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A domestic violence prevention and advocacy organization Friday completed an ambitious goal at Mabelle B. Avery Middle School in Somers. SOMERS, CT — A domestic violence prevention and advocacy organization Friday completed an ambitious goal at Mabelle B. Avery Middle School. That is, to visit every classroom in the sixth grade in an effort to educate the students on awareness basics. October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. And the last visit of The Network Against Domestic Abuse took place Friday. The Network is based in Enfield and the non-profit organization provides free counseling services to domestic abuse victims and their children and free court advocacy services to victims of domestic violence. It also operates a 15-bed confidential safe home for individuals and families who are fleeing domestic abuse and provides training on the dynamics of domestic abuse to healthcare and professional groups. The Network is a program member of the Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence, along with 17 other agencies in Connecticut. The program at Avery is designed to educate young people early. Back in June, a partnership was established with the approval of Somers Superintendent of Schools Sam Galloway. In September, advocates from The Network began visiting students to provide that education about healthy relationships, dating violence, and "recognizing toxic patterns." "The goal is to build a stronger community by providing awareness to all sixth- through eighth-grade students by the end of the school year, for the next two to three years," said Karen Foley O'Connor, the CEO of The Network. So, with the assistance of Principal Margot Martello and Health Education and Life Skills Teacher Mark Brown, the advocates have now successfully presented to all sixth-graders in the school to date, thanks to a grant from the Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence. The Network was also able to provide a stipend to the school to defray the cost of hosting "healthy events and activities for the students." Said O'Connor, "The Network is committed to providing free outreach and education to every one of our catchment communities. Educating our youth is the key to ending domestic violence and preventing abuse. Since the pandemic, we have seen a dramatic increase in both intimate partner violence and family violence. We are striving to reach students in all schools, in north central Connecticut, to provide free awareness education." It has been a challenge, O'Connor said, "since the schools were shut down by the pandemic." She added, "We are so pleased and honored that the Mabelle B. Avery School partnered with The Network and entrusted us to reach each and everyone of their students. The Network Educators are also certified Domestic Violence Advocates, and being in the classroom only opens the door for students to reach out for help. This collaboration empowers students and could potentially save lives. " Martello said the lessons focused on identifying healthy and unhealthy relationship dynamics, setting and respecting personal boundaries, and developing effective self-care strategies within relationships. All instructional materials were previewed and approved by teachers and school administrators to ensure they were age-appropriate for middle school students. These sessions directly aligned with the Social Health Unit in Avery's Grade 6 life skills curriculum, Martello said. "The goal was to provide students with knowledge and tools that will support their social and emotional development while fostering respect and responsibility in their interactions with others," she said. "MBA is pleased to partner with The Network to support the development of healthy relationships amongst peers, friends, and partners. The time that the Advocates have spent at MBA to support this healthy development in our students has been engaging and well-received, and we look forward to continuing our partnership for the foreseeable future. Feedback from families around this partnership has been positive, and we expect student outcomes to show its effectiveness. We are grateful for the support and passion brought to this educational opportunity from The Network." _____ Those interested in community or youth education, please reach out to The Network at 860-763-7430. Anyone in danger or in need of assistance or advocacy can go to Safe Connect :: CT’s Domestic Violence Resource Line or call 888.774.2900, the 24/7 statewide hotline.
