POWER Program

Why Middle School?

Aside from infancy, child and adolescent psychology research indicates that early adolescence is the most dynamic developmental stage of childhood. Middle school youth are more impressionable and this is a critical time during their physical, intellectual, psychological, social, and emotional development into adults.

• Nationally, 35% of 12-year-olds are left alone regularly while their parents work.
• According to the 2003 Monitoring The Future study conducted by the National Institute on Drug Abuse:
  • 23% of 8th graders have used an illicit drug.

  • 46% have used alcohol.

  • 20% have been drunk.

  • 28% have smoked cigarettes in their lifetime.

  • 18% have used marijuana.

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, prevention programs for middle or junior high students should increase academic and social competence with the following skills (Botvin et al. 1995; Scheier et al. 1999):

• study habits and academic support
• communication
• peer relationships
• self-efficacy and assertiveness
• drug resistance skills
• reinforcement of anti drug attitudes
• strenthening of personal commitment against drug abuse

The younger a person begins using drugs and/or alcohol the more likely they are to become full-blown adult addict.

The majority of local youth services in the Salem-area are focused on the elementary age, leaving middle school youth primarily under-served.