ARISE Life Skills Curricula Staff Training

Biography and History

Edmund and Susan Benson, Founders

Edmund F. Benson was born in Boston in 1929 and attended school there. Impatient to do his part during World War II, at age 14 he joined the Massachusetts State Guard. One month after his 16th birthday, he joined the U.S. Merchant Marine. Three years later, he enlisted in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. At age 21, he established a sales organization which grew into a chain of 18 furniture rental showrooms with locations stretching from Boston to Austin, TX. In 1972 he moved his business headquarters and family to South Florida. Since his retirement in 1982, he has devoted 100 percent of his time and energy to making the world safe for children. Susan Benson, M.S. Ed., was born in New York in 1942 and attended school there. She has been an educator with over 30 years of experience teaching learning challenging children and young adults.

In 1986, the Bensons established a non-profit foundation, ARISE Foundation, which through its Anti-Pollution Committee alerted, educated and badgered residents and government representatives of the severe environmental problems being caused by Dade County’s garbage incinerator. The facility, built without serious health considerations, was emitting unacceptable levels of toxic pollutants.

The primary focus of ARISE Foundation at that time was environmental education. Edmund and Susan Benson directed many of their activities toward our schools–in Dade County, throughout the nation and the world–to reach the maximum number of people who can achieve short and long-term impact on the threats to life and health of our throw-away, chemically-oriented society.

Edmund became to South Florida what Rachel Carson became to America: an endearing workaholic who spent every waking hour committed to protecting our beautiful and delicate environment, to ensure that today’s children and their children inherit a healthy community. This truly motivated man made a fundamental commitment, through his personal convictions and intellectual integrity, from which everyone benefits.” — The Miami Herald Spirit of Excellence Award, Sept. 11, 1990.

The “Miami Monster”

enson was shocked into action due to health-damaging concerns created by Dade County’s solid waste incinerator. After alerting the public and officials of environmental perils caused by fallout from one of the largest municipal waste incinerators in the world, local media lauded him for his “bulldog tenacity”, Benson has received the enthusiastic endorsement of his neighbors, Senators and Members of Congress, as well as the Mayor and Board of Dade County Commissioners.

Describing the incinerator as “working toward our own extinction”, Benson battled on and off for 10 years to get the County to clean up its act. First, he convinced officials to terminate its contract with the builder-operator of this waste-burning plant. He led parents and children on protest marches; collected 10,000 signatures on petitions demanding change. Using vivid aerial photographs, he fixed the public eye on the disease-laden facility where garbage rotted in the outdoor sun and airborne ash containing heavy metals, with the potential for causing serious illness, spewed from superheated incinerator stacks. He designed and executed hard-hitting mail campaigns, and conducted surveys demonstrating that, tragically, his neighbors felt better and their health dramatically improved once they distanced themselves from their homes to breathe cleaner air.

His “Gruesome Times” newsletter, contains “All the garbage that’s fit to print”. Its screaming environmental graphics demand attention, as he speaks and writes in word pictures: “What has become an urban rite–the thoughtless incineration of society’s castoffs…A foul acid rain falls constantly over South Florida while mysterious maladies send the sick searching aimlessly for healers as we continue breathing untrustworthy air…The County was slowly contaminating our health and environment. What’s worse, they declined responsibility for it.”

Politicians hemmed and hawed, saying they didn’t know where the problem required attention– local, federal or state. Residents, however, knew that dangerous toxic substances mixed with nauseating odors, filling homes with foul air. Ring-around-the-collar was no joke–suspended ash particles, smoke and soot caused it. Following Benson’s investigations in Washington, Tallahassee and Dade County, Florida’s Department of Environmental Regulation directed Dade County to eliminate the problem.

When County officials ran up the white flag, in February, 1986, and were ready to act, Benson gave them his list of improvements to be made:
1) Drain the leachate ponds, containing millions of gallons of contaminated water used in the incineration process, mixed and muddied with garbage ash and health-destroying bacteria, plus discarded toxic chemicals, killer biological pollutants and powerful industrial waste);
2) Remove hundreds of thousands of discarded auto and truck tires behind the incinerator plant (a fire hazard plus breeding ground for a year-round crop of mosquitoes;
3) Test for dioxin, the deadly part of Agent Orange which is emitted into the air as garbage is burned and is considered 10,000 times more deadly than strychnine, so preventing even short-term exposure is essential.

