RESPECT Summer Youth & Social Well Being Series

Over the past three weeks, The Kim Foundation had the opportunity to host RESPECT’s Summer Youth & Social Well Being Series. This year the group held three separate sessions throughout July, and each session covered different topics for a wide-range of ages. Each session was attended by over 30 school counselors, teachers, and administrators from all over the Omaha area. Following each performance there was a panel discussion with professionals from our community, as well as group role play.

The first week the actors performed a play about internet safety and cyber bullying, called “Natalie the Net Nanny.” It covered a variety of issues including how to protect privacy online, what to do if a child is being cyberbullied, and it even addressed the dangers of meeting an online friend in real life.

The second week the topic matter was aimed towards an older audience group, and covered a much heavier set of topics including underage drinking, body image, self-harm, and suicide. The play “Choices,” gives the school administrators options from a handful of issues that they feel their students would most benefit from. From those selected topics, the actors will perform scenes that address those issues and allow the group to engage in open discussion.

The last week of the series covered dating violence. “Cracked But Not Broken” is a play that teaches students how to identify an abusive relationship, and how to use local resources to help themselves or a friend.

For over 10 years, RESPECT has been using theater to promote healthy relationships among children and youth. Led by Dr. Patricia Newman, a child psychologist, their actor-educators stage conversations about bullying, relationships, and mental health with 30,000 participants ages preschool through college in Nebraska and Iowa every year.

To learn more about RESPECT or to book an event at your school, go to http://respect2all.org

About Jill Sauser, The Kim Foundation Project Coordinator
Jill graduated with a degree in Journalism and a minor in Speech Communication from the University of Nebraska at Omaha in 2009. During her time at UNO, she completed a two year PR practicum program where she worked with numerous nonprofit clients including the MS Society, The Archdiocese of Omaha, The Omaha Food Bank, and YWCA. Since becoming Project Coordinator at The Kim Foundation in April 2014, she has become an active member of the Nebraska State Suicide Prevention Coalition, The Omaha Metro Hoarding Taskforce, the Early Childhood Mental Health Coalition, the Metro Area LOSS Team, and is helping lead a community-wide health improvement initiative with the Douglas County Health Department called, “Just Reach Out,” which is focused on improving the people’s view on mental and behavioral health treatment.