ARISE Programs Help Struggling Juvenile Justice Facility Achieve “Deemed Status.”

MEDIA RELEASE
ARISE Foundation
824 US HWY 1 Suite #240
North Palm Beach, FL 33408
Phone: (561) 630-2021

Fax: (561) 630-2790
 
Contact: Edmund Benson
Office 561-630-2021

For IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ARISE programs help struggling juvenile justice facility achieve “deemed status.”

Eleven months ago, ARISE began training the staff of Thompson Academy in Pembroke Pines, Florida. The staff’s hard work and dedication have resulted in the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice awarding Thompson with an 86% “commendable” rating, qualifying them for “deemed status,” a title that only four other facilities in Florida earned this year.

Nearly a year ago, ARISE Foundation began an intensive series of training programs at Thompson Academy, a 154-bed residential facility for moderate-risk juvenile offenders. Before ARISE came to Thompson, the facility struggled with low staff morale and below-average quality assurance ratings.

ARISE launched a comprehensive approach at Thompson, not only training the staff to conduct lively ARISE group discussions and activities with the incarcerated youth, but to work with the staff themselves to help them better cope with their stress. ARISE trained 111 staff members in its one-of-a-kind ARISE Drop it at the Door workshop. They certified 49 staff members as ARISE Life Skills Group Facilitators, giving those individuals the knowledge and confidence to engage the youth and lead them through the ARISE life skills curricula. ARISE also put one staff member through its comprehensive Master Life Skills Training. Having a Master Trainer on staff at Thompson allows that person to continue to train additional staff members as ARISE Life Skills Group Facilitators, keeping the program going indefinitely and helping thousands of young men learn vital life skills.

The extensive ARISE training programs at Thompson Academy, along with the enthusiasm and determination of the staff itself, led to widespread change throughout the facility. The staff is better able to handle their emotions, leading to less stress and higher job satisfaction. Morale improved and the facility achieved “deemed status” after years of below-average ratings.

For almost 25 years, ARISE, a nonprofit foundation, has functioned as a developer and publisher of unique life-management skills curricula and staff training programs. Created to reach at-risk, incarcerated youth in detention centers and secure facilities as well as other troubled youth. ARISE is also utilized as a powerful prevention tool for at-risk teenagers and young adults and the people who care for them.  ARISE programs consist of interactive group discussions and activities designed to break the ice quickly and capture the attention of even the most introverted participants. ARISE gives structure to well-meaning but disorganized programs, moving away from lectures and into dynamic group conversations where the youth are involved and talking about their own experiences.

For more information, please call Edmund Benson at ARISE toll free: 1 (888) 680-6100 or visit http://www.ariselife-skills.org.

ARISE Master Trainers Bring One-of-a-Kind Life Skills Lessons to Detention Facilities across Florida.

MEDIA RELEASE

ARISE Foundation
824 US HWY 1 Suite #240
North Palm Beach, FL 33408
Phone: (561) 630-2021
Fax: (561) 630-2790

 
Contact: Edmund Benson
Office 561-630-2021

For IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ARISE Master Trainers Bring One-of-a-Kind Life Skills Lessons to Detention Facilities across Florida.

ARISE Master Trainers contribute knowledge and leadership to detention centers in Florida.

There are 25 detention facilities in the state of Florida. As of November 2009, ARISE life skills training programs are being utilized in 22 of those facilities. The Master Trainer program plays a big part in the continuation of the ARISE interactive group lessons. The newly-certified ARISE Master Trainers return to their sites and teach other staff members how to engage the youth and effectively use the innovative ARISE curricula as ARISE Life Skills Facilitators.

The five-day ARISE Master Trainer workshop is an intense experience for juvenile justice staff. In just a week, these dedicated individuals are transformed into powerhouses of knowledge and expertise. They take their new skill set and use it to educate and motivate the rest of the staff. ARISE Master Trainers certify and mentor their new Life Skills Facilitators and show them how doing the life skills lessons gives incarcerated youth the tools they need to stay out of the adult prison system and lead productive, successful lives.

The Master Training workshop takes commitment and dedication, but the results are often dramatic.

“The Master Training helped me expand my thinking,” said Joe Bellamy of the Osceola Detention Center in Kissimmee, Florida said. “I was able to share my personal experiences. It was very informative and helpful.”

