People of Louisiana – Community (February 2023)
NEXT STEP OF
CENTRAL LOUISIANA
A FIGHT WE CAN WIN
Written by Carolyne Hoyt, MS
Founder and Executive Director
February – A time when one’s thoughts turn to flowers, candy, cards, and gifts. Interestingly, the month also holds the distinction of being recognized as Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month, bringing a national focus to a troubling, growing issue and highlighting the need to educate youth about healthy and unhealthy relationships.
A growing body of research reveals that dating violence among teens is shockingly common, with as many as one in three falling victim to verbal, emotional, physical, and/or sexual abuse by a boyfriend or girlfriend. Studies indicate those in unhealthy relationships may suffer long-term, negative behavioral and health consequences, including poor school performance, engaging in risky behaviors, suffering from eating disorders, depression, and thoughts of suicide.
Tragically, young people involved in abusive relationships early in their dating lives are more likely to carry the patterns of abuser/victim behavior into future relationships; thus, the dangerous, destructive cycle continues – a cycle that plagues family life across Louisiana.
Teens do not have the experience, nor are they equipped to handle the consequences of abusive, controlling dating partners. Recognizing the gravity of the issue, the Louisiana Legislature passed House Bill 46 in 2010, requiring public schools to provide instruction relative to dating violence and healthy relationships to students in grades seven through twelve.
In response to the legislative mandate, NextSTEP of Central Louisiana implemented its original school-based awareness and prevention initiative, A Fight We Can Win, to help schools meet their safety obligations and to empower teens by raising awareness, increasing knowledge, and changing attitudes and behaviors linked to dating violence.
To date, NextSTEP has educated more than 30,000 Central Louisiana middle and high school students in 23 schools in four parishes, including cadets enrolled in the National Guard’s Youth Challenge Program. The initiative is expanding to two new parishes this spring, with three more waiting to launch next academic year.
For twelve years, NextSTEP has conducted dating violence surveys, vetted by the State Department of Education, to learn what middle and high school students know about the issue and to determine its prevalence in Central Louisiana. Local findings reflect national statistics. Last year, of the 2,030 students surveyed and taught, 95% indicated dating violence is a serious issue. Of the 1,310 responding to a question related to abusive relationships, 12% (193) answered that they were or have been in one, while 7% (92) were not sure.
Many of the stories students share are chilling – accounts of physical abuse, strangulation, sexual assault, sexting, stalking, threats of suicide, or harm to family members and pets. For many teens, dreams of romance and storybook relationships have been replaced by fear, dread, abuse, and control.
Student responses when asked on the pre-lesson survey to share their thoughts about dating violence:
- “It really can change the way some people specifically kids view what love really is suppose to be like.”
- “My mom was in a abusive relationship and I was afraid she was going to die. . .”
- “I think a lot of kids have seen their parents be domestic so as they get older they’re either the abusive one or they’re tolerating being abused.”
- “It’s becoming more and more normalized, and some times people don’t even realize their doing it or a victim of it.”
- “I think it’s a super big issue. It can change the way you think about relationships. It is short term hurt your feelings and long term affects your ability to trust. That’s my experience at least.”
A sample of student feedback, post-lesson:
- It encouraged me to go seek help.
- “It will help people understand what to do.”
- “Helps you understand relationships better.”
- “It gave me a huge wake up call.”
- “I best like how it taught be new things about dating relationships I would need to know ahead of time.”
- “It was interactive and included recent things that happened.”
- “This needs to be shown to students starting in kindergarten.”
The Legislature has twice recognized NextSTEP for its work in schools. Financial support for its mission is through sponsorships from Central Louisiana businesses, a Federal Victims of Crime Act Grant, funneled through the Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement, and for the past two years, from NFL great Peyton Manning and his PeyBack Foundation.
Students are given an opportunity to provide feedback to PeyBack Foundation on their post-lesson surveys:
- “Thank you Mr. Manning! For, having this program. It’s taught me things! And, has pushed me to talk to someone if I’ve ever need help!”
- “Thank you, this is an incredible chance for others to be aware that their not the only one’s suffering.”
- “Thank you so much for this huge opportunity. We have learned so much from this program and now we are aware. Thank you for your service.”
- “Great advice important for learning and giving teens the awareness of the bad signs and to avoid the cycle.”
- “Thank you mr manning this helps many people in need. Many lives are saved.”
- “Peyton Manning thank you for providing funding for this very helpful program. This program is amazing and it was a fun lesson.”
- “Thank you for bringing the dating violence program to schools. It helped me realize my dating rights and what a healthy relationship really is. Thank you for caring about young people. You’re one of the best! i think you and Brady are goats!”
- “An honor to have you help us learn this stuff!”
- “Thanks so much you bout saved my life.”
According to Department of Justice research, the good news is that school-based interventions are beginning to reduce the incidence of dating violence. By reaching teens at a critical time in their development, when they are laying the foundation for behaviors related to dating relationships, NextSTEP’s vision is to see a decline in the rate of intimate partner violence when this generation reaches adulthood.
It is truly a fight we must win!
Contact: choyt@nextstepcenla.com
Art provided by Pineville High School students
Mary McLeod Bethune was a woman who understood the power of education. She was first in her family to be born free, in the late 1800s, and to receive a formal education. A skilled activist and presidential adviser, her calling was to pay it forward, so with meager funds – $1.50 – but unlimited faith, she opened a school for African American girls in 1904. From these beginnings, her school went on to become Bethune-Cookman College, a Historically Black College (HBCU), and she served as the college’s president. Visiting her home on her college campus, I touched the desk where she worked and stood in the parlor where she hosted leaders as she advocated for education, healthcare and opportunities for women. I spoke to her granddaughters (pictured here) about her relentless commitment to education, equity and opportunity. A women of countless firsts, she is a trailblazer who understood the connection between learning and social mobility and so much more, and used this understanding to improve the lives of so many.
As we seek to reach our educational goals, one big focus for us is expanding access to dual enrollment. Today almost 29,000 Louisiana students start college in high school and over the past few years we’ve been proud to see an increase of 1,500 African American students participating.
To bring this opportunity to our students, particularly the equipment needed to support career and technical courses, we deployed mobile labs, which now visit high schools across the state. The labs are praised for their utility and effectiveness in getting college-level experiences to high school students. It’s a concept I saw first-hand at another HBCU. This was not a new shiny mobile lab parked out front at Tuskegee University, but a historical one in the museum honoring George Washington Carver. I knew and admired him as an agricultural powerhouse, scientist and inventor, “The Father of the Peanut Industry.” I had heard of his outreach efforts to farmers in communities near and far, but I was delighted to see the 
Whether our students come to a college or university campus or if we bring the learning to them, progress hinges on access to strong, high-quality education that prepares citizens for viable careers and prosperity. I am proud to stand on the shoulders of these African American giants, to learn from them and to answer the call to extend their legacy as fierce advocates for education, equity and talent development. That’s how Louisiana will prosper.
