RAPP 2014-15 Introduction

Greetings Parents/Guardians/Families –

I’d like to take this opportunity to say hello at the start of another exciting year at Truman H.S. as well as (re)introduce myself. I am Erika L. Miller and I am a NYS licensed social worker. Since December 2000, I’ve coordinated the Relationship Abuse Prevention Program (RAPP) here at Truman. It was great to meet parents and students at last weeks Freshman Orientation. I am looking forward to more engagement throughout the school year.

RAPP is a program that provides preventive and support services to those in abusive relationships and provides intervention to educate students, staff and parents about relationship abuse. In order to meet these objectives, RAPP consists of 6 key components: individual and group counseling, classroom curriculum/workshops, staff training, parent training and community outreach, and peer leadership, in which students are trained to be peer educators.

Over the years, RAPP has been educating our students about teen dating violence, sexual violence, healthy relationships, communication styles, gender role stereotypes, LGBTQ bias and harassment, bullying, trauma and depression symptoms, etc. The purpose of RAPP is to help students have healthy relationships in every area of their lives.

RAPP works to engage the Truman community as an integral part in promoting healthy and respectful relationships for and between all. I look forward to continuing work on monthly awareness campaigns, such as ‘Love IS NOT Abuse’ day, International Human Rights Day, and Denim Day.

Truman has received the Anti-Defamation League’s honor as a ‘No Place For Hate’ for the past 5 years (receiving ‘Gold Star’ designation over the last 2 years), and I am excited about working on a 6th consecutive year!

Additionally, we look forward to sharing the Public Service Announcements created by Truman RAPP Peer Leadership program on the topics of dating abuse, parent-child communication, street harassment, healthy masculinity and healthy femininity. And we invite you to follow our work via social media [STEPS to End Family Violence is on facebook, you can subscribe to our YouTube channel, and are on Twitter (@stepstoendfv) and Instagram (stepstoendfv)].

If you’d like further information, or would like to schedule a workshop, please let me know. The RAPP Peer Leaders and I would love the opportunity to connect with families and share in our mission to raise awareness of abuse and promote healthy relationships!

Thank you!