For almost 25 years, ARISE, a nonprofit foundation, has functioned as a developer and publisher of life-management skills curricula and staff training programs. Created to reach at-risk, incarcerated youth in detention centers and secure facilities as well as other troubled youth. ARISE is also utilized as a powerful prevention tool for teenagers and young adults.  ARISE programs consist of interactive group discussions and activities designed to break the ice quickly and capture the attention of even the most introverted participants.

ARISE attributes its success to its three innovative staff training programs. The Life Skills Facilitator training teaches staff how to conduct ARISE interactive group discussions and activities with the troubled youth in their care. The Master Training workshop, mentioned above, certifies participants to train others as ARISE Life Skills Group Facilitators at their respective facilities. The ARISE Drop It at the Door training shows juvenile justice staff how to drop work-related stress and anger at the door when they get home and vice versa.

ARISE programs were utilized for decades in the Miami-Dade School system. ARISE has forged a strong partnership with the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ). ARISE programs have been changing the lives of juvenile offenders in the Florida juvenile justice system since 1996. Its dynamic programs are being taught in over 70 DJJ facilities across the state, as well as alternative schools and organizations such as the Salvation Army and the Boys and Girls Clubs.

ARISE programs are also used in over 100 organizations in the District of Columbia, including Washington, D.C. public and charter schools, the D.C. Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services, the Metropolitan Police, the District of Columbia jail and the D.C. Superior Court Probation Department.

Because ARISE is not for profit, it is able to provide a wide array of training opportunities and an ever-evolving life skills curricula for at-risk youth at rock-bottom prices. Profit is not a motivating factor. Its nonprofit status gives ARISE Foundation the ability to get out into the community, speak to incarcerated youth and adults, and turn their cautionary tales into lessons meant to assist at-risk youth in becoming law abiding citizens by learning from others’ mistakes.

A recent study by Vanderbilt University and the University of Maryland showed that the cost of one offender with at least six police contacts from childhood to age 32 is $3,172,998. In other words, rescuing one child from a life of crime saves taxpayers more than three million dollars.

Since ARISE was established over two decades ago, it has trained and certified  5,760 Group Facilitators who have taught over 4,055,708 documented hours of ARISE life-skills lessons in almost all 50 states. ARISE has been used successfully in Canada, Jamaica, England, Australia, Bahamas, Bermuda, New Zealand, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Bosnia, Kazakhstan, Central Asia, Botswana and the Kingdom of Bahrain. Requests for translation have also come in from as far away as Pakistan, South Africa, Cambodia, Singapore and China.

For more information, please call Edmund Benson at ARISE toll free: 1 (888) 680-6100 or visit http://www.ariselife-skills.org.

10 More Quotes to Help You Stay Positive

Here are 10 more quotes to make you think and put your mind in a positive place. We are what we think. For more positive quotes and valuable tips and advice for living a happier life, check out the ARISE Get Smart series.

1. “To love means loving the unlovable. To forgive means pardoning the unpardonable. Faith means believing the unbelievable. Hope means hoping when everything seems hopeless.”
—Gilbert K. Chesterton

2. “If the wind will not serve, take to the oars.”
—Latin proverb

3. “Behold the turtle. He only makes progress when he sticks his neck out.”
—James Bryant Conant

4. “When you come to the edge of all the light you know, and are about to step off into the darkness of the unknown, faith is knowing one of two things will happen: There will be something solid to stand on, or you will be taught how to fly.”
—Barbara J. Winter

5. “Never regret. If it’s good, it’s wonderful. If it’s bad, it’s experience.”
—Victoria Holt

6. “There is a thought in your mind right now. The longer you hold on to it, the more you dwell upon it, the more life you give to that thought. Give it enough life, and it will become real. So make sure the thought is indeed a great one.”
—Ralph Martson

7. “If you don’t go after what you want, you’ll never have it. If you don’t ask, the answer is always no. If you don’t step forward, you’re always in the same place.”
—Nora Roberts

8. “Never part without loving words to think of during your absence. It may be that you will not meet again in this life.”
—Jean Paul Richter

9. “Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.”
—James Baldwin

10. “Obstacles cannot crush me. Every obstacle yields to stern resolve. He who is fixed to a star does not change his mind.”
—Leonardo da Vinci

Want to Prevent Yourself from Catching the Flu? Wash Your Hands Properly! Here’s How.

