Smart Girls
Smart Girls is an abstinence-based educational and support group offered to all middle and high schools in the Hall County and Gainesville City school systems. These groups meet weekly during the school day on school premises serving seven to ten girls at a time. Weekly sessions include self-esteem building, abstinence education, healthy decision-making, relationship skills, and sexually transmitted disease information. We also focus on developing character skills and helping teen participants recognize how their choices can determine their future. Through these sessions, Smart Girls provides young women the skills needed to overcome negative peer pressure, the tools to make healthy life choices, and the esteem to view their future potential accurately. The participants are required to obtain parental permission prior to participating in the program.
Pregnant & Parenting Teen (Support & Education)
Parenting teens and their children are at the greatest risk of entering Georgia’s child welfare system, and parenting teens are at the greatest risk of potentially abusing their children if left uneducated and unsupported. Adolescent parents are at an increased risk of experiencing maternal and infant health problems, isolation, poverty, lack of support systems and are at an increased risk of abusing their children. Our program is designed to support teen parents in a way that speaks to them, using evidence-based practices that have been proven effective. Participants of our program have graduated high school at a rate of over 90%—nearly 20 points higher than the local average. Groups meet weekly on site at local Hall county middle and high schools.
Baby Think It Over
Baby Think it Over is a 10-pound infant simulator designed to provide teens with the opportunity to address the challenges and realities of being a teen parent. This program is often implemented in Biology or Child Development classes at the 10th grade level or higher and is only implemented with school and parent permission. Currently have 10 “babies” available for loan. This exciting and innovative program is a favorite among students.
Health Education
This 14-session, classroom-based program utilizes the Choosing the Best Journey curriculum and is most often implemented in 9th Grade Health classes in Gainesville and Hall County schools and Lakeview Academy. It is designed to encourage healthy and safe relationships and responsible decision making among teens. Choosing the Best empowers young people to make safe and positive choices. Lessons that are covered include: Setting Goals, Making the Best Decisions, Avoiding Pregnancy, Avoiding STDs, Developing the Best Relationships, Choosing Abstinence, Overcoming Peer Pressure and Being Assertive. This program is offered with parental consent only.