New subject in schools: Safe dating
By KRISTI FUNDERBURK • Staff Writer • September 8, 2008
MILLVILLE -- Students here will start a new grant-funded health curriculum this month aimed at combating rising domestic violence in Cumberland County and across the state.
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's New Jersey Health Initiatives program awarded the city school district a $300,000 grant to integrate a course of study into health classes to help eighth-graders and fifth-graders learn what it takes to have healthy relationships. The hope is that will give students information they need to avoid relationships with abusive partners.
Superintendent Shelly Schneider said educating students with lessons beyond core curriculum, that they can use through their lives, is beneficial for their long-term success.
"I think it's reality. Anytime we can support a student in life outside of school, that's what we need to do," Schneider said.
Domestic violence offenses in Cumberland County, such as stalking and sexual assault, increased 2 percent to 3,353 cases between 2005 and 2006, according to Uniform Crime Report data.
In New Jersey, children were involved or present during 33 percent of all domestic violence offenses in 2006, the statistics show. Of the state's total domestic violence offenses in 2006, 15 percent started from a dating relationship.
The public school system's new curriculum will help area students learn to identify a healthy relationship so they can recognize bad relationships, Schneider said.
Eighth-graders from Millville and its sending districts in Commercial, Woodbine, Maurice River and Lawrence will participate in the Safe Dating program for nine sessions, officials said. The students will learn about dating abuse, how to find help, relationship communication skills and preventing sexual assault.
Fifth-graders will be involved in an 18-day abstinence-based Family Life curriculum to learn about cell development, heredity, genes, puberty, positive relationships, dealing with emotions and abuse prevention.
"Our children have a lot coming at them at a very fast pace," Schneider said. "This is just one thing we can offer them at the schools."
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Helping Cinderella happen
Myrna Durand, President of Tina's Fund for Domestic Monday, March 30, 2009
By JOE GREEN
jgreen@sjnewsco.com
VINELAND - CinderellaEvery young lady deserves to be , for at least one night.
Violence Awareness, wants to make that clear.
Saturday and Sunday marked the fourth annual Cinderella Sale, in which Tina's Fund sells dresses, shirts, belts, ties, jewelry and the like to youngsters who want to make prom or other dance memories, but don't quite have the means.
Attire and accessories were donated to the organization, which sold the items at low prices to local kids who stopped by.
The Vineland sale was held Saturday at Chestnut Assembly of God Church, on East Chestnut Avenue, and Millville's took place Sunday at Parents Anonymous, on North 10th Street.
Proceeds go to the Tina Labriola Scholarship Fund.
Organizers seek to award at least one $500 scholarship to Cumberland County College to a student pursuing a nursing career.
"Every year, we hope to make more than $500 so we can give more scholarships," Durand said on Saturday. "Every year, we're also seeing more and more people come.
"We always get a good turnout in Vineland," she added.
Durand distributes fliers to the schools. She said she hopes to extend the sale beyond the county in the future.
"We're learning more and more. It's all about location, location, location, just like in real estate," she said. "The problem with reaching out to other areas is we have to start again from ground level."
Durand said the idea emerged after William Severs was convicted in the murder of her sister, Tina Labriola.
Severs had used a rifle with a telescopic sight to shoot Labriola sniper-style in Vineland in January 2002, after learning she was engaged.
Durand said she and her daughter, current Miss Camden County Brianna Durand, pondered ideas for reaching out to young women.
"My daughter and I sat down to figure out what we could do for the community. We wanted to make a difference in domestic violence prevention," she said.
"We asked, How can we do that for girls who are less fortunate?"
The two-fold effort lends a compassionate hand to kids and provides scholarship money for future nurses. Labriola had aspired to become a nurse. The Cinderella Sale offers dresses for $10. Durand said one store donated dresses initially priced at $350 to $400.
"We don't price them any differently from the rest," she said. "If a girl finds one that fits, and she likes it, it's still only $10."
Most of the donated dresses were worn previously, Durand said. But the low price saves cash for any needed laundering or adjustments.