Help Identify 40 Causes to Receive a $25,000 State Farm Neighborhood Assist Grant
Arnold, MD (PRWEB) August 20, 2017 -- State Farm Neighborhood Assist® has named The Southern Maryland Team Anti-Bullying Program as one of 40 national causes up for a $25,000 grant. If the initiative wins, Gals Lead – Dream Queen Foundation’s signature teen girl program to help combat teen girl bullying – will expand into the Tri-County area of St. Mary’s, Calvert and Charles Counties. The program could potentially impact nearly 17,500 female students (49.4 percent female average) in 14 public high schools, based on U.S. News & World Report statistics.
The entry – which was submitted by the Dream Queen Foundation – is one of two contenders in Maryalnd. As State Farms says in its campaign, “you can help life go right, right in your neighborhood.” Each person can vote 10 times per day. Daily votes can be cast simultaneously at neighborhoodassist.com.
The Dream Queen Foundation is providing opportunities to nearly 750 female students (48% of the total student population) at Great Mills High School a safe place to share, get to know themselves, celebrate successes, overcome obstacles, learn from role models, pursue their dreams, and ultimately, embrace their value and worth. Based on a pilot program from January –May 2017, students who participated experienced positive results. The school saw an increase in grades, as well as, a reduction in absenteeism and tardiness. Participants reported they felt more empowered, connected and confident about their likelihood to not bully or be bullied.
Bullying is an age-old problem. Bullying – defined by stopbullying.gov - is unwanted, aggressive behavior among school-aged children that involves a real or perceived power imbalance and includes three types of abuse – emotional, verbal and physical.
It is typically repeated over time and research indicates bullying can lower childrens’ self confidence, influence grades, affect mental and physical health and at its worst, lead to suicide, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Bullying is more prevalent in middle and secondary schools because of access and availability to online chat rooms, social media, Internet access and cell phones.
Arguably, bullying has become a national epidemic. In Maryland alone, 54,823 high schoolers (13.8 percent) were electronically bullied, while 54,219 (17.7 percent) were bullied on school property over a period of 12 months, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Maryland High School Youth Risk Behavior Study in 2015. Of those, the majority 27,551 (19.8 percent) were females. Middle school is worse. The Maryland Middle School Youth Risk Behavior Study 2015, reports 26,875 (19.7 percent) of students were electronically bullied and 26,526 were bulllied on school property. Over 13,000 were females. Unfortunatley, the statistics are higher when they include other categories of unintentional injuries such as fights or suicide ideation.
Turn caring into doing by casting your 10 votes today. All votes can be cast simultaneously at neighborhoodassist.com.
ABOUT THE DREAM QUEEN FOUNDATION
A 501(c) 3 nonprofit organization founded in 2016, The Dream Queen Foundation helps women and teen girls align careers with passion and purpose; embrace authenticity and transparency; and replace greed and corruption with heart and soul. To view free monthly empowerment networking events and learn more about the annual Stand Out Experience, retreats and additional online resources, visit Dream Queen. Financial assistance is available.
ABOUT GALS LEAD
Dream Queen Foundation’s signature teen girl program, Gals Lead, teaches female youth ages 9-18 the responsibility and the role of leadership, helps them develop a life-long love for learning, and ultimately equips them to transform the 7 Cultural Spheres of Influence that define the world today: Government, Business, Education, Religion, Family, Media, & Arts/Entertainment. Learn more online.
Christina Motley, Christina Motley LLC, +1 9192080963, [email protected]
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