Imagine going to the bathroom and finding your parent slumped over with a needle in their arm and then minutes later finding out your parent died from a drug overdose. That’s Leo's story.
At age 12, Leo lived with his mom and stepdad in Lake Station, Indiana. Leo was at home playing video games while waiting for his parents to arrive for dinner. He heard someone come through the front door, walk through the house, close another door, and shortly after...a noise that just didn't sound right. As Leo went looking around, he discovered what no child should ever have to see, his lifeless mother with that needle still in her arm. In this traumatic moment, Leo found the courage to pick up the phone and dial 911.
These tragic stories are too common amongst the youth that we serve across the region. Students struggle with living in these kinds of conditions and choosing whether to participate in risky behaviors themselves.
A Positive Approach to Teen Health serves as a light to help empower youth to make healthy decisions. Life is challenging for youth today. We partner with schools across the region and provide SEL (social-emotional learning) and risk prevention education to middle and high school students.
Throughout our time, we have met some incredible students who have powerful stories just like Leo. Little did we know that one year later, Leo would go through our Positive Potential reMIX program at River Forest Middle School. Through the program, he discovered his grief affected him more than just emotionally; it affected all five parts of his whole person.
Positive Potential reMIX is a 10-week program that teaches the foundational principles which encourage teens to recognize their value, establish a solid legacy, and make healthy choices that impact their overall whole-person health.
Our programs are designed to encourage, equip and empower youth to make healthy choices as well as how to navigate through life and all of its challenges. With the combination of PATH programming, family counseling, and his new home with his biological dad, stepmom, and siblings, Leo is on a positive track and is doing well in school – recently making the honor roll!
With Giving Tuesday less than a week away, would you consider "Lighting The Way" for todays youth by donating to our organization.