Best Practices, Volume V

Romig Middle School and Safe and Drug Free Schools

Table of contents

This is the first year that Romig has partnered with Safe & Drug Free Schools, specifically working with the Assets program. Assets, developed by the Search Institute in Minnesota, is a framework of 40 developmental protective factors that support kids. The more assets they have, the more likely they are to be healthy, productive, successful, and caring people. The relationship started with Almarie Chalmers as a one-time guest speaker. Through discussion, brainstorming, and a desire to share the assets with as many kids as possible, the peer
educator idea was launched.

Romig Middle School Principal: Trudy Genne Contact: Kathy Clawson Phone: 274-0541	Safe and Drug Free Schools Contact: Almarie Chalmers Phone: 742-4210
Through collaboration, Ms. Chalmers and Ms. Clawson, teach students techniques in lesson planning, classroom management, and public speaking. Students enrolled in SBPC work in groups—each taking on a shared responsibility for the presentation. Three students are picked as presenters with the other group members acting as their support staff. The entire group is responsible for collaborating in the final presentation by writing an outline, gathering necessary materials, creating all visuals and handouts, and stepping in as alternates. Students present the Assets lesson to their peers through elective classes. Particpants’ Quotes "Like a dream catcher, assets are the supporting threads in a young person’s life that can keep away harm and invite goodness." -Helping Kids Succeed-Alaskan Style "You are the sum total of your choices, therefore, be an Asset Builder! " -Almarie Chalmers,Youth Developmental ASSET Specialist	"Learning is most effective when accomplished through doing. Students who teach their peers about assets simultaneously learn to build strong assets themselves." -Kathy Clawson, SBPC Teacher "In the partnership with Safe and Drug Free Schools, our Romig School Business Partnership students were trained to be presenters of Assets in our school and others. Almarie Chalmers did the training with the help of our instructor Kathy Clawson. They did a wonderful job. The students are excited about their training and are looking forward to sharing their knowledge. It is an empowering experience for these students. It is definitely a Best Practice for building assets in students." -Trudy Genné, Romig Principal "SBPC is awesome! The idea of kids being able to bring their ideas out into the open-about supporting and changing our school-is something that should be kept in schools for ours and upcoming generations." -Danielle Robinson, SBPC Student "Assets make me feel good about myself because by checking all of the Assets I have, I now see I have some good things in me." -Joanne Cornelio, SBPC Student "I think being a peer educator is cool. You get to teach kids your age about things they might not know." -Caleb Jones, SBPC Student

NEXT: King Career Center and The Artistic Team

Please note: The information on this page is from the 2003 edition of Best Practices. The people, programs and contact information included were current at the time of publication, but may have since changed.