It was agreed that testing for dioxins would commence after new boilers were installed. Benson himself tossed the last remaining junk tire onto a dump truck in 1988. A new sewer system was laid, the poisonous leachate ponds drained and contamination of his neighborhood’s drinking water from this source ended. Next, air cleaning devices and the Best Available Control Technology acid-gas scrubbers and filters will be installed to stop poison emissions from the Miami Monster’s stacks–a testimony to Benson’s now-renowned patience and perseverance.

A Smashing Victory…and Then Some

In tandem with the improvements to the incinerator, Benson gained the creation of three Metro-Dade County task forces:
1) To monitor operations and improvements so the incinerator could, “Never again be allowed to run out of control”, and keep tabs on the millions of dollars being spent rebuilding and refurbishing the plant;
2) A countywide Recycling Task Force to educate municipalities and residents to “Stop the throw-away lifestyle were hooked on” (7-1/2 pounds of trash per person daily). As an outgrowth of Benson’s task force, Dade County now has the largest curbside recycling program in the United States–265,000 homes.
3) Subsequently, the Metro-Dade Environmental Awareness Advisory Task Force was created with the help of County Commissioner (Sen.) Sherman S. Winn. Chaired by Benson since its inception, emphasizes improving indoor air quality. It’s major recommendations to the Board of County Commissioners have been to eliminate smoking in all County vehicles and facilities (including the air and sea ports); establish an Integrated Pest Management program; conduct lead testing in all County facilities and creation of an annual Lead Awareness Week to alert citizens of steps to eliminate exposure to this toxin; abolish use of legal size paper, procure two-sided copiers, and establish a “Buy recycled products” policy.

As a member of a Citizens’ Advisory Committee to the County Hospital Trust Board, Benson got a similar “Environmental Awareness Task Force” working there–with corresponding results at Jackson Memorial Hospital, the largest hospital in the Southeast.

ENVIRO-COPS

With a goal of enlisting every elementary school student across America (and around the globe), Susan saw Dade County Public Schools–4th largest school district in the nation–as the logical climate for this innovative program to bloom and flourish. ENVIRO-COPS were 225,000 strong –the largest green police force on the Planet! On Earth Day, 1992 a special cable television presentation of the Dade County School Board swore in 173,000 youngsters in their classrooms.

ENVIRO-COPS were mostly elementary school youngsters who pledge to protect their own In-vironment and Nature’s environment by arresting waste and policing pollution. ENVIRO-COPS were dedicated to saving our world and their future by conserving our limited resources.

How do you get kids excited about this? By developing their awareness of the importance of self-esteem. By presenting strong messages of “Great Expectations” in two-hour entertainment spectaculars featuring clever, original songs, clowns, skits and successful role models delivering esteem-building messages the kids can relate to.

Success of the program is obvious. With its first effort in a hotel ballroom (500 youngsters), ENVIRO-COPS extravaganzas subsequently have rocked the walls of Miami Arena (with 14,000 Dade County Public School students) and the James L. Knight Center in downtown Miami, where 5,000 second-through-sixth graders in the process of becoming leaders took the ENVIRO-COPS Oath. ARISE Foundation provided membership and pledge cards, “Environmental Alerts”, flyers, posters and ongoing educational programs at absolutely no charge to students.

The ENVIRO-COPS’ stunning success also can be attributed to partnerships the Bensons have developed–with school system administrators, principals, teachers, students and every aspect of the Metro-Dade government. Metro-Dade Police Department’s Law Enforcement Trust Fund awarded ARISE Foundation/ENVIRO-COPS $15,000 in 1991 to further its work, followed by a $60,000 grant for an ENVIRO-COPS comic book to teach 100,000 children that “Drugs and crime are a waste of time”. In addition County Commissioners authorized $75,000 for a school system coordinator of the growing project and the 3rd Annual Great Expectations Awards presentations. ENVIRO-COPS also have the complete support of the County’s Department of Environmental Resources Management–DERM’s Director John Renfrow is the top ENVIRO-COP. Even Vice President Al Gore put on an ENVIRO-COPS badge during a 1992 visit to Miami.

From the birth of the ENVIRO-COP concept, Attorney General Janet Reno (then Dade County’s State Attorney) played the role of mentor. Without the help of this exceptional woman, ENVIRO-COPS would have been just another good idea.

