The PALS (Partners in Adolescent Lifestyle Support) program, overseen by professionals at Shands at Vista, provides peer support and therapeutic intervention to troubled students as well as enhancing leadership skills for teen leaders. This is achieved through peer counseling classes, therapeutic groups led by professionals and peers, and programs that provide an altruistic, tolerant, nonviolent atmosphere in the school where diversity is welcome.

• Pals Goals
• Involved Schools
• Facts
• Bosshardt Realty Golf Tournament

Goals

Emphasize tolerance, non-violence, altruism, positive self-image, and leadership.

PALS aims to improve the school environment’s acceptance of diversity and provide an atmosphere of non-violence and inclusion. Teen leaders improve their leadership skills and compassion for others. Also, they gain enhancement of character attributes such as empathy and compassion. Troubled teens gain an enhanced sense of self-esteem and a feeling of belonging.

Teen Leaders gain enhancement of character attributes such as empathy, compassion, and an understanding of human diversity.

The teens experiencing emotional difficulties will gain a sense of belonging, self-esteem and PALS.

Focus groups deal with topics such as:

• Social skills
• Personal hygiene/physical image
• Appropriate outlets for anger
• Self esteem building
• Leadership skills
• Life goals
• Building personal happiness
• Violence/suicide prevention

Teen Leaders participate in role playing exercises dealing with such topics as:

• Peer pressure
• Ways to peacefully intercede when another teen is ridiculed
• Extending a helping hand to other teens who appear lonely or depressed
• When to seek professional assistance in dealing with an emotionally disturbed peer

Involved Schools

• A-Quinn Jones Center
• Buchholz High School - Buchholz has made PALS an official accredited class, in which students learn peer counseling techniques to help other students needing support.
• Ft Clarke Middle School - Students, after being introduced to the PALS program, decided they would have a motto of “no one sits alone.” The teasing of other students has since disappeared and students are reaching out to each other.

Facts

• "Suicide is the eighth leading cause of death for all persons regardless of age, sex or race; the third leading cause of death for young people aged 15 to 24; and the fourth leading cause of death for persons between the ages of 10 and 14." - American Academy of Pediatrics
• "Boys commit suicide more often than girls, but no one is immune. In one recent survey of high school students, 60 percent said they had thought about killing themselves. About 9 percent said they had tried at least once." - American Academy of Pediatrics
• "In the next 24 hours...
  • 1,439 Teens will attempt suicide
  • 2,795 Teenage girls will bcome pregnant
  • 15,006 Teens will use drugs for the first time
  • 3,506 Teens will run away"
  - Teen Help Adolescent Resources

Information

To learn more about Shands Vista, please call 352.265.5497.

News

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