respect, integrity, and non-violence.

In 2020, two TAP staff members and a representative from Roanoke City Police Department flew out to California to receive training and certification in these evidence-based programs. Progress was slowed due to the pandemic and customizing content and training for local needs, but the local roll-out began in earnest this year. Our community is now the only one in Virginia offering these programs.

Train the Trainer

This “train the trainer” initiative focuses on reaching youth by training community advocates. Anyone who works with youth—coaches, probation officers, police, social workers, counselors, and more—is a good candidate for this training. Djuan has condensed the curriculum into a single 3-hour training session.  

Once trained, advocates are ready to implement the program with the youth they work with. The curriculum is designed for 12 weeks, but flexible. Program materials are scripted, making them easy to put into action. They focus on behaviors, discipline, and how youth carry themselves outside a team setting. Coaches and other youth advocates present weekly material in 15-minute chunks, then discuss the topic with players. “As coaches we already have those conversations, but this helps you go a little more in depth and know what topics to bring up,” says Djuan.  

The Main Goal: Reduce Youth Violence

The initiative’s overall goal is to reduce violence. Many kids witness violence in their homes and communities. CBIM and AAL help students recognize disrespectful or dangerous behavior and intervene safely. It also teaches leadership skills, respect for others, and gender and racial equality. These are talks most participants aren’t having at home. 

“The program is pretty much set up to be catered for sports teams,” says Djuan. “They’re the pillars and leaders in the school. If we can reach the athletes and reach their mindsets, they can carry it out through the school. But we have opened it up to all young men and women. Studies have shown that students who have participated in the program are most likely to intervene in abusive behaviors. Kids think that abusive behavior is normal behavior because they see it so much.”

Getting Results

Seventeen youth advocates have already completed local certification training. William Fleming and Patrick Henry High School cheerleaders, Patrick Henry wrestlers, and students from Fishwick Middle School have participated. Athletes complete pre- and post-season assessments that measure mindset, behavioral, and communication changes. The program is already proving to effect positive change in the kids and families it touches. 

This year’s goal is to certify 20 advocates. Training is free, and so is the program. Djuan is looking for coaches, police officers, and others who work as youth advocates in the community. Plans are for training to be offered every quarter.

Learn More

For more information on this FREE certification, please contact djuan.hankins@nulltapintohope.org.