The Milan News-Leader
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Year-old Milan Community Foundation awards first grants
Talk and Milan's First Steps Washtenaw benefit from grants
By Kym Boelter-Muckler, Staff Writer
PUBLISHED: August 31, 2006
The Milan Community Foundation made its two premier grant awards since the group's launch one year ago.
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The foundation awarded $2,000 to Milan High School's Project Straight Talk, a peer-driven sexual health education initiative, and also awarded $5,000 to the Milan First Steps Washtenaw, a program designed to support parents in the brain development of their small children.
On behalf of Project Straight Talk, Milan High School sexual health teacher Kathy Falkner with students Courtney Love and Isaac Smith, and Jenny Lane of Planned Parenthood accepted the award.
Project Straight Talk is a peer-driven program, based on the idea that teens listen to other teens.
Students Love and Smith underwent a stringent selection process along with a 40-hour training session to become Project Straight Talk counselors.
Falkner explained the 6-year-old program to the group.
"Talking about sexual health can be a scary thing," Falkner said. "We know absolutely, that kids have their own 'underground.' So the idea of empowering students with good accurate information seemed like an innovative way to teach teens about healthy relationships, taking care of their bodies in ways that are right and good, and how to build and sustain healthy relationships."
All of the goals and objectives of the PST program support the district's current sexual health education curriculum, which takes an abstinence-based approach with a focus on healthy relationships.
After completing a 40-hour training course in the PST program, the students are required to pass a test before they can participate. The award will be used to enhance this year's program and possibly enhance next year's program, Falkner indicated.
"I really see these kids as the frontline in helping other students sort out the myths from the truth," Falkner said.
On behalf of First Steps Washtenaw-Milan, Paddock Elementary Principal Lynn VanVeelan, and First Steps program coordinator Lisa Mellinger, and parent educator Heather Meyer accepted the grant award.
VanVeelan was instrumental in bringing First Steps Washtenaw into fruition from its inception, credited for authoring the original countywide grant, which funded the group's inception for the entire county.
"After 30 years of teaching, Paddock Elementary will always have a big place in my heart, and First Steps will always be there too," VanVeelan said. "As a kindergarten teacher I remember many years ago having 5 year olds in my class that still didn't know the difference between an apple and an orange. Or even what a color is. I would call the parents and nine times out of ten the parent wanted information and wanted support. They just didn't know what they should be doing.
"First Steps provides that support to parents. This program is exactly what I dreamed of for our community. Before First Steps, the only program we had for small children was the story time for 3-5 year olds at the Milan Public Library."
First Steps Milan is a program open to anyone living in Washtenaw County or the Milan School District with children ages 0-5.
"I worked as a teacher full time for several years before deciding to have a baby and be a stay-at-home mom," said program coordinator Lisa Mellinger. "Staying at home with a baby was more than I expected — and then I heard about First Steps, and that they will visit my home and provide me with information. I thought — I have a teaching degree; what do I need this for?
"I was in for the shock of my life."
Mellinger explained that the support and information offered to her through First Steps changed her entire outlook from the first home visit.
"I didn't realize until later the validation it gave me as a parent, that I am my child's most influential teacher and that's a very important role. Parents can forget that," Mellinger said.
First Steps intends to place the grant into its general fund account for this year's budget.
"Three years and a lot of planning, meetings and countless hours of brainstorming and hope; have all built up to this one minute," said Milan Community Foundation president Isabelle Schultz.
The MCF is a permanent, growing endowment, which provides the means for those in the Milan community to carry on charitable endeavors for generations beyond their lifetime.
Members of the Greater Milan Area Community Foundation include Harkness, Schultz, Phillips, Linda Squires, Jim Cullip, Chris Wetzler, Jane Ann Wanty, Chad Nyitray, Dennis McComb, Melvin Dailey, Scott Dotson, Sharon Simecek, Carolyn Burlingame, Bob Conner, Robert Hartman, and Tom Preston.
For more information about the Milan Community Foundation, please call 434-2688.
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