Parent Awareness Workshops
Gaston County Gang Initiative
Target Audience (Parents/Guardians of): 9 yrs. – Teens
Organization: Alliance for Children & Youth
Presenter: Arin W. Farmer
Session Description: Discussion of the Gaston County Gang Initiative. How it works, who all is involved, what resources are offered, and how it affects the community.
Biographical Information: Arin W. Farmer is the Project Director for the Gaston County Gang Initiative. She works for the Alliance for Children & Youth and has been there for almost 10 years. She has been involved with the start-up of the Juvenile Restitution Program, Teen Court Program, Gang Outreach Program, and the Gang Initiative.
Number of Sessions Offered: 1
Community Gang Awareness Presentation
Target Audience (Parents/Guardians of): 6 yrs. – Teens
Organization: Gaston County Police, Sheriff’s Office, & Gastonia City Police
Presenter: Kyle Yancey, Lewis Costner, & Patrick Daley
Session Description: Gang awareness presentation for the community to learn signs, symbols, and activities of gang life and what to be aware of.
Biographical Information: Kyle Yancey is a gang detective for the Gaston County Police and has been with law enforcement for 14 years. Lewis Costner is a gang detective with the Sheriff’s Office and has been with law enforcement for 19 years. Patrick Daley is a gang Detective with the Gastonia City Police and has been with law enforcement for 20 years. The LE3 are responsible for interviewing potential gang members to gather intelligence and offer resources to youth who may be involved or at-risk for being involved in a gang.
Number of Sessions Offered: 1
Gaston County Gang Initiative – Gang Outreach for Troubled Youth
Target Audience (Parents/Guardians of): 9 yrs. – Teens
Organization: Alliance for Children & Youth
Presenter: Arin W. Farmer, Kip Boyce, & Jason Graham
Session Description: How do we help youth who are gang in involved or are potentially gang involved move toward productive behavior. The Gang Outreach Workers will share with parents their experiences with gang involved or potentially gang involved youth and how parents, families, churches and the community can help to make our communities safe and help our young people find the right road.
Biographical Information: Arin W. Farmer is the Project Director for the Gaston County Gang Initiative. She works for the Alliance for Children & Youth and has been there for almost 10 years. She has been involved with the start-up of the Juvenile Restitution Program, Teen Court Program, Gang Outreach Program, and the Gang Initiative.
Number of Sessions Offered: 1
My Child in Trouble With the Law? That Could NEVER Happen!
Target Audience (Parents/Guardians of): 9 yrs. – Teens
Organization: Alliance for Children & Youth
Presenter: Wendy Whisnant
Session Description: Information will be provided on the Teen Court and Juvenile Restitution program including referral sources, program format, and outcome. Information will be provided on the consequences for teenagers charged in both the Juvenile/District Court systems. Information will be provided on the Teen Court program volunteer opportunities as well.
Biographical Information: Wendy Whisnant has resided in Gaston County for 30 years and has worked with various human services agencies in Gaston County since 1980. She currently serves on the local Domestic Violence Prevention Council and is active with the Gaston Community Healthcare Commission. She has formerly worked with the Batterer’s Intervention Program, Permanency Mediation Program and Family Treatment Court.
Number of Sessions Offered: Multiple
Applying and Paying for College
Target Audience (Parents/Guardians of): Teens
Organization: Gaston College
Presenter: Terry Brasier
Session Description: This session will guide students through the Gaston College Admissions process. It will also cover various types of financial aid available for college.
Biographical Information: Gaston College Admissions and Financial Aid personnel will present information for this session.
Number of Sessions Offered: Multiple
Strengthening Families
Target Audience (Parents/Guardians of): Pre-teens & Teens
Organization: Alliance for Children & Youth
Presenter: Becky Schadewald
Session Description: The Strengthening Families Program (SFP) is a nationally recognized parenting and family strengthening program for high-risk families. SFP is an evidence-based family skills training program found to significantly reduce problem behaviors, delinquency, and alcohol and drug abuse in children and to improve social competencies and school performance. Child maltreatment also decreases as parents strengthen bonds with their children and learn more effective parenting skills.
