Support youth building skills to make informed healthy living choices and understand the influences and health consequences of tobacco, drug, and alcohol use. Develop community strategies which address risky youth behaviors and build positive, enduring relationships.

For Teachers

Training for staff, teen teachers and on-site program site staff interested will be provided as needed. The training can be provided for a combination of staff, teen teachers and/or on-site program site staff; OR the training can be provided for staff in a train-the-trainer format so extension staff can provide additional training locally.

Key Concepts

  • Communication
  • Healthy Living
  • Leadership
  • Personal Development
  • Personal Safety

For Youth Grades 3–10

Youth will..

  • Reduce youth smoking and tobacco use
  • Help youth build life skills which lead to healthy lifestyle choices with special emphasis on youth smoking, vaping and tobacco use prevention
  • Help youth understand influences and health consequences of tobacco, drug and alcohol use to make healthy choices
  • Engage youth and adults in partnership to develop and implement community strategies that promote healthy lifestyle choices and increase understanding of negative impact of risky behaviors on the individuals and the communities
  • Youth will develop strategies to recognize, understand, and manage potential levels of personal stress using mindfulness techniques and engaging in activities that focus on positive youth mental health
  • Build positive, enduring relationships, with youth involved as full partners, through widely varying communities of interest to address youth risk behaviors

Staff are required to participate in Health Rocks training and/or orientation prior to program implementation. Staff interested in participating in the grant funded Health Rocks program must reach youth with 10 hours of educational content should reach out to Pat McGlaughlin, patm@illinois.edu to confirm participation. While not required, they are encouraged to engage teen teachers in the delivery of the program content. A plan for suggested teen teacher training will be provided.
 

Program delivery can be provided in both virtual and face-to-face settings (dependent on status of Extension guidelines for youth programming) an in-school school, after-school, or club setting; in Day Camp setting (Day Camp can be coordinated during non-school periods as multi-day experiences; week-end experiences; etc.); or as 4-H Club educational program content. 

Cross-Extension, Campus, and Community Collaborators

Family  Life

Nutrition & Wellness

Community Organizations including other youth serving organizations; schools; and local civic groups

UIUC College of ACES Department of Human Development & Family Studies