Making A Difference

Sometimes we're asked how the Kids on the Block are making a difference.  While we have various outcome measures that we use, we also have plenty of instances like the following:

During question and answers following a KID'S program on teasing called "Sticks and Stones", a little boy raised his hand and expressed his feelings to the puppets about the teasing he'd been experiencing.  He said that some kids had been calling him weird and that it made him feel pretty bad.  As the children were leaving after the program, one of the puppeteers observed one boy go up to the one who had talked about being teased and say:  "I didn't mean to call you weird.  I was just kidding.  I didn't know it hurt your feelings."  Then, they walked out together arm-in-arm.

Another time, the KIDS were invited to do a program on Cerebral Palsy where there was a student in a higher grade that had cerebral palsy.  The other students were afraid to talk to him and some would make fun of him.  When he learned the KIDS were going to do a program on CP, he got permission from his teacher to attend.  After the performance,  during the question and answer session, the children began questioning the puppets about CP.  However, it was the student with CP who answered their questions in an informed and thoughtful way that really led them toward acceptance, and showed that he was a kid with hopes and dreams just like them.  The program opened the way for them all. 

Not too long ago, the KIDS were doing a specially arranged program on childhood leukemia for a class which included a little girl with leukemia.  As the performance began, one puppet started out by saying that she had leukemia.  All of a sudden, a voice rang out excitedly from the back of the room.... "I have leukemia too!"  It was the little girl with leukemia....she really identified with that special puppet that was bringing understanding to her classroom that day.

© 2002 Family Services Center - Huntsville, Alabama