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The blog is updated weekly and will cover a range of subjects from student mental health, school safety, to parents and the community. Don’t forget to subscribe and never miss a post!

We are Family Education Initiative (F.E.I.), a multi-service non-profit organization created to improve the quality of life for youth, families, and communities. F.E.I. works in rural and underserved communities across the state of North Carolina, and we are excited to premiere our dynamic new after-school program, “Project Arrow,” in partnership with Granville County Schools! Project Arrow is a cross-age peer mentoring and leadership program that helps students identify and develop healthy responses to trauma and stress.

Did you know our kids are in a crisis?

A student crisis is any traumatic event that severely disrupts coping and problem-solving abilities; such as substance use disorder, bullying, depression, violence, and other adverse experiences. However, awareness, knowledge, and practices that promote sound mental health can significantly reduce and often prevent a crisis. According to the CDC 2017 School Violence Prevention document; crises such as school violence can be avoided through efforts by teachers, administrators, parents, community members, and even students. During the 2015 – 2017 academic years the most frequently reported crimes in both middle and high schools was possession of a controlled substance, possession of a weapon excluding firearms, and possession of an alcoholic beverage as stated by the Center for Safer Schools. Despite the facts; don’t worry! Project Arrow will positively impact public school safety by conducting peer mentoring and leadership to teach students how to deal with crises effectively and healthy.

Peer mentoring is not new, but it is effective; both mentors and mentees in similar programs have shown positive impacts on connectedness to their school and peers; feelings of competency, empathy, moral reasoning, and self-efficacy, among other academic and social benefits.

Collaboration is key!

Our team is working together with counselors, social workers, resource officers, and administrators to create manuals and offer more programs to address students dealing with crisis and trauma. So the teachers can focus on what they do best, teaching!

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