About
Us
Addiction causes young people to grow up emotionally and
intellectually crippled as adults. Chronic use of alcohol and drugs
causes adolescents to avoid normal growing pains. The process need not
be complicated. Prevention is the sum of education and early
intervention. With courage, concern, patience and the belief that it is
never too early or too late, our young people of today can be educated
to make healthy choices for a non-addicted life.
New Beginnings awareness programs are all that and more. The programs
are in constant change to keep up with the fast-paced world we live in.
Each program focuses on the most current issues students deal with
everyday, at any grade level, and new strategies and approaches are
always created to keep students interested. Programs are also presented
to adapt to the issues and concerns parents and schools feel are
important to encourage young adults to make responsible decisions. Times
change; New Beginnings believes in changing with the times.
Register for a Program
William “Bill” Phillips
Bill Phillips founded the “New Beginnings” programs in 1985 to promote
awareness and acceptance of alcoholism and other dependencies as a
health issue of grave concern to everyone, with major ramifications to
the welfare of the community. The program helps to identify the links
between school discipline, delinquency, violence and achievement. The
emphasis is on young adults to make responsible decisions by providing
them with current and accurate information regarding the effects and
dangers of alcohol and drugs. He works closely with adults, teachers,
parents, police and others to use their influence to assist young people
in making healthy decisions about their futures. Bill has conducted
programs in middle schools, high schools and colleges throughout the
country. Locally New Beginnings educational programs have reached over
50,000 students within the last year. He earned his B.A. in psychology
at West Virginia State College, with continued studies at Boston
University. He is certified in alcohol and drug counseling, adolescent
behaviors and intervention and prevention counseling. In addition, Bill
has served as an At-Risk-Counselor for a number of high schools in
Massachusetts. He was a catalyst in development of the Framingham,
Massachusetts District Court 2nd Offenders Program, which he currently
directs. Bill also serves as a liaison to Juveniles At-Risk for many of
the courts throughout the area. His New Beginnings Program is sponsored
by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and in partnership with
several wellness programs throughout the state. He is also a consultant
for The Governors’ Alliance Against Drugs. Currently, Bill is working on
an educational manual for schools, parents and businesses titled,
“Chemical Dependency, Assessing the Problem.”
Richard Najarian
Dick is a consultant and advisor for the New Beginnings Program. He is
the former Director of Social Studies for the Watertown, MA Public
Schools. During his tenure as Director, he developed innovative
discussion-based curricula for high school students. One program dealing
with awareness of issues students continually faced became a model for
numerous area high schools. Specific issues discussed included drug &
alcohol awareness, moral dilemmas, decision making, teen suicide,
self-esteem, gender issues, relationships, rape and date rape,
harassment, etc.
His degree status includes a B.S., an Ed. M. and a C.A.G.S. from B.U. and Boston State (now UMass Boston). He was an
adjunct professor at Boston State Graduate School, teaching courses such
as “Curriculum Design and Administration” and “Modern Curriculum
Planning.” He has also presented workshops at the MA Reading
Association, the Northeast Regional Conference on the Social Studies,
the M.I.A.A. and for various school systems throughout Massachusetts. He
is also a member of the National Education Association and the
Massachusetts Teachers Association.
He presently is an adjunct professor at Mass Bay
Community College, teaching “Critical Thinking” and Psychology. He is
also a supervisor for teacher interns at Simmons College and is an
adjunct professor at Lasell College, teaching “Multicultural Issues In
School and Community” while also supervising student teachers and acting
as a freshman advisor.
Richard Garabedian, Ph.D.
Dr. Garabedian is a consultant and advisor for the New Beginnings
Program. As the former K-12 Director of Health, Physical Education, and
Athletics for the Watertown Public Schools, Watertown, MA, Richard
promoted innovative health and wellness programs for students, athletes,
faculty, and parents. During his tenure, he also orchestrated the
development of a system wide health related physical education
curriculum. Dr. Garabedian was the principal coordinator of the
Watertown Drug Free Schools Grant, actively promoting alcohol and
substance abuse prevention education programs within the schools and
community.
Dick received his doctorate degree in Exercise
Physiology from U. Connecticut, and he is currently an adjunct professor
at Lasell College in Newton, teaching courses in “Lifestyles and Human
Behavior” as well as “Research Design” and “Sport Management.” In
addition, he is teaching courses in Health and Wellness and Childhood
Obesity at Assumption College in Worcester. He has presented workshops
for the MA Association of Health, Physical Education, and Recreation and
has participated in numerous conferences at the MA Interscholastic
Athletic Association. He is also a member of the MA Teachers
Association, past president of the MA Athletic Directors Association,
and is a Certified Athletic Administrator. Dr. Garabedian lives with his
wife in Princeton, MA where he enjoys biking, hiking, skiing and caring
for an antique colonial house built in 1820.
Elena Ghilani
Elena, our database developer, has been involved in computer
programming since college, where she received a B.S. in Education/Earth
Science and Mathematics. Trained as a Software Engineer at GTE in
Needham, MA, she has developed defense software for GTE, stock market
software for Standard and Poor’s, and for the past 15 years has been
active in database development for three schools and a large church. She
has also worked for a market research company producing graphs and
desktop publishing for their forecasting documents and news releases.
Currently she develops and manages a constantly growing database for New
Beginnings, keeping track of all the substance abuse prevention programs
and presentations to schools, as well as all the students counseled and
helped by Bill Phillips. Having graduated from Framingham High School a
year ahead of Bill, she re-connected with him in 2005 at Keefe Technical
School, where he has his office and where she develops and manages
databases for the Special Education and Guidance departments. She was
then hired by Bill to fill a growing need for data organization.
John “Jack” Westcott
Currently retired as Keefe Tech Principal,
Jack is still a consultant and advisor for the New Beginnings Program. He,
along with Judge Campion, were part of the original New Beginnings Team
and major contributors in supporting the New Beginnings Program. He was
the Wellness Coordinator for the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic
Association (MIAA) from September 1997 to September 1999. Prior to this,
Jack was the Principal at Joseph P. Keefe Technical High School in
Framingham, Massachusetts for twenty-five years. He has thirty-five
years experience dealing with troubled youth and implementing
alternative discipline programs. He designed the Framingham,
Massachusetts Inter-Agency Rehabilitation Model (FIRM) in conjunction
with Framingham School Officials and Framingham Police Department. This
nationally recognized court Diversion Program prevents juvenile
offenders from traditional involvement with the court system. Jack also
was a key person in developing a new community forum on substance abuse
and violence prevention program with Bill Phillips and Judge Robert
Campion, retired First Justice of Framingham, Massachusetts District
Court. He is recognized nationally as a speaker on alternative programs
and anti-violence initiatives. Jack Westcott has a Bachelor of Science
Degree in counseling from Framingham State College. He also has earned
his Master of Arts Degree in school administration from Framingham State
College. Currently Jack is enjoying his retirement traveling throughout
the country, but is still very involved with the New Beginnings Program.
Robert C. Campion
Judge Campion is the retired First Justice of Framingham, Massachusetts
District Court. He has witnessed the utter destruction of the lives of
individuals and families as a result of alcohol and drug addiction. He
has been actively involved in the evaluation and treatment programs
necessary in obtaining a life of sobriety. He has implemented
innumerable court programs assisting schools, police and community
prevention programs. Judge Campion is currently in partnership with his
son Daniel Campion in the family law practice. He is also a consultant
and advisor regarding legal ramifications and court proceedings,
involving drugs, alcohol and behaviors. He is widely recognized for his
expertise in these matters.
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