Program gives Douglas students a fighting chance

The Fighting Chance abduction prevention program was presented to fifth- and sixth- graders in Meneley, Scarselli, Jacks Valley, Minden, Gardnerville, Piñon Hills and Zephyr Cove elementary schools and Kingsbury Middle School during the 2006-07 school year. The program, which lasts about 45 minutes, is facilitated by Soroptimist International in coordination with the Douglas County Sheriff's Office. Deputies Chris Griffith, Theresa Duffy and Kevin Schaller are instructors of the Fighting Chance program.

In the past school year, approximately 1,065 children went through the Fighting Chance program in Douglas County and learned about abduction and techniques on how it can be avoided. Each fifth-grader was given a key chain and a handout to take home to share with their parents and family members. Sixth-graders were taught defensive maneuvers by Officer Kevin Schaller and were given a handout for review.

The Fighting Chance program formed as a result of the abduction of Jaycee Lee Dugard from a bus stop in South Lake Tahoe. Every training session uses the story of Jaycee Lee Dugard as an example of what can happen to a child even close to home. As a result of the Fighting Chance program, there was a recent success story where a young girl saved herself from abduction because of the techniques she learned in the Fighting Chance program.

"The Fighting Chance program is a lifesaving program because it stimulates awareness in our children to look out for the potential of abduction and empowers them to help save themselves. We hope to be training and saving children for a good many years to come," said Deborah Williams, this year's Soroptimist chair for the program.