BRAVE to show "Paper Tigers" at high school

Kay Larson said that the purpose of her organization is not to "combat" issues in Wrangell. Rather, she said, they want to educate and advocate. BRAVE, or Building Respect and Valuing Everyone, wants to promote healthy relationships through prevention programs, resource referrals, and community engagement.

"Our group isn't so much in a combative mode as advocacy, prevention, education, it's just a slightly different touch," she said. "We're not against anything, we're just all in favor of building and strengthening healthy relationships."

On Sept. 11, at 7 p.m., BRAVE will be showing the film "Paper Tigers" at Wrangell High School. In a short summary of the plot, "Paper Tigers" follows a year in the life of students at an alternative high school in the state of Washington. The school changes its approach to student discipline after research becomes available on the effects of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and becomes a model on how to break cycles of poverty and violence. Larson said that everybody in Wrangell's school system, including students, teachers, and parents, can benefit from seeing this film.

"Our school is not to the degree of vandalism and those kinds of behaviors that this school

experienced, but the message about toxic stress and the possibility of resilience through forming relationships, healthy relationships, with a caring adult to me is the message of the movie to grab on to," she said.

There will also be a question and answer session at the end of the film. According to documents provided by Larson, ACEs are defined as ongoing traumatic events during childhood that cause large amounts of stress and can affect a child's brain development. Research from the

Southern Kenai Peninsula Resilience Coalition said that healthy and supportive relationships can allow for more normal, healthy brain

development. These are the kinds of relationships BRAVE hopes to encourage in Wrangell.

"I think we're on a roll here," Larson said. "I feel like there's so much more receptivity, interest, and willingness to talk about these things. Reducing stigmas, giving people courage, so things are happening in a good way."

Larson said that BRAVE has several other activities planned in the near future, as well. They plan to show another film called "Resilience" at an unspecified date. Near the end of the month they also plan to host a boys program by the name of "I Toowu Klaatseen," which translates from

Tlingit to "strength of spirit." The 10-week program is meant to encourage a community of respect and give boys the tools to build healthy relationships with others.

BRAVE meets once a month, usually every second Tuesday, according to Larson. More information about the group can be found by contacting Larson at (907) 209-9117, or by sending an email to brave.wrangell@gmail.com.