- Mon, 11/07/2011 - 13:27
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Several youth in Fontana have “flipped” their lives around, thanks to a new intervention program. The Fontana Leadership Intervention Program (F.L.I.P.) helps at-risk youth in Fontana bring about positive and lasting changes in their lives. Started in 2010 the F.L.I.P. program is a partnership between the Fontana Police Department and Fontana Unified School District with the goal to inspire students to achieve their full potential in academics and life through physical team building exercises, academic challenges, anger management training, drug and gang diversion and life enriching excursions.
Partnering with the Fontana Police Department, the Fontana Unified School District has created the Fontana Leadership Intervention Program (F.L.I.P) to help at-risk youth in the city. The students participating in F.L.I.P. are referred to the program by either a school site, parent or by order of the juvenile court. Once accepted, participants enroll in an intensive sixteen week training course. During the sixteen weeks students attend an eight-hour training each Saturday covering various topics ranging from self-discipline development to goal planning. Students must also check in each day at school to verify school attendance and completed homework. Upon completion of the program graduates receive five high school elective units towards graduation. To build upon the leadership skills the students learned during the program, graduates act as mentors to new F.L.I.P. participants.
F.L.I.P. also incorporates the community and family into the program offering parenting classes during the last two hours of each Saturday sessions. To instill a sense of community all participants complete a volunteer community project such as serving meals at a retirement facility, community beautification or graffiti removal. At the most recent F.L.I.P. service project, students served over 500 root beer floats at the Fontana Community Senior Center’s one-year anniversary. The success of the program is apparent in the disciplinary records of the schools. An analysis of Kaiser High School’s disciplinary record, one of the schools with the highest F.L.I.P. student representation, revealed a significant drop in behavior issues since the start of the program. Alcohol/drugs declined by 91%, assaults by 84%, truancy by 87% and damage to school property by 54%. A similar analysis performed at Sequoia middle school showed bullying down by 98%. The positive behavior being reinforced by participants is shaping a safe and positive learning environment for all Fontana students.
For F.L.I.P.’s exceptional work, the program has received the 2011 Juvenile Justice Department’s Intervention Program of the Year Award and the 2011 California Police Officers Association Community Based Program of the Year award. F.L.I.P. is truly a life altering program in our community, shaping the next generation of Fontana leaders.