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TPP Charter School

TPP Charter School Case Study

Organization: University of Utah-Adolescent Services, Salt Lake City, UT

URL: http://healthcare.utah.edu/pediatrics/services/general/teen-health.php

Program Name: South Main Clinic – PREP class at Mental Health Center-Kairos Academy in Teen Health and Wellness course

Funding: PREP

Curricula used: Love Notes

Curricula benefits:

  • Love Notes works well as a supplement to the required PREP materials.
  • Activities allow for easy adaptations to engage youth.
  • Student journals provide opportunities for goal setting writing.
  • PPT graphics and pictures are easily modified to tailor for the audience.
  • Love Notes is flexible when students become highly engaged in a specific topic

Target Audience: The target audience 14-19 year old females.

Audience Demographics: Gender: Pregnant and parenting teen girls

Primary Ethnicity: Mix of ethnicity with more Hispanic (because of area) than Caucasian.

Class size: Ten to twelve students

Location of Instruction: Love Notes is offered the Charter High School, Kairos Academy, in the Teen Health and Wellness course.

Length of Instruction: Love Notes is offered in one-hour sessions, twice a week for eight weeks.

Utilization of teacher and student materials: South Main Clinic has one facilitator teaching at this time. She occasionally gets nursing students or volunteers to co- facilitate.They are given upcoming lesson to read and prepare.

At the charter school “the self tree activity” becomes a 3-D group project.

Each student makes his/her own tree and then adds to a collaborative class tree.

This is very powerful… they self-identify and identify with each other.

Mandatory for teen moms to get high school credit – Teen Health and Wellness Course.

Outcomes: Outcomes over the 3 years of using Love Notes were gathered from pre/post tests.These tests demonstrate an improvement in:

  • communication and conflict resolution skills
  • ability to identify healthy and safe relationships
  • implementing effective goal setting skills for education and relationships
  • ability to participate in sharing what they’ve learned

Challenges: Classroom management and keeping class participation is a challenge. By implementing incentives in the sessions there is better participation.

Tips:

  • Getting to know your community, the administration and staff of a facility is needed for success in program and support. They are an asset to you, the youth and the program.
  • Make sure you have co-facilitator for better class management.
  • Suggestions for co-facilitators include involving local colleges, community centers and interns.
  • Incentives are an effective method for participation in sessions and to encourage worksheets and journal exercises to be completed.
  • Youth can earn monopoly money.
  • This can be cashed in every couple of weeks for items like: candy, ramen noodles, makeup, and sticky notes.
  • The incentives were paid for via the grant.
  • Watch Up Your Game! Strengthen Your PREP Adult Preparation Topics Using  Proven, Adaptable Materials (Free Webinar)