Program for students with incarcerated parents launches in Etowah Co.
The programs are offered through Extended Family, which helps families of prisoners how to adjust.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) - A new program rolling out at Etowah County Schools aims at uplifting students whose parents are incarcerated. The programs are offered through Extended Family, which helps families of prisoners how to adjust.
Earlier this month, they held a seminar in Etowah Co. to train counselors to lead their curriculum for children grades K-12.
These programs meet once a week, and in addition to teaching children how to adjust, they also teach older students lessons in health and job readiness. Extended Family say they’ve already enrolled 90 students, and that enrollment is still ongoing.
Etowah marks the fourth county in Alabama with the programs, and the executive director says they’re excited to have a presence there because they’ve already seen success in Cherokee, Calhoun, and DeKalb counties.
“We’ve seen kids get through the stigma of having a loved one incarcerated, they come out with better self esteem, more confidence, they’re better communicators, and they know that it’s not their fault that their grown up made a bad choice and that they can make better choices,” said Executive Director Laure Clemons.
Extended Family says they welcome anyone who would like to volunteer with the programs, you can find out more on how to get involved on their website.
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