Catalyst Club
The Catalyst Club is a student led leadership group dedicated to supporting and encouraging a drug and alcohol free lifestyle created in conjunction with Stand Strong Community Coalition.
Catalyst officially began summer of 2015 with 18 executive board members spanning students in 10th, 11th, and 12th grade at Adlai E. Stevenson High School. The students underwent special training based on SAMHSA's Strategic Prevention Framework (SPF). The SPF uses a five-step planning process to guide the group in the selection, implementation, and evaluation of effective, culturally appropriate, and sustainable drug and alcohol prevention activities.
Once the school year began, the students began recruiting members, approximately 60 students who were nominated and selected for membership. The group is a "no-use" group dedicated to the prevention of underage drinking and drug use at Adlai e. Stevenson High School. The group is divided into committees:
For more information or questions regarding the Catalyst Club, please contact Dr. Cristina Cortesi, Substance Abuse Prevention Coordinator Adlai E. Stevenson High School or Jamie Epstein, Stand Strong Coalition Executive Director.
Catalyst officially began summer of 2015 with 18 executive board members spanning students in 10th, 11th, and 12th grade at Adlai E. Stevenson High School. The students underwent special training based on SAMHSA's Strategic Prevention Framework (SPF). The SPF uses a five-step planning process to guide the group in the selection, implementation, and evaluation of effective, culturally appropriate, and sustainable drug and alcohol prevention activities.
Once the school year began, the students began recruiting members, approximately 60 students who were nominated and selected for membership. The group is a "no-use" group dedicated to the prevention of underage drinking and drug use at Adlai e. Stevenson High School. The group is divided into committees:
- Community Youth Activism
- Human Resources
- Marijuana Legislation Committee
- Parent Committee
- Policy Committee
- Sender School Outreach: This group works to increase awareness and participation of the sender school students and administrators.
- Community Outreach: This committee is working with community partners to provide prevention awareness in the community.
- SHS Outreach: This committee is working to create prevention awareness and “no use" messaging with students at SHS.
- Bear Sub-Committee
- Fundraising: This committee is working on providing sustainability to Catalyst with necessary funding for the initiatives.
- Research/Evaluation: This committee provides survey creation, data collection and analysis so necessary in the Strategic Prevention Framework.
- Public Relations
- Staff
For more information or questions regarding the Catalyst Club, please contact Dr. Cristina Cortesi, Substance Abuse Prevention Coordinator Adlai E. Stevenson High School or Jamie Epstein, Stand Strong Coalition Executive Director.
The SPF Process:
The idea behind the SPF is to use findings from public health research along with evidence-based prevention programs to build capacity and sustainable prevention. This, in turn, promotes resilience and decreases risk factors in individuals, families and communities.
- Promotes youth development
- Reduces risk-taking behaviors
- Builds assets and resilience
- Prevents problem behaviors across the life span of the program
The idea behind the SPF is to use findings from public health research along with evidence-based prevention programs to build capacity and sustainable prevention. This, in turn, promotes resilience and decreases risk factors in individuals, families and communities.