Stephen Arthurs (CKOB puppet) Kelly Lowry (Chattanooga’s Kids on the Block Marketing coordinator) Shelly M-Graw (Children’s Advocacy Center executive director) and Sabrina Johnson (CKOB puppet)
Chattanooga's Kids on the Block (CKOB) received a $2,500 KiDs grant from Chattanooga Kappa Delta Alumnae Association to help continue to provide personal safety education programs including child abuse prevention programs to local and area children.
The grant funded CKOB’s sixth annual Pinwheels for Prevention community event which was held at the Creative Discovery Museum. The event, free to the public, provided educational information on child abuse prevention. Kappa Delta sorority members and alumnae were available during the event to assist children in making sock caterpillars. “This event gave kids in the community the opportunity to learn, create, and have fun, all while being educated on the important subject of abuse awareness. Interacting with them was so much fun, the chapter members and alumnae really enjoyed helping out!” said Lissa Murrah, president of the Kappa Delta Alumnae Association.
Over 200 of these caterpillars made by children in the community were donated to the Children’s Advocacy Center in an effort to help comfort children who have been a victim of child abuse and maltreatment.
Kelly Williams, executive director of CKOB, said, “The Personal Safety educational program helps children understand on their level what child abuse is and what it is not. It helps them to understand that child abuse is never their fault and to communicate with trusted adults. This is such a sensitive topic. But, one that is vital for children to understand so they can communicate with adults and receive help if they are victims of or know a victim of child abuse.”
In pre- and post-tests of third grade students on personal safety/child abuse issues, students showed a 19 percent increase in overall correct responses after seeing a CKOB personal safety program, indicating a positive change in knowledge, attitude and/or behavior of the topic.
Ashley, a third grade student said, “I like the show very much. It was a wonderful show about how to keep yourself safe in different ways.”
A local teacher said, “We had a student come forward and report sexual abuse because of your Personal Safety program. The student said ‘it’s like they were talking about my life!’ We are ever so grateful for what Kids on the Block stands for and the things you teach children. Thank you...thank you…thank you!”
“We appreciate the support of the Chattanooga Kappa Delta Alumnae Association. These women really are making a difference in our community through their continued community outreach efforts to keep children safe,” said Ms. Williams.
Last year Chattanooga's Kids on the Block performed 138 Personal Safety educational programs and served over 18,000 children and adults in the 15 county service area of Southeast Tennessee, Northeast Alabama and North Georgia through the unique use of puppets and Bunraku style puppetry.