Michelle McDyre, a graduate of Penn State University with a degree in Criminal Justice and a minor in Sociology, has dedicated 8 years to Mission Kids Child Advocacy Center in a variety of capacities including direct service as a Case Coordinator and Family Advocate, as the Development and Outreach Manager, and ultimately expanded her impact as the first-ever Director of Prevention Education and Outreach.
Michelle is responsible for coordinating and managing child abuse education and prevention efforts, including trainings, speaking engagements, presentations, community events, and social media and online engagement.
Michelle launched the organization’s prevention education department and its “ROAR” program. "ROAR" is a child-based education program that teaches children age 4 through 8 about bodily safety and empowers them to speak out if they ever feel they are in an inappropriate situation. Her work was vitally important during the pandemic. When schools switched to virtual learning and children were isolated from mandated reporters like teachers, coaches, and counselors, she ensured that the ROAR program would still be taught virtually. Since its launch in 2019, over 25,000 students have participated in the "ROAR" Program. Michelle also oversees the "Safe Touches" Program for 2nd graders, which is in a pilot research phase in coordination with Penn State's Child Maltreatment Solutions Network, PA Commission on Crime and Delinquency, and researchers from New York University and is expected to reach 10,000 students in Montgomery County over the next 2 years.
Michelle has developed curricula and presented on topics including Human Trafficking, Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (CSEC), Child Sexual Abuse Materials (CSAM), The Effects of Child Abuse and Trauma on Students in the Classroom, the Child Advocacy Center Response, and the vulnerabilities of children with special needs that put them at risk to being abused and exploited.
Michelle enjoys presenting to professionals including educators, medical providers, law enforcement, prosecutors, social workers, therapists, and other youth-serving professionals, along with caregivers and other adult community members; but she finds her days especially rewarding when she facilitates trainings for children and helps them identify safe adults and empowers them to speak out against abuse.
Under her leadership, Mission Kids Child Advocacy Center employs six prevention educators. Collectively, they deliver up to 30 trainings per week, and educated 1,800 adults and 8,000 children in 2021 alone. Since the organization launched its prevention education program under McDyre, the organization has provided training to over 30,000 children ages 4-18 and nearly 40,000 individuals since 2018 in Montgomery County alone.
Michelle has received several awards and commendations for her work, including, most recently, PA Family Support Alliance's Blue Ribbon Champion for Safe Kids Award (April 2023), Jefferson University’s first-ever Hope and Healing Award (April 2022) for her outstanding commitment to prevention and awareness and the “MontCo 2021 Millennial Superstar Award.”
Michelle thrives on the opportunity to share the story of Mission Kids’ impact on the lives of children in the community and finding ways to connect community members to the agency’s mission.
