Playwriting Program in San Francisco

"The Each One Reach One Program has been an essential tool in my studying. Being in Juvenile Hall I tend to lose track of the bigger picture by drowning in my own sorrow. I feel like I am accomplishing so much by being in this program and I greatly appreciate this opportunity.

This program accepted me and many other inmates with open arms. Unlike most you didn't judge me by my file, you judged me by my attitude and optimism to set higher standards for my life. Thank you. 

These two hours a week are far from as many as I would like, but they add up and are greatly appreciated both long term and short term. The possibilities are endless now that I have this tool to keep me going. I've come to the conclusion that I can only get out what I put in, this program gives me the opportunity to get to know who I am, share my knowledge and in return keep my mind beyond these walls."

-Playwriting Program Participant, Spring 2011 

EORO's summer Playwriting Program is kicking off on August 15th and we need mentors and actors to join our team! If you are interested, please contact Harold Atkins at harold@eoro.org.

Our Spring Playwriting Program was a huge success. We had six youth participants involved in the Playwriting Program and all were able to complete the project.  At the end of each week, participants were asked what they were going to take away from their experience.  Some mentioned creative skills showing an increase in self-esteem and belief in their own ability.  Others noted social skills, such as increased confidence, being able to express themselves and learning how to deal with their frustration.  The group all worked very hard and were extremely committed to the process. Four of the six writers chose child-parent conflicts as their theme.  Knowing that their parents were coming to see the play, this caused a fair amount of conflict for the young writers.  They had particular trouble confronting the conflict with their parents deeply and honestly. Following EORO's model, the young women used the richness of the language of metaphor to engage their characters to explore their life stories and imagine positive resolutions. This program reminds us that the plays the young people write do not always have to be lightly veiled therapy.  The process and action of playwriting is empowering and therapeutic in its own right.


http://www.youtube.com/user/1eoro1#p/a/u/2/YgAsgGwT4LE

Volunteer Spotlight:Laurel Freeman

Spotlight Questionnaire:

Name:   Laurel Freeman

How did you learn about Each One Reach One? 

While working at another non-profit in San Francisco that served youth in Juvenile hall, I became familiar with EORO through their arts programs for incarcerated youth.

Why did you become involved with Each One Reach One? 

It was a great opportunity to continue my work with young women in the system by teaching life skills classes in the Healthy Choices program.

What is your favorite Each One Reach One Program?

Healthy Choices!

How long have you been involved with Each One Reach One?

I began teaching the Healthy Choices classes in August 2009 – so coming up on two years.

What is your greatest contribution to Each One Reach One?

My respect and concern for girls in the system and my ability to make the Healthy Choices program fun, educational, and relevant to young women.

Where are you from? 

I was born and raised in San Francisco, specifically in the Castro District.

In three sentences, how would you describe yourself?

I am a strong-willed, independent, intelligent woman who believes that all girls, regardless of race, social class, or economic background, should be given the opportunity to grow into educated, strong-willed young women who can think for themselves.

What does community mean to you?

To me community is the interconnectedness of people and their ability to help each other, have fun with each other, and create a safe, loving environment of supportive coexistence. 

Girl's Healthy Choices

EORO's Girl's Healthy Choices Program is an 8 or 10 week program that addresses a continum of topics around healthy choices, safe sex, personal care and relationships. The program is facilitated by Each One Reach One Program Staff, Laurel Freeman. Laurel came to EORO after working for the SAGE Project in San Francisco, an internationally recognized human rights organization that fights the commercial sexual exploitation and prostitution of youth. 


As a result of her work fighting exploitation, she conducted her own original research for a senior thesis entitled Girl Prostitutes in the San Francisco Juvenile Justice System, which was later used by local and international agencies to address issues of exploited youth in the criminal justice system. She graduated from Mills College with honors and obtained a BA degree in Anthropology and Sociology.

Since leaving SAGE after 12 years of involvement with the organization as a counselor, program director, and administrator of a safe house for girls,Laurel has remained dedicated to working with system involved youth, with a specific focus on preventing exploitation, domestic violence, and teen pregnancy. She uses her own experiences as a troubled teenager to provide crisis counseling and Life Skills workshops for teens that address issues such as healthy relationships, STDs and birth control, goal setting, and sexual assault, exploitation, and pregnancy prevention. Laurel has a real world; real talk style of teaching that engages teens in the process of thinking for themselves and making healthier choices as they move toward adulthood.

Healthy Choices ran in San Mateo County in April and May of this year. Below are some comments from the the post-class evaluations to show the young women’s experience in the sessions:

"It’s awesome and the only thing to really reach what the girls are going through."

"Group was great! Wish we had more time :)"

"The packet includes a lot of good information."

" I Love your group Laurel!"

"[The thing I liked best was ] Learning about my own weaknesses and problems and some steps to take to keep me from going back to that life.

