Compel America - RocaBella Gives Presents: Step Back, Speak Up!

Program Focus

Step Back, Speak Up is a 12 sessions-based approach to exploring all
types of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES) which cause today’s
youth to respond with certain default behaviors when triggered. This
program will use the competencies of Social Emotional Learning as the basis
for behavioral changes. In stepping back from adversity, learning prosocial
behaviors, and then speak up for what is right is our program vision.

Compel America – RocaBella‘s approach to strengthening youth is
through protective factors, athleticism and specifically working with all
students experiencing adversity in their lives whether they be victims,
bystanders, survivors or aggressors. Caring adults engaging with
students to provide a sense of purpose. We go beyond simply
providing temporary solutions on how to respond to all forms of
adversity and help those affected to change their mindset, to learn
empathy, and to make good choices. We aim to influence and change
the cultural norms around adversity, especially among younger
generations.

Program Design

The program contains 12 separate student sessions for school selected third
through eighth grade students. Topics are designed to develop self
awareness, self-control, social awareness, and effective conflict resolution
and decision-making skills to help avoid default behaviors.

Sessions follow a 90 minute, after school structure led by school selected
mentors and Compel America – RocaBella instructors. A group of 20 children
are identified for each 10-week program that meets one time per week.
Compel – RocaBella Ambassadors are enlisted and assigned to work with
schools. During 3 of the sessions, the Ambassador: a celebrity, athlete,
local or national personality, will collaborate with mentors and program
personnel to deliver a powerful program. The Ambassadors will use their
personality/athleticism to influence our impressionable youth in a very
positive way. The sessions rotates between 15 minute educational sessions,
and active sports sessions, for 90 minutes.

Training and Implementation Support

Step Back, Speak Up recommends two days of on-site implementation and
training. Generally, program staff members conduct a one-on-one interview
with the school leaders prior to coming on-site to ensure the training is
tailored to fit the needs of the school along with a follow up program
evaluation at the conclusion.

The first day of training focuses on an AM session devoted to building
investment amongst the selected school mentors, the concepts of SEL and
why it is essential. The second half of the day is a deep dive into the Step
Back, Speak Up after school sessions; walking through the materials and
the general structure of the program sessions and components.

The second day of training is customized to the needs of the school. Topics
could include training sessions on Adverse Childhood Experiences, Adverse
Community Experiences or Adverse World Experiences, or other Social
Emotional Learning workshops to facilitate discussions and activities for
building Adult SEL in teachers and program mentors.

Additionally, Step Back, Speak Up will suggest various tracking tools for
schools to ensure implementation and measure of the impact on student
outcomes. These tools include pre- and post-assessments for students, staff
and parents.

Goals

Each session is designed to reflect the SEL competencies ,” In practice, this
means that there are multiple opportunities in most seasons for students to
engage actively with the material and one another.

Every lesson includes an opener, essential questions, wrap-up, and
opportunities for reflection. The three Ambassador (athlete/celebrity) lead
sessions also provide guidance around student-led discussions and other
strategies for student-centered engagement.

Objectives

The program utilizes the Social Emotional Competencies as the main
objectives in all sessions with mentors or athletes:

Self-Awareness: The ability to accurately recognize one’s emotions and
thoughts and their influence on behavior. This includes accurately assessing
one’s strengths and limitations and possessing a well-grounded sense of
confidence and optimism.

Self-Management: The ability to regulate one’s emotions, thoughts, and
behaviors effectively in different situations. This includes managing stress,
controlling impulses, motivating oneself, and setting and working toward
achieving personal and academic goals.

Social Awareness: The ability to take the perspective of and empathize
with others from diverse backgrounds and cultures, to understand social and
ethical norms for behavior, and to recognize family, school, and community
resources and supports.

Relationship Skills: The ability to establish and maintain healthy and
rewarding relationships with diverse individuals and groups. This includes
communicating clearly, listening actively, cooperating, resisting
inappropriate social pressure, negotiating conflict constructively, and seeking
and offering help when needed.

Responsible Decision-Making/Conflict Resolution Skills: The ability to
make constructive and respectful choices about personal behavior and social
interactions based on consideration of ethical standards, safety concerns,
social norms, the realistic evaluation of consequences of various actions, and
the well-being of self and others.

All sessions have “learning extensions” that range from brief follow-up
activities to “literature links,” writing prompts, and creative projects. These,
along with the opportunities for reflection thought the student Journals, are
designed to reinforce, apply, and help change student default behaviors
within the students’ school, home, and community.

Donors Support:

The Compel America ~ RocaBella Foundation is seeking your financial
support to bring this unique program to children and communities across
America. It is our belief that “normal” wasn’t so good prior to the Pandemic
and we have an opportunity to change that! We do not want this moment to
pass without helping our Educational Leaders who will urgently be needing to
address student needs that are yet unknown. One thing is certain,
ADVERSITY! Innovative responses such as ours will reach 20 students per 15
week program on a very individualized, personal level. Helping the most
needy and expanding the capacity of schools to continue the program for
years to come.

About Compel

COMPEL AMERICA is an adolescent empowerment organization whose
mission is to both prevent and eradicate youth bullying through a
community approach. It is our mission to recognize indications of
intimidating and oppressing behavior amongst juveniles, and go forth to
change knowledge, attitudes, and innate behavioral patterns of bullying at
the root, in order to soften the impact on others. Our Ambassadors are
compelled to stand with us against bullying and are made up of athletes,
celebrities, entrepreneurs, adult and youth community members.
Mike Kogan, one of Compel’s founders

Our Compel America Training Staff include:

Courtney R. Fallon, Filmmaker, Reporter, Entrepreneur skilled in
capturing stories and messaging success. Fallon’s expertise in bringing
collaborations together and facilitating school events ensures
programming success and student engagement with Ambassadors.

Peaches Raleigh, Former School Superintendent, brings over 20 years of
educational leadership at campus and district levels, positively impacting
schools, teachers and students. Raleigh’s experience in professional
development and program design has changed school cultures and created
curriculum for the socio-emotional needs of students to connect to adults.