STEP8 - Stopping Tobacco with Education and Prevention, Lessons & Activities for Eighth Grade, is a five lesson program designed to follow-up and reinforce our sixth grade tobacco prevention program, STEP6.

Both share the same common goal: To prevent tobacco use by Texas youth by teaching resistance, cessation, and tobacco-free advocacy.

STEP8 utilizes developmentally appropriate strategies with both independent and cooperative group learning activities in areas of high interest to early adolescents. It provides latest research and information about tobacco to teach skill building by sharing, cooperating and interacting.

Lessons can be taught by trained teachers, law enforcement officers, other school staff, or parent volunteers. It targets middle school students and can be integrated into any subject or content area. While it was developed for use with eighth grade students, information and activities are appropriate for seventh or ninth grade students as well.

STEP8 is research-based and helps prevention programs meet Principles of Effectiveness as required by Title IV Safe and Drug Free Schools and Communities. The Principles of Effectiveness are:

• Base prevention programs on a thorough assessment of objective data about drugs and violence in the schools and communities served.

• Establish measurable goals and objectives with the help of an advisory council, and design the prevention program to meet those goals and objectives.

• Design and implement activities based on research that provides evidence that the strategies used prevent or reduce drug use, violence, or disruptive behavior among youth.

• Evaluate programs periodically and use results to refine, improve and strengthen program, and refine goals and objectives, as appropriate.

The curriculum is aligned with key elements for effective drug prevention according to Making the Grade: A Guide to School Drug Prevention Guides. These are helping students to recognize internal and external pressures such as peer attitudes and advertising; developing social, personal, and refusal skills; teaching that drug use is not the norm, while promoting positive norms; providing developmentally appropriate materials and activities using interactive teaching methods such as discussions, brainstorming, and cooperative learning; covering necessary prevention elements in well-designed lessons; actively involving the family and community; providing training and support for teachers; and containing material that is easy for teachers to implement. STEP8 meets all of these.

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