counseling in middle school education

Explain that abused painkillers such as Oxycodone, Vicodin and methadone are responsible for more deaths than cocaine and heroin combined; that the fatalities have surpassed car crashes as the leading cause of accidental deaths in the United States. Viewers learn the dynamics of painkiller addiction and abuse through the personal stories of teens who have been hooked on legal pain killers. These teens describe the downward spiral of addiction that can eventually lead to death by overdose. Former users, physicians and drug education experts communicate the hard facts to viewers including how difficult it is for users to cope with withdrawal symptoms such as depression, anxiety, shakiness and lack of energy.

Video and print curriculum address the new craze of vaping drugs such as nicotine, alcohol, liquid marijuana and others. Through interviews with teen users and medical professionals, the program underlines the serious health risks of vaping, including drug overdose, instant high or drunk, alcohol poisoning, and impaired thinking and decision making. The narrator explains that vaping delivers an unknown dose of drugs or alcohol directly to the brain. Vaping nicotine is cited as a cause of hundreds of teens ending up in ER rooms.

Using an engaging combination of student interviews, humor, animations and expert commentary by leading health professionals, this program exposes the most common myths about sexually transmitted infections. While abstinence, including abstaining from oral sex, is the only way to completely avoid STI infections, the program stresses the importance of latex barriers for students who are sexually active. Students are encouraged to get tested if they have engaged in risky sex and students who may have symptoms of an STI are urged to see a clinician right away.

Offers advice to teachers who have been asked to assume the role of adviser to middle-grade students, featuring a selection of activities that show teachers how to deal with the everyday concerns of young adolescents, covering school success, self-esteem, conflict resolution, relationships, and other topics.

Provides guidance and tools designed to help college-bound middle-school students select coursework, succeed in academics and extracurricular activities, and prepare for the college admissions process.