A program to address specific needs and concerns of the adolescent population and to demonstrate community commitment to the educational needs of the school district.
Designed by:

(You may select one of the following as an EXAMPLE - each page can be printed )
use your back arrow key on your browser to return to this page after each selection

Survey Of Topics || Topics & Presenters || Speakers || Invitation || Parent Letter || Presenter/Speaker Info || Speaker's Evaluation || Request Form || Teen Evaluation Form

The development, printing, and distribution of this educational material was funded in part by the Maternal and Child Bureau, (Title V Security Act), Health Resources and Services Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Service.

A. Goals:

1. To provide teens with information and useful skills in areas of concern to their health and well-being.
2. To develop and implement a model of collaboration between a school site and available community resources.
3. To develop and nurture within the administrative and support staff of any particular school district a leadership role in organizing school systems to address teen issues.

B. Group Size:
School size may be as high as 1,500 students or as low as 500 students.
Class size should be an average of 25 - 27 students.

C. Time Required:
Planning time is contingent upon the size of the school, the number of presenters needed, and topics selected by the students. A target date for the forum should be approximately three (3) months in advance in order to allow for adequate planning. Time for each class session may vary from 30 - 45 minutes.

D. Materials Needed:
The list of needed materials will depend on the needs list submitted by each presenter. Basic materials;

1. school stationary
2. stamps
3. duplication capability
4. VCRs and televisions
5. chalk boards and erasers
6. paper and pencils for student use
7. specific requested materials
8. overhead projectors and screens

E. Physical Setting:
Each classroom set up will depend upon presenters’ needs, requests or topics. This information can be obtained from the initial contact with the speakers. Large group presentations may be planned for gymnasiums or auditoriums.

F. Resources:
Community resources may include:

• local hospitals or health care agencies
• public health departments
• private physicians, nurses, lawyers, counselors, psychologists, etc.
• local or state police departments
• institutions of higher education
• local chapters of the American Red Cross, Cancer Society, March of Dimes, Alcoholics Anonymous
• ministerial associations and/or local churches
• battered women's shelters, planned parenthood
• loss protection officer of a local department store (J. C. Penny, Sears, etc.)
• extension agents, Conservation officers

G. Promotions:
This event can be promoted through contacting local newspapers, school newspapers and newsletters, television reporters, parent advisory councils and student councils. Additional support and promotion will depend upon individual circumstances and availability of resources.

Sample letters to parents and presenters, and additional promotional materials are included in this module.

H. Evaluations:
Both students and presenters complete separate evaluation forms. The students evaluate each session they attended and presenters evaluate the facilities, appropriateness of the topic, etc. Examples of each type of evaluation are included in this module.

I. Lessons Learned:

1. Target dates should be far enough in advance to adequately insure participation of desired community resources. Scheduling a teen forum to occur within a 4 - 6-week time frame will be extremely difficult to develop successfully.
2. Plans should include the possibility of illness or cancellation on the part of a presenter. A back up topic with a faculty member and/or video substitute should be available.
3. Under rare circumstances a parent may not wish to have their child participate in a particular activity. An alternative learning activity must be planned for this instance.
4. To insure a successful program, teachers need to be physically present in the classroom during sessions. This guarantees clarity of topic, interpretation, and control of potentially disruptive students.
5. PREPARE FOR THE POSSIBILITY THAT A SESSION MAY TRIGGER A PERSONAL CRISIS FOR A STUDENT. APPROPRIATE SUPPORT PERSONNEL MUST BE AVAILABLE FOR INTERVENTION.

Process

I. Preparation and Preplanning

• A. Select an appropriate target date and a faculty/student workgroup to develop the forum.
• B. Survey students to elicit topics of interest or concern.
• C. Present the idea of a teen issues forum to parent advisory council, faculty senate, and student council.
• D. Solicit input from special interest groups regarding topics, promotional, and additional activities.
• E. Contact community resources to address each topic.
• F. Notify parents of workshop topics including an abstract of each topic.
• H. Develop brochures of workshop activities/programs. Samples of brochures are included in this packet.
• G. Re-contact presenters for audio/visual request, overview of topic material needed, duplication of materials, etc. Examples are included in this packet.

II. Special Interest Group Activities:

• A.Plans for lunch, refreshments, name tags, room labels, brochure development, school newspaper articles, news releases, guides for presenters, school bulletin boards, etc., (home economic departments, art class, health, and physical education classes may assist).
• B.Duplicating and collating necessary letters, handouts, etc. (vocational and technical classes may assist).
• C.Student scheduling by selected topics (math class may assist).

III. Activities

• A. Student guides should meet and greet presenters and direct them to appropriate rooms. Ensure that all audio/visual materials, etc., are in working order and in appropriate classrooms.
• B. Distribute student schedules in home rooms.
• C.Provide refreshments (water, coffee, etc.) during sessions for presenters.
• D. Have students and presenters complete evaluation forms after the last session. The last session may end a few minutes early to complete forms.

IV. Post Activities

• A. Reconvene work group for a review and summary of both presenters and participants evaluations.
• B. Send thank you letters to presenters and their employers. (Examples are in this Module).
• C. Send thank you letters to other community sponsors.

TOP || HOME || OFFICE || MODULES