Prevention Education

Footprints for Life is a unique, puppet-based prevention program that helps children develop essential life skills through engaging stories about a children’s soccer team. By addressing real-life situations in a fun and non-threatening way, students learn how to make healthy decisions, resolve conflicts, and build strong relationships. This interactive program reinforces positive behaviors and provides hands-on practice for lifelong success. Learn more about our Footprints for Life program.

Program Details

> Designed for elementary school students.
> Uses puppets and storytelling to teach life skills.
> Focuses on decision-making, conflict resolution, and relationship-building.
> Provides a fun and interactive learning experience.

Forest Friends is a puppet-based prevention program that helps children ages 5-9 develop essential life skills, including conflict resolution, decision-making, and anger management. Through engaging stories, lovable animal puppets teach children how to handle emotions, peer pressure, and everyday challenges in a positive way. Each weekly session builds on the last, reinforcing valuable lessons that foster resilience against violence and substance use.

Program Details

> Designed for children ages 5-9.
> A six-week program with interactive puppet-led lessons.
> Topics include feelings, trust, decision-making, anger management, and coping skills.

LifeSkills Training (LST) for elementary students helps children develop foundational skills to make positive choices, manage emotions, and resist peer pressure. Through engaging activities, students learn how to build self-confidence, make responsible decisions, and develop healthy habits that set them up for success. This interactive program reinforces lifelong skills in a fun and age-appropriate way.

Program Details

> Designed for elementary students (starting in 3rd or 4th grade).
> Teaches decision-making, self-confidence, and emotional regulation.
> Focuses on resisting peer pressure and making healthy choices.
> Delivered through interactive lessons and engaging activities.

Keys to InnerVisions (KIV) is an evidence-based program that helps youth develop positive self-talk, coping strategies, and goal-setting skills to navigate life’s challenges. Through structured lessons, students learn to shift their beliefs and behaviors, improving their ability to handle stress and make healthier choices. Independently evaluated by Rutgers University, KIV has been shown to significantly impact knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors related to substance use and personal development.

Program Details

> Students in grades 6-9.
> A small-group setting for personalized learning.
> Fifteen (15) one-hour sessions focused on prevention education.
> Topics include stress management, goal setting, and internal locus of control.

LifeSkills Training (LST) for middle school students is an evidence-based program that helps pre-teens develop critical thinking, stress management, and refusal skills to navigate the challenges of adolescence. The program provides practical strategies for resisting peer pressure, managing emotions, and making informed decisions about substance use and other risky behaviors.

Program Details

> Designed for middle and junior high school students (starting in 6th or 7th grade).
> Focuses on resisting peer pressure, stress management, and self-esteem.
> Teaches students how to handle difficult social situations and make informed decisions.
> Interactive curriculum with real-world applications.

We’re Not Buying It 2.0 (WNBI 2.0) is a substance use prevention program that teaches sixth through eighth graders how to critically analyze media messages related to alcohol, marijuana, prescription and over-the-counter medications, and bullying. Through engaging lessons, students develop media literacy skills to recognize and resist harmful influences found in popular music, movies, TV, and social media. By raising awareness of these messages, WNBI 2.0 helps students make informed decisions and reduce early substance use and bullying behavior.

Program Details

> Designed for students in grades 6-8.
> A six-week curriculum led by a certified prevention educator.
> Lessons covering media literacy, substance use, and bullying prevention.

Class Action is a high school-level prevention program that challenges students to examine the real-world social and legal consequences of underage drinking. Designed for highly motivated students in grades 9-12, the curriculum encourages critical thinking about the impact of alcohol use through engaging discussions, case studies, and legal scenarios. Recognized as an exemplary program by multiple federal agencies, Class Action fits seamlessly into health education, social studies, or debate classes to foster awareness and informed decision-making.

Program Details

> Designed for high school students (grades 9-12).
> Focuses on the legal and social consequences of underage drinking.
> Integrates well into health education, social studies, and debate classes.
> Recognized as an evidence-based program by federal agencies.

LifeSkills Training (LST) for high school students empowers teens with the tools they need to make independent, healthy choices as they transition into adulthood. This program enhances decision-making, goal-setting, and leadership skills while reinforcing strategies to manage stress, resist peer pressure, and avoid substance use.

Program Details

> Designed for high school students (starting in 9th or 10th grade).
> Covers substance use prevention, stress management, and healthy decision-making.
> Builds leadership skills and confidence to navigate peer and societal pressures.
> Engaging, discussion-based lessons that encourage real-world application.

Safe Dates is an evidence-based program designed to prevent and address dating abuse and violence among high school students. Through interactive lessons, students learn to recognize the difference between healthy and unhealthy relationships, develop essential communication and conflict-resolution skills, and gain resources to help themselves or friends in abusive situations. The program also raises awareness about the link between dating abuse and substance use, making it a valuable tool for both prevention and early intervention.

Program Details

> Designed for high school students.
> A nine-week curriculum with 45-50 minute sessions.
> Topics include healthy relationships, dating abuse, conflict resolution, and preventing sexual assault.

WhyTry is an engaging, multi-sensory curriculum that uses 10 visual metaphors to teach social, emotional, and leadership skills. Through music, videos, hands-on activities, and journals, students learn essential life lessons, such as making responsible decisions, resisting peer pressure, following rules, and seeking positive support systems. Designed to accommodate all major learning styles, WhyTry helps students build resilience and motivation for success.

Program Details

> Uses 10 visual metaphors to teach life and leadership skills.
> Covers topics like decision-making, peer pressure, and following rules.
> Incorporates music, videos, activities, and journals for interactive learning.
> Engages all major learning styles: visual, auditory, and kinesthetic.

Pathways is a school-based clinical service that provides customized mental health support, structured recreation, and skill-building programs to help students succeed. Through counseling, leadership opportunities, and prevention programming, Pathways fosters emotional well-being and academic success in a non-stigmatizing school environment. Learn more about our school-based clinical services.

Program Details

> School-based clinical services providing mental health counseling and support.
> Skill-building programs focused on leadership, communication, and resilience.
> Prevention programming addressing substance use, bullying, and emotional well-being.
> Recreational opportunities, leadership clubs, and community service initiatives.

The Strengthening Families Program: For Parents and Youth 10-14 (SFP 10-14) is an evidence-based program designed to build stronger family relationships and reduce youth substance use. Over seven weeks, parents and youth engage in separate and joint activities that teach communication, stress management, peer pressure resistance, and problem-solving skills. Families share a meal, participate in interactive discussions, and strengthen their bonds through hands-on activities, role-playing, and games.

Program Details

> Parents/caregivers and youth ages 10-14.
> A seven-week program with 8-10 families per group.
> Weekly 2.5-hour sessions, including a family dinner.
> Four optional booster sessions available 3-12 months after completion.