We’re Not Quitting

ENVIRO-COPS promise to reduce excess consumption by re-using and recycling; purchase ecologically-safe products (not harmful or over-packaged ones), track down booby traps at home where little brothers and sisters could poison, drown, burn or otherwise harm themselves; check batteries in smoke alarms, etc. (with an adult, of course), consume “Friendly Foods” (not junk foods), say “NO” to drugs, guns, alcohol, tobacco and other harmful activities that threaten their future, continue their environmental education and share their knowledge with friends and family.

At the Bensons’ urging, Dade County Public Schools established an ENVIRO-COPS Hotline, (995-COPS) for students to get answers to recycling and environmental questions. ENVIRO-COPS also has its own inter-school mail code (9999-ENVIRO-COPS), making it easy for kids to communicate.

ENVIRO-COPS spearheaded an “Assault on Batteries”. In five days, students collected 6,194 pounds of household batteries. Some were sent to manufacturers with letters pleading for toxin-free.

ENVIRO-COPS Clubs and ENVIRO-MENTORS

In 1992, Edmund and Susan Benson developed the exciting, new ENVIRO-COPS Guidebook and Lesson Plans, a 250-page, illustrated comprehensive teaching tool suitable for use in every school system in the United States. With it, select high school and college volunteers, ENVIRO-MENTORS, from Florida International University and the University of Miami guide Dade County’s more than 225,000 ENVIRO-COPS through a detailed environmental education course at weekly ENVIRO-COPS Club meetings.

With the Metro-Dade grant, the ENVIRO-MENTORS concept is training these young adults to teach ENVIRO-COPS about everything from “Friendly Foods” (high-fiber, low in fat, salt and sugar), good health habits and personal safety, to “Looking For Trouble” that could cause harm to younger brothers and sisters at home, and conducting “Environmental Audits” in their neighborhood to pinpoint potential sources of danger. Actually, they’re teaching the environmental facts of life for the ’90s and beyond.

An exciting project for 1993: A 16-page full-color comic book featuring the exploits of Marvel Comics’ superheroine Namorita and Dade County’s own superheroes–ENVIRO-COPS, of course–helping teach all elementary school kids the dangers of guns, drugs, tobacco and alcohol in a medium they enjoy. With a $60,000 grant from Metro-Dade Police Department’s Law Enforcement Trust Fund, the text will encourage youngsters to recognize police as the kid-friendly people ENVIRO-COPS can approach for support when needed.

One of Edmund and Susan Bensons’ maxims is “We’re doing what you’d be doing if you had the time.” ENVIRO-MENTORS become the role models kids can easily relate to as they learn their way through the minefield of dangers they face every day.

“Our message is empowerment–that elementary school students can change things and have an impact on their world.” ENVIRO-COPS is a living, breathing multitude of young people (starting in 2nd grade when minds are eager to learn) who are littering less, saving more and–most important–developing the “I can make a difference” feeling!

“The Facts of Life” on Cable TV

In 1991, Benson initiated a 24-episode, weekly, hour-long, call-in television series promoting the ENVIRO-COPS message and answering youngsters’ (and their parents’) safety, health and environmental questions on Cable-TAP Channel 35, the Dade County Schools’ educational network which reaches 320,000 homes. “The Facts of Life for the 90s and Beyond”, provided opportunity to enhance viewers’ understanding of the critical need to protect their own well-being and the environment.

The Bensons co-hosted the program with a different student each week, plus experts in such fields as recycling, food irradiation, cosmetics, pesticides, AIDS, sun dangers, violent toys, alcoholism, poison prevention, recycling, thrift as a viable alternative lifestyle, etc.

The program broke station records every week for call-in response, encouraged by Benson’s outlines to principals and teachers at participating schools earlier in the week. Teachers used the show for classroom discussion and homework assignments on the important topics. Benson even brought in an interpreter so the hearing impaired could enjoy and participate in the program via telephone.

Enviro Cops Bus

In 1996 Miami Dade Transit Authority Dedicated a bus painted in Enviro-Cops colors and logo. This alerted 2 million plus residents on Arise’s goal of making the world safe for children.

