Energy and enthusiasm filled the gymnasium at College Hill Middle School Monday as the Texarkana Ark., Police Department's annual P.R.I.D.E. Academy got under way.
P.R.I.D.E (Personal Responsibility in Daily Efforts) will run through Friday at College Hill Middle School. J'licia Jones, 12, and Rikina Easter, 11, are two of the 104 sixth-graders attending this year's P.R.I.D.E. Academy.
The girls turned cartwheels in the gym during a break in activities and talked about the excitement of starting sixth grade soon.
The P.R.I.D.E. Academy is a five-day camp for about 100 entering sixth graders that provides tools and education for students to make positive life choices. The P.R.I.D.E. Academy places police officers as coaches with these students at a local middle school, supplemented with other instructors and health care professionals.
The students are taught decision making skills, coping techniques, enhanced self-esteem, and anger management. Each year, the students complete at least two community service projects such as cleaning up local parks and packaging food at the local food bank. The students also gain school and community pride while bonding with police officers to build positive lasting relationships and a more positive view of law enforcement.
The goal of the P.R.I.D.E. Academy is to reduce at-risk behaviors by promoting healthy lifestyles, educational achievement and financial stability in youth by building positive influences in their lives before reaching adulthood.
"We're off to a good start," Officer Kristi Bennett said Monday. "Everybody seems excited. We have 104 sixth graders and 47 teenagers helping out."
On Monday afternoon, the children were being divided into groups based on some of their favorite things such as favorite cereal or favorite sport.
Some of the activities will include team building, obstacle course, skits, music, and meeting the K9's. Additionally, the campers learn about dangers of drugs and alcohol, gang prevention, peer pressure, anti-bullying, internet safety, gun safety, first aid and what to do in an emergency. The instructors for these learning blocks are representatives from community partners.
The last day of this camp is designed to recognize the children's accomplishments over the week. The day ends with a graduation ceremony attended by their families and diplomas awarded by the TAPD Chief of Police. Campers are also given a full-size backpack containing all of the required school supplies needed for the upcoming school year.