Lions Quest

Skills for Adolescence

Skills for Adolescence (SFA) is based on highly targeted research of students in grades 6-8. Included are "Making Healthy Choices" units covering drug, alcohol and tobacco use; interactive, student-focused lessons; sessions on anger, conflict and stress management; and cross-curricular activities to encourage team-teaching. This extensive curriculum has been expanded to help students manage conflict and anger and to help teachers and administrators deal with the critical issue of bullying. Supplemental bullying prevention lessons, developed in 2009, can be found in the Curriculum Updates section of this Web site.

Our 40-session "Introduction to Skills" implementation model was proven effective by a rigorous evaluation study conducted by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). However, we recommend the school-wide model as the optimum implementation model because the entire school community creates and sustains a shared vision for positive youth development. Similarly, we recommend the three-year models as our ideal models because they provide "booster lessons" and continuous practice that reinforce the skill-building potential throughout the middle school experience. When the three-year model is not possible, we have seen much success with the two-and one-year models as well.

All options, from one to three years, include one lesson per week taught as a 45-minute class or split into two 20-30 minutes classes. Three lessons per month are scheduled for a total of 30 lessons per school year. Unit coverage varies according to time frame. Visit Program Resources to view a variety of curriculum maps and state learning standards correlation guides.

Skills for Adolescence for Out-of-School Time - New!

Skills for Adolescence for Out-of-School Time (SFA for OST) is adapted from Lions Quest’s highly-rated middle school curriculum to provide staff with a positive youth development program that meets the unique demands of out-of-school time settings. The program is comprised of 33 social and emotional learning lessons, five service-learning lessons, three online bullying prevention lessons, 116 reinforcement activities, and numerous relationship-centered learning community strategies and activities. These selections, combined with newly-created implementation tools, align with the six common elements of high-quality OST programming, recognized by researchers and practitioners as having the most influence on positive outcomes for young people.

Included with the program manual is a copy of the Changes and Challenges student activity book. A program supplement is available for those who already have the full SFA curriculum. On-site, experiential training and a supportive webinar series complete the program.

The Arkansas Lions have partnered with the Arkansas Service Commission (ASC) to bring Lions Quest to schools across the state! A steering committee comprised of Lions, the Arkansas Learn & Serve Coordinator, two ASC members and one Department of Education representative, have developed an action plan with a timeline of June 2011 through August 2013. Funding from the Arkansas Lions Foundation, Lions Clubs International Foundation, and anticipated county drug education funds will provide staff development workshops, classroom curricula and student materials. The first teacher workshop was held in Fayetteville on June 27, 2011. The ASC anticipates that more than 3,000 middle and high school youth will participate in Lions Quest as a result of this partnership.