The Dade County School Board Nutrition Task Force

Marveling at the poor quality and makeup of school food Susan Benson saw in the Dade County Public Schools (she teaches the hearing impaired), the Bensons convinced the Dade Parent-Teacher Association and the Dade County School Board to establish this entity to look at all aspects of school food–quality, preparation, service, ambience. Both have been members of the task Force since its inception in 1986 and Edmund F. Benson currently chairs it.

Largely through contacts with the American Cancer Society, Florida Division, and the National Cancer Institute, Dade County Schools were chosen to participate in a pilot study, “to alert children at an early age of the importance of wise food choices, and to motivate them to adopt health-promoting eating patterns that will serve them throughout their lives.” Only eight schools in America were given this honor.

Food Service Worker Awards

In the process of working with this group, another area of the schools’ food program caught their attention–the dedicated, untiring efforts of cafeteria personnel. The majority of these workers (middle-aged women, often the sole support for their families), were doing difficult work with no real benefits or acknowledgement. “If food service workers are happy, mealtime can be fun in the public schools,” he thought, and in 1989 established the annual Dade County Schools Food Service Worker Awards. Benson arranged it all, including $5,000 in cash awards to those selected for their outstanding contribution to improving quality and service in their school lunchrooms.

1989-90 Recycling Awards

It took over two years but ARISE Foundation, working with Dade County School personnel, put together the largest recycling program of any school system in America, culminated by presentation of the McAliley-Ruvin Environmental Awards (named in honor of School Board Chair Janet McAliley and then-Dade County Commissioner Harvey Ruvin): $10,000 for students and schools collecting the most recyclables. In addition to cash awards, ARISE arranged for expense-paid, spectacular day trips to Disney World for six busloads of students from the winning senior, middle and elementary schools.

Friendsday/Friendship Games

Friendsday/Friendship Games have been held annually since 1985. Between 1,500 and 2,000 Dade County residents take part with celebrities in fun, games, food and drink–a day of acceptance for individuals with mental health problems. “What better way to show that we as a community care?” That was Edmund F. Benson’s question in proposing creating of Friendsday to the Board on which he served at the Northwest Dade Center, one of the largest community mental health centers in Dade County.

Mario Jardon, executive director of the Center, says the special day “has become the single most important event in the history of Dade County’s mental health community.”

Police Departments teach Arise’s Law Enforcement Curricula

Since 1994 the following police departments have used the ARISE Law Enforcement curricula: Miami-Dade County, City of Miami, Key Biscayne, Florida City, Coral Gables, Hialeah. Children learn whose your friend when there’s trouble.

Countywide Safety Event Weeks

Every year since 1993, Arise has conducted countywide annual events dealing with crucial issues that affect the safety and well being of our youngsters. In 1993 we began with Lead Awareness week and as of the year 2,000 Arise has developed 12 different safety events. In 1998 they reached 191,298 kids with their weekly events. Events cover the following topics: poison prevention, anti-graffiti, success, stranger safety, violence reduction, electrical safety, substance abuse and guns, burn awareness, health awareness and lead awareness. These events were supported by the following entities: Miami-Dade County Public Schools, Jackson Memorial Hospital Poison Prevention Center, Florida Power and Light, Miami-Dade Fire Department and Miami-Dade Police Department.

Just Rappin’

A non-judgmental listening program for at-risk and incarcerated juveniles. In 1995 this program began by recruiting volunteers from psychology classes, social work programs in Colleges and University. The volunteers were trained and placed as listeners in Department of Juvenile Justice facilities.

Holiday Card Recycling Program

In 1995 ARISE created a holiday greeting card program in partnership with Miami-Dade County Government. Over a million Christmas cards were collected. They were sorted, cut and reassembled by handicapped people and incarcerated youths at Metro-Dade Corrections and Rehabilitation facilities. These cards were given to those in nursing homes, school children and indigent families in Miami Dade County that would not be able to afford to get cards.

Videos produced

Six videos were produced to be used with our elementary life lessons. The topics were guns, poison look-a-likes, stranger safety, drugs, graffiti, and where the waste goes. These videos were produced in cooperation with Miami-Dade county public schools and Miami Dade County government.

Kids Need to Know TV Show

In 1997 Arise produced a total of 12 one hour TV shows on channel 17 directed to middle school populations. It was a live audience show discussing life issues such as drugs, guns, safety smarts, staying in school and much more.

