This school year, Chattanooga’s Kids on the Block was requested to perform and performed over 440 educational programs, serving over 65,000 children and adults in the 16 counties service area. Despite a loss of funds this year, in excess of $130,000, CKOB performed a record number of programs as requested by schools and community organizations in our area. That is over an 11% increase from last year according to Kelly Williams, executive director of CKOB.
“We (CKOB) will experience a hard loss in funding this year,” said Ms.
Williams “however, due to the need and tremendous number of requests for our educational programs we will make every effort and seek funding sources to continue to provide our programs free of charge to the schools in our service area. Based on our evaluations and surveys, we see the impact our educational programs are making in our community.”
CKOB is a non-profit organization serving 16 counties in Southeast Tennessee, North Georgia, and Alabama by using the power of puppetry to educate children about social concerns and differences, giving them the skills to stay safe and healthy. For over 36 years, CKOB has used the nationally recognized Kids on the Block puppets and the nationally researched scripts to provide awareness and prevention programs on such topics as bullying, child abuse, childhood obesity, brain injury, accepting differences, gangs and violence, alcohol, tobacco and other drugs, self-esteem, hygiene and mental health, to primarily elementary aged children in the community.
In addition to the record number of programs requested and performed, CKOB was asked to perform and provide workshop sessions at three major Tennessee conferences including TAEYC, where they presented “Kids on the Move”. The Connecting for Children’s Conference to present the “Personal Safety” and “S.T.E.P.S.” programs and the TCSW Spring Conference, presenting “Kids on the Move.”
This school year, five new schools in CKOB’s service area requested educational programs. “Though not newly constructed schools in our community” said Ms. Williams “until this year, those five schools had not requested our services.” With recent reports of bullying, sexting and gang violence making headlines, CKOB educational puppetry programs are becoming a vital resource in helping young children understand what the sensitive issues mean and how they can keep themselves safe from an uncomfortable situation, how to deal with sensitive issues and how to effectively communicate with a trusted adult to get help when needed.
Recently CKOB partnered with the Children’s Advocacy Center of the 31st Judicial District in Warren and Van Buren Counties to present Personal Safety-Child Abuse awareness programs to twelve schools in Warren and Van Buren Counties, both outside the CKOB service area. The “Personal Safety” program is a two script program that addresses prevention of both physical and sexual abuse. CKOB offers educational programs on many topics such as using good manners, making new friends, accepting differences, bullying prevention and making the right choices just to name a few. For a complete list of program topics visit
www.kidsontheblock.net.
Following a CKOB program, children have the opportunity to talk directly with the puppets about the program they saw. Over the past several years CKOB has had twelve reports made directly to a puppet following the “Personal Safety” program. Those cases are reported and turned over to the Department of Children’s Services. Children and adults are also provided specific follow up materials, developed by CKOB, at the end of each performance such as activity sheets, adult/parent and educator resource guides and classroom activities that reinforce the lessons of each educational topic. Kids on the Block troupes throughout the United States use the follow up materials developed by CKOB.
With severe cuts in funding threatening to reduce the number of CKOB programs provided free of charge to the schools in the Chattanooga area, CKOB continues to look for new partners and develop fundraising events to raise the necessary funds to provide programs free of charge to schools in the community in an effort to enhance the quality of life in the area and empower children to become healthy, strong and resourceful future leaders. If you would like to make a donation, sponsor a program or event or would like more information, visit
www.kidsontheblock.net or call 423-757-5259.