CADEkids

Who/what is CADEkids?

Founded in 1987, CADEkids uses a best-practice model to help K–8th grade children make good decisions by teaching them how to recognize their emotions and control their impulses to avoid conflict, violence and sub-stance abuse. We served 10,100 students in 2017-18: 6,200 in our core prevention programs (alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs) and 3,900 through problem gambling prevention lessons.

How does CADEkids work?

CADEkids provides young children with the life skills they need to move successfully through school and beyond. By maintaining a year-long presence at their assigned schools, our Prevention Specialists teach and mentor students to rise above desperate circumstances—violence, poverty, and apathy—to build lives that match their ambitions.

CADEkids’ Prevention Specialists spend one or more days onsite at up to five schools per week. Our staff diversity (African American, Latino, White) is representative of the students we serve; there is great power in the kids seeing themselves reflected in the Specialists’ lives.

What are the results of CADEkids’ work?

In 2017-18, 245 school teachers and adminis-trators gave CADEkids kudos for classroom effectiveness (79% excellent, 20% good) and program quality (65% excellent, 28% good). Nearly 70% noted at least one significant area of improvement in students’ behavior: fewer angry outbursts (45%), less bullying (32%), less violent incidents (20%), and increased daily classroom attendance (27%),

Why is CADEkids important?

We respond to urgent community needs! Philadelphia faces a growing opioid epidemic. In response, CADEkids completed its second annual summer program series for kids (ages 6-15) at Kensington’s McPherson Square Library and Lillian Marrero Branches. Activities included drug and alcohol prevention, good decision-making, using “I” messages, and peer pressure strategies. We build a brighter future for kids in our community by teaching essential life skills.