These handwashing do’s and dont’s can keep you from getting sick. President Obama recently declared the H1N1 flu pandemic a national emergency. There are things you can do to dramatically lessen your chances of getting the flu. In addition to the handwashing tips below, gargle with saltwater and gently swab the inside of your nose with a cotton swab soaked in saltwater. Cold and Flu germs hide in the back of the throat and the nostrils. Even if you’re not sick, blow your nose a few times a day to dispel germs. Just be sure to wash your hands afterwards. Cleansing the nose and throat frequently and washing your hands can help keep you from getting sick. Of course, if you come down with flu-like symptoms, see your doctor immediately.

If you need a visual reminder to wash your hands, ARISE has two posters available for download or purchase—one for adults and one for children. 

Here are the Mayo Clinic’s Do’s and Don’ts for handwashing:

Hand Washing: Do’s and Don’ts

By Mayo Clinic staff

Frequent hand washing is one of the best ways to avoid getting sick and spreading illness. Hand washing requires only soap and water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer — a cleanser that doesn’t require water. Find out when and how to wash your hands properly.

When to wash your hands:

As you touch people, surfaces and objects throughout the day, you accumulate germs on your hands. In turn, you can infect yourself with these germs by touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Although it’s impossible to keep your hands germ-free, washing your hands frequently can help limit the transfer of bacteria, viruses and other microbes.

Always wash your hands before:

• Preparing food
• Eating
• Treating wounds or giving medicine
• Touching a sick or injured person
• Inserting or removing contact lenses

Always wash your hands after:

• Preparing food, especially raw meat or poultry
• Using the toilet
• Changing a diaper
• Touching an animal or animal toys, leashes or waste
• Blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing into your hands
• Treating wounds
• Touching a sick or injured person
• Handling garbage or something that could be contaminated, such as a cleaning cloth or soiled shoes

Of course, it’s also important to wash your hands whenever they look dirty.

How to wash your hands:

It’s generally best to wash your hands with soap and water. Follow these simple steps:

• Wet your hands with running water.
• Apply liquid, bar or powder soap.
• Lather well.
• Rub your hands vigorously for at least 20 seconds. Remember to scrub all surfaces, including the backs of your hands, wrists, between your fingers and under your fingernails.
• Rinse well.
• Dry your hands with a clean or disposable towel or air dryer.
• If possible, use your towel to turn off the faucet.

Keep in mind that antibacterial soap is no more effective at killing germs than is regular soap. Using antibacterial soap may even lead to the development of bacteria that are resistant to the product’s antimicrobial agents — making it harder to kill these germs in the future.

Alcohol-based hand sanitizers — which don’t require water — are an excellent alternative to soap and water. If you choose to use a commercially prepared hand sanitizer, make sure the product contains at least 60 percent alcohol. Then follow these simple steps:

• Apply enough of the product to the palm of your hand to wet your hands completely.
• Rub your hands together, covering all surfaces, for up to 25 seconds or until they’re dry.

If your hands are visibly dirty, however, wash with soap and water. Antimicrobial wipes or towelettes are another option, although they’re not as effective as alcohol-based sanitizers.

Kids need clean hands, too:

Help your children stay healthy by encouraging them to wash their hands properly and frequently. Wash your hands with your children to show them how it’s done. To prevent rushing, suggest washing their hands for as long as it takes to sing the “Happy Birthday” song twice. You might place hand-washing reminders at children’s eye level, such as a chart by the bathroom sink for children to mark every time they wash their hands. If your children can’t reach the sink on their own, keep a stepstool handy.

Alcohol-based hand sanitizers are OK for children and adolescents, too, especially when soap and water isn’t available. Make sure the sanitizer completely dries before your child touches anything. Store the container safely away after use.

Hand washing is especially important for children in child care settings. Young children cared for in groups outside the home are at greater risk of respiratory and gastrointestinal diseases, which can easily spread to family members and other contacts. Be sure your child care provider promotes frequent hand washing or use of alcohol-based hand sanitizers. Ask whether the children are required to wash their hands several times a day — not just before meals. Note, too, whether diapering areas are cleaned after each use and whether eating and diapering areas are well separated.

A simple way to stay healthy.