Biographical Information: Becky Schadewald has been the Communities In Schools Coordinator for the Alliance for Children & Youth for 3 years, after school program coordinator for 1 year, and currently the Youth Vocational Training Coordinator at the Day Reporting Program.
Number of Sessions Offered: 1
What Teens are like and How to Handle Stress
Target Audience (Parents/Guardians of): 9 yrs. – Teens
Organization: Gaston County Family YMCA
Presenter: Petreana Anderson
Session Description: Part of helping your teens reach their goals is making very clear what you want and expect from them, as well as helping your teen meet your expectations. Unrealistic expectations frustrate both the parents and teens. Many parents say fighting between teens causes a lot of stress in their families. This session will help parents understand what they want from their teen (What’s OK & Not OK); discover how to spot and handle stress; and learn techniques to prevent quarrels.
Biographical Information: Petreana Anderson received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Bennett College and is currently working on her MBA degree. She has spent the last 7 years working directly with parenting and mentoring programs for at-risk youth and families. Petreana is the Program Coordinator for the Y-PALS Mentoring Program, and Site Coordinator of the Strengthening Families Program which are programs of the Gaston County Family YMCA. She finds it rewarding to work directly with youth by placing the right mentor in their lives, as well as helping families become more cohesive and stable.
Number of Sessions Offered: Multiple
Parents as Sex Educators
Target Audience (Parents/Guardians of): 9 yrs. – Teens
Organization: Gaston County Health Department
Presenter: Amanda Fuller & Carrie Meier
Session Description: Parent and child discussions about sex have been proven to reduce risky sexual behaviors among youth. In this workshop, parents will learn why they are the best sex educators for their children. Instructors will provide tips on how to handle difficult discussions about sexual issues and review specific topics that should be covered.
Biographical Information: Amanda Fuller has a Master’s degree in Health Education from East Carolina University and is the Teen Pregnancy Prevention Supervisor at the Gaston County Health Department. Carrie Meier has a Master’s degree in Public Health from UNC Chapel Hill and is the Parents Matter Program Coordinator at the Gaston County Health Department.
Number of Sessions Offered: Multiple
Creating a Successful Parent-School Partnership
Target Audience (Parents/Guardians of): 3 yrs. – Teens
Organization: Gaston County Schools
Presenter: Amy Bowles
Session Description: This session will describe how to create a successful parent-school partnership. Parents will learn why parent involvement in the schools is so important and strategies for becoming more involved.
Biographical Information: Amy Bowles is the Parent Involvement Title I Coordinator for Gaston County Schools. She was previously a classroom teacher and reading specialist.
Number of Sessions Offered: 1
Understanding the Gaston County Schools’ Attendance Policy
Target Audience (Parents/Guardians of): 6 yrs. – Teens
Organization: Gaston County Schools
Presenter: Dixie Abernathy & Mark Hollar
Session Description: This session will provide parents with an overview of the Gaston County Schools Attendance Policy, including how this policy reflects NC Compulsory Attendance requirements and what this information means to students and to parents. This session is designed to be relevant to parents of K-12 students in the Gaston County Schools.
Biographical Information: Dr. Dixie Abernathy currently serves as the Assistant Superintendent of Elementary Education of Gaston County Schools. Mr. Mark Hollar currently serves as the Assistant Superintendent of Secondary Education for Gaston County Schools. Both of these educators have had prior experience in the Gaston County Schools serving as teachers, assistant principals and principals. Together, Mr. Hollar and Dr. Abernathy co-authored the current polity on attendance, approved by the Gaston County Board of Education in May 2009.
Number of Sessions Offered: 1
Children Grieve Too – How Parents Can Help
Target Audience (Parents/Guardians of): Birth – Teens
Organization: Gaston Hospice
Presenter: Ann Moss
Session Description: Ann Moss will give an Overview of Normal Children’s Grief and share how children’s behavior reflects feelings. This session will also cover grief from other losses other than a death, such as changing schools, puberty, etc., and talk about ways to help cope with grief.
Biographical Information: Ann Moss is a Grief Counselor and Master’s Level Graduate from UNC-Charlotte. She has been employed by Gaston Hospice for 22 years and worked in Bereavement for the past 18 years. She has experience counseling adults, youth and teens and has facilitated the Parent Session of Camp Phoenix, the Hospices’ annual Grief Camp for children and teens.
