The American Democracy Project is designed to educate, motivate and provide opportunities for students, faculty and staff to actively participate in the democratic process.
The Family and Community Violence Program (FCVP) was developed in fiscal year 1994 under a cooperative agreement between OMH and Central State University (CSU), Wilberforce, Ohio. The purpose of the FCVP Program is to impact the increasing incidence of violence and abusive behavior in low income, at-risk communities through the mobilization of community partners to address these issues. The FCVP coordinates and directs the activities of Family Life Centers (FLCs) at 24 Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic Serving Institutions, Tribal Colleges and Universities, and other Minority Institutions in 17 states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The FLCs are engaged in in-school and after-school violence prevention activities, which address the academic, personal, cultural, and career development of youth that are at risk for involvement in violent and other abusive behavior. Each FLC also provides a summer academic enrichment program of at least three weeks in length and conducts activities to improve family bonding, parenting skills, and social interaction skills.
The TAMU-CC FLC is housed in the Haas Middle School and annually serves 62 youth and their families through after-school and weekend activities and summer programs. The after-school component is conducted daily for three hours providing activities related to academic and personal development, cultural and recreational enrichment, and career development.
These activities include tutoring, assistance with homework, mentoring, entertaining academic exercises, workshops and presentations. Career exploration, nutrition and health classes, recreational sports and art activities are also included. Some activities such as job shadowing and cultural enrichment field trips may occur during the school day.
Family and parent activities are conducted at both the FLC and at the University; some may be held in the evenings or on weekends. Such activities include career and personal development programs, family bonding recreational events, parent training, and family therapy.
The five-week Summer Enrichment Program features activities derived from the University’s Math and Writing camps. Also included are marine and environmental science, fine arts, theater, and computer science components. Each week the camp has recreational components including sports, non-competitive team building games, and swimming. Additionally, youth participate in some parts of the University's Kayak Camps.
The project targets an at-risk youth population with the following six risk factors: