At the March 18 Whitehall-Coplay Communities That Care meeting, Virginia Sandoval, of the Center for Humanistic Change, presented on the Project Success program.

A recent coalition feedback report indicated the group members might not have a full awareness of all the programs offered for students and what they entail. Denise Continenza, CTC coordinator and Penn State Extension educator, suggested they pick a different program for each meeting and have someone describe it for the group. Project Success was the first program chosen.

Sandoval noted the CHC and its programs have some overlapping priorities with the CTC, such as prevention education and addressing the mental well-being of students.

Project Success is offered for middle and high school students. There is a different program - Crossroads - for elementary students, but this is not currently being implemented in Whitehall-Coplay School District.

According to Sandoval, Project Success is a mentoring program where students are identified and referred by a counselor, teacher, parent or by themselves to assist with self-esteem, anger, stress, gender identity, coping skills, home changes, vaping and more.

Sandoval reported recent data shows evidence of the effectiveness of the program. Of the 39 high school referrals, 94 percent reported improved refusal skills, 88 percent reported decreased use of substances and 88 percent reported a clearer risk assessment of substances. Of the 43 middle school referrals, 100 percent reported improved refusal skills, 100 percent reported reduced use of substances and 94 percent reported a clearer risk assessment of substances.

The WCSD mentor is a retired school counselor and spends 14 hours a week at the high school and seven hours at the middle school.

“The impact she is making is amazing,” Sandoval said. “The kids love her.”

She noted the mentor works one on one with students and with groups and that many students have said how much they appreciate her. Sandoval noted one high school student said she wouldn’t be graduating without the mentor and the Project Success program.

“We’re trying to make as much impact as we can,” Sandoval said about the CHC’s many programs.

She reported Project Success and Crossroads are being implemented in 31 schools.

In other business, it was mentioned the district could use more access to or information about resources and programs for parents, such as parenting classes. Some CTC members expressed a wish to have parents connect and communicate more with their students.

It was mentioned there is a number of programs available, such as Strengthening Families and Project Child, but the challenge is getting the word out and getting parents to commit to the programs.

“We have it; we just need to market it,” Continenza said.

Continenza noted it would be nice to have a pamphlet or brochure with a comprehensive listing of available programs, not only just for parents, but for other focus areas as well, like mental health and hunger.

Regarding hunger awareness, Continenza read a report from district registrar Michelle Khouri. Khouri reported the current problem WCSD is having with the Snack Pack Pals program is that the students aren’t taking the bags because they don’t want the healthy snacks being included.

Additionally, the Whitehall-Coplay Hunger Initiative Food Pantry is in need of toiletry donations.

The next CTC meeting is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. April 22.