Pinal Hispanic Council in conjunction with the Eloy Governor’s Alliance Against Drugs (EGAAD) Coalition were awarded a three year State Incentive Grant to implement Botvin’s Life Skills Training (LST) Program to all sixth, seventh, and eighth grade students attending the Eloy Elementary School District.

The goal of Project Safe & Sound is to prevent gateway substance use among adolescents by making an impact on risk factors associated with tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana use, particularly occasional and experimental use.

The LST Program, developed by Dr. Gilbert Botvin, is designed to target the primary causes of substance use. The LST program is based on the latest scientific evidence of what cause drug abuse and how to best prevent it. This effective program provides adolescents with the motivation and skills necessary to resist peer and media pressure to use drugs. It also provides them with the skills needed to deal with the challenges of life as a teenager.

The LST prevention program is a three-year intervention designed to prevent or reduce gateway drug use. It has shown to effectively reduce tobacco, alcohol and marijuana use by up to 75%. It has also shown a decrease in narcotics, inhalants and hallucinogens. Studies indicate that the reductions in drug use have lasted up to six years.

The Life Skills Training program consists of 12 lessons which are designed to be taught in sequence. Each unit contains a major goal, measurable student objectives, content and classroom activities. The program comprises of 15 sessions in year one, 10 booster sessions in year two, and 5 booster sessions in year three. The LST program is a school-based intervention program designed to be implemented in the classroom. This intervention is referred to as a universal intervention in that it is designed for all individuals in a given setting.

Life Skills Training Curriculum Goals

	Resist peer and media pressure to smoke, drink, or use drugs
	Develop a positive self-image
	Make decisions and solve problems on their own
	Manage anxiety
	Communicate effectively and avoid misunderstandings
	Build healthy relationships
	Handle social situations with confidence