List two things you learned from this group: Some of my downfalls and weaknesses, I can get through this."

"[The thing I liked best was that] We talked about real issues.

Please list two things you learned from this group: How to stop bad relationships and how to manage my money."

"The talking and finding out new things. I learned a lot about prostitution and ways to cope with anger."

"I liked asking questions about sex. Things I didn't know. [I learned] How to apologize and work out problems. To manage my money."  

KIS: Keeping It Safe

Keeping It Safe Program Facilitator served 3.5 years of a 6-year sentence in a state prison, and is an adult child of incarcerated parents.  His father served 31 years on a life “without the possibility of parole” sentence and died in prison.  

Harold comes to EORO with over 10 years of working with at-risk youth in a variety of programs. Harold has served as a youth program manager for the AIDS Resources Information and Services (ARIS), as a Homeless case manager for the Emergency Housing Consortium, and served as the health education coordinator at the AIDS Community Research Consortium (ACRC) in Santa Clara County.  He also served as the Director of the Community Health Outreach Program at Free At Last, a substance abuse treatment program in East Palo Alto. 

Harold has a strong history of working collaborative with a variety of organizations including; The City of San Jose’s Gang intervention Program (STAND), Clean Slate Tattoo removal program, De Anza College Human Sexuality Department, L.I.F.E. Youth Mentoring Program, as well as the Bill Wilson Drop-in Center in San Jose CA. 


Harold has developed the curriculum from his own experience and in response for the need for gender specific programming to address important topics covered by the KIS program including HIV/AIDS and STDS, Gang Intervention, Breaking the Street Mentality, Relationships and treatment of the opposite sex, and making healthy choices to keep young men safe. KIS has operated at the San Mateo Court and Community Schools, the San Francisco Success Center, and short-term facilities in San Francisco, Santa Clara, and San Mateo Counties. Here is some feedback on the last workshop:

"I wanted to take this opportunity to thank you for coming to the school and speaking with the students. You were very informative and the kids seemed to really enjoy the presentation. They were very attentive and asked excellent questions. Through the various presentations that I have observed the students sit through, this was the first one where all of the group seemed interested in and enthusiastic about. The group participation was wonderful! I even learned something new (as I always do with your presentations).

I would really like you come back and discuss gang prevention and any other relevant topics that you have knowledge on that my students can benefit from.  My students can really benefit from anything that you are willing to teach them."

EORO Secret Show Fundraiser this weekend! Join us!

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EORO is seeking Mentors for San Francisco Playwriting Program!

Mentors Needed For San Francisco Playwriting show.

When: August 15- August27  Time:7:00 PM-8:30 PM  Location/Facility:Juvenile Justice Center, San Francisco     For More Information On Playwriting Click HERE

Contact: Danielle Bossler Office: 650-225-9030 Cell: 650-276-6773 E-Mail: danielle@eoro.org

EORO is Seeking Actors for our August Playwriting Program!

Actors Needed For San Francisco Playwriting show.

When: August 27  Time: 3:30 PM-8:30 PM  Location/Facility:Juvenile Justice Center, San Francisco     For More Information On Playwriting Click HERE

Contact: Danielle Bossler Office: 650-225-9030 Cell: 650-276-6773 E-Mail: danielle@eoro.org

It's summer in the city!

It's summer in San Francisco and Each One Reach One has new programming on the horizon. This summer EORO has been contracted to operate the KIS: Keeping It Safe Program at Camp Glenwood in San Mateo County. Camp Glenwood is a facility for high-risk young men, where they spend 6 months participating in holistic programming to empower them to positively engage with the community upon reentry. Our Program Manager, Harold Atkins, will be leading an 8 week series addressing HIV/STDS, Healthy Relationships, Gang Intervention, Financial Literacy and making healthy choices. It will be the first time KIS will be facilitated at Camp Glenwood! Harold will also be a part of the SYEP initiative at the San Francisco Success Center facilitating workshops through out the months of July and August.

In addition, EORO will operate a Playwriting Workshop at the Juvenile Justice Center in San Francisco and the Girl's Healthy Choices program in San Mateo in August. We are looking forward to an action packed summer, so be sure to check in for updates!

Our SF GED Team!

The GED Program Team at SF Juvenile Hall

A special thank you to our community partners and system stakeholders for making this collaborative possible and so successful.
Back Row L-R: Jermaine King (EMSA), Vincent Padilla (SFUSD), John Knox (EMSA/JPD), Harold Atkins (EORO), Erin Brown (YGCIC).
Front Row L-R: Niki Gibbons (SFUSD), Megan Mercurio (SFUSD), Toni Powell (Director of Juvenile Hall), Brittany Jarabek (EORO), Matthew Laques (SFUSD), and Robin Sohnen (EORO)