CHARLESTON, SC – Darkness to Light, a national not-for-profit leader in the prevention of child sexual abuse, has been awarded two Telly Awards for the much-anticipated update to its prevention programming, Stewards of Children®. Taking home Best in Non-Broadcast – Charitable and Best in Non-Broadcast – Education & Training during the record-breaking 44th Annual Telly Awards, Stewards of Children® is one of the only evidence-informed, adult-focused, child sexual abuse prevention trainings in the United States proven to increase knowledge and change behavior.
Described as “a NEW Training for a NEW Generation”, the NEW Stewards of Children® delivers a proven framework grounded in the lived experiences of survivors. The 2.5-hour training features poignant storytelling and expert testimony to teach adults practical actions they can take to reduce instances of child sexual abuse in their organizations, families, and communities.
“The caliber of the work this season coming from creators such as Darkness to Light and its training Stewards of Children® truly has reflected the theme of breaking out and standing out,” said Tellys Executive Director Sabrina Dridje. “Our industry is experimenting with new technologies like never before, crafting truly compelling stories to draw attention to some of the world’s most pressing issues, and companies big and small are turning to more sustainable practices to break the cycle of past production processes.”
The Telly Awards honors excellence in video and television across all screens and is judged by leaders from video platforms, television, streaming networks, and production companies. With a decade-high record number of nearly 13,000 entries from across the globe, Darkness to Light’s Stewards of Children® competed against organizations and companies such as Airbnb, Audible, BET Networks/BET Digital, BritBox, Disney, FEMA, Gaumont, Golden State Warriors, MediaMonks, NASA, National Geographic Society, Netflix, Paramount, PBS Digital Studios, and more.
“Winning these awards has been such validation of the work we do to educate and empower adults to protect children from sexual abuse,” said Darkness to Light’s Interim CEO and Senior Director of Curriculum Design and Research Rhonda Newton. “We are ever so grateful to the people who dared greatly to make this production possible. From the incredibly courageous individuals who shared their stories and expertise on film, to the production team, to the talented and dedicated staff at Darkness to Light. The collective efforts and contributions of these individuals have allowed us to bring a much-needed training to communities in an empathetic, trauma-informed, research-driven way.”
Darkness to Light’s prevention programming currently reaches communities across all 50 states through a powerful network of equipped and empowered adults, or “Authorized Facilitators”. Since its release in April, over 1,000 Authorized Facilitators have been trained to deliver the NEW Stewards of Children® to their communities. For more information on the NEW Stewards of Children®, please visit www.thenewstewards.org.
The full list of the 44th Annual Telly Awards winners can be found at www.tellyawards.com/winners.
About Darkness to Light
Darkness to Light is a national nonprofit organization with a mission to equip and empower adults to be proactive in preventing child sexual abuse, through adult-focused prevention education. Darkness to Light’s flagship program, Stewards of Children®, is a trauma and evidence-informed, training that teaches adults to prevent, recognize, and react responsibly to child sexual abuse. More than 2 million adults have been trained using Darkness to Light trainings. For more information, visit www.D2L.org.
About The Telly Awards
The Telly Awards is the premier award honoring video and television across all screens. Established in 1979, The Telly Awards receives over 12,000 entries from all 50 states and 5 continents. Entrants are judged by The Telly Awards Judging Council—an industry body of over 200 leading experts including advertising agencies, production companies, and major television networks, reflective of the multiscreen industry The Telly Awards celebrates. Partners of The Telly Awards include Green The Bid, SeriesFest, Video Consortium, Ghetto Film School, We Are Parable, Future of Film, NAB, Stash, NYWIFT, Production Hub with support from The Commercial Director’s Diversity Program.
