School Programs

Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies

PATHS® promotes emotional and social competencies and reduction of aggression and behavior problems in elementary school-aged children, while simultaneously enhancing the educational process in the classroom.

Problem Areas Addressed:

• students’ levels of self-efficacy
• inability to interact appropriately with peers
• difficulty controlling behavior
• lack of ability to express feelings appropriately

Skills Built:

• problem solving
• developing positive relationships
• positive coping strategies & communication

Age/Grade Level: Pre-K, Kindergarten, Grades 1 & 2

Setting: Small-group, pull-out program during the school day; full classroom lessons; or after school: small or large group lessons

Format: Series of 10-20 lessons during the school year. Once per week for 30-40 minutes

Effectiveness: In rigorous clinical studies,* the PATHS® program has been shown to:

• Reduce teachers’ reports of students exhibiting aggressive behavior by 32%
• Increase teachers’ reports of students exhibiting self-control by 36%
• Increase students’ vocabulary for emotions by 68%
• Significantly improve students’ ability to tolerate frustration and their ability—and willingness—to effectively resolve conflict
• Reduce behavior problems, such as aggression at school (for both regular and special-needs students)
• Significantly decrease conduct problems and the percentage of aggressive/violent solutions to social problems
• Reduce depression and sadness among special-needs students

Positive Action

Positive Action promotes social-emotional and character skills, resulting in healthy childhood development. It combines support for mental health, behavior, academics, and school climate into a single, research-backed program.

Problem Areas Addressed:

• absenteeism and a lack of commitment to school
• bullying and appropriate behavior toward peers and others
• substance use and peer pressure to engage in risky behaviors
• physical, mental and family health

Skills Built:

• healthy self-concept
• positive actions for body and mind
• managing self responsibly
• treating others well
• truth-telling to self and others
• ongoing self-improvement

Age/Grade Level: Kindergarten thru high school

Setting: Small-group, pull-out program during the school day, full classroom lessons, or after-school, small or large group lessons

Format: Series of 12+ lessons during the school year; 30-45 minutes each

Effectiveness: Program outcomes include improved attendance and behavior, stronger academic achievement, and reduced substance use. A 2024 independent cost-benefit analysis shows that for every $1 spent, there’s a $182 return, and a 97% likelihood that benefits will exceed costs.

CATCH My Breath

CATCH My Breath is an evidence-based program that provides youth with the skills to resist peer pressure and media influences to vape.

Problem Areas Addressed:

• misperception that most teens vape
• peer & advertising pressure pressure to vape
• lack of credible health information
• favorable attitudes and beliefs about vaping

Skills Built:

• self-awareness & self-management
• social awareness & relationship skills
• responsible decision making

Age/Grade: Three tracks for 5th & 6th grades, 7th & 8th grades, and 9th thru 12th grades

Setting: Small-group, pull-out program during the school day or full classrooms. Can also be used after school.

Format: Series of 4 lessons taught once per week for 40-50 minutes

Effectiveness:

• Recognized as a Select program by CASEL
• Meets the CDC National Academic Standard for Health Education
• Research shows a 47% reduction in vaping or intention to vape

Project Towards No Drug Abuse

Project TND is an effective, interactive substance use prevention program that that focuses on three factors that predict drug use, violence, and other problem behaviors among youth, including:

• Motivation factors (students’ attitudes, beliefs, expectations, and desires)
• Skills (effective communication, social self-control, and coping)
• Decision-making (how to make decisions that lead to healthy behaviors)

Risk Factors Addressed:

• belief that alcohol, tobacco and other drugs (ATOD) are safe to use
• poor communication skills
• lack of coping skills
• poor ability to make healthy decisions
• low commitment to school

Skills Built:

• accurate knowledge about the effects of ATOD
• behavioral and cognitive coping skills
• stopped or reduced use of ATOD
• personal commitment to not use ATOD
• positive future orientation
• increase in healthy friendships

Age: Grades 9–12

Setting: Full classrooms or small groups during the school day

Format: 12 sessions, 40-50 minutes each, over 4 to 6 weeks

Effectiveness: In randomized control trials the program has been shown to reduce substance use and weapon-carrying (in males) at one year follow-up. Results include:

• 27% reduction in past-30-day cigarette use
• 22% reduction in past-30-day marijuana use
• 26% reduction in past-30-day hard drug use
• 9% reduction in past-30-day alcohol use among baseline drinkers
• 25% reduction in one-year weapon-carrying among males

INDEPTH

INDEPTH (Intervention for Nicotine Dependence: Education, Prevention, Tobacco and Health) is an alternative to suspension or citation that helps schools and communities address the teen vaping problem in a supportive way. Instead of solely focusing on punitive measures, INDEPTH is an interactive program that teaches students about nicotine dependence, establishing healthy alternatives and how to kick the unhealthy addiction that got them in trouble in the first place.

