Today's Youth Tomorrow's Leaders:
FUPTP's Summer Program

"98 is here, y'all! Summertime just begun. Gotta keep my head up from the crime and the drugs. Glad I have alternatives cause you know I wanna live. At FUPTP is where I represent the positive. Being here every day lets me know there is a way. That's why I choose abstinence and this is what I represent!"

This is just one of the positive raps used by the mentees, mentors and staff each morning. In addition to the raps, everyone recites the FUPTP Pledge and sings the Black National Anthem. These get everyone pumped up for the day and reinforce what is being taught: abstinence.

FUPTP is an abstinence-based program that works with high-risk youth between the ages of 9 and 15 years. FUPTP is successful because we use a life options curriculum that includes topics on self-esteem, goal setting, values, decision making, social skills, communication skills, relationships, adolescent development and sexuality, and STD's. FUPTP has three components. The first is a community-based program that includes an intensive seven-week summer session, and Saturday sessions during the school year. The second component of FUPTP is the school based program which is implemented after school on a daily basis at Congress Elementary School, Jackie Robinson Middle School, Westside Academy II, Milwaukee School of Languages and 38th Street School. A third component of FUPTP is Teens on the Move to the Future, which was established to expand services to 13 to 19 year olds. Teens on the Move promotes sexual abstinence and encourages teens to excel academically and socially, and provides them with experiences of community service. All components work with families and youth to provide the best possible support system and learning environment.

Because FUPTP was conducted in five MPS schools this year, we had many more participants than expected. Therefore, we have two summer programs, one for the school based participants (located at Congress Elementary School South Campus) and one for community based participants (located at Westside Academy II). Each site has 100 youth enrolled.

The FUPTP day begins at 10 a.m. as everyone assembles in a large group where they recite the FUPTP Pledge (which was created by the youth several years ago) and raps, listen to a group lecture based on the topic of the week, and discuss any issues that may arise. After the large group session, mentors work with five or six mentees in small groups and discuss the topics in greater detail. On one particular day, mentees were working on values and preferences. When a mentor asked, "What is the difference between a value and a preference?" mentees hands shot up, eager to answer. One young man said, "A value is something you cherish and a preference is something you like." The mentor asked if someone could give him examples of a value and a preference. Another mentee answered, "I value my family and I prefer Kool-Aid to ice cream." When mentees were asked if values and preferences can change over time, mentees explained that "both can change as you grow up, but you should still value things like your family."

This same group of mentees was asked what they wanted to be when they grew up. One mentee said, "I want to be a veterinarian." He was then asked what could stand in the way of that goal. "Being a teen parent," is how all of the mentees answered. Mentees really do understand what they are learning and why abstinence is important to succeed in the future.

Small group sessions and lunch are followed by afternoons of specialty groups, ceramics, speakers, and Junior Achievement. On some days, mentees put into practice their social and communication skills by eating at local restaurants or learning about different careers by job shadowing at local businesses.

We also have three special events during the summer program. The first is a march to promote abstinence from sexual activity, gangs, drugs and alcohol. Our march took place on Friday, July 17, with over 200 participants marching from the Courthouse to City Hall. Walking east on Wells St., mentees recited the FUPTP Pledge and positive raps. Once we arrived at City Hall, Debra Blanks (SDC Director) and Mayor Norquist (who declared July 17 as FUPTP day) spoke on the importance of abstinence. After the march, mentees, mentors and staff were treated to a barbecue and a dance sponsored by V-100 radio station. The second event is a talent show where mentees creatively explain topics they learned during the summer. Our third event is an awards ceremony, which is the finale to the summer program. Mentees and mentors receive awards to commemorate their participation in FUPTP.