Award-Winning Nonprofit Education Publisher Seeks a Dramatic Decrease in Substance Abuse Nationwide

NEW YORK, Jan. 25, 2018 /PRNewswire/ — Award-winning nonprofit education publisher Overcoming Obstacles announced that it will today post to its website free life skills lessons all secondary school educators can easily infuse into their subject areas, helping to combat substance abuse among our nation’s children.

Too often young people lack the coping skills to deal with the hardships of life. Self-medication has become a widespread epidemic and substance abuse is on the rise. Our children are now more connected to the world at large and more alienated from those around them than ever before, making them particularly vulnerable to escape through drugs and alcohol. 

In a December 2017 survey, 96% of educators reported the Overcoming Obstacles curriculum helped their students cope with stress. Through Snapshots for Substance Abuse Prevention, middle and high school students will explore whom and what they value, the type of person they want to become, how substance abuse can be a gateway to places they wouldn’t want to go, and how to resist drugs by developing skills such as coping.  

Overcoming Obstacles founder and chairman Jill Siegal Chalsty believes that with a life skills education, young people can avoid falling into the trap of substance abuse and addiction. She said, “While over the past 25 years Overcoming Obstacles lessons have been taught with great success in advisory periods, before- and after-school programs, and as a stand-alone class, our new series of Snapshots will give every educator in the nation the opportunity to bring life skills instruction into his or her classroom.”  She continued, “Teachers of art, English, math, science, social studies, and health will now have literacy-focused and engaging substance abuse prevention activities that can and will make a substantial difference in young people’s lives.”

The Overcoming Obstacles K-12 curriculum materials are the most highly lauded and comprehensive resources for life skills education in the world today, providing educators in more than 100 countries with the tools to teach their students communication skills, decision making, and goal setting. The materials are free and available at the organization’s website, overcomingobstacles.org.

Media Contact:  Vinny Capone [email protected] 212-406-7488

SOURCE Overcoming Obstacles