Youth Equipped for Success previews sexual-health, puberty and substance-prevention lessons to CFBISD advisory council

Presenters from Youth Equipped for Success described three school-based curricula to the Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD School Health Advisory Council during the district SHAK meeting.

Chi-Chi Odo, representing Youth Equipped for Success, introduced the group as a research-based youth development program that partners with schools and parents and noted the organization works in more than 100 Texas districts. She said the programs are live, interactive and prioritize relatable messengers who can connect with students.

Program details presented by a Youth Equipped messenger, Margaret (messenger, Youth Equipped for Success):
- Aim for Success (sexual health and relationships, grades 6–12): Frames decisions around student goals and gives the legal definition of sexual contact under Texas law; presents risks of unplanned pregnancy, teen dating violence, sexual abuse and trafficking, and sexually transmitted diseases. Presenters told the council contraceptives were discussed for older students and offered the effectiveness figures used in their curriculum: condoms about 87% effective and hormonal birth control about 93% effective, and noted CDC figures the presenters cited that "about 13 million new cases of STDs are reported every single year among people ages 15 to 24." (Margaret)
- Power to Succeed (drug and alcohol prevention, grades 6–12): Discusses reasons students experiment, the legal risks of sharing prescription drugs, and the danger of fentanyl (presenters said a small amount can be fatal). The program covers marijuana, synthetic drugs, vaping and nicotine, and includes exercises to recognize overdose signs and guidance to seek adults and professional help.
- Next Up (puberty and adolescence, grades 4–5): Focuses on affirming students, describing physical and emotional changes of puberty using scientific terms, and teaching practical hygiene, sleep, and menstrual-care basics; fifth graders receive an age-appropriate introduction to sex in single-gender settings.

Presenters said the curriculum includes parent resources and optional webinars so families can review materials; Chi-Chi said the group seeks to partner with schools and keep parents informed and involved. A student audience comment earlier in the meeting suggested outdoor lunches as a mental-health and social opportunity, which the chair acknowledged among other community remarks.

Provenance: The presentations and specific statistics were delivered by Chi-Chi Odo and a messenger identified as Margaret during the SHAK meeting.