Vestavia Hills City Schools

In the Fall of 2015, The Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence (CSPV), University of Colorado announced grant funding for the implementation of Botvin’s LifeSkills Training (LST)  Program. The program would provide three years of training, technical assistance and program materials for middle schools awarded the grants.

In January 2016, Vestavia Hills City Schools received the grant from the CSPV to implement Botvin’s LifeSkills Training (LST) Program beginning in the 2016-2017 school year at Pizitz and Liberty Park Middle Schools.

Botvin’s LifeSkills Training (LST) is a research-validated substance abuse prevention program proven to reduce the risks of alcohol, tobacco, drug abuse, and violence by targeting the major social and psychological factors that promote the initiation of substance use and other risky behaviors. The main goal of the LST program is to substantially reduce drug use among young adolescents by teaching prevention-related information, promoting anti-drug norms, teaching drug refusal skills, and fostering the development of personal self-management skills and general social skills.

All lessons are delivered by social studies teachers during the social studies periods according to the following timeline:

• 2016-2017: 6^th grade
• 2017-2018: 6^th and 7^th grade
• 2018-2019: 6^th, 7^th, and 8^th grade

More information and sample lessons can be found at Botvin LifeSkills Training Middle School Program