A Blueprint for Action: Religious Communities

X: Religious Communities

Preamble: Recognizing that collaboration with students, families, schools, businesses, community organizations and higher education institutions provide spiritual, academic, social, and emotional support to students in order to assist in students' educational development, we commit to:

ACTION ITEMS IMPLEMENTATION ACTIVITIES

A. Focus on the educational components within schools that involve students and families. 1. Establish relationships between schools and religious organizations as appropriate.

2. Invite the principal and/or school staff to activities held at the religious institutions.

3. Acknowledge and support the principal and staff with identified educational programs.

4. Share the school's educational program with religious organizations.

5. Provide information regarding upcoming school events with members of religious organizations.

6. Establish an "education committee" within each religious institution in order to support school programs and activities.

B. Acknowledge students' achievement within the school program. 1. Acknowledge and share special school recognitions, awards, and achievements of students through announcements, bulletin boards, and recognition programs in religious institutions.

2. Allow students to identify ways within their religious organizations to support their achievements, such as good grades, perfect attendance, citizenship awards, activities where outstanding achievement has been noted.

3. Plan a special program for students who have made accomplishments within the school program such as a "Student Appreciation Day", certificates of achievement, special pins, buttons, etc.

4. Provide students an opportunity to develop an educational youth group that shares ideas with other students on how they have achieved success in school.

5. Display an honor roll that recognizes accomplishments of students.

C. Establish educational programs such as tutorial, peer support, mentors, and weekend and summer camps. 1. Develop tutorial programs that assist students with homework and special projects.

2. Establish a "Students Helping Students" program to assist in cooperative learning and peer educational support.

3. Organize mentoring program that lists the accomplishments and skills of adults who can share their expertise with students.

4. Provide a speakers' program comprised of adults and students who will talk about motivational and inspirational topics designed to assist youth in managing the difficulties of adolescence.

5. Have students develop a notebook comprised of study skills and learning techniques to enhance achievement within the school program.

6. Establish weekend and summer camp programs which focus on science, mathematics, and technology programs that enhance students" educational achievement.

D. Develop inspirational programs within each community's religious organizations these programs should highlight accomplishments of individuals who have achieved in spite of difficulties. 1. Have a monthly book-sharing of individuals who have accomplished greatness in spite of difficulties.

2. Share audio and video tapes on individuals who succeeded against the odds.

3. Provide students with poems, religious verses, and inspirational messages.

4. Develop a "Student Help File" that students can refer to when encountering difficulties at school, at home, or in the community.

E. Develop a family educational support program designed to enhance student and parent communication.
1. Provide opportunities for families to acquire information on how to support their child in the educational process.
2. Share with parents and students positive ways to communicate a problem.
3. Invite counselors, social workers, child specialists to discuss family issues.
4. Compile a list of community resource agencies that can assist with counseling, learning assessment, educational program information.
5. Contact school and district of officials for information on school programs that support family involvement.
6. Encourage the use of computers and technology in the learning process.

F. Establish prevention programs for students and parents.

Stress the use of proverbs, affirmations, fables, axioms, adages, sayings, values, principles, rituals, and ceremonies which guide our young people in ways to conduct their affairs, endeavors and relationships.

Develop a dropout prevention program for students who demonstrate behavioral characteristics that foster dropping out of the school program.

Provide students with appropriate information regarding teenage pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases.

Provide students with appropriate information regarding the use and abuse of alcohol, drugs, and other dangerous chemical dependencies that are destructive to them.

Maintain ongoing counseling information to assist students and families to prevent behavioral, emotional, and social disorders in the home, school, and community.

Establish programs that assist students in the appropriate use of leisure time to prevent unproductive peer influence that leads to gang affiliation, crime, and difficulties with home, school officials and law enforcement personnel.

G. Develop a youth and family social calendar that provides opportunities for students to socialize with each other and their families.

Provide activities for youth to promote alternatives to negative group activities, such as gangs.

Promote and publicize activities such as talent shows, skating parties, dances, and movie night.

Promote sport activities such as softball games, tennis lessons, volleyball programs, that involve both youth and families.

Promote outdoor gatherings such as picnics, hikes, nature walks, etc., with youth and families to promote sharing of these activities.

Connect social activities with students and families with neighboring religious organizations in the local community within the city to promote social participation with students and families from various cultures.

Provide opportunities for students and families to connect with civic and social organizations that can plan a special night of entertainment for students and families.

Provide family chaperone services as needed.