Number of Sessions Offered: Multiple
How to Recognize and Report Child Abuse
Target Audience (Parents/Guardians of): Birth – Teens
Organization: Hope Circle Children’s Advocacy Center of Gaston County
Presenter: Laurie McClure
Session Description: Learn how you can recognize child maltreatment indicators to better support families and protect children in your community. This session will provide information on:
- What is Child Abuse and Neglect?
- The signs and Effects of Child Abuse and Neglect.
- What is the North Carolina Law on Reporting Child Abuse and Neglect?
- How do I report Child Abuse and Neglect?
Biographical Information: Laurie McClure, Program Director of Hope Circle Children’s Advocacy Center, Gaston Co. since 2008, is responsible for program development and oversight of the CAC. With a B.A. in Forensic Anthropology from the University of California at Santa Cruz, she has over ten years of experience in nonprofit leadership and development. Forensic Interviewer and Program Coordinator Karen Cook joined CAC this year. She has a BA degree from Belmont Abbey College and over 220 hours of certified training in child psychology, legal advocacy, criminal investigation and forensic interviewing techniques. Karen’s primary role in the center is forensic interviewing.
Number of Sessions Offered: Multiple
Parent-Teacher Conferences
Target Audience (Parents/Guardians of): 3 yrs. – Teens
Organization: Lincoln County Schools
Presenter: Ginger Thompson
Session Description: Enable yourself to make the most of parent-teacher conferences by being prepared, knowing what to expect, and what questions to ask when this occasion arises.
Biographical Information: Ginger Thompson is the BASC/Preschool Coordinator for Lincoln County Schools. She has over 30 years of teaching experience with a B.S. Degree in Early Childhood Education from Gardner-Webb University and a M.A. Degree in Reading Education K-12 from Appalachian State University. She has presented numerous workshops for parents and teachers on reading, math, behavior management, and teaching strategies. She serves on the Gaston College Early Childhood Education Advisory Board and on The Partnership for Children Board as the representative for Lincoln County Schools.
Number of Sessions Offered: Multiple
Searching for Quality Child Care (Spanish Workshop)
Target Audience (Parents/Guardians of): Birth – 5 yrs.
Organization: Partnership for Children of Lincoln/Gaston Counties
Presenter: Cristina Lozano & Karla Morales
Session Description: Session will assist Latino parents with the challenge of finding affordable, high-quality child care in legally-operating facilities. Discussion will include quality indicators, cost of care, and financial assistance available (Subsidy Program)
Biographical Information: Cristina Lozano is a Bilingual Parent Information Assistant. She has been working for the Partnership for Children for 4 years, assisting working families with their search for child care. Cristina has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Elementary Education and a minor in Early Childhood. Karla Morales is a Spanish Parent Educator Assistant. Karla has been working for the NC Cooperative Extension Service for 5 years. She has been facilitating programs such as Very Important Parents, Parenting Matters, and Parents as Teachers for Spanish-Speaking Families.
Number of Sessions Offered: Multiple
Adventures in the Bathroom
Target Audience (Parents/Guardians of): Birth – 5 yrs.
Organization: Partnership for Children, Lincoln and Gaston
Presenter: Diane Hines
Session Description: Potty training can be every parent’s worst nightmare. Do you sometimes wonder if your child will be the only kin in his kindergarten class still wearing diapers? Relax. Somehow it all seems to work out. Join us to learn some helpful hints that other parents have shared to make the impossible happen. Laugh and have some fun when you hear what other parents have been through and what worked for them.
Biographical Information: Kim and Diane both work for the Partnership for Children. Diane is the Early Childhood Education Director and Kim is a technical assistant who works with day care centers and family childcare homes to help them maintain quality. Both have been working in the field of early childhood for at least 20 years and are dedicated to providing quality care for all children.
