Fall 1997 Volume 2Number 4

FRONTIERS

The boys who Hedrick Middle School counselor Frances Tepp fears for most are products of brutal environments where flying fists and bruising words pass for conflict resolution. They've been told, "Be tough, kid. Act like a man. Do whatever it takes to get your way."

At school these boys fight, swear, have huge numbers of disciplinary referrals and get poor grades. They're absent a lot. All live with the devastating effects of violence in the home.

But Rogue Valley Medical Center's Domestic Violence Program, with a grant from the Rogue Valley Medical Center Foundation, is equipping some of the Rogue Valley's most at-risk boys with emotional and intellectual tools to break the cycle of violence.

"We want to intervene and mediate in their lives," explained Tepp. "We want to give them a choice and help them understand what it means to be a man."

The program began during the 1996/97 school year, when Tep discovered that boys expelled the previous year for violent behavior had one thing in common: All came from violent homes. Tepp called Karen Darling, RVMC's Domestic Violence Program's director, and asked, "What can we do?"

Darling contacted Chelsea Kemp-Davis, a counselor in private practice, and the three put their heads together. The result was a six-week pilot program at Hedrick Middle School targeting 13- and 14-year-old boys from violent backgrounds. The group of seven boys met weekly for three weeks before and three weeks after Christmas vacation. "These kids are in extreme situations," explained Kemp-Davis. "Fighting and leaving happens every day for them. Being able to talk about Christmas break before and after was very beneficial."

When six weeks were up, no one wanted the group to end, and the RVMC Foundation funded an additional seven weeks. The results were remarkable.

"Every boy's grades and attendance improved, and disciplinary referrals were down dramatically," said Tepp. "The types of problems they had were less severe. All are such neat kids and were so proud of themselves for getting into less trouble."

Success led to continued funding, and now more at-risk youngsters have a chance to turn around. The program is being offered for the entire 1997/98 school year at Hedrick and McLoughlin Middle Schools. With continued positive results, the program may expand to other Rogue Valley elementary and middle schools, and to girls whose response to abuse may not be as outwardly disruptive but can be equally devastating.

"Our purpose is to break the cycle of violence and abuse," said Darling. "By teaching alternatives to violence, this program can have a dramatic impact on the future of these young men, and on the women and children with whom they will eventually live."

How You Can Help
YOUR TIME. Continuing contact with a caring adult can help at-risk kids stay on the right track. Boys who "graduate" from the counseling group are assigned specially trained mentors. Please contact Frances Tepp at (541) 776-8777, Campus Life at (541) 779-3275 or Karen Darling at (541) 608-4707 for information about mentoring opportunities.

YOUR DOLLARS. Your donations to the RVMC Foundation make this and other worthy programs possible. To donate to the RVMC Foundation, please contact the Foundation at 2825 E. Barnett Rd., Medford, OR 97504-9988, or call (541) 608-5025. Your donation can be directed to the program of your choice.