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YWAP Buffalo
*YOUTH WITH A PURPOSE*
ALL CHILDREN ARE GIFTED

School 43 - A Great Place To Be

They began filling the auditorium last Wednesday (10/03/07) at Buffalo Public School 43 at approximately 9:30 am. The Principal, Mr. David Hills was looking to give his students something extra. The program was called "NBA - No Bullies Allowed." The assembly style program teaches conflict resolution skills and how to take 100% responsibility for your own life. Mr. Hills was trying to give his students the opportunity to take greater control over their own lives.

Imagine that, a Principal trying to give his students more control.

With approximately 460 students, the school was split into 2 assemblies. Each assembly opened with a short historical vignette featuring a character imitating 4 famous people with their quotations and a 15 year old YWAP Staff member with a remote control. The character would act out the famous quote while being controlled by the remote. By combining the 4 famous quotes the character exhorted the crowd to:

"Ask not what your dream can do for you but how your dream can show love for your neighbor and you will have a beautiful day in the neighborhood."
Can you guess the 4 famous people? (Hint, JFK, MLK, Mr.R. JC.)

The program took the students on a journey through drama, music, humor. audience participation and a Q&A session.

The students at School 43 were awesome!

They jumped right in when they were asked to volunteer and were very respectful of the YWAP Staff and their fellow students. The Principal had believed in them enough to show he had faith in them to learn some pretty deep concepts. The students proved that they were mature enough and cared enough about each other as exemplified by their behavior. During one of the Q&A sessions, someone asked:
"What should you do when you treat someone nice and it seems the nicer you are to them the more rotten they are to you?"
(Answer: Hold them accountable in a respectful way. You might say to them: "I am really trying to be a good friend to you but the way you treat me makes me feel like you don't respect me." There are times when you have to break off a relationship.)
There were many other insightful and well thought out questions and suggestions after each assembly program.

The last part of the program took place in the afternoon. Mr. Hills invited a smaller group to have a round table discussion with the YWAP Staff. In a very honest and transparent way, the Principal put himself on the same level as his students to have an open discussion about how we all could make beneficial changes in ourselves.

School 43 is a place where students are urged
to take control of their own opportunities in life.

Buffalo is a better place to be because of School 43!


To bring the NBA Program to your school or organization please contact us.
YWAPBuffalo
YOUTH WITH A PURPOSE
ALL CHILDREN ARE GIFTED
345 7th Street
Buffalo, New York 14201
716-830-8240
ywapbuffalo@yahoo.com
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