Healthy Relationships & Connect With Respect are school-based programs that have been developed for 6th – 12th grade students. HLFCC
HLFCC provides these and other programs through local schools. The service is free and delivered by a trained prevention educator in collaboration with school administrators and teachers.
Healthy Relationships Curriculum
6th Grade
The 6th grade program focuses on teaching healthy relationships with the “self” and with others. Topics discussed include esteem, respect and acceptance. Students learn that anger is a normal feeling, but they must learn to deal with hurt and anger in healthy, non-violent ways. The program pays special attention to bullying, bystander intervention, conflict resolution and healthy friendships. Through discussion and activities, students will learn the importance of kindness, assertive communication and the power of bystanders.
7th Grade
The 7th grade program focuses on the components necessary for healthy relationships, with an emphasis on respect and equality as fundamental building blocks. Students will be introduced to the concept of personal boundaries and how to assert them in the face of peer pressure. We will discuss, at length, the difference between flirting and sexual harassment. Students will also learn about boundaries and how to communicate effectively in the digital age. Through discussion and activities students learn that mastering the concept of personal boundaries – their own as well as those of their peers – is a skill that will serve them throughout their lives.
8th Grade
8th graders will begin to focus on healthy dating relationships. They will learn their rights and responsibilities in dating relationships and characteristics of a healthy dating partner. Through activities and discussion, students will learn about levels of self disclosure, the basics of consent and using assertive communication when faced with peer pressure. They will begin to think critically about gender roles, gender stereotypes and what equality looks like in a relationship. The class concludes with a discussion on culture change and what it means to be an Upstander in society.
9th-12th
High school level programs will bring awareness to the issues of teen dating violence, gender roles and media literacy. Students will learn the early warning signs for abusive relationships and how power and control are at the center of those relationships. Studying gender roles and gender stereotypes will introduce them to the sexual violence continuum. We will also discuss the role of the media in perpetuating risk factors for sexual violence. Through discussion and activities students will learn what part they play in changing the current social norms and enhancing protective factors for healthier relationships on an individual level and community level.
Congratulations to members of the Youth Leadership Group, sponsored by HLFCC and Marble Falls High School.
Damien Ortiz, Kinzie Cortez, Anneliese Hruschka, and Raegan Coursey
These talented youth were recently awarded for their achievements throughout the year. They create powerful messaging and performances to empower change in the community to end sexual violence.
These youth have drawn attention to common behaviors that lead to sexual violence. In place of these harmful actions, they demonstrate protective factors, such as gender equity, connectedness, conflict resolution skills, and empathy. The group works to change social norms, attitudes, and beliefs towards a safer, equitable community built on healthy