Say YES to a Youngster`s Future{trademark}. Final quarterly technical report, November 1995--August 1996

Those persons more greatly affected negatively by social violence have often survived circumstances which seemed insurmountable to others in society, who are better isolated economically and socially from social ills. Such is the case of the young students and their families in the West Las Vegas, Nevada community. This year`s Say YES Family Learning Center began in the midst of drive-by shootings, fear and apprehension on the part of both Say YES staff members and their clients. Meetings were held with community leaders and parents. Not much was done to resolve the core problems that caused the shootings, but just the communal gathering and sharing was enough to move on, to keep working, trying to make a difference for the younger generation. Though the NUC and Department of Energy administrators and support staff did their best at trying to reconcile the many differences and conflicts, tension continued to characterize the work at the Las Vegas Family Learning Centers. The staff appeared distrustful of any delays or inaction due to the frozen finances of the US government, and of the resulting cutbacks. Inclement weather in the nation`s capital did not help an already strained program. Still children and their parents and/or adult assistants learned Hands-On Family Math, Science, and Technology the Say YES way. The veteran Family Learning Center staff worked diligently despite human and bureaucratic shortcomings. Teachers in the Clark County School District were once again trained and made ready to share their knowledge daily in the classroom. This report describes the Say YES program and its implementation in West Las Vegas, NV