Source: University of Western Ontario
http://communications.uwo.ca/media_newsroom/story.html?listing_id=22040 FOURTH R RECEIVES $1 MILLION GIFT AS TEACHERS HONORED FOR THEIR WORK IN VIOLENCE PREVENTIONOctober 16, 2006 London,
ON - As three local high school teachers received honors for their work in
the violence prevention program The Fourth R today, it was announced that
the program will receive a $1-million gift from the Arthur and Mary Jane
Crooks family. "Teachers are making a difference in educating local students about violence
prevention and we want to recognize some of our stars," says Peter Jaffe,
Director of the Centre for Research and Education on Violence Against Women
and Children (CREVAWC) at Western. Today 5,000 grade nine students in 29
high schools in the Thames Valley District School Board (TVDSB) receive the
Fourth R program, a skills-based curriculum that promotes healthy
relationships and targets violence, high-risk sexual behaviour and substance
use among adolescents. Centre for Addiction & Mental Health (CAMH) Centre
for Prevention Science at Western's Research Park, The Fourth R is a
collaborative venture with CREVAWC and TVDSB. "Mike Bates, Darlene Montgomery and Debbie Townsley are exceptional
individuals who have embraced the challenge of developing and delivering The
Fourth R to local youth. They've helped us refine the curriculum over the
past five years to make it even more engaging for adolescents," says David
Wolfe, co-founder of The Fourth R and Head of the CAMH Centre for Prevention
Science. Bates and Montgomery both teach physical education at Westminster
Secondary School in London and Townsley heads up physical education at North
Middlesex District High School. "We believe in this program and the difference it is making in the lives of
today's youth," says Mary Jane Crooks. "The Fourth R not only guides young
men and women to make good choices, but it also increases the chances they
will live safe, healthy lives and grow up to be positive members of the
community." Coinciding with the recognition reception is the third annual meeting of the
National Advisory Committee for The Fourth R National Implementation
Project. Currently, The Fourth R is being taught to 36,750 students at 147
schools in four provinces. Eventually the National Project plans to have the
program delivered to 100,000 students in all provinces. "We've been able to
do this because of generous donors like The Royal LePage Shelter Foundation,
RBC Investments and the Canadian Women's Foundation," says Jaffe. MEDIA CONTACTS: Jeff Renaud, 519-661-2111, ext. 85165, jrenaud9@uwo.ca or
Ruta Pocius, 519-661-2111, ext. 85468, cell 519-495-7717, rpocius@uwo.ca
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