Next school year, about 141,000 students in South Dakota public schools may begin to see more conversations about substance use disorder – and how to prevent it – being had in their classrooms.
Emily’s Hope, a South Dakota-based nonprofit focused on substance abuse prevention, was recently awarded over half a million dollars from the state’s opioid settlement fund to distribute its multi-grade substance abuse prevention curriculum to public schools in South Dakota.
“I think that we have to have prevention, and all the studies show that you have to start at a very young age with these conversations. … Prevention is where we save lives, and I think it’s often overlooked.” – Emily’s Hope founder Angela Kennecke
Emily’s Hope founder Angela Kennecke told News Watch that the organization’s education program has been in the works for years, beginning with pilot programs implemented in schools across the region. The curriculum now reaches 30,000 students in six states with programs from kindergarten through high school.
South Dakota will be the first to see statewide implementation thanks to the $518,000 award from the Department of Social Services, which controls the state’s $99 million opioid settlement fund.
The organization also received $100,000 from the South Dakota Community Foundation’s Beyond Idea Grant toward its education efforts for a public awareness program called Facing Fentanyl, which will teach about the dangers of fentanyl and reach about 50,000 students, parents and educators.
Program designed to follow students through schooling
The program is not the same as the once-a-year Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) assemblies of days past – though Kennecke said those still have their place, and she often goes to speak at school assemblies. Lessons take place throughout the school year, increasing in frequency as students get older. Because the curriculum follows students through their school journey, concepts can build off of each other as they get more complex.
In early years, students learn about their body, emotions and who “trusted adults” are. They read books written by Kennecke and illustrated by her daughter Abby Groth, where students are introduced to characters who will follow them throughout their education. Topics get more specific in nature as students age –first grade sees titles like “Your Super Powers!” In fifth grade, students will graduate to “Brain Busters: Cracking the Code on Substance Use.”