Improving the quality of life and promoting the personal and social growth of young people while reducing the incidence of drug use in South Los Angeles.
Avalon Carver's Prevention Education Program (PEP) mission is to improve the quality of life and promote the personal and social growth of program participants while reducing the incidence of drug use. We believe that our children are our greatest asset, and helping them realize their gifts, talents, and potential is central to our mission.
PEP is an education-focused program that empowers young people in elementary and middle school with the skills to make positive decisions around substance use. Our program uses two innovative and evidence-based curricula — Winners Sanokfa and Botvin Life Skills — to provide comprehensive lessons and discussions.
We aim to make our program easily accessible by hosting it on several school sites around South Los Angeles. Along with classroom sessions, we offer parent workshops, community gatherings, and afterschool services Monday through Thursday.
Building a strong sense of self-worth and racial identity so young people can resist peer pressure and make confident decisions.
Celebrating cultural heritage and identity as a foundation for resilience and community pride in South Los Angeles.
Teaching youth a structured approach to evaluating choices and understanding the consequences of decisions around substance use.
Helping young people identify and articulate their personal values so those values guide behavior under social pressure.
Developing the next generation of community leaders through mentorship, responsibility, and positive role modeling.
Age-appropriate education on the dangers of marijuana, alcohol, and prescription drugs to help youth make informed decisions year-round.
Program youth will have a stronger racial identity at the end of the school year than youth in the comparison group not receiving program services, as measured by the Children's Racial Identity Scale.
Program youth will have better attitudes towards school at the end of the school year than those in the comparison group, as measured by higher scores on the School Sentiment Index.
Program youth will have higher self-esteem at the end of the school year than youth in the comparison group, as measured by the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale.
Program youth will have a higher level of leadership skills at the end of the school year than youth in the comparison group, as measured by the Leadership Development Scale.
We aim to make our program easily accessible for our participants by hosting it on several school sites around South Los Angeles. Our comprehensive approach helps young people understand the role of validation, the importance of values clarification, and the significance of leadership in making healthy decisions.
Volunteer, donate, or partner with us to expand our Prevention Education Program to more schools and families across South Los Angeles.
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