Metro-Dade Parks Use the Arise Life Skills Programs
Beginning in 1995 the Metro-Dade Parks taught life skills in their summer parks programs.

Department of Juvenile Justice

Beginning in 1996 the Department of Juvenile Justice started using all of ARISE Secrets of Success Life Skills programs in their major facilities throughout the state of Florida. The Juvenile population received 184,412 hours of life skill instruction. We started with 18 facilities and in 1999 service approximately 33 facilities.

Nursing students volunteer program at Department of Juvenile Justice facilities

Volunteer nursing students taught the ARISE health curriculum evenings and weekends.

STD video produced

In 1977 ARISE staff was trained by specialists from the University of Miami’s School of Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology on STD’s and HIV. Using very graphic slides and the expertise of May Goins, a nurse from the Black Nurses Association, we produced a lesson plan and video that has been used throughout Department of Juvenile Justice facilities.

Kids Need To Know Road Show

In 1997 Arise Foundation developed an hour long multi-media presentation targeting 2-4th graders which incorporated video, music and fun, teaching waste reduction and recycling, air pollution prevention, water pollution prevention and conservation. It as performed in 12 Dade County Public Schools and 14 Dade County Park and Recreation facilities.

Secrets of Success is Born

Since 1986 Arise Foundation has developed over 40 different social skill curricula teaching over 260 different live skill topics to children from ages 0 (through parenting programs) through high school. In the beginning, lessons stressed environmental issues. Many children from inner city neighborhoods were dealing with difficult social situations in their environment. So, the Secrets of Success life management skills programs were created. Topics such as anger management, conflict resolution, gun safety, violence, health, depression, and self esteem were now included in the curricula.

Arise has written the programs, administered it t all ages, monitored the progress and evaluate the end results. These life lessons have been utilized in day school, after school programs, alternative schools, secured Juvenile justice facilities, halfway houses, day treatment programs, probation programs, parks and recreation departments, summer ca

mps.

Inner City Games uses ARISE Life Skills

To keep in middle school busy after school and the summer, Inner City Games a recreationally program began using ARISE social skills lessons in their summer camp during the 1998 summer. Other Inner City Games in other states are using Arise’s Secrets of Success life skills programs dealing with anger management, violence and conflict and self-esteem.

Missionary Program

After a youngster has completed the ARISE Secrets of Success life skills program, they take the information to go. They teach the same life lessons they learned to others in their neighborhoods.

Partnering with the Faith Network

Starting in 1998 Arise Foundation trained groups from local churches to administer the ARISE Secrets of Success Life Management Skills Programs to their young parishioners.

ARISE On Stage Playlets

ARISE wrote and produced plays that were incorporated into the life skills curriculum at the Department of Juvenile Justice facilities. The entire facility was invited to watch these productions. This was learning a fun way.

Today

Today, ARISE Foundation is a thriving organization with a small but dynamic team of SOS program coordinators, a web and graphic designer, a desktop publisher, proof readers, an accounting team, a marketing specialist, and finally, the tireless founders of Arise who continue to create and push the organization forward.

While ARISE continues to provide training and instruction for Department of Juvenile Justice facilities throughout the state of Florida (currently, 8,000 hours are taught weekly), the goal of the organization is to broaden its reach across the United States, and eventually, globally. In the past twelve months new initiatives have been put in place to reach this end. With a total of some 177 books currently in print under the ARISE name, we have begun a vigorous pursuit of a reputable publisher to take over the production, promotion, and fulfillment of orders for our titles.

Until such a venture comes to pass we are working with distributors to get our books exposure in appropriate catalogs. We are seeking sensible venues for advertising (we most recently advertised in the May 2000 issue of Education Week).

Because we recognize the value of Internet marketing, Arise designed a web store (www.ariselife-skills.org) that provides descriptions, tables of content, and graphics on our books. In addition, the website gives background information on Arise, including our mission, credentials, and awards. Also, we are currently selecting Internet lists of experts to which we wish to add Edmund and Susan Benson.

Arise Foundation is also conducting aggressive direct mail campaigns to organizations who could benefit from purchasing and implementing SOS—namely, organizations such as Boys and Girls Clubs of America, Inner City Games, Head Start, Medallion School Partnerships, and the Parent Learning Network. The Arise Law Enforcement Program is excellent for police departments nationwide who send officers to teach in public school classes. In fact, major police departments in Miami Dade (population over 2 million) either have used or are currently using this material.

