Inspiring Teens to Make Excellent Choices Today for Tomorrow's Success

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Programs

Through various workshops and service learning activities, Excellent TEEN Choice offers teens a unique method of learning how to prepare for the future. Whether it's money management, starting a business, or learning how to be an effective leader, ETC reaches out to all teens promoting excellence and growth through community awareness and civic responsibility.

choosing the best life

Choosing the Best Life (Abstinence)

Consistent with Title V Federal guidelines A-H for abstinence-centered, sexual risk avoidance education, Choosing the Best curricula serve school systems and community groups. A recent published study indicated that students who received Choosing the Best were nearly 1.5 times more likely to delay the onset of sexual behavior than students who did not receive the program. Teachers and parents alike praise our age-appropriate materials!

Choosing the Best Life Curriculum. One-fourth of new STDs occur in boys and girls aged 15-19. Eight lessons emphasize the straight facts about health risks — and give students the emotional strength and self-discipline to commit to delay having sex, and to abstain from drugs and alcohol.

Why Choosing the Best Works:

Choosing the Best utilizes the following five keys to effective abstinence-centered education:

  • Character Education — Students are challenged to develop respect, self-respect, compassion, honesty and courage.
  • Relationship Education and Refusal Skills — Provides students with the confidence to handle negative peer and relationship pressures.
  • Motivational Learning Environment — Video vignettes of real-life teens, in-depth discussions, classroom exercises and role-plays engage the students in learning.
  • Medical Learning Model — Current information on STDs, emotional consequences and teen pregnancy.
  • Parent Involvement — Student Manual provides at-home opportunities for parent-student interaction.

CLEE Conference

 

C.L.E.E. Conference

The conference consists of character and leadership building, educational opportunities, and sharing with them how to start a business in their community.

The expression “It takes a village to raise a child” takes on a whole new meaning when you consider this--per national statistics on the number of high school drop outs, recent studies reported by the US Department of Education revealed nearly 1.2 million students between the ages of 15 and 24 dropped out of high school in one year alone.  These statistical findings suggest that 1 in every 5 students will drop out of high school between the 10th - 12th grade for one reason or another. Statistically 55% of the nation's students between the ages of 15 and 19 will successfully complete high school and receive a high school diploma.  Another 15% will receive their GED or high school equivalency before the age of 24, which in total accounts for 70% of students that will graduate annually.   The remaining 30% of high school students will drop out of school before reaching the 12th grade.    Excellent TEEN Choice takes these statistics seriously and have offered various programs to youth groups throughout North & East Texas.

College Life

College Life for 1st Year College Students

College students facilitate this workshop for incoming college freshmen.  These students will share their experiences from registration, classes, time management, pledging and dating.  The panelists will be open as they want to share their "college life" experience.

Excellent Teens

Excellent TEENS Workshop

Excellent TEEN Choice enjoys partnering with various organizations and churches.  We speak on topics pertinent to today’s youth.   We have an exciting outline as we discuss how “YOUnique” you are!

jazzy joy book club

Jazzy Joy Book Club

The Jazzy Joy Book Club’s primary goal is to enrich a child's vocabulary through storytelling. Children with large vocabularies tend to become proficient readers. The vocabulary of the average children's book is greater than that found on prime-time television. Yet more than four in ten preschoolers are not read to regularly. Children ages 3 to 5 spend an average of 13 hours and 28 minutes a week watching television. When children are plugged in to television instead of reading books, they are not developing key literacy skills that will prepare them for school and help them learn. For this project, it is ETC's goal to help improve literacy. Authors will include: Dr. Seuss, Chris Van Allsburg, Jon Scieszka, Beatrix Potter, and many others.

The Jazzy Joy Book Club meets at Barnes & Noble Parks Mall. At the conclusion of the program, we celebrate with each participant receiving a new book, a toy and certificate. We will utilize community teenagers to coordinate the program and serve as mentors. ETC uses this service learning opportunity to integrate community values into education by involving teenagers in community service through storytelling. This will help teenagers become more service-oriented and to help them cultivate a lifetime love of service. In fact, The Jazzy Book Club was just awarded The Arlington Alliance for Youth Service Learning Project of the Year 2015!

