Vandalism Cast
The Kids on the Block Programs on Gangs, Violence & Prejudice
and Vandalism

 


STATISTICS

"Consider these facts...

Youth gangs are linked with serious crime problems in elementary and secondary schools in the United States. There is a strong relationship between the presence of gangs and both guns and drugs in school.

100% of cities with populations greater than or equal to 250,000 reported gang activity in 2001.

Although many people think of gangs as a problem confined to the inner-city neighborhoods, that is clearly no longer the case. In the past few decades there has been a dramatic increase in the growth of gang problems in smaller cities, towns, and villages.  When surveyed in 1999, 66 percent of large cities, 47 percent of suburban counties, 27 percent of small cities, and 18 percent of rural counties reported active youth gangs.

There has been a dramatic increase in gang activity in the United States since the 1970’s. In the 1970’s, gangs were active in less than half the states, but now every state reports youth gang activity.

Teens join gangs for a variety of reasons. Some are seeking excitement; others are looking for prestige, protection, a chance to make money, or a sense of belonging.  Few teens are forced to join gangs; in most cases, teens can refuse to join without fear of retaliation.

This information from:


ABOUT THE PROGRAMS

The Kids on the Block Program on Gangs, Violence & Prejudice was designed to help children stay out of gangs and avoid the violent behavior that often precedes gang involvement.  This program contains five scripts which focus on a variety of issues.  The scripts, Alarm Bell, Food for Thought and True Colors are very effective with grades four through six.  Shake it Up and Guessing Game may be used for grades three through five.  As students begin entering adolescence and are faced with choices regarding friends and activities, Alarm Bell can be used to focus on the consequences of gang involvement.  The script, Food for Thought, is designed to assist students with self-esteem issues and to get them to think about the importance of positive adult role models.  The script, Shake it Up, explores conflict resolution and how choosing to "solve" a problem with violence will only make a bad situation worse.  The scripts, Guessing Game and True Colors, examine the issues of racial prejudice and stereotyping and how prejudicial thinking can have a negative impact on friendships.

The Kids on the Block Program on Vandalism was designed to help prevent children from participating in vandalism by addressing contributing factors such as peer pressure and ignorance.  Through scripts and discussion, children are encouraged to assume responsibility for their actions and to respect themselves and others.  The three scripts focus on negative and positive peer pressure, making choices, community involvement and the social and legal consequences of vandalism.  A Few Marks on the Wall concentrates on graffiti and examines its impact on the community.  The Scoop focuses on societal attitudes towards vandalism and the legal and social consequences involved.  Big Plans emphasizes resistance to peer pressure through self-confidence and ability to make positive choices.

Often, organizations choose to purchase these two curricula together.  The same cast of characters is used for both topics (with the exception of Clare Sanchez who is only in the program on Gangs).  And, distinct yet interrelated themes exist in each program.  Many performing troupes use scripts from each of these programs to further develop their existing program on Bullying and School Safety, as well as to address sensitive outreach and prevention topics in an informative and educational way.


THE STARS OF THE SHOWS

These two programs enlist a grouping of diverse and positive self-confident puppet characters.
 
Joanne Spinoza, a regular in many Kids on the Block topics, represents a teenager
struggling with the difficult transition from childhood to adulthood.  Joanne's
parents are divorced and she lives with her mom.

Joanne
Nam Nguyen is 11 years old and sometimes feels pressure to fit in and be accepted by other kids at school.  Nam's fun loving attitude can also make him vulnerable to be influenced by kids he thinks are "cool".  His family moved from Vietnam to the USA before he was born.

Nam
Clare Sanchez is 14 years old and serves as a mentor to younger kids in her community.  She has seen her older brother, John, move toward the fringes of gang involvement, but she has stayed away from a gang.  Clare expresses her pride in her heritage while emphasizing the importance of separating the behaviors of a specific person from their ethnic or racial background.  Clare is also featured in the Bullies and School Safety program and the program on Ostomy.

Clare

John Sanchez is a 15 year old Hispanic boy who extricated himself from a neighborhood gang when he was at the "wanna be" level.  Starting from the age of 12, John started noticing older guys on the streets and all the things that they had.  He started running packages for them and getting paid.  Before long, he was hanging out with the gang members on a regular basis, drinking alcohol and dressing like them.  One night, John's best friend, Hector, was shot during a gang fight.  All their gang member "friends" were nowhere to be found.  Now John is taking an active part in making the most out of his life.  He has learned how to stand up for himself and what is right. 


Jason Robinson is an 11 year old African American boy who appears in several Kids on the Block programs.  He has strong values and his family is very important to him.  He admires his dad, a minister, who counsels teenagers in their community, and hopes to be like him someday. 



MORE INFORMATION

Script Summaries for program on Vandalism

Script Summaries for program on Gangs, Violence and Prejudice

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