Newly Trained HOPE Educators

Following its mission of Igniting Hope, Building Families, and Transforming Lives, ATLAS Ministry Inc. hosted a training session for new educators July 23-25.

The HOPE Program (Healthy Options for Personal Empowerment) is a division of ATLAS Ministry and has been in Greene County Schools since the Fall of 2008. Choosing the Best is an abstinence based curriculum series that leads students through six to nine sessions of grade appropriate material. This curriculum is focused on helping students make wise decisions regarding premarital sex, alcohol, and drugs.

HOPE educators have been prepared to share how these choices impact students’ future goals and how positive consequences follow healthy decisions.

During the last school year, over 400 Greene County students in grades 7-12 participated in HOPE. This school year, HOPE has expanded to reach students in grades 6-12 at Greene County High School, Carson Middle School, The STEaM Academy, Lake Oconee Academy, and Nathanael Greene Academy and plans to reach over 500 students.

Surveys are taken at the beginning and end of each course and have consistently shown that students are internalizing the material presented, as well as beginning to apply it to their lives. Georgia Health Department statistics report a 53% drop in pregnancies among school aged girls in Greene County since HOPE entered the first classroom in 2008.

Nikia Wilson participated in this summer’s training session and is currently teaching two 7th grade classes at the Union Point STEaM Academy. Nikia, a 1996 Greene County High School graduate, grew up in White Plains, GA and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Management as well as an Associate’s degree in Paralegal Studies.

She worked in the Greene County Court System for several years, and was a stay-at-home mother after that. Nikia then moved to her current job at ATLAS Ministry as a Female Advocate and Group Leader.

She is married to Torico Wilson and has two children, Christian (13) and Faith (6). When asked why she chose to pursue training as a HOPE educator, Nikia expressed a strong desire for her life to be used to reach others in our community.

She has a passion to help young people understand their life purposes. The new and returning educators are looking forward to being able to walk alongside the students of Greene County as they begin to realize and pursue their dreams.