Through our partnership with MicheLee Puppets, Pre-K and elementary students participate in an interactive workshop called “Little Heroes.” First, students watch a captivating puppet show that uses age-appropriate metaphors to address important points such as what domestic abuse is, abuse is not your fault and it is okay to report abuse to an adult you trust.

In addition to the show, students create their own “Me” puppets that are used in role-play and “Shareformances.” These activities and exercises are designed to allow students to channel what they learn and apply it to their behavior and interactions.

The art of puppetry and creative expression provides a safe outlet of expression for children in our Project Courage Communities.

DELTA Boys and DELTA Girls is a Primary Prevention Program for middle school students in the Project Courage Community of Malibu Groves. Its nine-week curriculum for boys and girls ages 11-14 takes place during after-school hours and teaches the behaviors and differences of healthy and unhealthy relationships. Delta’s primary activities include a speaker series, group discussions, girls and boys joint activities, a sports program and a social media awareness campaign.

The DELTA Program is a national initiative of the Center for Disease Control (CDC) that supports community efforts in the area of domestic abuse prevention. Harbor House’s expert staff have adapted the principles of the CDC’s DELTA Program and developed a customized curriculum to meet the needs of our community. Locally, DELTA Boys and DELTA Girls is also funded by The City of Orlando’s Mayor’s Matching Grant, which provides resources for supplemental activities, including field trips, parental engagement sessions and kickball tournaments.

The DELTA Boys and DELTA Girls Program allows youth to grow into healthy teenagers and responsible peers. The customized and interactive curriculum helps participants put what they learned into practice. When both genders are actively involved in the solution, they will be better able understand the need for respect in order to work together as a team.

If you or your child lives in the Malibu Groves area and are interested in joining DELTA Boys and DELTA Girls, please email us at cvaldez@harborhousefl.com.

At the eldest end of the youth programming spectrum, Harbor House has created a teen dating abuse awareness and prevention program called Leaders of Courage (LOC). With the goal of decreasing incidences of teen dating abuse, LOC focuses on the definition abuse and respect, the types of abuse, healthy vs. unhealthy relationships, communication skills, and safe bystander intervention. With generous support from the Orlando Magic Youth Foundation, LOC is successfully implemented in Oakridge, Evan and Jones High Schools in the City of Orlando.

LOC addresses teenage dating abuse in high schools because these are critical years in the development of interpersonal relationships. Teenage dating abuse currently affects 1 in every 3 teen relationships. While these relationships can often be mistaken for or thought of as something less damaging, teen dating abuse is similar to and can be as lethal as adult relationship abuse.

With the evolution of technology and other modern mediums of abuse, Harbor House and the Orlando Magic Youth Foundation are committed to helping every youth recognize abuse, either direct or indirect, respond effectively to it, and where to seek or refer for help.