Speaker of the House Terry Spence Looking to Help Troubled Youths
NFL Hall of Fame Fullback Jim Brown Visits Wilmington to Promote the Amer-i-Can Program he Founded
For Immediate Release: Thursday, September 7, 2006
For More Information, Contact: Joe Fulgham (302) 744-4184
NFL Hall of Fame fullback Jim Brown is perhaps best known for the hardnosed approach to football that earned him a Pro Bowl berth every year he was in the league (1957-65). These days, Brown is facing an even tougher challenge as he tries to turn at-risk youths away from drugs and violence.
“I heard about the Amer-i-Can Program a couple of years ago from some of my colleagues in other states,” said Speaker of the House Terry Spence (R-Stratford). “It has produced some impressive successes under the most difficult of circumstances. I’m thrilled that Mr. Brown accepted my invitation to come here to discuss it.”
Jim Brown started the program in 1988 to help turnaround the lives of Los Angles gang members. Since then, the program has been used in prisons, schools and other settings throughout the country.
A mix of elected officials, school administrators and local community leaders were invited to an hour-long presentation in the Wilmington City Council Chambers this morning to hear Mr. Brown and others discuss the Amer-i-Can Program.
Billed as a “Iife skills curriculum,” the program typically takes 60 hours to complete. Supporters say it is designed to give participants the ability to recognize past destructive behaviors and to use proven methods to overcome and change negative habits.
“The Amer-i-Can Program emphasizes elevating self-esteem, achieving success through self-determination and creating an attitude change from ‘I-CAN’T’ to ‘I-CAN,’” Mr. Brown said.
Steven W. Edwards, the principal at East Harford High School in Connecticut, said the program helped some of his students that would’ve likely dropped-out gain a new “sense of purpose and direction.” In a written testimonial, Mr. Edwards said those taking part in the Amer-i-Can curriculum improved their attendance, performed better academically and enhanced their self-worth.
Wilmington Mayor James M. Baker attended today’s introductory event for the Amer-i-Can program and said this type of program has the potential to help redirect the behavior, attitudes and actions of young people locally. “To make a real difference in our community by moving away from destructive practices, we have to identify all of the programs and services that can help to change people and change communities,” Mayor Baker said. “This program would be welcomed in Wilmington and I thank Speaker Spence and the program organizers for sharing the program concepts with us.”
“I’d like to secure state funding to pilot this program in the City of Wilmington and perhaps elsewhere in Delaware,” Speaker Spence said. “Today was the first big step in that process. We wanted to give everyone a chance to become acquainted with Amer-i-Can. I’m hopeful today’s presentation will spark some ideas about how we can best apply the program to help at-risk teens and adults in the First State.”
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