Hand washing doesn’t take much time or effort, but it offers great rewards in terms of preventing illness. Adopting this simple habit can play a major role in protecting your health.

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ARISE to conduct its Renowned Master Training Workshop in Marianna with a Select Group of Florida Juvenile Justice Staff.

MEDIA RELEASE

ARISE Foundation
824 US HWY 1 Suite #240
North Palm Beach, FL 33408
Phone: (561) 630-2021
Fax: (561) 630-2790
 
Contact: Edmund Benson
Office 561-630-2021

 
For IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ARISE to conduct its Renowned Master Training Workshop in Marianna with a Select Group of Florida Juvenile Justice Staff.

ARISE Master Life Skills Certification gives juvenile justice staff the understanding and assurance they need to assume leadership roles and teach others how to facilitate ARISE life skills groups.

ARISE Foundation will conduct its Master Life Skills Training workshop October 5^th through 9^th at Chipola College, 3094 Indian Circle. This groundbreaking five-day course will run from 9:00 to 4:30 each day.

Participants in this remarkable workshop will be able to take what they have learned and effectively train others at their organization to lead lively group discussions and activities with the troubled youth and young adults in their charge. The “Big 10” interactive group activities are designed to draw troubled youth out of their shells, get them talking and make them feel listened to and respected. ARISE life-skills lessons are tailor-made for learners with reading and learning deficiencies and severe behavioral issues. The Master Life Skills trainers will teach others how to steer youth in the right direction by providing new facilitators with the know-how to use the breakthrough ARISE curricula to help disadvantaged youth grasp life’s unwritten rules. Among the 260 life lessons ARISE has created are anger and conflict management, self-esteem, drug and alcohol abuse prevention and job search skills.

For almost 25 years, ARISE, a nonprofit foundation, has functioned as a developer and publisher of life-management skills curricula and staff training programs. Created to reach at-risk, incarcerated youth in detention centers and secure facilities as well as other troubled youth, ARISE is also utilized as a powerful prevention tool for teenagers and young adults.  ARISE programs consist of interactive group discussions and activities designed to break the ice quickly and capture the attention of even the most introverted participants.

ARISE attributes its success to its three innovative staff training programs. The Life Skills Facilitator training teaches staff how to conduct ARISE interactive group discussions and activities with the troubled youth in their care. The Master Training workshop, such as this one in Marianna, certifies participants to train others as ARISE Life Skills Group Facilitators at their respective facilities. ARISE CHOICES: Drop It at the Door shows juvenile justice staff how to drop work-related stress and anger at the door when they get home and vice versa.

ARISE programs were utilized for decades in the Miami-Dade School system. ARISE has forged a strong partnership with the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ). ARISE programs have been changing the lives of juvenile offenders in the Florida juvenile justice system since 1996. Its dynamic programs are being taught in over 70 DJJ facilities across the state, as well as alternative schools and organizations such as the Salvation Army and the Boys and Girls Clubs.

ARISE programs are also used in over 100 organizations in the District of Columbia, including Washington, D.C. public and charter schools, the D.C. Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services, the Metropolitan Police, the District of Columbia jail and the D.C. Superior Court Probation Department.

Because ARISE is not for profit, it is able to provide a wide array of training opportunities and an ever-evolving life skills curricula for at-risk youth at rock-bottom prices. Profit is not a motivating factor. Its nonprofit status gives ARISE Foundation the ability to get out into the community, speak to incarcerated youth and adults, and turn their cautionary tales into lessons meant to assist at-risk youth in becoming law abiding citizens by learning from others’ mistakes.

A recent study by Vanderbilt University and the University of Maryland showed that the cost of one offender with at least six police contacts from childhood to age 32 is $3,172,998. In other words, rescuing one child from a life of crime saves taxpayers more than three million dollars.

Since ARISE was established over two decades ago, it has trained and certified  5,760 Group Facilitators who have taught over 4,055,708 documented hours of ARISE life-skills lessons in almost all 50 states. ARISE has been used successfully in Canada, Jamaica, England, Australia, Bahamas, Bermuda, New Zealand, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Bosnia, Kazakhstan, Central Asia, Botswana and the Kingdom of Bahrain. Requests for translation have also come in from as far away as Pakistan, South Africa, Cambodia, Singapore and China.