Go Back a Section | Go to the Table of Contents | Go to the next section

To obtain a printed copy of this report
And for permission to redistribute, please contact:
Elizabeth Norwood
E-mail: esnorwood@aol.com
NCEBC: National Council on Educating Black Children
P.O. Box 2293
Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90275
Website Copyright © 1999 New Horizons for Learning, all rights reserved.
URL: http://www.newhorizons.org
E-mail: info@newhorizons.org

ACTION ITEMS	IMPLEMENTATION ACTIVITIES
A. Focus on the educational components within schools that involve students and families.	1. Establish relationships between schools and religious organizations as appropriate. 2. Invite the principal and/or school staff to activities held at the religious institutions. 3. Acknowledge and support the principal and staff with identified educational programs. 4. Share the school's educational program with religious organizations. 5. Provide information regarding upcoming school events with members of religious organizations. 6. Establish an "education committee" within each religious institution in order to support school programs and activities.
B. Acknowledge students' achievement within the school program.	1. Acknowledge and share special school recognitions, awards, and achievements of students through announcements, bulletin boards, and recognition programs in religious institutions. 2. Allow students to identify ways within their religious organizations to support their achievements, such as good grades, perfect attendance, citizenship awards, activities where outstanding achievement has been noted. 3. Plan a special program for students who have made accomplishments within the school program such as a "Student Appreciation Day", certificates of achievement, special pins, buttons, etc. 4. Provide students an opportunity to develop an educational youth group that shares ideas with other students on how they have achieved success in school. 5. Display an honor roll that recognizes accomplishments of students.
C. Establish educational programs such as tutorial, peer support, mentors, and weekend and summer camps.	1. Develop tutorial programs that assist students with homework and special projects. 2. Establish a "Students Helping Students" program to assist in cooperative learning and peer educational support. 3. Organize mentoring program that lists the accomplishments and skills of adults who can share their expertise with students. 4. Provide a speakers' program comprised of adults and students who will talk about motivational and inspirational topics designed to assist youth in managing the difficulties of adolescence. 5. Have students develop a notebook comprised of study skills and learning techniques to enhance achievement within the school program. 6. Establish weekend and summer camp programs which focus on science, mathematics, and technology programs that enhance students" educational achievement.
D. Develop inspirational programs within each community's religious organizations these programs should highlight accomplishments of individuals who have achieved in spite of difficulties.	1. Have a monthly book-sharing of individuals who have accomplished greatness in spite of difficulties. 2. Share audio and video tapes on individuals who succeeded against the odds. 3. Provide students with poems, religious verses, and inspirational messages. 4. Develop a "Student Help File" that students can refer to when encountering difficulties at school, at home, or in the community.
E. Develop a family educational support program designed to enhance student and parent communication.	1. Provide opportunities for families to acquire information on how to support their child in the educational process. 2. Share with parents and students positive ways to communicate a problem. 3. Invite counselors, social workers, child specialists to discuss family issues. 4. Compile a list of community resource agencies that can assist with counseling, learning assessment, educational program information. 5. Contact school and district of officials for information on school programs that support family involvement. 6. Encourage the use of computers and technology in the learning process.
F. Establish prevention programs for students and parents.	Stress the use of proverbs, affirmations, fables, axioms, adages, sayings, values, principles, rituals, and ceremonies which guide our young people in ways to conduct their affairs, endeavors and relationships. Develop a dropout prevention program for students who demonstrate behavioral characteristics that foster dropping out of the school program. Provide students with appropriate information regarding teenage pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases. Provide students with appropriate information regarding the use and abuse of alcohol, drugs, and other dangerous chemical dependencies that are destructive to them. Maintain ongoing counseling information to assist students and families to prevent behavioral, emotional, and social disorders in the home, school, and community. Establish programs that assist students in the appropriate use of leisure time to prevent unproductive peer influence that leads to gang affiliation, crime, and difficulties with home, school officials and law enforcement personnel.
G. Develop a youth and family social calendar that provides opportunities for students to socialize with each other and their families.	Provide activities for youth to promote alternatives to negative group activities, such as gangs. Promote and publicize activities such as talent shows, skating parties, dances, and movie night. Promote sport activities such as softball games, tennis lessons, volleyball programs, that involve both youth and families. Promote outdoor gatherings such as picnics, hikes, nature walks, etc., with youth and families to promote sharing of these activities. Connect social activities with students and families with neighboring religious organizations in the local community within the city to promote social participation with students and families from various cultures. Provide opportunities for students and families to connect with civic and social organizations that can plan a special night of entertainment for students and families. Provide family chaperone services as needed.