Terrific Kids Program

Click to view the Terrific Kids Photo Gallery!

Origin of the Program
In 1983 the Kiwanis Club of Black Mountain-Swannanoa, North Carolina created a program in a local elementary school to reward students who improved their behavior, attendance and school work.

The program was called "Terrific Kids".

Motivation, encouragement, and recognition are the three elements which work magic with kids by creating positive attitudes and self-discipline.  The program was a huge success.  Absenteeism and tardiness declined and academic performance improved.  The program quickly spread to other schools in the area. The Terrific Kids Program was then adopted by the International Kiwanis Club.  Today over 800 Kiwanis Clubs sponsor Terrific Kids programs nationwide, reaching nearly one million students.

About the Western Kiwanis Terrific Kids Program
This is the 17th year of the Terrific Kids Program.  It began in 1992 under the leadership and direction of Past President Jim Zdanowicz.  The program initially began with four schools and then grew to fourteen schools in 1996.  This year, the program has fourteen participating schools.  Over the past eleven years, over 30,000 students have been recognized as Terrific Kids.

Here's how the program works.  The Terrific Kids Program is a cooperative effort between the participating schools and the business community.  It is a postive action, self-esteem program.  Any student can be a "Terrific Kids" by meeting a goal, changing or improving a behavior, or performing some type of community service project.  Recent examples of the types of community service projects range from fund raising to support the purchase of Thermal Imaging Cameras for the Kenosha Fire Department to collecting and donating food to the Shalom Center.

While our Club provides basid direction and guidance, each school manages its own program.  Each school is responsible for providing a Terrific Kids coordinator.  If the student reach the goal set or completes the project, the student becomes a "Terrific Kid."  Generally, the parents are notified and the school recognizes the child's accomplishments at a ceremony where small incentives and certificates are awarded.  Each school tailors its program to meet their own needs (i.e. site-based management).  The business community provides prizes, coupons and store discounts.  Our Club coordinates the program between the schools and the business community and provides the foundation or seed money for the purchase of small incentives and certificates.

If you are interested in becoming involved with or supporting the Terrific Kids Program,
please contact Bob Zapf at 262-658-8499.