OUR PROGRAMS

The Challenge Program

The Challenge Program Goal: Reinforce students’ academic progress, pride in learning, pride in their heritage and communities, and to enhance each student’s potential to graduate from high school, go to college and become active, contributing leaders of their local and global communities as thriving adults.

• Challenge Achieve
• Challenge Elite
• Village School

Challenge Achieve – is an innovative classroom‐based, education program designed to close the educational achievement gap. The program operates within the school’s internal system. Challenge Achieve Instructors work closely with school administration, teaching staff, counselors and social workers to maximize opportunities and academic achievement of students who have been identified as having one if not all of the following problems: behavioral, academic and/or truancy. The goal is to reinforce students’ academic progress, pride in learning, pride in their heritage and communities, and to enhance each student’s potential to graduate from high school, and further their education either through college or a trade school so they become active, contributing members in their communities as thriving adults. The program is also a bridge advocating on behalf of parents as well as training parents how to become advocates for their child(ren) and involves parents/guardians in the student’s achievement promoting positive parent/teacher relationships. The curriculum includes reading, writing, cultural awareness, arts, health and nutrition, and “Circle,” which teaches youth conflict resolution skills through teamwork and leadership activities.

Challenge Elite – is a program for youth who have achieved certain goals within the Lifestyles FIT and Challenge Program and are ready to become peer leaders within the organization and their community. Youth have the opportunity to put to use the leadership skills they have developed within the other programs by being peer mentors to new youth participants, assisting staff and volunteers on special projects, representing their peers on the Circle of Discipline Board of Directors, attending community and neighborhood meetings regarding youth issues, being a spokes-person for the Circle of Discipline at various events, traveling to national conferences and traveling with the Amateur Boxing team assisting the team manager at local, regional and national tournaments. Further leadership training is provided to continue their leadership development through various workshops and retreats.

Village School – is an after-school literacy program that delivers a Children’s Defense Fund (CDF) developed curriculum with the goal of youth achieving high-quality academic enrichment reading with a focus on reading, parent and family involvement, civic engagement and social action, and intergenerational leadership development, including cooperative problem solving, conflict resolution, and physical fitness activities. Circle of Discipline partners in implementing this literacy program are La Crèche Early Childhood Centers, Inc. and the CDF. Utilizing the Freedom School curriculum developed by the Children’s Defense Fund, Village School provides after-school programming to youth at risk of failing or dropping out of the traditional school system. The program capitalizes on unlocking the door to unlimited potential through reading. CDF experts have chosen curriculum books that help youth reflect on the following themes: Self, Family, Community, Country, and the World. As taught by well-trained and caring Village School educators, this powerful and motivational curriculum helps youth better understand themselves and the world. Village School is built around four basic principles: 1) Youth can learn given the proper environment and instruction; 2) Self-esteem and mutual value grow through listening and respectful treatment, learning about culture and heritage, and participating in activities that serve community; 3) Youth unlock the doors to their own unlimited potential when they learn and love to read; and 4) Parents are essential partners in their children’s education and success.