Written by Tami Deland, Director of Community Engagement and Communications for St. Cloud Area School District and Anna Marie’s Alliance Board Member.
Mirroring the rest of our community, back to school this fall may look a little different from previous years with masking, distancing protocols and other safety precautions in place to help mitigate transmission of COVID-19. What area schools share in celebrating, however, is the opportunity to return to in-person learning.
Aliyah Ewing, a school youth advocate for Anna Marie’s Alliance, is happy to join that celebration. AMA’s prevention and education program partners with St. Cloud Area Schools, as well as other central Minnesota school districts, to help teens and pre-teens understand and develop healthy relationships with the people they date, their peers, and family members. Ewing says that now that advocates can be in the classroom again, early intervention strategies and honest discussions with students are easier to facilitate.
Ewing is in her second year as an AMA youth advocate but comes to the work with a depth of experience as a music teacher and childcare worker. She sees herself as a non-judgmental, “protective factor” whom students can trust.
“It’s important to feel safe when talking about important topics,” Ewing says.
Depending on the age group of the students, those topics may include consent, social media, boundaries, dating violence, gender stereotyping, bullying, and/or communication. Ewing feels a personal connection to her work and says meeting with student groups in person helps her more easily approach otherwise difficult or uncomfortable issues.
Students in the prevention and education program typically participate in 10- t0 12-week sessions. The program includes discussion, role-playing, and games designed to validate feelings and explore perspectives. The ultimate goal is to educate a generation to reject violence and respect the rights of everyone to live a peaceful life free of abuse.
Ewing says she sees students taking steps forward. “I’ve seen them change their minds and have a new way of thinking.”
The Prevention and Education Program supports national initiatives such as Take Back the Night and Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month. Youth advocates also present to community organizations, such as churches and Sertoma Club.
As autumn downshifts into winter and schools settle back into an in-person routine, AMA is grateful for the outreach and partnership with St. Cloud Area School District and other surrounding area schools to build a brighter, kinder future together.
Tami Deland
Tami Deland is the Director of Community Engagement and Communications for St. Cloud Area School District, a former teacher, and board member for Anna Marie’s Alliance.