Too Good for Drugs (TGFD) is a school-based prevention program designed to reduce risk factors and enhance protective factors related to alcohol, tobacco, and other drug (ATOD) use among students. TGFD has a separate, developmentally appropriate curriculum for each grade level from kindergarten through 8th grade. The curriculum is designed to develop five essential life skills: (1) goal setting; (2) decision making; (3) bonding with prosocial others; (4) identifying and managing emotions; and (5) communicating effectively. There is also a program for high school students, Too Good for Drugs and Violence—High-School. TGFD was developed by the Mendez Foundation.
Target Audience: The target audience for TGFD is students in grades K–12.
Program Components:
TGFD’s interactive teaching methods encourage students to bond with prosocial peers and engage students through role-play, cooperative learning, games, small-group activities, and class discussions. TGFD also influences students through a parent component used in each grade level: ―Home Workouts‖ in kindergarten through 8th grade, and ―Home Pages‖ in high school. TGFD consists of sequential curricula targeted to each grade level; each year builds on the skills learned in the previous years. The TGFD K–8 program kit includes a teacher’s curriculum with ten 30–60 minute lessons. As part of these lessons, students receive normative education on the rates of and attitudes toward drug use and information on the risks of drug use. Students also participate in diverse role-play situations, cooperative learning, and prosocial skills-development activities. At the high school level, the curriculum consists of 26 lessons; 14 core lessons delivered in the same class, and 12 infusion lessons included in other academic classes.
The Valparaiso Family YMCA will host a free drug education and drug use prevention program for teens aged 13 – 18 called ‘Too Good for Drugs.’
The fun-filled sessions will start on July 26th and will be facilitated by Victoria and Joe Ubben. The classes will meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 1:00 to 3:00 pm, starting on July 26 and running through August 11.