For more information, please call Yasmin at ARISE toll free: 1 (888) 680-6100 or visit http://www.ariselife-skills.org.

Learn how random acts of kindness can dramatically change your life in the latest ARISE webinar.

MEDIA RELEASE

ARISE Foundation

824 US Highway One

Suite #240

North Palm Beach, FL

Contact: Edmund Benson

Office Phone: (561) 630-2021

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Learn how random acts of kindness can dramatically change your life in the latest ARISE webinar.

By practicing acts of consideration and thoughtfulness, you bring happiness to your life. This webinar will give you practical advice you can put to use right away to improve your relationships.

Forget Facebook and Twitter–simple kindness is the original social networking tool. Conscious acts of kindness in the workplace and at home go a long way toward building connections and trust. Learn the benefits of kindness and how to incorporate it into your day-to-day life with the newest ARISE webinar entitled “Happiness through Kindness.” The webinar will take place on Wednesday, September 23, from 11:30 AM-12:30 PM. To register for the webinar, visit ariselife-skills.org and click on the training calendar on the right side of the home page. ARISE is a nonprofit, therefore we are able to offer this compelling, informative training webinar for a fee of just $19.95 for the general public.

ARISE webinars are the perfect way to reap the benefits of an ARISE training from the comfort of your office. All you need is a phone line and a computer with Internet access to be part of this groundbreaking new series of webinars. In just an hour, you will learn how basic acts of kindness can dramatically affect the way you relate to the people around you.

Have you ever caught yourself concentrating on someone’s faults? We all do it. We focus on what we don’t like in those around us. How about changing your way of thinking? What if you consciously looked for the good in others? And, what if you sought kindness and goodwill by dishing it out yourself? How different would the world be if each one of us paused for a moment and took the time to do something kind for another person? Imagine your boss taking a moment from his day to compliment you on a job well done. See yourself noticing that a coworker is having a rough day and buying them a cup of coffee. Now, stop imagining and learn how to use kindness to improve your life. Gather everyone around your speakerphone, have lunch together and share this important webinar.

For almost 25 years, ARISE, a nonprofit foundation, has developed and published life management skills curricula and staff training programs. Designed to reach at-risk, incarcerated youth in detention centers and secure juvenile facilities, ARISE is also utilized as a powerful prevention tool for teenagers and young adults so they don’t end up behind bars.  ARISE programs consist of lively interactive group discussions and activities designed to break the ice quickly and grab the attention of even the most introverted participants. ARISE is particularly appropriate for youth with special requirements such as limited reading and/or writing ability and behavioral problems.  ARISE attributes its success to its three innovative staff training programs. The Life Skills Facilitator training teaches staff how to conduct ARISE interactive group discussions and activities with the troubled youth in their care. The Master Training certifies participants to train others as ARISE Life Skills Group Facilitators at their respective facilities. CHOICES: Drop It at the Door shows juvenile justice staff how to drop work-related stress and anger at the door when they get home and vice versa. ARISE programs were utilized for decades in the Miami-Dade School system. ARISE has forged a strong partnership with the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ). ARISE programs have been changing the lives of juvenile offenders in the Florida juvenile justice system since 1996. Its dynamic programs are being taught in over 70 DJJ facilities across the state, as well as alternative schools and organizations such as the Salvation Army and the Boys and Girls Clubs.

ARISE programs are also used in over 100 organizations in the District of Columbia, including Washington, D.C. public and charter schools, the D.C. Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services, the Metropolitan Police, the District of Columbia jail and the D.C. Superior Court Probation Department.

Because ARISE is not for profit, it is able to provide a wide array of training opportunities and an ever-evolving life skills curricula for at-risk youth at affordable rock-bottom prices. Profit is not a motivating factor. Its nonprofit status gives ARISE Foundation the ability to get out into the community, speak to incarcerated youth and adults, and turn their cautionary tales into lessons meant to assist at-risk youth in becoming law abiding citizens by learning from others’ mistakes.

A recent study by Vanderbilt University and the University of Maryland showed that the cost of one offender with at least six police contacts from childhood to age 32 is $3,172,998. In other words, rescuing one child from a life of crime saves taxpayers more than 3 million dollars.

