I. title of the program:  “Fight Like a Girl: Self-Defense for Teenage Girls”

 

II. PURPOSE:  This program meets six of the seven developmental needs of teenagers: Physical Activity, Competence and Achievement, Self-Definition, Positive Social Interaction with Peers and Adults,   Meaningful Participation, and Structure/Clear Limits.

The Self-Defense program also meets many of the 40 Developmental Assets that help young adults to grow up healthy, caring, and responsible. In the category of External Assets, the Self-Defense for Teenage Girls program encourages Other Adult Relationships; demonstrates that they have a Caring School Environment and that the Community Values Youth; provides empowering Safety tools; gives teens strong Adult Role Models; creates avenues for Positive Peer Influence; and sets up High Expectations for the teens to do well, both in the program and in real-world situations. In the category of Internal Assets, the Self-Defense for Teenage Girls program provides Achievement Motivation as they will be motivated to avoid potential real-life attack situations; encourages the use of Restraint, in terms of actions and behavior that could invite an attack; fosters good Planning and Decision Making skills, in terms of making safety-conscious plans and decisions; provides a sense of Personal Power and increased Self-Esteem, leading to a Positive View of Personal Future. 

 

III. GOALS & OBJECTIVES: The objective of the Self-Defense Program for Teenage Girls is primarily to inspire confidence and assertiveness in teens. Self-defense is more than simply learning how to turn the tables on a potential attacker (although those skills are useful, too); it’s about building self-esteem and promoting self-discipline. The 9th grade Health curriculum covers the topics of Teen Violence & Date Rape and Self-Defense, and so our goal is to combine the conclusion of that unit with the program on Self-Defense for Girls. The Librarian and the Health teacher will collaborate in planning the program. We are hoping that all 9th grade Health students will attend, but the program is targeting any teenage girl in the Mariemont school district. All students who attend the program will be given extra credit. Participating departments include Physical Education, Social Studies, and English.

 

Iv. DESCRIPTION: Lieutenant Chin of the Terrace Park Police Department will first educate the teenage girls about the importance of practicing safe and assertive behavior at all times. Lieutenant Chin will then demonstrate a variety of basic self-defense techniques that will be effective and easy to use in real-life situations. All students will be encouraged to continue learning about how to protect themselves by checking out library materials on self-defense and taking additional self-defense courses. At the end of the program, the teenage girls will feel empowered by what they have learned, and they will have gained confidence about their abilities to keep themselves safe in attack situations.

 

v. dATE, tIME, and pLACE:  The program will take place in the Mariemont High School gym on Sunday, May 15, 2005, at the conclusion of the 9th grade Health unit on Teen Violence & Date Rape and Self-Defense. A Sunday, rather than an evening during the week, was chosen due to the number of extracurricular activities in which most students are involved.

 

vI. eXPECTED aTTENDANCE:  Due to the personalized instruction nature of the program, we will have to limit the number of participants to 30.  Registration will be required, and it will be on a “first-come, first-served” basis.

 

viI. pUBLICITY AND PROMOTION:

  • Staff at the Junior and Senior High Schools will be informed through email and staff meetings, and a flyer will be posted in the staff room.
  • Flyers will be posted in the Junior & Senior High Schools, the Mariemont Branch of the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County, and in the Mariemont Starbucks Coffee Shop.
  •  A press release will be sent to The Eastern Hills Journal, The Cincinnati Enquirer, the district-wide newsletter and the school newsletters.
  • There will be a book display in the Junior and Senior High School Libraries as well as at the Mariemont Branch of the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County. Promotional bookmarks and pathfinders will be available on the displays.
  • Direct email will be sent to the parents of Junior and Senior High School students.
  • The program will be featured on the Mariemont Schools website.
  • The Libraries of the Junior and Senior High Schools will do bulletin board displays promoting the program.
  • The program will be promoted in Physical Education classes at the Junior and Senior High Schools.

 

viiI. tIMELINE:  (L=Librarian’s responsibility; LA=Librarian Assistant’s responsibility; P=Physical Education teacher’s responsibility)

4 months in advance:

  • Discuss program idea with 9th grade Health teacher. (L) Come up with program outline. (L, P)
  • Get approval from the Principal to do the program. (L, P)
  • Reserve the Mariemont High School gym. (P)
  • Contact Lieutenant Chin of Terrace Park Police Department and book him for May 15, 2005. (L)
  • Contact Junior High Librarian and Mariemont Branch YA Librarian to coordinate doing book displays and bulletin boards. (L)

 

2 months in advance:

  • Create flyer, pathfinder, bookmarks, rape/assault handouts, and program evaluation forms. (L)  Create a press release. (L)
  • Get approval from Principal for all promotional materials and press release. (L)
  •  Make plenty of photocopies of promotional materials. (LA)
  • Send press release to The Eastern Hills Journal, The Cincinnati Enquirer, the district-wide newsletter, and the school newsletters. (L)

