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P.E.A.R.L (Parents Empowered to Apply Real-life Lessons)

The P.E.A.R.L. program was created in March of 2008. It was founded by Wardell Sims, who is also a life coach and motivational speaker. Patrice Hawthorne is the Executive Director.

The program's mission is to stress the importance of disease prevention and health promotion through dramatic role play productions to youth and families. Its objective is to allow youth the opportunity to participate in learning experiences offered through play productions.

The parenting component that is incorporated in to the P.E.A.R.L. program is called "Parenting with Purpose" (PWP). PWP uses a science based curriculum. This Asset Advantage framework, which is defined by the Search Institute, gives a framework for talking about all of the "good stuff" in youth lives from people who support and care.

PWP acknowledges parents as the child's first teacher and realizes the integral role that parents play in the child's total development. P.E.A.R.L. knows that it is important for parents and community leaders to provide adolescents with positive youth development and leadership because they are more likely to do well in school, be involved in the community and transition successfully from adolescence to adulthood.

Program Goals

1. Provide support to youth and families
2. Help families learn to communicate positively with each other
3. Encourage families to advocate for youth
4. Connect youth and families to their community
5. Make resources available to youth and families

Program Highlights

1. Strengthening families while understanding youth and family development issues and family functioning
2. Peer-Only Entertainment: producing and providing positive youth events, concerts and play productions
3. A monthly publication of resources for youth and parents

Program Outcomes

• Enhanced coping skills
• Increased parenting skills
• Increased academics
• Building competencies
• Increased respect for parents and other authorities
• Participants will not offend or re-offend while in the program
• Youth mentoring
• To graduate 10-15 youth and parents every 3 months

The program's community partners are the Department of Juvenile Justice, Anderson Housing Authority, Youth Advocate Program and We Stand for Kids.

For more program information, please contact Patrice Hawthorne at 864.356.1292 or at patricehawthorne@hotmail.com.