Since ARISE was established over two decades ago, it has trained and certified  5,760 Group Facilitators who have taught over 4,055,708 documented hours of ARISE life-skills lessons in almost all 50 states. ARISE has been used successfully in Canada, Jamaica, England, Australia, Bahamas, Bermuda, New Zealand, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Bosnia, Kazakhstan, Central Asia, Botswana and the Kingdom of Bahrain. Requests for translation have also come in from as far away as Pakistan, South Africa, Cambodia, Singapore and China.

For more information, please call ARISE Founder Edmund Benson at ARISE toll free: 1 (888) 680-6100 or visit http://www.ariselife-skills.org.

ARISE Works With Some of the Toughest Kids in Florida and the Most Dedicated Caregivers on the Planet.

ARISE Foundation co-founder Edmund Benson recently celebrated his 80th birthday.  As a gesture of thanks, he gave his birthday cake to the dedicated staff of Thompson Academy in Pembroke Pines, FL. Thompson Academy is a secure juvenile justice facility where approximately 150 youth are held under lock and key for six to nine months while undergoing positive behavior changes. While the youth are at Thompson,  ARISE trained group facilitators (the lucky recipients of the birthday cake) conduct ARISE group discussions and activities for 45-60 minutes a day, four days per week. These young men are positively engaged while they learn about anger and conflict management, the importance of education, how to prepare for a world where jobs are hard to come by, and many more valuable lessons. Motivated by the ARISE experience, these youth come to the realization that this information will only help them in life. Thanks to the well-trained staff at Thompson and the ARISE Life Management Skills curricula, created specifically for these troubled youth, they have a chance of leading law-abiding, successful lives upon their release from the program.

ARISE Announces the Update and Expansion of its One-of-a-Kind Dropout Prevention Material

Through exciting interactive activities and group discussions, teens will learn the crucial skills they need to stay in school and lead productive, successful lives.

Every 29 seconds, a student gives up on school. In an effort to turn the tide, ARISE created a riveting series on dropout prevention. The first volume is entitled “So You’re Thinking of Dropping Out of School,” and it outlines just how difficult life can be for young people who cut their education short. The second volume, “So You’re Thinking of Staying in School,” prepares underachieving teens with the solid reasons they can relate to for staying in school and the knowledge they need to communicate effectively, build meaningful relationships and make healthy decisions. The Dropping Out series is not just an instantly usable prevention tool—it is a resource-packed source of valuable information teens can lean on for advice and priceless tips to help them avoid the hard-knock life most dropouts face.

Conversations Behind Razor Wire—ARISE Interviews Incarcerated Gang Members.

For its upcoming book, filled with stories about the dangers of gang life, ARISE Foundation interviewed several incarcerated young gang members about their experiences.

As part of its mission to write life skills curricula that is authentic and realistic, ARISE founder Edmund Benson went to a juvenile correctional facility August 7 and sat down with several young gang members in an effort to hear their stories and give them a chance to warn at-risk young people about the perils of gang life.

Teens may not listen to authority figures, but they do listen to each other. Firsthand stories of the constant fear, danger and violence of life inside a gang are a way to reach young people on the cusp of making the life-destroying decision to join a gang. Quotes from the interviewed gang members will be included in ARISE Foundation’s new upcoming collection of stories about gangs, written by people from all over the country. Each story was handpicked to illustrate a critical point. Topics range from the disastrous effects gang life has on someone’s family members to how easy it is to lose your life to gang violence. The stories illustrate, using plaintive, stark language, how easy it is to get caught up in the endless cycle of revenge that gang members live in every day.

The three interviewed gang members spoke candidly about the actions that led them to their incarceration. One 17 year-old, who joined a gang at age 12, spoke of the constant nightmares that plague him.

“The worst part of being in a gang,” he said, “is every night when you go to bed, you see the faces of the people you hurt, and your friends that got killed. That’s the hardest part, the nightmares.”

ARISE hopes to duplicate the success of one of their most popular books, “31 of Taneka’s Urban Tales,” with this new anthology of captivating stories.

For more information please call ARISE Founder Edmund Benson at ARISE toll free: 1 (888) 680-6100 or visit ariselife-skills.org.

Drop it at the Door: ARISE gives New Mexico teachers the skills they need to reject negative emotions.

ARISE Foundation
824 US HWY 1 Suite #240
North Palm Beach, FL 33408
Phone: (561) 630-2021
Fax: (561) 630-2790

CONTACT: EDMUND BENSON
Office 561-630-2021
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Drop it at the Door: ARISE gives New Mexico teachers the skills they need to reject negative emotions.

