The Boys & Girls Club Pasco County Lacoochee Prodigy hosted Cultural Arts Programs on March 29, 2018 at 6:00 pm, located at Boys & Girls Club of Tampa Bay, Inc., 38724 Mudcat Grant Blvd. Lacoochee, FL 33537. Photos provided by Richard Riley.

ABOUT PRODIGY

Prodigy is a research-based prevention and diversion program for at-risk youth ages 5-18. Prodigy uses visual and performing arts as a way to help young people develop life skills such as communication, leadership, problem solving, anger management, career aspirations, and goal setting. Each art class is conducted by a professional artist who serves as a mentor and teacher. Through art, young people build self-confidence, learn how to showcase their skills and develop lifelong positive habits for future success.

With our 18th year underway, Prodigy® has now reached over 28,000 youth served. Our program touts an impressive annual savings of $160 million for the Florida juvenile justice system with 98% of our students not getting in trouble since their enrollment. 90% of youth enrolled in diversion services do not reoffend.

SUCCESS

According to independent research as well as the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice, Prodigy is among the best performing prevention and diversion programs. Over 95% of young people enrolled do not have contact with law enforcement and for those who have committed a minor offense, over 89% do not reoffend. Additionally, Prodigy offers a cost savings of over 160 million dollars to tax payers in Florida when invested in up front prevention cost to support juveniles (less than $1,600 per youth) versus over $60,000 per youth for incarceration. Prodigy has been seen as a national model for diversion programming by leading practitioners and researchers for several years. This view is supported by both fiscal and scientific analysis.

STUDENT BEHAVIOR

Fidelity of programming is provided through behavior-based curriculum and performance measures. Prodigy teaches core self-regulation skills: Anger Management, Problem Solving and Communication. Classes are designed to explore and creatively express thoughts, feelings and values. Research discloses that Prodigy student show:

Improvement in ability to control behavior, affective responsiveness and academic self-efficacy. Significant decrease in anger, depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts and somatic problems. Reduced risk behaviors and mental health symptoms.

COST SAVINGS

Current cost analysis shows Prodigy to be among the lowest cost prevention and diversion programs at an average of $1,577 per student, even when all costs are included. Prodigy also saves the state of Florida additional expenses that are often accrued through juvenile crime and delinquency, while decreasing the risk of students going further into the juvenile justice system.