NCADD

NCADD program manager promotes academic success

Safety has always been paramount for children whether they’re playing in the park or simply walking down the street. But when it comes to fostering success both in and out of the classroom, NCADD is putting S.A.F.E.T.Y. first. S.A.F.E.T.Y. stands for the Successful Alliance for Educating Talented Youth, a youth program designed to promote academic success particularly for underserved and economically disadvantaged teens. The program includes an after-school component as well as prevention workshops staged throughout the community. Students get academic help in the after school program as well as recreational opportunities, and NCADD staff use the workshops to talk to students and parents about important topics like drug and alcohol prevention. Organizers say they want to empower students to make positive choices and give them the tools to avoid becoming victims. “The parents are just ecstatic,” says S.A.F.E.T.Y. Program Manager Terry Phillips. “They like the exposure that we’re able to give them and bring their kids to an awareness about the dangers of drugs.” Phillips has been working with youth since she was 18 years old, and says the S.A.F.E.T.Y. program is a great way to keep kids motivated and moving in a positive direction. She says putting knowledge and power into a student’s hands is the best way to equip them for the future, and she feels the S.A.F.E.T.Y. program helps meet that goal. Phillips knows how important young people are to building and maintaining a strong and vibrant community, and has dedicated her life to helping kids succeed. “It has always been my heart’s desire to impress young people to make good decisions with their lives,” Phillips says. “If you give them information that can help empower them to make good decisions, they can make those decisions.”

“It has always been my heart’s desire to impress young people to make good decisions with their lives.” - Terry Phillips, S.A.F.E.T.Y. programmanager, NCADD