ARISE will journey cross-country to bring anger and stress management to the staff of Academy of Trades and Technologies.

Continuing its effort to bring anger management and stress prevention to those that work with at-risk youth, ARISE Foundation will conduct its CHOICES: Drop it at the Door workshop at ATT in Albuquerque, New Mexico August 11 and 12. The Academy of Trades and Technologies is a vocational-technical high school for at-risk teens. The Academy offers students design and construction classes as well as assistance with mental health, housing and healthcare. The mission of the Academy is to not only give their students a viable career, but to steer them away from the at-risk lifestyles many of them were living before they enrolled in the Academy. Intervention Coordinator Colleen Chavez uses much of the ARISE life skills curricula and conducts group discussions with the teens about gang prevention, anger management, drug and alcohol abuse prevention, job search and interview skills and more.

“Our school is really their last chance resort,” Chavez said. “They’ve been kicked out of other schools and this is their last place to go. Even if they’ve been expelled from another school, we take them in. We want to get these kids job ready.”

As part of the Academy’s Professional Development Days, ARISE will conduct its intensive, two-day,
14-hour staff training workshop entitled CHOICES: Drop it at the Door. CHOICES is an innovative training that gives participants working with difficult populations the tools to handle anger and stress through making better choices in their work and personal lives. CHOICES is a perk provided by employers who want their staff to be successful both on the job and at home.

“This is a high stress job,” Chavez said. “We wanted to help ourselves de-stress. We take in a lot of negativity from these kids. How do you not take it personally?”

The training will give the staff of ATT a solid understanding of how they can make the choice to drop home- and work-related anger, stress and frustration “at the door.” CHOICES training effectively stops the boomerang effect of stress and negativity, relieving the tension and harmful emotions that can shuttle between the workplace and home. This powerful anger and stress management workshop prepares participants to deal with difficult populations. Troubled youth are often so angry that they lash out at everyone around them. ARISE trains juvenile justice staff and others that work with at-risk youth how to avoid confrontation by using proven techniques and strategies demonstrated and practiced in this unique CHOICES training.

The ARISE CHOICES: Drop It At The Door training program has been extremely successful in the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice, where it has been conducted in various residential facilities. ARISE has also expanded its CHOICES program to include other government agencies such as police, corrections and probations departments that require employees to confront difficult and often dangerous situations on a daily basis.

For over 20 years, ARISE has operated as a developer and publisher of Life Management Skills curricula and staff training programs. Designed to reach at-risk, incarcerated youth in detention centers and secure facilities and on probation, ARISE is also utilized as a powerful prevention tool for teenagers and young adults. ARISE programs consist of interactive group discussions and activities designed to break the ice quickly and grab the attention of even the most turned-off participants.

In its home state of Florida, ARISE was utilized for decades in the Miami-Dade School system. ARISE has forged a strong partnership with the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ). ARISE programs have been changing the lives of juvenile offenders in the Florida juvenile justice system since 1996. Its dynamic programs are currently being taught in 74 DJJ facilities across the state, as well as the Salvation Army, Boys and Girls Clubs and alternative schools.

ARISE programs are also used in over 100 organizations in the District of Columbia, including public and charter schools, the D.C. Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services, the Metropolitan Police, the District of Columbia jail and the D.C. Superior Court Probation Department.

A 2007 study by Vanderbilt University and the University of Maryland showed that the cost of one offender with at least six police contacts from childhood to age 32 is $3,172,998. In other words, rescuing one youth from a life of crime saves taxpayers more than $3 million dollars.

Since ARISE was established over two decades ago, it has trained and certified 5,760 Group Facilitators who have taught over 4,055,788 documented hours of ARISE life-skills lessons across the United States. ARISE is also being used in Canada, Jamaica, England, Australia, Bahamas, Bermuda, New Zealand, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Bosnia, Kazakhstan, Central Asia and the Kingdom of Bahrain. ARISE curricula are presently being translated into Kazakh, Russian. Requests for translations have also come in from as far away as Pakistan and South Africa.

For more information, or to schedule a training, please call Yasmin Isaacs toll free: 1 (888) 680-6100 or visit http://www.ariselife-skills.org