Courage to Speak^® Drug Prevention Curriculum

for Middle School

The Courage to Speak^® Drug Prevention Education Program is a research-based curriculum for Middle School which builds skills to help students make good decisions and resist the pressure to use drugs. Students take part in specific social emotional skill development and asset-building activities through:

• Internet Research
• Creative Writing
• Group Discussion
• Scientific Demonstration

The Program consists of 16 highly interactive classroom lessons taught by teachers. An additional option for the curriculum is the book Sunny’s Story written by Ginger Katz. This book is a glimpse at teen drug abuse and loss told through the eyes of Sunny, the family beagle.

The lessons enable students to:

• Have a clear plan to refuse alcohol and other drugs when offered, including fentanyl, vaping, marijuana, tobacco, prescription drugs and opioids.
• Develop clear decision-making strategies.
• Identify 3-5 adults who will support them when needed.
• Communicate with their parents about risk behaviors and the dangers of drugs.

Yale University School of Medicine evaluation reported statistically significant increases in youth’s communication with their parents about substance use and an increase in the number of times students talked to their parent(s) about: family rules and expectations about drug use; things they could do to avoid drugs; drug use in movies; and people they know who have been in trouble because of drug use.

This study further demonstrates the effectiveness of the Courage to Speak^® Foundation Drug Prevention Education Model that engages home, school and community to keep our children safe from drugs.

The Courage to Speak^® Foundation also offers a Courage to Speak – Courageous Parenting 101^® course for parents which complements the Middle School curriculum and cultivates mutual understanding between students and parents about drug prevention.