The Pinal Hispanic Council in conjunction with the Eloy Governor’s Alliance Against Drugs Coalition were awarded a four year grant which focuses on the implementation of Botvin’s Life Skills Training classes for high school students, organize the student leadership summit, and develop twelve culturally specific alternative activities that are free of alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drugs for middle and high school students in the Eloy community

The Life Skills Training program is recognized as an extremely effective school-based prevention program. According to the results of several rigorous scientific evaluation studies, Life Skills Training reduces youth use of tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana by 50-87%. At the core of Life Skills Training is a focus on the underlying causes of substance use/abuse among adolescents. The main goals of the Life Skills Training program are to teach prevention-related information, promote anti-drug norms, teach drug refusal skills, and to foster the development of personal self management skills and general social skills. The program was cited by the National Institute on Drug Abuse as one of the top research-based drug abuse prevention programs in the country.

The Drug-Free Communities Support Program will strengthen the Life Skills Training Program by organizing Student Leadership Summits. The summits are held at the Northern Arizona University Campus in Flagstaff, Arizona. The NAU campus was selected to provide a college atmosphere for the participants. A total of 25 students participated in 2000, 42 students participated in 2001, and approximately 60 students will participated in 2002.. The summit includes a variety of extra curricular activities dealing with leadership qualities. Students also have the opportunity to participate in the NAU Challenge Course, which utilizes various activities geared towards enhancing teamwork and leadership qualities.

Previous research has shown that youth who participate in alternative activities are less inclined to engage in substance abuse. Based on these findings, the program targets cultural enrichment programs as alternative activities for youth that are based on the culture and traditions of Mexican American, African-American, Native American, and other ethnic groups at-risk of substance abuse. Alternative program such as cultural enrichment programs can be designed to promote skills, knowledge, and attitudes that might cause participants from refraining from future alcohol and drug use. Community service programs that promote meaningful involvement in positive social activities; occupy youth’s free time that might otherwise be idle or unstructured; and alternative activities that include adult supervision or the development of positive relationships with adults are characteristics of different types of alternative activities and programs that are widely used as prevention strategies.

Make Parenting A Pleasure is a curriculum-based parenting education and support program for parents with children ages 0-8 created by Minalee Saks, Ellen Hyman, and Linda Reilly. The material and format used in Make Parenting a Pleasure has broad appeal to families from a wide spectrum of socioeconomic, education, cultural and geographical conditions. The content addresses issues that all families face at one time or another, and can be adapted to most populations. The style is positive, encouraging , and at times, humorous. The program builds on family strengths and helps parents develop a strong support network. The curriculum is interactive and uses discussions and experimental activities in both large and small groups. The program begins by recognizing the importance of parents as individuals. The curriculum focuses first on the need for self-care and personal empowerment and moves from an adult/adult focus to a parent/child/family emphasis. The curriculum content is adaptable and flexible to a wide range of parenting education programs.