1 month in advance:

  • Inform staff members about the program in a staff meeting and a follow-up email. (L) Ask teachers to encourage female students to attend the program. (L) Post a flyer in the staff room. (LA)
  • Promote Self-Defense program in Health class. (P) Ask other Physical Education teachers at the Junior and Senior High Schools to promote the program to their students and members of sports teams. (P)
  • Post flyers in the Junior & Senior High Schools, the Mariemont Branch of the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County, and in the Mariemont Starbucks Coffee Shop. (LA)
  • Ask the Principal to send an email to the parents of the children in the school district, inviting them to encourage their teenage daughters to attend the program. (L)
  • Add program information to the Mariemont Schools website. (L)
  • Create book display and bulletin board. (LA) Remind Junior High and Mariemont Branch Librarians to create book displays and/or bulletin boards in their Libraries also. (L) Set out bookmarks and pathfinders on the book display. (LA)
  • Create a registration/sign-up sheet and keep it at the desk in the Library. (LA)

1 week in advance:

  • Purchase snacks. (P)
  • Confirm the date and time of the program with Lieutenant Chin. (L)
  • Write an introduction for Lieutenant Chin. (L)

Friday  before the program:

  • Set up the book display on one of the tables in the gym; set out evaluation forms, pens, and pencils on the second table; leave a third table empty for the snacks. (L, LA) Set up the TV/VCR, and place the mats on the floor in the center of the gym. (L, LA, P)
  • Make reminder phone calls to students who have registered for the program. (LA)
  • Make sure that a custodian will be at the school to open the doors on Sunday at 12:00. If not, get keys to the school and the gym. (L)

Day of the program:

  • 12:00-Set up the snack table.  (P)
  • 12:50-Play a self-defense videotape on the TV/VCR for students to watch as they arrive. (LA)
  • 1:05-Greet participants. Highlight the book display and encourage students to check out books and videos and to take the handouts home with them. Ask students to fill out a brief evaluation form after the program. (L)
  • 1:07-Introduce Lieutenant Chin. (L)
  • 1:10-2:10-Lieutenant Chin will educate the teenage girls about the importance of practicing safe and assertive behavior at all times. A brief question and answer session will follow.
  • 2:10-2:20-Snack Break.
  • 2:20-Lieutenant Chin will demonstrate a variety of basic self-defense techniques that will be effective and easy to use in real-life situations. Help out where needed and take pictures if you can. (L, LA, P)
  • 4:55-Lieutenant Chin will wrap up the program. Thank Lieutenant Chin. (L) Remind students to check out books and videos, to take handouts, and to fill out evaluation forms on their way out.  (L)
  • 5:00-Check out materials to students. (L, LA)
  • 5:15-Clean up. (L, LA, P)

Day after the program:

  • Send thank you letters. (L)
  • Send post-publicity press release and photos to The Eastern Hills Journal, The Cincinnati Enquirer, the district newsletter, and the school newsletters. (L)
  • Create a written report for the Principal. Evaluate how well goals and objectives were met.  (L, P)
  • File copies of the program documents for future reference. Make notes on what you would do differently next time. (L, P)

 

IX. speaker/INSTRUCTOR CONTACT INFORMATION: Lieutenant Chin of the Terrace Park Police Department is a trained instructor of self-defense. He can be reached at (513) 831-2137.

 

X. bUDGET:

Materials/Time:                                                                                                 Costs:                                                                               Funding Sources:

Snacks                                                                                                                             $50                                                                                     Physical Education budget

Flyers                                                                                                                               $5                                                                                         Library budget

Pathfinders                                                                                                                $15                                                                                      Library budget

Rape/assault statistics handouts                                                      $15                                                                                      Library budget

Bookmarks                                                                                                                $15                                                                                      Library budget

Self-defense instructor’s time                                                               $0 (normally $125/person)                    Donated by the Terrace Park Police Dept.

Librarian’s time                                                                                                    $200 (10 hrs., $20/hr)                                   School Budget (Librarian’s salary)

Librarian Assistant’s time                                                                         $100 (10 hrs., $10/hr)                                      School Budget (Assistant’s salary)

$400 Total

 

xI. rOOM SET-UP: Mats will be placed on the floor in the center of the gym, creating a space conducive to learning self-defense. A table will be set up near the entrance with books, videos, and promotional materials arranged in an attractive display. A separate table will have the program evaluations on them with plenty of pens and pencils. Another table will be filled with snacks.

 

xII. MATERIALS AND eQUIPMENT NEEDED: Gym mats; TV/VCR; three tables; library materials for display; promotional materials &handouts; program evaluations, pens & pencils; snacks.

 

xiiI. pROGRAM eVALUATION: The program will be formally evaluated by a brief questionnaire filled out by students before they leave. Informal evaluations will include overheard comments, high attendance, and the number of library materials checked out.

