Keene - ActingOut, a prevention program of the Youth Initiatives Office of Monadnock Family Services was recently honored at MFS's annual meeting.  ActingOut, which is funded in part by Monadnock United Way as well as the NH State Council on the Arts, was given two awards at the meeting, firstly, the Alice Circle Award and secondly, the Ruth Ewing Award, named for life time board member, Ruth Ewing.

To quote from the Alice Circle award text: "This year's Alice Circle Award recognizes a program of Monadnock Family Services that does wonderful work in our schools, helping young people to understand and articulate their feelings, avoid drug and alcohol use and other kinds of risky behavior, and find their way through the difficulties of moving from childhood to successful adulthood - and this program has been doing so consistently for the last 20 years. 

This year, the Alice Circle is delighted to recognize ActingOut and to present Jodi Clark with the award for $17,300." Additionally, ActingOut was also awarded this year's Ruth Ewing Award for program innovation.  "It is such a great honor to be recognized by the Alice Circle and by the Ruth Ewing Awards.  I was so speechless (which would shock my students) to be the recipient of two such prestigious agency awards.  It was a distinct honor to meet Ruth Ewing, whom I know has been so crucial to the development and wellbeing of MFS.  I feel totally blessed to be able to do the work I do here with such amazing support from this agency," says Jodi Clark, ActingOut Coordinator and now also Assistant Director of the Youth Initiatives Office.  "These awards and the money they bring add to the excitement of our 20th Anniversary celebrations," Clark continues. 

ActingOut will be celebrating the conclusion of their 20th Anniversary year on Friday, December 11th at MoCo Arts with a Creative Black Tie Ball. There will be performances, video presentations, a dj and dancing and much more. For more information about the event, please contact Jodi Clark at jclark@mfs.org or 355-3040 ext. 107.