INDIANAPOLIS —Scecina Memorial High School and three other Eastside Catholic schools are getting some help in their prevention efforts, thanks to a grant from an Indianapolis foundation. The four schools recently received a grant to help prevent substance abuse among their students.
The Richard M. Fairbanks Foundations awarded the $85,890 Prevention Matters grant: Scecina and Holy Spirit, Little Flower, and Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic schools. The schools comprise the Eastside Catholic School Partnership. The foundation earlier had awarded $20,000 to the schools to write an implementation grant.
“The grant will arm our teachers and staff with the resources they need to help prevent students’ substance use and put them on a path for success in school and beyond,” said Dr. Joe Brettnacher, principal of Scecina.
Prevention Matters is the foundation’s three-year initiative to help schools identify, implement and sustain proven substance use prevention programs.
The Eastside Catholic School Partnership schools have chosen three programs designed to help students avoid drugs and alcohol, and also to help improvement academic achievement, attendance, and classroom behavior. These programs can reduce bullying and violence, as well. The grant funding will be used for training and materials.
Scecina will implement a program called Project Towards No Drug Abuse, which will provide students with strategies to prevent substance abuse and promote self-control, resource acquisition, and decision-making strategies.
The elementary schools will implement two programs, Conscious Discipline for kindergartners through fifth-graders and Second Step for children in grades 6-8.
The Richard M. Fairbanks Foundation strives to advance the vitality of Indianapolis and well-being of its people by addressing the city’s most significant challenges and opportunities. It is not affiliated with Fairbanks Addiction Recovery and Treatment Center.