I Soared...

The other day, I had the most amazing experience. I attended a kind of after-school program for…not just “at risk” kids, but for the most “disadvantaged” kids -- kids who had the lowest grades, the worst behavior problems in one of the poorest schools in Charleston, SC. It’s not just another “after school” program: the purpose of this program is to teach social and emotional intelligence skills to these children.

The program is called WINGS for Kids and is the brainchild of a very creative woman named Ginny Deerin. Last Wednesday she took me to see one of her WINGS programs, up front and personal. (See www.wingsforkids.org)

Here’s what happened: we arrived at the school and were treated like very special guests. One of the leaders, Brendon, came over and gave us a HUGE hug. I felt more than physically embraced. Two “ambassadors” from the program came to welcome us as special guests. When I asked them how they happened to be chosen ambassadors, one said: “Because they trust us.”

There are about 150 kids in the program, ranging from kindergarteners to fifth graders. (I don’t really know what to call them because children makes them sound too young and participants too impersonal.) The program is every day from 2:30 – 5:30 in the afternoon, and every kid gets a hot meal at the end of the day.

The children, the kids, are organized into groups of about 10, called “nests”, each of which is headed by a “wing leader.” These wing leaders are college students who have committed to participating in the program. There is a very specific design to the program, including a snacktime “meet and greet” where the kids get to talk and dance in their respective groups and express the pent up energy of being in school all day. Then, there is a community segment where everyone comes together to do a learning activity. There are elective segments where the kids can choose how and where to spend their time.

I loved it.

That week the learning segment was about dealing with “conflict.” The program director asked the room full of kids whether they could tell her what was important when handling conflict. Lots of hands went up with the “oooooh, oooooooh, call on me” enthusiasm. When asked, one kid said: “You’re not supposed to yell at people.” Another replied: “Everyone has to give a little.” It was pretty impressive and so exciting to feel the positive energy in the room.

At the end of the segment, and before going to their community service work outside, everyone said The WINGS Creed. You’ll have to come back tomorrow to read the creed, but if I were you, I wouldn’t miss it. You might want to adapt it as your own daily creed.

Finally, before I go, I want to give a special shout out to the Wings leaders. The program wouldn’t be successful without them. They were patient, but firm, acting as positive role models for the kids. I was impressed with their dedication. Remember Brendon? He was going to be a computer specialist, but as a result of his experience with WINGS, he has decided to become a teacher and work with kids.

Years ago, a Wings leader was on track to become a law student. During his experience with WINGS, he also decided to change his major to education and this year, he became the principal of the very same school where he had participated in the WINGS program.

So, is WINGS effective? It is changing lives. More tomorrow…