Project SUCCESS™ brings prevention education and awareness to Middletown

Project SUCCESS™, a national school-based program that focuses on reducing the factors that put students at risk for substance abuse, is providing prevention education, individual and group counseling, school-wide awareness, outreach activities, and parent programs to secondary Middletown students and their families.

Implemented in the fall of 2007, as part of the Safe Schools/Healthy Students (SS/HS) grant, the program provides substance abuse prevention and early intervention services to students at both middle schools and at the high school.

Students in the seventh grade and ninth grade are taking part in the Project SUCCESS™ Prevention Education Series, which presents four specific topics to students. The lessons educate students about the harmful consequences of using alcohol and other drugs, along with teaching skills for resisting peer pressure, responding to conflicts, managing anger, and avoiding and coping with stressful situations. In addition to the educational series, school-wide awareness activities are underway to help change students’ attitudes in regard to substance abuse. Activities also increase school bonding through universal prevention programs, such as: Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD), Alcohol Awareness Month, and the National Red Ribbon Campaign.

Each secondary school has a Student Assistance Counselor, an employee of The Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Council (ADAC) of Orange County, which is available to assist Middletown students, parents, faculty, and staff. Counselors are prepared to discuss any issue or situation a student feels places them at risk for substance abuse. All Student Assistance Counselors can schedule parent/family meetings, provide information on substance abuse issues, and refer students and/or parents for additional community services. For more information on Project SUCCESS™.

Program Supervisor: LaToya J. Johnson, Middletown High School, (845) 326-1800

Student Assistance Counselors: Desiree LoBianco, Middletown High School, (845) 326- 1625; Laurie Oshinsky, Twin Towers Middle School, (845) 341-5451; and Jessica Perez, Monhagen Middle School, (845) 346-4811.

Life Skills® Training (LST) Teacher: Margarita Santana