 

Questionnaire:

  1. How did you hear about this program?

a) flyer                            b) teacher                    c) friends                       d) library                      e) parent                       f) other—please describe

 

  1. How much did you know about self-defense before attending the program?

a) I couldn’t protect myself                        b) I could maybe protect myself           c) I could definitely protect myself                          

 

  1. How much do you know about self-defense after attending the program?

a) I couldn’t protect myself                        b) I could maybe protect myself           c) I could definitely protect myself

 

  1. How would you rate the self-defense program?

a) awful                          b) okay                            c) good                            d) very good              e) excellent

 

  1. What kinds of programs would you like the library to offer in the future?

 

XIV. OTHER SELF-DEFENSE PROGRAM POSSIBILITIES/PROGRAM EXTENSIONS:

  • Mother-Daughter Self-Defense
  • Self-Defense for High School Seniors Going to College
  • Self-Defense for Teens (including boys)
  • Self-Defense Against Bullies
  • Self-Defense Series (bring in a different type of specialized instructor every week: tae-kwon-do, karate, ninjitsu,  kung fu, kickboxing, etc.)

 

xv. bibliography:

Professional resources for program ideas:

O’Dell, Katie (2002). Library Materials and Services for Teen Girls. Greenwood Village, CO: Libraries Unlimited.

 

GENERAL SELF-DEFENSE BOOKS:

Baty, Kathleen (2003). A Girl’s Gotta Do What a Girl’s Gotta Do: The Ultimate Guide to Living Safe and Smart. New York: Rodale Inc.

 

Danylewich, Paul Henry (2001). Fearless: The Complete Personal Safety Guide for Women. Toronto: University of Toronto Press Incorporated.

Konzak, Burt (1999). Girl Power: Self-Defense for Teens. Tarentum, PA : Sport Books Publisher.

 

Snortland, Ellen (1998). Beauty Bites Beast: Awakening the Warrior Within Women and Girls. New York: Trilogy Books.

 

Foundation for Crime Prevention Education (1996). Safe, Smart, and Self-Reliant: Personal Safety for Women and Children. Dyer, Gerri M., Editor. Rockville, MD: Safety Press.

 

SPECIALIZED SELF-DEFENSE BOOKS:

Harrison, Simon (2004). Kung Fu for Girls: Self-Defense with Style. Philadelphia, PA: Quirk Books.

 

Lawler, Jennifer, and Debz, Buller (2002). Kickboxing for Women. Terre Haute, IN: Wish Publishing.

 

Kim, Ashida (2000). Ninjitsu for Women: Ninja Secrets of Defensive Fighting. New York: Citadel Press.

 

Hoppe, Stephanie T. (1998). Sharp Spear Crystal Mirror: Martial Arts in Women’s Lives. Rochester, VT: Park Street Press.

 

Lawler, Jennifer (1998). Martial Arts for Women: A Practical Guide. Hartford, CT: Turtle Press.

 

Self-Defense Videos:

The Basics: Becoming a Hard Target! With Marilyn Flores. King’s Media Associates. 1995. 40 min.

 

Basic Self-Defense Techniques for Women. Isshinryu Productions, Inc. 1993. 50 min.

 

Instant Self-Defense Guide for Women. Video Sidekicks, Ltd. 1992. 30 min.

 

Web Resources:

American Women’s Self-Defense Association                                                                                                                                                                                            www.awsda.org

 

City of Tempe, Arizona, Crime Prevention Unit                                                                                                                                               www.tempe.gov/cpu/sapc.htm

 

NCASA Guidelines for Choosing a Self-Defense Course                                                                      www.karatevid.com/article-SDguidelines.html

 

No Nonsense Self-Defense                                                                                                                                                               www.nononsenseselfdefense.com/index.html

 

Rape Escape: Women’s Self-Defense Institute                                                                                                                                                                            www.rapeescape.com

 

Think Fast, Talk Fast, Fight Safe                                                                                                                                                                                                                            www.fightsafe.com

 

 Self-Defense Programs on the web:

AWARE (Arming Women Against Rape & Endangerment)                                                  1-877-67-AWARE                                                                    www.aware.org

 

Chimera Self-Defense for Women                                                                                                                        1-803-771-7489 (Southern States)                                    www.chimerainc.org

 

Prepare and Impact Personal Safety                                                                                              1- 614-221-2811 (Ohio)                                                                  www.prepareinc.com

                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

The White Tiger Group                                                                                                                                1-877-685-8880                                                       www.fearlesstiger.com

 

LOCAL SELF-DEFENSE PROGRAMS:

Aikido of Cincinnati                                                                                                                                       (513) 561-7202                                                              www.aikidocincy.com

 

Blue Ash Shaolin-Do                                                                                                                                    (513) 530-5425                                            www.ohiosd.com/index.asp

 

Cincinnati Taekwondo Center                                                                                                           (513) 271-6900                                               www.cincytaekwondo.com