City of Aurora issued the following announcement on Sept. 11.
Spurred by the theme of self-respect championed in Paramount Theatre’s new production of Legally Blonde, Paramount’s Education and Community Engagement Department is partnering with Mutual Ground and the Aurora Police Department to offer a free Keep It Positive workshop Monday, September 24 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at West Aurora High School, 1201 W. New York St., Aurora.
The Keep it Positive workshop targets students ages 11 to 18 and is designed to empower young women to pursue healthy relationships and not be scared to stand up for themselves. Hands-on self-defense training and other resources will be offered. It is presented as part of the new Dive Deeper series of workshops being introduced by Paramount’s new Education and Community Engagement department.
This event is free, but space is limited. Please register in advance at paramountaurora.com/education/#dive-deeper-programs.
“The Keep it Positive workshop is another way Paramount Theatre is ushering Legally Blonde into the current decade,” said Shannon Cameron, Director of Education and Community Engagement, Paramount Theatre. “Amidst the Time’s Up movement and #metoo, Elle Woods’ story opens the floor for empowered discussion about women’s safety and commanding respect in workplace and educational settings.”
Workshop topics include sexual harassment, assault and teen dating violence. A professional from Mutual Ground will share how young people can best advocate for themselves. After the presentation, Sergeant Larry Suttles and Officer Christine Tunney of the Aurora Police Department will lead a self-defense workshop demonstrating easy-to-learn techniques that can be instrumental in helping a child stay safe. Note: all three organizations are committed to creating a program that benefits and serves all students, regardless of gender.
“We are thrilled to be involved with this very important program serving the youth in our service area. The discussion surrounding sexual abuse and dating violence can be tough, but it is an important conversation to have if we want to ensure the safety of the children and teens in our community,” said Kathy Melone, Advancement Director at Mutual Ground. “At the heart of the Keep It Positive program we will be teaching participants that sticking up for yourself is the only way to truly remain safe, and that never goes out of style.”
"We are excited to collaborate with Paramount Theatre and Mutual Ground in keeping kids safe,” said Aurora Police Officer Skyy Calice. “Our mission is to enhance the quality of life in Aurora through innovation, partnerships and dedicated service to our community. We want the youth of Aurora to know that their safety is of utmost importance. We will be extending our resources to educate students on how to be safe while walking home from school or hanging out with friends. During the self-defense portion of the program we will discuss being aware of your surroundings, how to defend yourself from offenders against youth and getting to a safe place to call for help.”
Original source can be found here.
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