Number of Sessions Offered: Multiple
How to Talk to Your Children about the Birds and the Bees Without Getting Butterflies
Target Audience (Parents/Guardians of): 6 yrs. – Teens
Organization: First Things First of Gaston County & Crisis Pregnancy Center
Presenter: Cheryl Harden & Mary Smith
Session Description: Research shows that parental involvement is THE GREATEST FACTOR in a child refraining from early sexual activity. This evidence-based workshop helps give parents tools to help them feel comfortable in talking to their children about sex. Most parents and teens believe that abstaining from sexual activity will help children to achieve greater emotional and physical health as well as higher school achievement. This workshop lays the foundation for the “When, How and What” of talking to your child. Using illustrations, object lessons, skits, and games, Mary’s teaching style is inter-active and engaging.
Biographical Information: Mary M. Smith is the Abstinence Educator for Crisis Pregnancy Center. Mary received her B.S. and M.S. from Auburn University. As Abstinence Educator, Mary talks to thousands of students every year in Gaston County giving them the truth about Abstinence and the consequences of sexual activity. Active in a Friday night youth ministry at her Church, Mary has seen the direct consequences of sexual activity both on the teens and the lives of the babies they produce. Her passion is to help students both see the consequences and have the courage to save sex for marriage which is the only way to guarantee no unplanned pregnancies or STIs. She is now teaching the course for parents, helping them reinforce the abstinence message from home. Mary taught school for 14 years before joining the staff at Crisis Pregnancy Center.
Number of Sessions Offered: Multiple
Grandparents Raising Grandparents
Target Audience (Parents/Guardians of): Birth – Teens
Organization: County Department of Social Services
Presenter: Tony B. Carpenter
Session Description: The workshop will be designed with a brief overview of the phenomenon in today’s society of grandparents raising their grandchildren. The information shared will educate participants to challenges grandparents face including working through the Child Protective Services System to challenges caregivers may face in obtaining eligibility services as well as other services in the community. At the end of this brief discussion, a panel including representatives from Child Protective Services, Adult Services, Eligibility Services, and Legal Services will be available to answer questions from participants and offer some solutions to barriers caregivers may face.
Number of Sessions Offered: Multiple
Understanding Today’s Music and the Messages Our Children Are Receiving
Target Audience (Parents/Guardians of): 6 yrs. – Teens
Organization: SMS Productions Professional Disc Jockey Service
Presenter: Grant Sparks
Session Description: This session explores the music culture our youth are exposed to on a regular basis. Parents and guardians usually don’t listen to the same music as their children, and often when they do, they don’t understand the lyrics. Music has changed dramatically over the years and parents and caregivers need to understand the messages their children are receiving from mainstream radio.
Biographical Information: Grant Sparks has been a professional disc jockey since 1986 and is the owner of SMS Productions Professional Disc Jockey Service. He founded of the Safe Music Service in 2008 because of his concern over the messages being conveyed to our young people in the music they listen to daily.
Number of Sessions Offered: Multiple
An Overview of Parenting Styles
Target Audience (Parents/Guardians of): Birth – Teens
Organization: Family Works, Inc.
Presenter: Amy Sifford, Phd, LPC
Session Description: Participants will learn about the four general parenting styles and their interrelatedness with attachment styles.
Biographical Information: Dr. Amy Sifford is a licensed professional counselor in North Carolina. She received her Doctorate of Counselor Education from UNC-Charlotte, her Master’s in Counseling at Gardner Webb University and Bachelors Degree in Psychology from Sacred Heart College. Dr. Sifford’s areas of interest include working with individuals and families presenting a wide range of issues including depression, anxiety, stress, parenting , transitional or phase of life concerns and individuals or families encountering a social or cultural issue.
Number of Sessions Offered: Multiple
Help! My Child is Struggling in School
Target Audience (Parents/Guardians of):
Organization: Gaston County Schools, Department for Exceptional Children
Presenter: Amy Sifford, Phd, LPC
Session Description: An overview of support services available for struggling students in the school system. If a student is not responding to the strategies typically used in the classroom, it may be time to begin to access the problem-solving/ intervention process in the schools.
Biographical Information: Elizabeth Millen & Elizabeth Mordaszewski have been educators of children with disabilities for many years. Their combined background includes a variety of settings and services. Elizabeth Millen is currently the Assistant Director of Gaston County Schools Department for Exceptional Children and Elizabeth Mordaszewski is currently an Instructional Specialist for the Department for Exceptional Children.
Number of Sessions Offered: Multiple