I am Heartbroken...but NOT Defeated!

An article similar to this was on the front page of today's local paper (why the Courier-Tribune's article is not online I'm still not sure):

Cuts: Support Our Students program

After-school programs for middle-schoolers could lose funding.
Started in 1994, the Support Our Students program has provided grants to provide after-school programs to at-risk kids. It is currently administered by the N.C. Department of Juvenile Justice.
The $5.9 million program is among 20 that Gov. Beverly Perdue proposed eliminating as part of her $21 billion budget.
During the 2007-08 fiscal year, the program served 14,333 youth in programs run in 92 counties by local schools and nonprofits. Programs include homework, conflict management skills and recreational activities such as basketball.
"We know the prime time for juvenile crime is between 3 and 6 o'clock, right after school," Juvenile Justice spokesman William Lassiter said.
An annual evaluation of the program conducted by an outside agency found that 86 percent of surveyed youths said it helped them do better in school and nearly half improved their math and language arts grades.
Only 1.3 percent were involved in the juvenile justice system at year's end.

My first thoughts were; "What are my kids going to go?", "Where are their parents going to do?" and then they moved to my staff, "What are they going to do", and finally my own family, "What if I lose my job?" Answer: We will lose everything. It is a very simple answer to a very complicated, not yet validated question, but a very real possibility. So yes I have shed some tears today, but to my great shock and probably to yours as well, not many. Instead, my protective-mothering instinct has taken the reigns and that very stubborn side of me (that my husband and family find most of the time to be very annoying) is in all-out attack mode (they don't think it's as annoying now)! I have already written a letter to the editor of the Courier Tribune (although I'm not sure if I can legally have it printed-maybe anonymously?) and a letter to SOS Parents, Students, Staff, Principals, Volunteers and Community Partners asking them for letters of support written to our Congressman. This is my letter (I don't know all the stats there in my info at the Y-that's why there are blanks):

March 24, 2009

Dear Editor,

In the front page article, “Programs for kids face cuts” on March 23rd, it was reported the Support Our Students program is one of 20 that has been proposed by Governor Bev Perdue to be cut from North Carolina’s budget. This program was nominated for deletion because according to Perdue, it is either “inefficient, too expensive or nonessential.” In Randolph County the Support Our Students (SOS) program is managed by the Randolph-Asheboro YMCA. The grant funding is allocated from the Department of Juvenile Justice & Delinquency Prevention (DJJDP). The YMCA uses the funds to operate an on-site after school program at South Asheboro Middle, Uwharrie Middle, Randleman Middle and Southeast Randolph Middle Schools and a portion of the SOS funds are used for the YMCA’s Xtreme Teens summer camp program.

In 2008 the YMCA SOS program served over _____ youth by providing them with a safe and supervised environment during those crucial after school hours from 3 to 6 pm when most juvenile crime, teen sex and drug usage occurs. These students are provided with positive alternatives such as; homework assistance, the NC Cooperative Extension Randolph Co. Center Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) program, community service projects and group activities to occupy this time. Also in 2008, 16 teens were granted scholarships with SOS funding to attend the Y’s Xtreme Teens summer camp where again they were in a safe and supervised environment, but they were there all day participating in community service projects for the Christians United Outreach Center, field trips, swimming & splash pad fun, team-building activities, sports, as well as, weekly programming provided by Randolph County 4-H, Partnership for a Drug Free NC and Healthy Minds, Healthy Children. Over the course of the eight years the Randolph-Asheboro YMCA has operated SOS over _______ Randolph County youth have been touched by this program, over ___% of those students raised their Reading/Language EOG scores and ___% raised their Math. While in the program, 100% said they would not be supervised after school if it wasn’t for SOS and that they felt safe & liked by their SOS peers and counselors.

This is just a sampling of how the Randolph-Asheboro YMCA SOS program has impacted the youth of Randolph County. When it comes to children, especially the middle school population that doesn’t have many alternatives after school or during the long days of summer; none of these details is “inefficient, too expensive or nonessential.” However; if Governor Perdue’s proposed budget is approved by the Legislature, the effects on the juvenile justice system for not having the SOS program available to prevent youth from being involved in dangerous and risky behavior, would be very inefficient and expensive due to the elimination of one very essential youth program.

Sincerely,

Celena R. Fleming
Randolph-Asheboro YMCA
Community Development & SOS Program Director

Pray for me, my family, my "kids & parents", my staff and my program! We're gonna need it!