Helping children and families succeed

 
The Pledge for Life Partnership is a volunteer-driven coalition of concerned citizens working to improve the quality of life in Kankakee and Iroquois counties in east central Illinois through solutions that address the causes of school failure, substance abuse, juvenile delinquency and other life-compromising behaviors.  Established in 1989, the Partnership is governed by a 24-member board of directors comprised of parents, community members and representatives from education, business, government, law enforcement and other health and social service agencies.

The Pledge for Life Partnership supports programs that:

• Help parents address behavior expectations and consequences with
  their children regarding destructive behaviors and negative influences,
  particularly underage alcohol use.

• Reduce underage access to alcohol, tobacco and other drugs.

• Reduce violence in the home, schools and community through
  communication and conflict resolution training.
   

• Provide greater access to out-of-school opportunities for all school age
  youth

In the spotlight...

Reunion with mascot leads to happy memories

As young student at the former Saint Patrick and Theresa School in Kankakee, Rachel Blanchette, 22, remembers being very excited when the Life Education Center would come to her school.  “I couldn’t wait to see Harold,” she recalled, “and the lessons taught by Brenda Wetzel inspired me to stay true to my beliefs and avoid the peer pressures I would later encounter.”

Now  loan officer with First American Bank, Rachel began serving in January as a member of the Pledge for Life Partnership’s board of directors – one of the main sponsors of the LEC programs. 

In addition to its K-6^th grade “Wise Highs” curriculum that teaches youngsters the importance of making the right choices for their bodies and minds, the program sponsors the Project Northland underage drinking prevention curriculum for junior high school students; and Class Action for high school students. About 15,000 students at some 70 public and private schools participate in these programs every year.

LEC classes began in 1990 and a second mobile unit acquired in 1998 allowed program expansion into Iroquois County.   For more information, call the Pledge for Life Partnership at 936-4606.