When Houston Middle School approached the Houston-based Pregnancy Resource Center of South-Central Missouri last year with regard to speaking to students, PRC executive director Debra Stockard began researching programs that would fit the school’s needs.
A program called “i am ENOUGH” was implemented, which deals with character development and sexual integrity for students grades 6 through 8. It is now presented four times a school year to HMS girls and boys in all grade levels.
The program was launched by Still Waters (of Kaufman, Texas), a non-profit, faith-based resource center serving youth and adults in the areas of abstinence, character development education, crisis pregnancy intervention and abortion/sexual abuse recovery. It’s designed to promote family and personal integrity.
All “i am ENOUGH” sessions are presented in a PowerPoint format and include skits and/or discussion opportunities for students. The program’s goal is “equipping youth to realize and embrace their true value.”
“Students in the program not only learn their value and purpose, but they also begin to see themselves differently,” Stockard said. “While attending sessions, ‘light bulb moments’ occur and students become confident ‘tweens’ and teens who make positive choices.”
This school year, Stockard presents the program to 118 girls, while Jeff Richardson – HMS physical education teacher and FCA leader – deals with 128 boys. During last week’s sessions, Stockard was accompanied by HMS counselor Missy Reed.
PRC executive director Debra Stockard listens as HMS sixth-grade girls talk during a session of the “i am ENOUGH” program last Friday afternoon. The day’s lesson for the sixth-grade girls covered building self esteem and using positive, encouraging words when speaking t others, or “speaking life.”
“She knows the girls, and that’s very helpful,” Stockard said. “We just kind of bounce off each other.”
This PRC was the first such facility in Missouri to acquire and carry out the program. The program’s cost of $1,200 was donated by an individual to the PRC when the need was mentioned last April at the PRC’s second annual Banquet for Life.
For more information, call the PRC at 417-967-1100.