We showcase our curricula at trade shows dealing with educators and departments of corrections. In the past year we exhibited or attended conferences for National Head Start Association, National School Board Association, National Youth At-Risk, American Correctional Association, Alternatives to Suspension and Dropping Out, Florida Alternative Educators, Florida Superintendents of Schools, District Instructional Materials Administrators, Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development, Preventing Crime in Black Communities, and Book Expo 2000.

Having reached well over 500,000 youth (pre-kindergarten through high school) since 1986, Arise Foundation continues to create timely and effective books and lessons once shared as families sat around the kitchen table.

SPECIAL HONORS

– Sept. 1, 1988: In recognition of his spirit and environmental concerns, Dade County Commissioners designated N.W. 97th Avenue in Miami “Edmund F. Benson Boulevard”. The same day, Mayor Steven Clark proclaimed the observance of Edmund F. Benson Day in Dade County. Benson received a Proclamation which was read into the Congressional Record, extolling the manner in which this dedicated man serves his county and his country.

–Jan. 29, 1989, Washington, D.C.: Elected to the Executive Board of the Committee for a National Recycling Policy.

–Feb. 6, 1989: Invited to serve on the Dade County School District’s new Environmental Awareness Advisory Committee, charged with reviewing all construction material specifications to reduce the amounts of formaldehydes, trichloro-ethylenes and benzenes in materials, furnishings and other school equipment. He is now its Chair.

–April, 1989: Concerned Residents of Kendall (Miami) presented Edmund F. Benson with its Community Achievement Award for “providing significant leadership and excellence improving the quality of life in Kendall.”

–April/May, 1989: Modern Maturity Magazine, a publication of 24 million subscribers, featured Benson on its “Spotlight” page for “Taming the Miami Monster”, Dade County’s infamous garbage incinerator.

–May 11, 1989: Voted an honorary member of the Dade County Food Service Workers Association, the first such distinction.

–Nov. 3, 1989: Elected Chairperson, Dade County Public Schools Pesticide Committee.

–Nov. 29, 1989: The Giraffe Project, Langley, WA, honored Benson with its award, for men and women who risk their comfort and serenity to do the unconventional with creativity and spirit.

–April, 1990: Appointed by Dade County Commissioners to the blue-ribbon Citizens Advisory Committee looking into the Public Health Trust and Jackson Memorial Hospital.

–April, 1990: Nominated to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Integrated Pest Management Peer Review Committee created to establish IPM programs in public schools across the country.

–May 27, 1990: Re-elected Chairman of the Environmental Committee of the Dade County Council, PTA/PTSA.

–May 31, 1990: Elected Commissioner of the Citizens Commission on School Food Nutrition, affiliated with the Center for Science in the Public Interest, Washington, D.C.

–June 1, 1990: ARISE Foundation is awarded a National Achievement Award by the National Environmental Awards Council “Searching For Success” campaign.

–Sept. 11, 1990: The Miami Herald presented Edmund F. Benson with its prestigious “Spirit of Excellence Award” acknowledging his contributions in “making South Florida a better place to live.”

–Oct. 17, 1990: Elected Chairperson of the new Dade County Environmental Advisory Task Force established to provide the Board of County Commissioners with recommendations on environmental aspects of the 1,200 County-owned and managed buildings, including the airport, seaport and the 760,000-sq.ft. Metro-Dade Center.

–Oct. 9, 1991: ARISE Foundation, the Hospital Consortium, and MedX, a medical waste disposal service, held a one-day seminar, “Environmental Enhancement Programs for the Health Care Waste Industry”, informing hospitals from all of South Florida on waste reduction, recycling, indoor clean air, Integrated Pest Management, how to create their own environmental task force. Subsequently, it has been repeated with continuing success.

–Oct. 24, 1991: Miami Arena was packed with 14,000 students for ARISE Foundation’s “Great Expectations” seminar featuring esteem-building role models in a half-day verbal and graphic demonstration of the “I can make a difference” attitude. Attorney General Janet Reno, then Dade’s State Attorney, swore in 5,000 Safety Patrol members as ENVIRO-COPS.

–1992: President George Bush, through the National Association of County Organizations, cites ARISE Foundation as one of his “Thousand Points of Light” for its exemplary ENVIRO-COPS program.

