The Student Assistance Program is a substance abuse prevention conducted in the elementary and middle schools in St. Lucie County to educate youth on the dangers of substance abuse. The educators help students develop greater self- esteem and coping skills individually or in small group sessions.
We recently interviewed Assistant Program Director, Casey Wood on our monthly
Community Connections show on WLX-TV in partnership with St. Lucie Public Schools. Check out the
interview to learn more, and read a success story from the program, below.
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A Prevention Specialist in the New Horizons Student Assistance Program is currently providing the "Too Good for Drugs" curriculum to all of the 5th grade classes at Fairlawn Elementary.
The first lesson in the curriculum is focused on goal setting and teaches students to have a better ability to set reachable goals. This skill builds self-efficacy and a stronger sense of hope for the future.
In one of the 5th grade classes, during this first lesson, there was a student that was very vocal that she had never set any goals for herself. Throughout the lesson, she was very involved and appeared to gain a lot of insight into the process of personal goal setting. Since that first week of classes, this student has come into class each week with a new goal she wants to achieve.
One week, she set the goal of making the principal’s Honor Roll. Another week, she set a goal of trying out for her local basketball team. She has already realized in a few short weeks that goals can be accomplished if you make them personal and specific. She is already showing signs of a stronger self and how to make better decisions because she understands how to set reachable goals.