Sikeston program targets teens

SIKESTON -- The early teenage years can often be a tough time for teens and their parents with many changes both physically and emotionally taking place. A new program at the Sikeston Junior High School is aimed at helping eighth graders navigate through this time by regulating their emotions while also becoming inclusive.

During the fall semester, 23 eighth grade students at Sikeston Junior High School completed PIVOT, a pilot program that provides students the tools to navigate situations and conversations to get the most positive outcome possible.

"I think every adult dreads when their child hits the early teenage years because it is such a time of dramatic change," said Molly Sain, Sikeston Junior High counselor. "This age group tends to experience high amounts of drama that are over very minor things but get blown out of proportion quickly."

Sain said the PIVOT program aims to help kids learn to regulate their emotions and take a moment before reacting to situations while thinking about how their actions and reactions could make situations better or worse.

"Most importantly, it teaches them how to help others learn to do this as well," Sain said. "It's all about inclusion and making sure that each student feels like they belong and are wanted and valued here at the Junior High."

PIVOT was born out of a seventh grade program called CHOICES that began in 2017 and has continued to this school year. CHOICES is a youth-mentoring program focused on teaching students the control they have over their life based on their choices, specifically the choice to stay in school and both accept responsibility for and understand the consequences of their choices.

"We have an average of 18 mentors who have stepped up to be a part of this program," said Brandy Johnson, member and program experience director at the YMCA of Southeast Missouri who is leading the program. "It has been a wonderful experience, but also sheds a light on how much more these students need."

Johnson said out of that revelation, along with conversations with the Sikeston Regional Chamber in regard to a junior high program that could potentially feed into the high school programs being implemented, PIVOT was created.

"This program was a perfect fit for the Y as well," Johnson said. "We are taking a step further into our youth development and social responsibility areas of focus with the boots on the ground PIVOT program."

Johnson said in creating the program, she felt they needed a name that both stood for something and meant something and PIVOT gave them a visual of what they want to accomplish.

"Essentially, we want students to turn and potentially help others to turn from events and emotions that can create reactions that are detrimental to them and possibly others," Johnson said.

PIVOT is an acronym with each letter taking an important meaning in the process: P is for patience; I, inclusive; V, value; O, ownership and T, tolerance. The students in the program work in small groups of five with a mentor.

"Currently the program is only two sessions and we have had 23 students complete it," Johnson said, adding that the students have asked for more.

"The first group of students who went through the training are still excited about it and word of mouth is starting to spread so students who hadn't signed up in the initial training are wanting to sign up for the spring," Sain said.

The goal for the spring semester is to take all eighth grade students through the program.

Johnson said the challenge is that the program is designed for a small group setting with a 1:5 mentor to student ratio. Therefore it will take a community of volunteers to accomplish.

"Because it has been so well received by the students, I believe that this could help make a difference in our school climate," Sain said.

"If we can help them understand that there are things in life that are going to happen and you're going to have an emotion and then there is going to be this reaction and you're going to have an outcome," Johnson said. "And that's the cycle we've been going through with these kids in PIVOT. You have that choice before the first emotion and the reaction. What we've found is they don't even know how to respond appropriately. We just assume they know these things."

Johnson said that it is her hope they could expand the program to reach those as young as fourth graders and follow them through eighth grade, teaching them skills to recognize and handle their emotions in ways that create positive reactions.

"If we could start that in fourth grade we could build on that in fifth grade and sixth grade and on through junior high," Johnson said. "Think of the tools they would have when they reach high school. What could our classrooms and community look like if we, as community volunteers, took the time to assist our educators, who are already doing so much more than academics, by investing in the social and emotional learning of our students?"

Sain said she is grateful, along with the junior high administration, for the community members who are giving their time to help with PIVOT as well as other programs.

"Community involvement is very important," Sain said. "As the saying goes 'It takes a village' and through programs like this, we are accomplishing great things."

Anyone interested in volunteering to be a mentor in PIVOT should contact Johnson at the YMCA at (573) 472-9622.