A 30-Year Legacy with Kids on the Block

Through high-energy, live puppetry shows, Champions for Children’s KOTB program uses puppets to teach elementary school students about personal safety. Thanks to a partnership with Hillsborough County Public Schools, KOTB has been impacting elementary students since 1994.

The Kids on the Block educational puppet show is an offshoot of the KOTB USA model.

Shows offered to fourth-grade Hillsborough County elementary students address topics such as bullying, stereotyping, and prejudice. Students learn how to “recognize, refuse, and report” when they experience bullying or stereotyping, or see it happening to others. The show addresses respect for physical, developmental, and cultural differences, promoting empathy and understanding for victims.

In third grade, students are taught how to safely recognize, report, and seek help when they or someone they know is experiencing child abuse or neglect. By listening to the puppet characters’ age-appropriate stories and asking questions, students learn that abuse is never their fault. They are taught to use the “no, go, and tell” safety message and the international sign for help.

Since 1977, originally formed as the Child Abuse Council, Champions for Children has been dedicated to the prevention of child abuse and neglect. Each year, KOTB offers personal safety messages to more than 10,000 children in Hillsborough County. Since its inception, KOTB has reached nearly 610,246.

According to the Department of Children and Families (DCF), an average of 88 hotline calls are made each day to report cases of child abuse and neglect in Hillsborough and Pinellas Counties. Furthermore, more than 3,800 children are currently in the child welfare system.

KOTB is working to further the safety of children in Hillsborough County. Last year, 92% of children who saw a KOTB show increased their knowledge about safety from child abuse, neglect, and bullying.

Students’ knowledge regarding these topics is measured before and after each show. During the shows, students ask the puppets questions revolving around the subject areas. Following the shows, students write letters to the puppets, which are given to school counselors. If students disclose information about issues such as abuse, neglect, or bullying, school counselors act as intermediaries to guide students toward intervention.

Rennex Franklin, the Hillsborough County Public School’s supervisor for elementary school counseling services, says, “It’s a great opportunity for our students to have conversations that are integral to them, as they come into their own as individuals, through the art of puppetry.”

Franklin further emphasizes the significance of the program’s ability to allow students space to share curiosities, questions, and concerns without feeling judged. He notes that the program enables counselors, when necessary, to intervene on behalf of the children, while also empowering students to “stand in the gap” for their peers.

Last year, KOTB conducted 193 shows in 101 schools across Hillsborough County. The program successfully connected with more than 10,000 students, equipping them with vital knowledge about personal safety, bullying, and abuse prevention. Additionally, students wrote 3,552 letters to the puppets. Many of these reflected the students’ stories and concerns. As a direct result of these efforts, 14 reports were made to the DCF to help protect students in need of immediate support.

This specific spring performance was special, as the first-ever KOTB show was conducted at Robles Elementary in 1994, marking 30 years. In the room, special guests fondly reflected on their connection to the program and its beginnings.

Cynthia Xenick, CFC’s first KOTB puppeteer, shares her thoughts on KOTB’s legacy.

Xenick recalled that when the program first began, skeptics questioned whether education through puppetry would work. She noted that every time the puppets visited schools, the children embraced them and wrote letters to the puppets. Through the program, KOTB sought to offer a safe outlet for children to express themselves if something was happening in their lives and they were afraid to talk to someone.

“I think we’ve done a remarkable job in the community, and I hope it goes on for another 30 years. I’m very blessed to have been able to do this,” said Xenick.

Paul D’Agostino, the first CEO of Champions for Children (formerly known as the Child Abuse Council), saw the importance of educating partners and funders that all children were at risk for child abuse and neglect, across all cultures and socioeconomic backgrounds.

Once children began disclosing personal situations, the case for KOTB strengthened. Paul recounted, “These are children who sometimes came from well-educated, financially secure families, and no one would suspect that the child was being abused by one of the parents.”

Both Cindy and Paul reflected on how the program has been powerful, not only in equipping children for personal safety, but also in educating counselors, teachers, attorneys, and related professionals on the struggles many children face.

KOTB Tampa Bay operates in Hillsborough County in partnership with and is partially funded by the Hillsborough County Public School District. KOTB is also grateful for its many contributing partners, including Community Foundation Tampa Bay, Hillsborough Education Foundation, Sauders Foundation, Mabel and Ellsworth Simmons Charitable Foundation, Suncoast Credit Union Foundation, and Macy’s.

To learn more about KOTB, visit cfctb.org/kotb.