RESPECT Travels to ESU 16 to Stage Conversations with 4th – 12th Graders

During the week of September 16th, RESPECT’s actor-educators along with Executive Director, Dr. Patricia Newman, traveled to ESU 16 to provide 11 programs at four different sites.  Centered around North Platte, NE, communities in the ESU 16 region brought RESPECT to their schools to provide Natalie the Net Nanny for elementary school students, Choices for middle school students, and Reporting for high school students.  Schools within driving distance while of each host-site bussed additional students to participate in the events.  In all, over 1500 students benefited from the interactive educational theatre and panel discussion assemblies in Maxwell, Perkins County, Mullen, and Hershey, NE.  A portion of students are participating in pre and post evaluations to determine the effectiveness of this initiative.  The programs that took place in ESU 16 were generously funded by the Kim Foundation, an Omaha-based organization that works to raise awareness about mental health and suicide prevention.