Program seeks to inspire and instill self-confidence in DCSD students
Kim Nelson speaks to parents and students during a recent interest meeting for Project Intercept to Empower.
Photo Contributed
By Melissa Rollins, Editor, editor@newsandpress.net
When it comes to getting a student to graduate high school and continue on to post-secondary education, knowing early on that someone believes in them can make all of the difference. Project Intercept to Empower, an effort of the Darlington County School District, seeks to give that confidence to a group of first grade students.
The project will run April 17 – 20 at Washington Street Elementary School.
Kimberly Nelson, Safety Security Risk Management Technician for DCSD, said that a similar project had been successful in the past and she wanted to continue efforts to inspire students.
“The original program, Project Intercept, started at Darlington City Police Department where we worked with kids that had some issues,” Nelson said. “We worked with them on math, English, reading, behavioral expectations and things like that that we wanted them to focus on. That program was a success.”
Nelson said that when she went to district administration they agreed that the results were excellent with students who had gone through the police department’s program.
“They pulled the statistical data from the program the year before and saw that their attendance had increased and that their behavior issues had decreased; the data was there to prove that the program was helpful to those students,” Nelson said. “When they saw that, they embraced this program.”
Nelson and the volunteers with the program are being intentional with its audience: first graders.
“We are going to be working with first graders and we are going to focus on building up their skills, making them a little bit better in the areas that they need to focus on,” Nelson said. “We are going to do math and reading. We are going to do poetry with Emerson and all that. We want to get them excited about their future educational goals.”
Nelson said that the program is an effort to give support to students who may not believe in themselves.
“Just imagine what can happen if we go in there and tell them that they can do it,” Nelson said. “It might not affect all of them but I am quite sure it will affect one or two. I can’t wait to see their face light up when their light bulb goes off and they realize they can do it.”
Law enforcement will be involved in the program, letting students see them as a supporter instead of an adversary.
“We want to get law enforcement and these kids interacting to build that repoire that will go with them as they continue to grow up,” Nelson said. “We want to build that bridge between law enforcement and the community. We want to show these kids that we are here and we are here to help you. People might say what does this have to do with safety, security and risk management, which is my job. Dr. Ingram has said that if we can teach these kids right now how to be respectful and how to do what needs to be done we won’t have issues with safety, security and risk management as they progress. Building that relationship with law enforcement now, those issues will be eliminated.”
Nelson said that her own lightbulb moment came later in her school career.
“My uncles and aunts, we grew up like sisters and brothers,” Nelson said. “I had one uncle graduate and then I graduated. If you aren’t careful, you get stuck in that mold and you think it is the norm to not accomplish your goals. I want the kids to see that you can do anything, regardless of the situation. Regardless of how you felt like you were left behind, you can do it. I believe in you but you have to believe in yourself too.”