Continuing the message long after the program!
Are you aware of the IMPACT the “Can I Kiss You?” show will have in your community weeks and even months AFTER the presentation? The program is designed with short-term and long-term planning to insure significant change for years to follow. Toward the bottom of this page, you will read one example of a community (especially student leaders) taking powerful steps for their current and FUTURE school year.
How does the “Can I Kiss You?” program overcome the pitfall of other educational lectures which only stimulate excitement for a day or two? Here at The Date Safe Project Inc, we provide ample resources and materials for each school system to continue the lessons learned in every presentation! The “Do You Ask?” poster series is the most direct consent based educational poster series used throughout the world. Each poster is both eye-catching and educational. The “Do You Ask?” theme of this innovative poster campaign teaches students “The only way you can absolutely know what your partner wants is by asking first!” Check the popular posters out at www.doyouask.org!!
In addition to the powerful line of posters, you can utilize both of Mike Domitrz’s books, May I Kiss You? and Voices of Courage, to continue the lessons and skills shared throughout the day with Mike on your campus. Get the books for a discounted bulk price in the 100 PACK special package. With the 100 PACK, you choose 100 books (any combination of the 2 books you want) and you get each book for only $7 (over 50% discount). Plus, Mike will be happy to sign each book for you and your students. Click here to get the 100 PACK now!
Next, start a “Pledge for Action” campaign in your schools and community. Learn more at www.PledgeForAction.org.
Plus, use the online forums here on the website to discover ideas with others and to share your own successes and lessons learned from your community and school efforts!
READ THIS POWERFUL EXAMPLE FROM THREE COMMUNITIES
Below is one letter from a sexual assault crisis center sharing a great example of how students put the lessons from the program and from Mike Domitrz into action in their schools, towns, and cities:
Through a community education grant, Hope House of South Central Wisconsin was able to co-sponsor Mike Domitrz’s “Can I Kiss You?” program at three of our local high schools in Columbia County. We had wanted to bring Mike to our area for some time and were thrilled when we had the opportunity to do so. Mike did a fantastic job connecting with all of the students and using humor to demonstrate his simple yet vital messages about respect and consent. One principal told us that she felt it had a great impact and that they have never had an assembly where so many students and teachers were talking about it. She even received a call from a parent saying thank you for bringing Mike to speak because her sons came home that night and initiated a conversation about respecting women!
Although Mike’s presentations were towards the end of the school year, we diligently worked with the schools’ staff to build on the momentum Mike’s appearance had created. Hope House utilized the opportunity to talk about Mike’s program during the presentations that we normally give to the Health, Family Living, and Social Studies classes. At all three high schools, we worked with staff to find students that were interested in creating posters that would help reiterate Mike’s messages. Students created posters with messages (in English and Spanish), such as “Did you ask?”, “Respect the Answer”, “Respect Yourself”, “Respect Your Partner”, “Have you opened a door?”, “Ask Before You Act”, and “Be a Friend”. These posters, along with Mike’s Date Safe Project posters, have been put up in the schools for the last couple weeks of class – a great reminder for students as they start their summer vacations. In addition to creating posters, the students signed their names on a large white sheet of paper that had Mike’s Pledge of Action attached to it. The names on the list are adding up every day as the student bodies now have the opportunity to sign.
One of the high school’s Student Council organized an Awareness Day as a result of Mike’s presentations. Hope House gave them extra “Can I Kiss You?” tattoos to wear during the event. They created a display of Mike’s books, May I Kiss You? and Voices of Courage, along with other school library books related to sexual and dating violence, and Hope House helpline cards and brochures. They created and distributed pins for students made of teal and purple ribbon to raise awareness about sexual assault and domestic violence. They also had the large sheet of paper with the Pledge of Action available for students to sign.
Hope House is continuing to meet with school staff to see if there are additional activities that we can do with students over the summer and next year, such as putting their posters up in popular summer hang-out spots, working with students during a summer leadership program, publishing an article for parents in the schools’ fall newsletter, and creating social norms posters related to the student assembly pre- and post-test survey results. All of these opportunities and exciting momentum would not have happened without Mike’s programs.
Jess Ritschke, Community Education Coordinator,
Hope House of South Central Wisconsin
The “Can I Kiss You?” Program Has a Long Lasting Impact!
Bring the "Can I Kiss You?" Program to your community. Call now to receive a special 20 page informational magazine and to find the best remaining dates available.
Call Toll Free 800-329-9390 or click here to email us.
