SKSK/Task Force on Children & Families Year Round
Initiatives
Strong Kids Safe Kids Stick2gether Against Bullying
Our Strong Kids Safe Kids Stick2gether Against Bullying"
event was a united effort with the
Chemung County Youth Bureau that launched on October 2, 2012. The project mission was to
inspire, educate, and support students and the community to
take a stand against bullying by “sticking
together.” Recent research has shown that when kids,
school staff, parents, and an empowering community stick
together to create an endearing, positive school atmosphere
bullying incidents can be reduced on an average of 50%.
The project featured free county-wide public performances by
nationally known anti-bullying “Edu-tainer,” Jay
Banks; the creation of an exciting, vibrant, kid-created
public art installation called the “Stick2gether
Spot" illustrating the “stick2gether” concept
and a Community Block Party in Downtown Elmira sponsored by
Excellus Blue Cross Blue Shield
& co-hosted by
Elmira Downtown Development.
Other project sponsors and participants included all three
Chemung County School Districts. and
several community organizations and businesses.
About Jay Banks: Jay's high-energy mix
of music, slapstick comedy, and animated story-telling
captivated both students and adults at 5 community and
school performances held October 2nd and 3rd.
Age-appropriately framed for elementary school and middle
school students, teachers, and parents, the program aimed
to EMPOWER each victim, bystander, and stakeholder to
decrease the frequency, severity, and pervasive nature of
bullying in elementary through middle-school-aged
students”. Read a
front page article in the Elmira Star Gazette
about Jay's Local performances, and
visit his website
to learn more about Jay and his I Am Unafraid
program.
About the Art: All Chemung County area kids
and families were invited to visit the "Stick2gehter
Spot", sponsored by the
Community Foundation of Elmira
at 109 North main St. Elmira to learn more about Anti-
Bullying and collaborate in the transformation of a downtown
Elmira building into a vibrantly colored public art
installation inspired by artist,
Yayoi Kusama's, installation at the Queensland Museum of Art.
Watch a great WENY video about the grand opening of the
"Stick2gether Spot"
on October 4th, and watch a video of
the amazing transfromation.
We were thrilled and encouraged by enthusiasm and support of
the Chemung County community that made this exciting,
innovative, community-wide project possible.
Annual Youth Center Holiday Party
For the last six years SKSK joined forces with area businesses
and organizations to host an annual holiday party for area
youth center youth and staff. The event, funded by strong kids
donations and area businesses, includes holiday treats, gifts
for all, and a celebratory meal prepared by Holiday Inn chefs.
SKSK and Kohls Department Store "Go Green" at
Southside Community Center
On Saturday, April 21st. Strong Kids Safe Kids and Kohls
Department store teamed up to "Go Green 2gether" at
the Southside Community Center as part of Earth Day weekend.
Volunteers from the local Horseheads Kohls Dept. Store and the
Strong Kids Safe Kids Committee helped the Center clean and
prepare their raised garden beds, cleaning up and beautifying
the grounds around the center to help the Center.
Elmira Rotary All Kids Play Place
The Task Force on Children and Families of Chemung County was
proud to be a sponsor of the Elmira Rotary Club All Kids Play
Place at Harris Hill Park. The Strong Kids donation helped
purchase two new pieces of equipment geared towards toddlers
and children with disabilities and providing them a greater
opportunity for play at this facility.
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