Jazzy Joy Book Club Age:
    Club Members:  Pre-K to 2nd Grade
    Club Volunteers:  Junior High & High School Students

mad city money

Mad City Money

Teens, grades 7th - 12th, are transported into the future where they will have instant families, careers, and bills to pay. Teens will have lots of choices to make, as they move from station to station to purchase housing, transportation, food, clothing, day care, and other necessities. The simulation also includes: a mall for “wants”; a pushy car salesperson; a commission-based realtor and several other merchants, and “The Fickle Finger of Fate.”

During the Mad City Money simulation, students are able to stay engaged as they are required to use their knowledge of money, math skills, and feelings about important life choices. Most importantly this free event is a fun way to learn and experiment with making mistakes in a safe environment.

Mad City Money ™ is a free event where teens will be able to enjoy snacks and other refreshments.
Our partnership with Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc.  has made this program possible over eight years.

PAC Support

PAC Support Group

Through the Parent and Child Support Group, we have distributed items from disposable diapers, clothing, to car seats. Because diaper donations are received on a random basis, we give parents/grandparents pampers on a monthly basis.  Meaning--if you pick up diapers on the 15th, you will be eligible to pick up more diapers the next month on the 15th.

Please note that baby items are distributed upon availability. 

perfecting diamonds

Perfecting Diamonds

As diamonds in the rough, ETC offers  various workshops as it relates to teen girls. 

  • The Etiquette Module will include activity-based instruction, catered dinner, illustrated materials, and award of completion. 
  • The Leadership Module will include sessions on self-confidence, rising above peer pressure, communicating with family, teachers, and friends, and clarity on choices and goals.
  • Professional/licensed counselors and motivational speakers may be used in one or more of these activities.
   

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens

Seven Habits of Highly Effective Teens

In this program, students will become familiar with The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens by Sean Covey. In addition to taking ownership of the habits by tracking their own Personal Bank Account, students will work collaboratively to conduct brief research and create a presentation on one of the habits. After sharing their presentations with the class, students will determine which one is most important to them personally. Students will write a response to explain how that habit can provide a positive personal impact.  Our Executive Director is a certified facilitator of Franklin Covey 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens.

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens can help youth:

  • Gain greater control of their lives.
  • Improve relationships with family and friends.
  • Increase self-confidence and self-esteem.
  • Make smarter decisions.
  • Overcome addiction.
  • Define their values and what matters most to them.
  • Get more done in less time.
  • Be happy.
  • Find balance between school, work, friends, and everything else.
  • Goals will be measured by tracking students’
  • Attendance
  • Grades
  • Conduct / Citizenship
  • Community Service

So You Want to Go Pro

So You Want to Go Pro

Meet & talk with professional greats from the NFL Players Association as they tell you what to expect at the professional sports level.  So whether it's football, basketball, soccer, tennis, and/or hockey, these pros will give you strategies in preparing for professional world sports.  Topics include 1) Education is Primary in Sports; 2) What to Do With Your Compensation; and 3) How to Handle the Fame, Money, and People

Social media safeguards

Social Media Safe Guards

When it comes to the Internet, people generally believe they are safer than they actually are. Why? Often the impersonal nature of technology can give us a false sense of security. After all, no one can physically attack us through a computer screen.

We tend to have an “it-won't-happen-to-me” attitude. We may even believe that our computer programs and the powers that be are automatically taking care of the important Internet security stuff for us. Sometimes we just avoid it all together because, to be frank, we just don't get it. Does this sound like you?

Tony Newsom is Dallas/Fort Worth’s leading expert in social media crimes and illegal activities. His presentation is one that will equip you to make critical decisions when surfing the net. Topics includes:

  • Dangers in on-line conversations or postings
  • Tools and tactics predators use to gather information
  • Cyberbullying
  • Understanding the "pitfalls" in Facebook, Instagram Chatrooms, Etc.

Ages:  Junior High & High School.  Parents are welcome to attend.

Our Location

Contact us

Organization Executive Director:
Sharon Roberson-Jones

Email: sharon@etcteens.org
Phone: 682.351.1128 | 214.884.6135

Please contact us with any questions or feedback about our services or to make a referral.  We appreciate all offers of support for our youth from the community!

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