Risk Factors Addressed:

• vaping
• use of nicotine or tobacco products

Skills Built:

• knowledge of harmful effects of nicotine
• strategies to quit nicotine/tobacco when ready
• ability to cope with cravings
• envisioning a healthy future

Age/Grade Level: Grades 5 thru 12

Setting: Small group of 5 to 10 students during the school day

Format: Four (4), 40–50-minute sessions

Effectiveness: 60% of student participants reported that they were willing to quit using nicotine products, including vaping, after completing the program.

Support for Students Exposed to Trauma

After witnessing or experiencing trauma, many children experience symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), as well as depression, behavioral problems, substance use, and poor school performance.

Support for Students Exposed to Trauma (SSET) is a series of lessons designed to reduce distress resulting from exposure to trauma. It includes skill-building techniques geared toward changing unhelpful thoughts and promoting positive behaviors.

Risk Factors Addressed:

• anxiety or nervousness
• withdrawal or isolation
• depressed mood
• acting out in school
• impulsive or risky behaviors

Skills Built:

• ability to deal with real-life problems and stressors
• problem solving
• relaxation

Age/Grade Level: Evaluated for use with ages 10–14. Can be used with ages 15–18.

Setting: Small group of 8-10 students during school day

Format: 10 lessons, 60 minutes each

Effectiveness: A 2009 study demonstrated that:

1. Students showed reductions in trauma symptoms, with those having a high level of symptoms before taking SSET benefitting the most;
2. Teachers reported improvements in student behavior;
3. Both students and parents reported high satisfaction with the program.

Leaders of Future Generations

Leaders of Future Generations (LFG) is a school-based prevention program for youth who exhibit leadership potential to develop strong leadership skills. Those who successfully complete the school program can participate in Kids Kamp in June, and may be eligible to become Student Mentors.

Problem Areas Addressed

• poor social skills
• disengagement from school and community

Skills Built

• healthy peer relationships
• emotional & self-awareness
• decision making & goal setting
• leadership
• resiliency

Age/Grade Level: Grades 5–6; Grades 7–12 for Student Mentors

Setting: School-based, after school

Format:  Cohorts meet 2 days per week for 12 weeks; 2 cohorts per school year

Effectiveness: Documented evidence of:

• increased self-awareness
• increased positive attitude toward school and community
• increased leadership skills

Kids and Technology

Kids and Technology is a prevention program designed to teach children to engage with technology appropriately. It encourages students to balance life online and offline, and become positive digital citizens.

Problem Areas Addressed

• Overuse of technology
• Naive beliefs about the internet
• Cyber bullying
• Lack of awareness of the potential for gaming and gambling problems or addiction

Skills Built

• Becoming a positive digital citizen
• Online safety
• On- and offline balance
• Awareness of digital footprint
• Knowledge of addiction
• The connection between gaming and gambling

Age/Grade Level: 3rd through 5th

Setting: Full classroom lessons. Series of 3 lessons; 40–45 minutes each

Effectiveness: Pre- and post-tests show increased knowledge of safe technology skills. Classroom teacher satisfaction is high.

Teens and Technology

Teens and Technology is a prevention program designed to assist youth with navigating life online. It encourages students to practice critical thinking skills, which are crucial for independent decision making, as well as safety online.

Problem Areas Addressed

• Overuse of technology
• Naive beliefs about the internet
• Cyber bullying
• Lack of awareness of the potential for gaming
  and gambling problems or addiction

Skills Built

• Critical thinking
• Becoming a positive digital citizen
• Online safety
• Emotional coping strategies
• Knowledge of addiction
• Media literacy around gaming and gambling

Age/Grade Level: 6th through 8th

Setting: Full classroom lessons

Format: Series of 4 lessons; 40–45 minutes each

Effectiveness: Pre- and post-tests show increased knowledge of safe technology skills. Classroom teacher satisfaction is high.

Leadership Institute Training

Our Leadership Institute Training is a 4- to 6-hour retreat that helps students explore different aspects of leadership and develop their potential to become leaders in their schools and communities.

Problem Areas Addressed:

• untapped leadership potential

Skills Built:

• leadership
• effective communication
• cooperation
• conflict resolution
• finding common goals among diverse opinions, cultures & values

Age/Grade Level: Grades 6-12

Setting: Retreat during the school day, on a weekend or during a summer program

Format: 4-6 hour retreat

Effectiveness:

• Documented evidence of increased knowledge about leadership skills