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VSAAC Youth Programs

The Valley Substance Abuse Action Council (VSAAC) offers a wide variety of nationally recognized, award winning education and prevention youth programs to help youth learn about the dangers of substance abuse, underage drinking, and tobacco use and how to avoid them.

VSAAC's youth programs are interactive, culturally sensitive, targeted for a wide variety of age ranges and audience sizes, and can be customized to fit your school's/ group's/ organization's specific needs.  Below are some of VSAAC's most popular youth program offerings:

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B.A.B.E.S.
(Beginning Awareness Basic Education Studies):
A nationally recognized curriculum that uses animal puppets combined with storytelling to give practical information on the topic of substance abuse prevention and education.  The B.A.B.E.S. curriculum includes age-appropriate content that motivates children to interact with the characters and the puppets to comprehend the lesson. 
Each program session runs approximately 35 minutes. 
Ages: Pre-school through 3rd grade
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The Tale of Samantha the Skunk &
Why Smoking Stinks:
 photo of students with Samantha SkunkAn animated, interactive presentation for young audiences that tells the story of Samantha, a magenta skunk, and her experience with smoking her first cigarette. 
This story presentation (as told by Samantha) runs approximately 40 minutes.
Ages: Pre-K to 2nd grade
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Little Peacemakers:
 A peer mediation program for young students.  Students will learn how to creatively problem-solve in a non-biased, non-judgmental way through role-play and interactive exercises.
This program runs eight weeks.
Ages: grades 3 - 6
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Mixed Messages:

Images of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs are everywhere.  Advertisers know where to advertise and how to design ads so that young people identify with them.  The Mixed Messages program is designed to educate youth about how the media targets them in their advertising and how to evaluate and analyze these media messages to lessen their impact.
This program runs 45 minutes to 1 hour
Ages:  grades 6 - 9
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Do The Math...Tobacco Kills:
 photo of man smokingThis presentation shows the effects of tobacco on the body through both lecture and display models.  Students are engaged in discussion about media influence and "mixed messages" from big tobacco in advertising campaigns.  The dangers of marijuana, as well as today's other popular substances (illy, bidis), are also discussed.
Ages: 10 and older
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Inhalant Awareness:
This presentation explains the dangers of "sniffing" or "huffing" and how it leads to other serious substance abuse.  Youth will participate in a group exercise that focuses on all the reasons NOT to engage in this deadly behavior.
Ages: late elementary and middle school
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It's Only Alcohol:
 A presentation that helps youth to understand the dangers of underage drinking.  Discussion will include alcohol's effects on the body, what blood alcohol content means, and how alcoholism develops.  Of special importance is an interactive exercise using "Fatal Vision Goggles" which simulate what it's like to be under the influence of alcohol.
Ages: 12 and up
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Drums Not Drugs:
 photo of student drummersAn innovative and highly effective after-school drug prevention arts program that incorporates the learning of drumming with an anti-substance abuse message, and promotes leadership, self-expression, cultural diversity, and individual and group work skills.
The program runs for 7 weeks
(12 two-hour after-school sessions)
Ages: middle - high school
(click here for more information about this exciting program)
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For more information about these and other VSAAC youth program offerings, contact The Valley Substance Abuse Action Council at (203) 736-8566 today!

 

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