–Feb. 24, 1992: Joined Mothers & Others for a Livable Planet in its Washington, D.C. meetings with members of Congress to emphasize concerns that current environmental policies fail to take into account the special needs of children, urging support for the Circle of Poison Prevention Act.

–Mar. 19, 1992: Elected Chairperson of Dade County Public Schools’ Environmental Awareness Advisory Committee.

–April, 1992: ENVIRO-COPS and “The Facts of Life” television series were regional finalists for the 1992 Environmental Protection Agency Administrator’s Award Program, selected from among numerous projects in eight states furthering the effort to “prevent pollution in all its forms to achieve and maintain a clean environment for the future.”

–Apr. 2, 1992: Received the 1991-92 Dade County Public Schools’ “Exemplary Dade Partners Award”, for outstanding activities by a non-profit foundation (County-wide) in partnership with the schools–primarily ENVIRO-COPS and “The Facts of Life” television series this year.

–Apr. 22, 1992: 173,000 children pledged to protect the environment as ENVIRO-COPS in a County-wide televised “swearing in” ceremony during a Dade County Public Schools Board meeting.

–May 14, 1992: Metro-Dade Mayor Steve Clark declared May 19 ENVIRO-COPS Day in Dade County, saluting these youngsters who are working with Metro-Police, Metro Department of Environmental Resources Management and the County’s Fire Department, learning all about conservation, waste reduction and home safety.

–May 14, 1992: 5,000 youngsters in grades 2-through-6 enjoy a “Great Expectations” seminar of entertainment and education at Miami’s James L. Knight Convention Center and are sworn in as ENVIRO-COPS, enviro-smart kids pledged to protect their environment.

–May 19, 1992: Metro-Dade’s Commission votes unanimously to install (Benson’s) scrubbers and filters retro-fitting the incinerator–the end of a 10-year battle!

–June 22, 1992: Construction begins as a crane lifts the roof at MedX, Florida’s largest hospital waste incinerator to install anti-pollution devices.

–June 24, 1992: ENVIRO-COPS received a Certificate of Environmental Achievement from Renew America, a Washington, D.C.-based national environmental organization, for its success in protecting the environment and setting “a positive example that can help other communities meet environmental challenges.” The program is listed in Renew America’s 1992 Environmental Success Index, the most comprehensive guide to the nation’s environmental programs.

–September, 1992: Metro-Dade County votes $75,000 to fund ARISE Foundation’s expansion of the ENVIRO-COPS program with ENVIRO-COPS Clubs in every elementary school, to be led by ENVIRO-MENTORS under the guidance of a full-time Dade County Public Schools coordinator.

–Oct. 13, 1992: Benson’s Environmental Awareness Advisory Task Force requested a Proclamation be passed by Metro-Dade’s Board of County Commissioners establishing Oct. 19-23 as Lead Awareness Week.

–Oct. 19, 1992: Major press conference in the Mayor’s conference room on lead. The Skyway Elementary School’s ENVIRO-COPS Chorale performed.

–Nov. 6, 1992: 600 new ENVIRO-COPS sworn in at Nova University Elementary School.

–December, 1992: $60,000 grant from the Metro-Dade Police Department’s Law Enforcement Trust Fund will finance publication of 100,000 copies of a Superhero comic book, combining the exploits of Marvel Comics’ Namorita and ENVIRO-COPS, to reach at-risk children in a medium they relate to with environmental, safety and health messages they can understand.

–Feb. 17, 1993: Dade County School Board, following the recommendation of its Environmental Awareness Advisory Committee, voted to drastically reduce carpeting in classrooms and throughout the entire system.

–May 1993: Choice Champion Award for adults who embody the phrase “Winner Never Gets Older”

–1995: 1995 National Poison Prevention Award presented by Jackson Memorial Poison Prevention Center for developing a program to teach kids about the poisons in their homes.

–October 1996: Miami Dade Community College Partners in Action and Learning Award- For the best agency working with the schools service learning center.

–October 1998: Dade partners Hall of Fame Award-Winner for three years in a row for the best partner in a non-profit category working with Miami-Dade County Public Schools.

–October 14, 1998: Allstate Leadership Award for State of Florida-Highest award for a program teaching inner city children safety guidelines.

–November 4, 1998: Providers Appreciation Award-from Cove Halfway House providing service above and beyond.

