Student Wellness and Prevention Services

Our Student Wellness and Prevention Services aim to foster a holistic approach to student well-being. Our department offers a comprehensive range of programs and support services to districts and school communities, focusing on enhancing the physical, mental, and emotional health of students. For additional information about our services, view our brochure. To make a request, please contact Christine Henninger at [email protected]. We invite you to click on the image below to explore our latest newsletter and to click the links on the sidebar for helpful tips and information.

Relationship Smarts Program (Formerly known as Teen Pregnancy Prevention). Our Student Wellness and Prevention Services sexuality education program is grounded in the Developmental Assets Model. This evidence-based curriculum not only meets state mandates but also emphasizes essential topics such as healthy relationships and effective communication. By fostering critical skills, we empower students with the tools and knowledge they need to make informed decisions, set boundaries, navigate reliable sources of information, understand peer influence, and develop assertive communication skills.

Tuggles Tales

Family Engagement Series: The Student Wellness and Prevention Team is kicking off the year with an exciting array of program offerings. In collaboration with Mentor and Morley libraries, we are launching a new three-part Family Engagement Series that will explore important topics such as Early Literacy, Bullying, and Chronic Absenteeism.

Sources of Strength Suicide Prevention- Ohio law requires districts to provide education in suicide prevention. Sources of Strength is a national wellness program for middle and high schools that uses a team of Adult Advisors and Youth Peer Leaders to influence their community through the power of connection. This program is geared toward staff, students, and parents.

Lead Well Series

Youth-Led Prevention- Our Youth-Led Prevention Program is exactly as it sounds. Youth telling adults what issues they
face, and advocating for their ideas on how to fix them. The adult leader or allies’ role is to help guide the process of identifying the problem, determining the capacity to change the problem, developing solutions, implementing ideas, and
even evaluating the impact of their solutions.

Alternatives to Suspension Program - Healthy Futures by Stanford University has a two and a four hour program. The two hour version can be taught with just one student or in a group setting. There are warm up questions between each slide that allows students to share what they know about each topic. The four hour program builds on the two hour program by allowing personal reflection following each topic. The program allows individual introspection and group discussion if completed in a group setting.

Information Centers

Social Media/cyberbullying/Digital Citizenship - Our Student Wellness and Prevention Team offers engaging presentations for students focused on social media awareness, cyberbullying prevention, and digital citizenship. These sessions help students understand how their online actions impact themselves and others, build skills for responsible and respectful online communication, and learn practical strategies for staying safe in digital spaces. Through interactive discussions and real-world examples, students are empowered to make positive choices online and contribute to a safer, more supportive school community.

Drug-Free Communities (DFC) Program- Our two DFC Programs are federal grants that support increasing mental health and decreasing substance use/misuse within Berkshire Local Schools/Cardinal Local Schools in Geauga County and multiple schools within Lake County. The DFC coalitions are comprised of 12 community sectors to address data regarding the areas of mental health and substance use.

We invite you to click on the image below to explore our latest newsletter.

Student Leadership Summit - Middle and high school students from across Lake County come together twice a year at Mentor High School’s Paradigm for our Student Leadership Summit. This isn’t just another event; it’s the start of something bigger. More than hosting a summit, we are building a movement that empowers students to lead boldly, think differently, and create a lasting impact in their schools and communities. Our commitment to reimagining our Youth Leadership Summits is more than innovation; it’s a game-changer for our students. Together with our school districts, community partners, and the Lake County General Health District, we are creating transformative experiences that go beyond developing leadership skills by also igniting confidence, courage, and purpose in young people. This powerful collaboration reflects a shared belief that when we invest intentionally in youth voice and leadership, we change the trajectory of schools, communities, and futures. Activities include team-building discussions, interactive games, break-out rooms with different topics featured, like self-care, student voice, communicating effectively, and leadership development, as well as the “Perfect Day” project, where groups design and present posters to their peers.

Students at the Lake County Leadership Summit

Staff at the Geauga County Youth Leadership Summit

"The event was absolutely wonderful. Chrissy, Meghan, and the entire team did an exceptional job organizing a Summit that was both meaningful and highly engaging. The speakers were informative, relatable, and clearly resonated with the students. It was inspiring to see how attentive and involved the kids were throughout the day. The content was not only helpful for them, but also incredibly valuable for us as we explore new ways to connect with younger audiences." - Ashley Cozzens, Community Relations Director, Lake County Board of Developmental Disabilities

"Our girls learned some valuable information they will take with them, and that we can follow up on. Also, they enjoyed meeting new people. We look forward to being a part of the summit in the future." - Robin Hopkins, Associate Principal, North High School

Hands On Learning

Flyer promoting new Interactive Displays

Flyer highlighting Fatal Vision Carts & Activities

Botvin LifeSkills Program - The Botvin LifeSkills Training (LST) Middle School Program is an evidence-based prevention curriculum designed to help students develop the confidence and skills they need to make healthy decisions and resist peer pressure related to substance use and risky behaviors. The program focuses on three key areas: personal self-management, social skills, and drug resistance skills. Through interactive lessons and real-life scenarios, students learn how to handle stress, communicate effectively, make responsible choices, and build positive relationships.

Confiscated Vape Device Collection Initiative - Vape collection boxes are placed in schools throughout Lake and Geauga Counties to safely and responsibly dispose of confiscated vaping devices. This initiative not only promotes environmental responsibility but also provides schools with valuable data and insights to support prevention efforts.