Feb 20, 2017 - The Success Agents program offers youth a brighter ... fun activities and rewarding incentive programs so
330 West Broadway San Diego, CA 92101 (619) 531-4040
OFFICE OF
THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY
JESUS RODRIGUEZ ASSISTANT DISTRICT ATTORNEY
COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO SUMMER STEPHAN DISTRICT ATTORNEY
February 20, 2017 For Immediate Release
Contact: Steve Walker (619) 531-3890 Tanya Sierra (619) 531-3315 En Español Barbara Medina (619) 531-3305
DA Starts Mentorship Program Aimed at Keeping Youth on the Right Track ‘Success Agents’ Offers Tutoring, Motivation for Students to Succeed San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan announced today that her office is collaborating on a pilot program with the U.S. Attorney’s Office focused on improving literacy and building self-esteem for at-risk kids. The Success Agents program offers youth a brighter future by providing mentors from the DA’s Office, tutoring, and other services designed to enhance a student’s resilience, build self-esteem and instill the discipline necessary to achieve their dreams. The program runs for four months at Johnson Elementary School and includes a group of 18 fourth-graders handpicked by the principal and teachers to participate. A group of DA employees, including prosecutors, support staff and even the Director of the DA’s Information Technology department, made the volunteer commitment of weekly mentorship of the students. The volunteers provide assistance with homework; teach sportsmanship, teamwork and communication skills. The program is designed to stay in touch with the students, following them through eighth grade with continuing mentorship. “We’re committed to keeping young people out of the juvenile justice system and stopping the school-to-prison pipeline,” said DA Summer Stephan. “Success Agents is a powerful and personal way for our District Attorney team to partner with our schools in order to build safe and healthy communities with early crime prevention. Giving these 4th graders the most important gift of time, this mentorship-based program is helping these kids achieve a brighter future through supporting their academic needs and exposing them to new ideas and experiences." Success Agents addresses risks that kids face when they are not succeeding in school, like being truant, joining gangs, doing drugs and committing crimes. The program also motivates kids with fun activities and rewarding incentive programs so they can stay out of trouble and stay focused on succeeding in school. In addition, it offers resources to parents, who will also be meeting once a month with the coordinators. This program is modeled on an idea that started in the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Their Success Agents program began in March of 2017 at Porter Elementary School.
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“Unquestionably, prosecuting bad actors and seizing their drugs, weapons and drug proceeds makes our community safer. But enforcement is just one aspect of the crime problem. We must also forge community partnerships that offer key resources and help our youth make positive choices,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Braverman. “Success Agents creates ongoing opportunities for caring mentors to foster meaningful relationships, provide tutoring, and plant seeds that will motivate kids not to merely dream, but to achieve their dreams.” An employee from the U.S. Attorney is also participating as a mentor in the DA’s pilot program at Johnson Elementary, along with police officers from the San Diego Police Department. “The positive mentorship of our youth is not just a part time effort,” said Acting Assistant Chief Terence Charlot. “It is a moral responsibility we all have to help build stronger communities and develop lasting relationships for our future. We are proud to be a part of this great program.” Success Agents is a partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, San Diego Police Department, StarPal, the San Diego Unified School District and the San Diego County Department of Health and Human Services. The DA’s Success Agents program is being coordinated by the Juvenile Division Chief Lisa Weinreb and Assistant Chief Shawnalyse Ochoa with the help of the U.S. Attorney’s Crime Prevention and Community Outreach Program Coordinator, Shastity Urias. The parents will be referred to the CARE Center, which is led by the DA’s Crime Prevention and Intervention Chief J.J. Anderson. There they will have access to parenting classes, a food pantry, and additional services for their families at no cost. ###
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