–March 18, 1999: Proclamation from Board of Commissioners Miami-Dade County- For educating youth on the poisons in their home. There are 5 million children poisoned a year in the United States.

–April 11, 1999: Proclamation from Board of County Commissioners Miami-Dade County- for assisting youth in developing life skills, character and ethics and safety smarts.

MARKETS

Public and Private Schools

Until now we have focused on identified at-risk populations; namely juvenile detention centers. However, this material is appropriate for all youth, in all settings. Why? Because SOS lessons are an education in common sense life skills and youth are not being taught this information in the conventional setting—at home—anymore. It has become the burden of institutions outside the home to teach youth what they need to know in order to become successful adults. Public and private school settings are a prime place to introduce youth to our materials, especially at a time when stories of school violence, teen pregnancy, and teen drug use headline newspapers and nightly news programs.

Juvenile Detention Centers

The Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) throughout South Florida is currently using this material. As pre- and post- tests of DJJ inmates indicate, after going through one of our SOS programs, there has been a significant shift in the way young criminal offenders view the relationship between morality and action.

Alternative Schools

Schools that specialize in educating “problem” students have the same challenge public and private schools have. They must provide an academic education while teaching youth how to deal with life’s difficulties in positive, constructive ways. The SOS program is designed to meet the needs of students who could not function in conventional classroom settings. Since SOS material is written on a fourth grade reading level, even youth who cannot function in public schools can work ARISE lessons with relative ease. SOS books also aid teachers who are on the front line in carrying out this task—lesson planning is already done, and there is nothing new to write, research, or buy.

Clergy

Churches and other houses of worship often use enrichment programs to keep their youth involved in constructive activities, with adults from the membership volunteering to facilitate or oversee the program. Because SOS lessons teach the same basic concepts of responsibility, respect, and awareness, religious outlets are a perfect market to use SOS material.

National Youth Enrichment Programs

There are dozens of national organizations that provide enrichment education for the youth they serve, such as. Inner City Games, Head Start, Boys and Girls Clubs, Boy Scouts of America, Girl Scouts of America Inner City Games of South Florida already use SOS; San Jose, California has begun using it as well. The target of our program, teaching youth respect for self and society, is in direct alignment with the initiatives set forth by virtually all of these programs.

Police Departments

The SOS Law Enforcement program is one that has been endorsed by former Miami Police Chief Donald Warshaw. With so much controversy surrounding the ineffectiveness of the well-known D.A.R.E program, there is a need for a proven, more effective program. SOS has already scaled the hurdle of determining effectiveness.

Parents

While to date this has not been a primary focus for us, it is a viable market because just as the books are used in a classroom setting, the lessons can be used between parent and child. Because these books are designed to generate discussion, SOS books will be especially useful to parents who want to talk to their kids, but normally have a hard time getting started.

COMPETITION

There are several programs on the market that are similar in goal to SOS, such as Life Skills Training Program, developed by Dr. Gilbert J. Botvin; Life Skills 4 Kids; (http://www.lifeskills4kids.com/); Learning for Life ( http://www.learning-for-life.com/); and Youth Life Skills (http://youthlifeskills.nrcys.ou.edu/). There are also several publishers/organizations who produce material similar to our (this list appears below).

However, it has been our observation that ARISE SOS is unique in that it’s the only series of books that evolved from a program that is researched, heavily evaluated, provides training for others who teach it, and is taught by the creators themselves on an on-going basis.

SOS materials are edited to maintain their fresh perspective and to include relevant examples and situations. Because of this and SOS’s non-judgmental approach, learners are actively engaged almost immediately and they begin learning immediately—even those who tend to shy away from participating in other class discussions. We know that our program works.

Others who produce or distribute similar materials include:

• Globe Fearon, Educational Publishers
• Sunburst Publishers
• National Resource Center for Youth Services
• Childswork/Childsplay
• The Bureau for At-risk Youth
• American Guidance Service
• Zephyr Press
• Thinking Works!
• PCI Educational Publishing
• Jossey-Bass Publishers
• Teen Aid
• Nimco
• James Stanfield Publishing Company
• ETR Associates
• Journeyworks
• Child Welfare League of America
• Teacher Created Materials
• Curriculum Associates
• Performance Resource Press
• Newbridge Educational Publishing
• Boystown Press
• Parent Learning Network