Peak Choices Troubled Teen Programs
PEAK CHOICES: AWARENESS and DETERRENCE CURRICULUM
FIVE HOURS of Instruction
Contemplate Your Behaviors
What behaviors have put you at risk?
How did it feel before and leading up to those choices?
How did it feel during those choices?
How did it feel afterwards?
Share and discuss with a partner on a specific occurrence:
What happened?
Be totally honest: in the moment, did you REALLY chose, or not?
What was your attitude going into the situation?
How did you react and feel afterwards?
What can you say now were your “reasons” for doing this? (Give examples)
Consider The Impact
Reflect on worst case outcomes for each choice above, for you, in your life
Who does this impact, beyond you?
What impact does it have on them? Be specific.
Research the mandated consequences for your choices (see Specific Behaviors below)
What About Influences
What impact did friends have on these choices?
What risky behaviors have you seen your friends practice?
Describe what it is about you or your life that created the likelihood of this happening.
What is it about you that allows or does this?
Making New Choices
How might you recognize these choices and behaviors in the future, before they happen?
Read/hear real-life stories about choices, outcomes, and what other teens discovered
Link to stories online
Group sharing on your own and other people’s stories
PEAK CHOICES: DECISION and POWER
FIVE HOURS of Instruction
Any portion of this can be done individually, with a partner, and/or as a group.
What is a “Vector”?
Describe the Vector Story: how small shifts today create big changes later
Reflect on “vectors” in your life: small things that eventually made a big difference
Consider the Power of Decisions
Every single action you take is a decision… name three examples.
Positive decisions you’ve made in the past, and what happened
Decisions and Choice: The nature of your own power
Who or what in your life has created challenges for you?
How has that affected you? Be specific.
How might you rise above that now?
Name one small way you could shift the vector
Name one large way you could overcome that completely
Reasons: For yourself and for a higher purpose
Putting it Into Practice
Consider one choice or behavior from your “Awareness and Deterrence” Activity…
Name three actions or decisions that would be negative (show examples)
Name three actions or decisions that would be positive (show examples)
If you change this vector, where will you end up?
If you don’t change this vector, where will you end up?
Set an intention, create a goal (show examples)
How will you remind yourself of this every day?
How will you remind yourself of this in the moment, when the opportunity arises?
PEAK CHOICES: CRIME and VANDALISM Troubled Teen Programs
FOUR HOURS of Instruction:
Consider Choices and Consequences
Identify the criminal or illegal activities you chose
Investigate the legal and sentencing consequences (link to state Depts. of Justice)
Identify other current or potential legal issues: costs, sentences, impact on your life
Who was the direct victim and how did you impact them?
Who else did this impact? How might they feel about it? What property?
How would you feel and what would you do it this happened to you?
Learn About What Others Have Been Through
Group sharing and discussion on discoveries
Hear or read stories of incarceration or visit a jail
Reflect on external situations, pressures, or individuals that put you at risk
Reflect on internal attitudes, beliefs, or decisions that put you at risk
Set intention on how to manage future behavior
PEAK CHOICES: DRUG and ALCOHOL
SIX HOURS of Instruction
This Course is intended to be reflective on a young person’s choices or potential choices about substance abuse. It is not intended as a program of drug or alcohol rehabilitation. It should not be used in place of treatment or necessary interventions.
Consider Choices and Consequences
Take a survey of your behaviors and why you made those choices:
Chose three examples and reflect on why
Impact on your health
Impact on your legal status and freedom
Impact on your finances
Impact on your chances for jobs, education, and opportunities
Impact on your self respect
Read or hear others’ stories of the nature of addiction and choices
Describe and share your stories of friends, family, or others in your life
Link to online stories
How to Change This Vector
Reaching out…
What other resources or help are available (if you use them or not)?
How have other people sought help successfully?
Made a decision…
Refer to Decisions above, who could you reach out to?
What decisions could you make now to change your Vector?
Make the decision now to make that one small change
Honesty and sharing…
If you needed confidential help with this, where would you go?
What are you willing to change about you to improve this situation?
Willingness…
Knowing where this is leading you, are you willing to shift the Vector?
How could get willing or become more willing?
Asking for help…
Ask the person or whoever for help
Good – this is progress, you have made a Decision, changed a Vector
Maintaining…
Use the Decision and Power: what about next time?
Remember yourself in a past situation, now envision the future in detail
Record how you chose otherwise, how it felt, and decide to continue that
Staying Focused…
How will you take of yourself?
Finding and using local recovery and support resources
Optional Troubled Teen Programs
•Counseling
•Community Service
•Jail Visits / Jail Jolt
•Incarceration, Probation, Detention, Etc.
