Extended Family is excited to begin the 2024-25 series of Extended Family for Kids (EFK) and Extended Family Leadership Academy (EFLA) programs in schools and juvenile diversion programs in Calhoun, Cherokee, DeKalb, and Etowah counties. Extended Family staff Program Leaders will lead fifty groups during the fall and spring semesters this school year. Hundreds of children in kindergarten through 12th grades will have the opportunity to learn lessons designed to enhance their physical, mental, emotional, and moral character development.
Putting together groups takes the cooperative efforts of Extended Family staff, school administrators, and counselors. Weekly group meetings rely on school support staff including school secretaries, other office staff, and school resource officers. We are always grateful for the time and care our school partners take in choosing the students for each group and helping keep the groups running smoothly, which isn’t always easy with all of the other classes, activities, testing, field trips, etc. that divide the students’ time.
We are fortunate to have a great team of volunteers who help with our EFK and EFLA groups. Our volunteers are from diverse backgrounds, but all share a love for children and an interest in seeing them succeed. Each of our team members work together to make every child feel valued and leave each group lesson with the message, “You matter.”
Our EFLA program would not be as effective without the time invested by our guest presenters. This year’s lineup is incredible and includes law enforcement and rescue workers, counselors and mental health coordinators, military members, small business owners and entrepreneurs, college recruiters, elected officials, pilots, video game developers, and so much more! We have a large assortment of guest presenters to help match the interests of every student in our groups. Through these speakers, our students learn about various careers and how to follow their paths to achieve their goals.
In addition to the groups our staff leads, many other EFK Leaders have been trained around Alabama and in other parts of the country. If you are leading an EFK group, we would love to hear from you! Please share your stories by emailing daphne@extendedfamilyhelp.org.
