What is Project Kinship? 

Project Kinship started two years ago at Fitz Intermediate. So what is Project Kinship, and how does Project Kinship help students?

The Project Kinship program has been running since 2014. It was created by Steve Kim, a USC graduate who dedicated five years to helping his dream of creating a community-based organization in Orange County. Students in Project Kinship are there for behavioral intervention causes, like fighting that can lead to suspension or possible expulsion from the school, or the student being in a gang.  Project Kinship is expected to help by giving meditation support, counseling, mentoring, classroom circles, and violence (fighting) prevention and intervention. 

Students involved in Project Kinship believe that the program is working. Magdelena Nuñez, a 7th grader, agrees that Project Kinship does help students: ”I believe that Project Kinship is helping students because one of my friends told me that Project Kinship is really helping her get out of fights.” As you can see, Project Kinship is really helping students stay out of trouble. Wendy Cortez, a 7th grader, stated, “You learn for example violence like fighting is not good so you talk it out.'' This shows that Project Kinships strategies help students not be violent to other students. The program guides students to stop acting immature and to instead talk things out.

But the real question is, why is Project Kinship really at Fitz Intermediate? Well, our Project Kinship staff member, Ms. Daniela, who runs the program at Fitz Intermediate, said, “Project Kinship is at Fitz to help teens learn ways to resolve problems with friends and other students instead of using violence.” Project Kinship is at Fitz for teens to resolve problems with friends and with other students instead of using violence. Ms. Daniela added, “Project Kinship provides support and training to people impacted by incarceration, gangs, and violence through hope, healing, and transformation.” This shows that Project Kinship supports students who need hope, healing, and transformation.

This is the sum of what Project Kinship is, and how Project Kinship helps these students. If you ever need to talk about problems with friends or are having personal problems, please speak to Ms. Daniela. She will guide and help you resolve the issue.