Photo by Sarah Vogelsang-Card Photo: St. Albans Town Educational Center Grade 2 class with Seth Fletcher and Jason Rodriguez from Handy Chevrolet
Vermont Business Magazine Two Chevrolet dealership groups, North Country Chevy Dealers and Upstate NY Chevy Dealers, have taken the lead to be champions for their local school children in sponsoring $81,000 worth of empathy building and prevention programs. Thanks to their partnership with Puppets in Education, a program of non-profit Vermont Family Network in Williston, Vermont, twenty eight schools located in Chevy Dealer districts of New Hampshire, New York, and Vermont received a full day of free presentations for students in grades K-8.
“The Chevrolet Dealers are proud to be a part of bringing Puppets in Education to our local schools,” said Bob Cody, Cody Chevrolet Cadillac. “Puppets in Education does an excellent job communicating with the children in our communities, helping students express how they feel about the challenges they face."
This partnership complimented and filled a great need in school curriculums. According to Deb W. Lyons, Educator of Vermont Family Network’s Puppets in Education, “The response has been tremendously positive! Schools are excited to expand their curriculum focus with messages delivered in an engaging and interactive format. Our collaboration with Chevrolet dealers supports children by seeking to prevent problems before they happen, while providing answers and help for issues that are personally affecting students.”
"We might look different from each other on the outside, but we shouldn't judge each other, because on the inside we are similar." Student
In addition to supporting this day of presentations, North Country Chevy Dealers and Upstate NY Chevy Dealers generously gave each school a set of ten 25” hand-puppets for use after the puppet presentations. This will allow students to continue their creative education and role-play pro-social and problem solving scenarios
Presentations took place (and with a few left to complete) September 2017 to June 2018, with schools choosing topics based on their individual needs. Puppets in Education is in its 36th year serving over 10,000 children and adults annually. Puppets in Education began as Kids on the Block-Vermont in 1982 with four puppets and has now grown to deliver 21 programs addressing many societal concerns, including bullying, abuse, cultural diversity, childhood obesity, mental health, drug use and other topics.
As of September 1, 2017 Puppets in Education became a program under Vermont Family Network. Puppets in Education will contribute to and expand the mission of Vermont Family Network to empower and support all Vermont families of children with special needs.
North Country Chevy Dealers and Upstate NY Chevy Dealers are generous supporters for Vermont, New Hampshire and New York and they believe resolutely in the importance of community stewardship. Many children’s lives were touched and changed for the better from this generous sponsorship of $81,000 for Puppets in Education programming.
For more information:www.VermontFamilyNetwork.organd www.PuppetsInEducation.org