Middle School Health Class Workshops

Project Outreach staff provides an in-school workshop series as part of the Middle School Health Curriculum in Waltham.  These workshops aim to prevent drug and alcohol use by providing factual information about all substances without making value judgments about their use.  Our goals are to reinforce factual information, dispel myths, explore the reasons people may or may not choose to use substances, and teach students to make their own decisions based on reliable information.  Research has shown that the most effective drug and alcohol prevention approach is to provide factual information while teaching the various skills necessary to make healthy decisions.  To this end, we use the LifeSkills Training Curriculum written by Dr. Gilbert Botvin.  The LifeSkills Training Curriculum focuses on topics such as self-esteem, assertiveness, decision making skills, refusal skills, peer pressure, stress management and relaxation.  We also provide in depth information on the facts about alcohol, marijuana, and "club drugs", such as Ecstasy (MDMA), GHB, Ketamine, LSD, etc.  Based on evaluation ratings and comments, the workshops are continually updated and improved in an effort to deliver the best services possible.  

Research has shown that the Middle School years are crucial in drug and alcohol prevention.  By reinforcing the LifeSkills lessons over these 3 years, we are offering the youth of our community a comprehensive approach to substance abuse prevention with 25 years of scientific research proving it's effectiveness.