VETCA Values Education Through Cooperative Activities

The OJJDP FY 09 Earmarks Programs further the Department's mission by providing grants, cooperative agreements, and other assistance authorized by the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974, as amended, to organizations identified in the Explanatory Statement Regarding H.R. 1105 (Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009), 155 Cong. Rec. H1653 (daily ed. Feb. 23, 2009) (statement by Rep. Obey, Chairman of the Committee on Appropriations of the House).

The Highland Park Community Development Corporation's program will engage activities which foster real-life cooperation and instill/reinforce positive societal values. The activities will focus on conflict mediation and avoidance techniques, communication skills development and community projects that promote teamwork. The program will work with a general population of an unduplicated count of 120 youth between the ages of 4 to 14, as well as those youngsters who have been identified as at-risk of dropping out of school and or reside in temporary housing facilities. In addition, a six week summer component will provide activities for 75 youngsters wrapped around the districts summer school program at two designated school sites. Activities will include, but not be limited to cultural and recreational trips; arts & crafts; discussions on specific issues that the youth in the program have indicated need to be discussed.

As a result of the Values Education Through Cooperative Activities Program (VETCA), the youth will develop their socialization and communication skills as well as improve their etiquette and understanding of the value of cooperation in fostering positive outcomes in real-life situations and utilize techniques in conflict resolution and demonstrate the ability to implement these techniques thereby reducing conflicts in schools and in our communities. This will result in a marketable improvement in their school attendance and academic performance. NCA/NCF