Kelly Bear Character And Resiliency Education Skills (C.A.R.E.S.) Program
is a multimedia, universal prevention program for use in kindergarten
through third grade. Its goal is to prevent problem behaviors in young
children by teaching essential skills that strengthen healthy development.
Professionals agree that it is critical to assist young children in
learning prosocial attitudes and behaviors. If antisocial actions are
not remedied early, children are more likely to develop delinquent
behavior later. This cost-effective, developmentally appropriate, educational
curriculum is used with large or small groups of children. It encompasses
the Drug Awareness Prevention Program (D.A.P.P.) which has been field
tested, researched and proven effective.
This innovative curriculum is a logical beginning for a comprehensive,
K - 12 prevention program. It requires no additional leader training
and may be presented by counselors, prevention specialists, after-school
program leaders, or teachers. It contains an easy-to-use, self-explanatory
Instructor’s Manual with sixteen detailed lesson plans, evaluation
forms for each child, teacher, and parent, plus reproducible handouts.
Other materials included are five books, seven videos, a Leader’s
Guide for the video series, three CD-ROMS, a cassette of character-building
songs, four posters, 100 stickers, and a kelly bear hand puppet. The
program is flexible, but is usually taught in fifteen sessions, thirty
to fifty minutes each, followed by a parent involvement segment.
The prevention strategy used in Kelly Bear C.A.R.E.S. involves two-way
communication between the leader and the children. The interactive teaching
methods include discussing, singing, acting-out role plays, completing
activities, and watching videos. The main character in all the materials
is a green bear named Kelly, who serves as a teacher, hero, friend, and
positive role model for children. Kelly Bear is free of racial, ethnic,
religious, age, disability, cultural and sex role bias. Children eagerly
identify with a green bear who makes mistakes but who keeps trying to
do his best.
Parents, relatives or others who care about the well-being of each child
are invited to attend he Parent Program that serves to strengthen bonds
within families and link homes, schools and communities. During the program
the children demonstrate the skills they have learned. Through observation
and discussion the significant others in a child’s life are encouraged
to reflect on their own behavior and to reinforce the concepts presented
with their child. Parents are challenged to model prosocial behaviors
and to build a positive adult-child relationship. To strengthen their
commitment they receive The 8 L’s of Parenting, The ABC’s of
Parenting, 10 Ways to raise children to USE Drugs, and the Kelly Bear
Feelings book or the series of three Kelly bear books (optional). When
adults listen to their child answer Kelly Bear’s questions without
judgment and relate to him in a caring manner, the child’s essential
need to feel valued and secure will be met and prosocial behavior will
more likely occur.
Kelly Bear C.A.R.E.S. is a research-based program designed to reduce the following family, school and individual risk factors:
The goals of the program are to increase protective factors in the family, school and child.
The results from thirty teachers/leaders on the Teacher Evaluation Form substantiated that the majority of their participating students increased their knowledge, attitudes and skills in the following protective factors:
The Kelly Bear C.A.R.E.S. Curriculum (Character And Resiliency Education
Skills) provides a strong foundation
for a comprehensive, kindergarten through
twelfth grade prevention program. The
Short-Term Goals
of effectively
increasing the protective factors in
families, schools and in children were
met.