Today’s promising young people are becoming tomorrow’s local headlines, according to Alabama Citizens Action Program (ALCAP) officials. That’s the reason behind ALCAP’s newest educational module — gang awareness.
“We can’t expect to just reach teenagers with Sunday School,” said Steve Loggins, director of missions for North Jefferson Baptist Association and an ALCAP presenter for 25 years. “This (the gang awareness program) is an opportunity to get beyond the church and into the community with a message of truth. The ones that are at greatest risk are those that never come through our church doors.”
ALCAP’s educational program reached more than 122,000 youth this past year with 2,364 presentations in 703 schools across Alabama. The free program is built around several modules taught from third grade through the university level — drug awareness, suicide prevention, anger management, conflict resolution, violence prevention in school, character education, prevention of bullying, driver education, prom preparation and now gang awareness.
According to ALCAP officials, gang membership and the number of gangs have rapidly increased in recent years. With critical issues such as this ensnaring more students all the time, Loggins said traveling as an ALCAP presenter has allowed him to get inside public schools and stay fresh with the current trends of students.
The growing demand for presentations has increased the need for more volunteer presenters to travel throughout Alabama educating students on the hard issues they are facing. With more trained presenters, the number of volunteers who currently have to drive more than 100 miles will be diminished and the program will be more effective, said Bill Day, director of ALCAP’s educational program.
ALCAP currently has 62 trained presenters. In order to volunteer, the presenter must confess Christ to be Lord and Savior, be active in a local church fellowship and have some college education. Retired teachers are highly encouraged to volunteer.
Current and prospective ALCAP teachers receive continuing education at regional “drive-in” conferences. The conferences are scheduled from 1–3:30 p.m. and provide the participants with the information needed to make presentations around the state, as well as tools to help them work with teenagers. This year’s drive-in conferences will be held:
- Aug. 14 — Morgan Association, Hartselle
- Aug. 15 — Bethel Association, Linden
- Aug. 16 — Birmingham Association, Birmingham
- Aug. 17 — Baldwin Association, Silverhill
- Aug. 18 — Dale Association, Ozark
- Aug. 21 — St. Clair Association, Ashville
- Aug. 22 — North Jefferson Association, Mount Olive
For more information, contact Day at 205-985-9062.
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