When women and young girls are insecure with themselves, almost instinctively, they will bring others down. Our mission is to help them realize, at a young age, they are beautiful from the inside out. We will guide them and encourage them to support each other rather than root against each other.
Once a month one of we meet with the fourth grade girls at Cedar Grove Elementary. Each month we focus on a new goal. The class starts with a fun activity followed by an open discussion with the girls. It's awesome to see them realize the lesson attached to the activities.
We want to give the girls a chance to voice their thoughts, questions and concerns. They will be part of the conversation and the solution. We want to get them talking to each other. When a child realizes they are not alone, there becomes a sense of camaraderie between them. It's very rewarding to see unlikely friendships form! It's such an incredible feeling when I have parents coming to me to tell me their daughters love it and are discussing AIE at home!
"We are very grateful to the staff at Cedar Grove Elementary for being so supportive and involved in this program. Starting it's pilot year with third grade girls in November 2013 with 38 students and ending that school year with 52 students was amazing. I was blessed to be invited back for the following school year and expand from third grade to 101 third and fourth grade girls. In it's third year I teamed up with The Toms River Police (Foundation) and the program evolved and expanded to all fourth and fifth grade girls as well as adding a program, HERO, for the fourth and fifth grade boys (see below)! For the 2016-2017 school year we went back to fourth grade only and teamed up with The Ocean County Prosecutors Officer to introduce The G.R.E.A.T. Program. It's been an amazing success, we could not do it without the foundation's support!" -Jillian Messina
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Young boys are looking for direction and approval. Our goal is to provide the students with examples and great role models to look up to. With the help of Chief Mitch Little and the Toms River Police Department, we demonstrate invaluable life lessons. The practice of chivalry is sometimes lost or "not cool" in the eyes of a young boy. We show them how "cool" it really is to always be a gentleman and treat everyone with respect. We are all humans and everyone has a story. In life we encounter all different people and everyone deserves to be met with the same respect. The boys will learn to be ethical protectors in life.
Once a month Toms River Police Officers meet with the fourth grade boys at Cedar Grove Elementary. Each month they focus on a new goal. The class starts with a fun activity followed by an open discussion with the boys. It's awesome to see them realize the lesson attached to the activities.
We want to give the boys a chance to voice their thoughts, questions and concerns. They will be part of the conversation and the solution. We want to get them talking to each other. When a child realizes they are not alone, there becomes a sense of camaraderie between them. They begin to form unlikely friendships and become protectors of themselves and of others.
"We are very grateful to the staff at Cedar Grove Elementary for being so supportive and involved in this program. After two school years of a program for the young girls in the school, it was time to implement one for the boys as well. We absolutely could not have done this without Chief Little and his officers! For the 2016-2017 school year we went back to fourth grade only and teamed up with The Ocean County Prosecutors Officer to introduce The G.R.E.A.T. Program. It's been an amazing success, we could not do it without the foundation's support!" -Jillian Messina