Karns City Communities That Care was recognized for its youth development programs and is starting two new programs in the school district this fall.

The Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency, The Commonwealth Prevention Alliance and The Prevention Coalition Advisory Council of Pennsylvania recently named Karns City CTC the Pennsylvania Prevention Coalition of the year for 2017-18.

“This is a huge honor for this local coalition. We just formed in 2015 and were incorporated in 2017. We were nominated this year for the first time,” said Jeff Hogan, executive director.

In the fall, CTC will start two programs for district students and families.

CTC is looking for 10 families with students ages 10 to 14, to participate in the “Strengthening Families 10-14” program, which meets with CTC staff once a week for seven weeks beginning in September,

Developed by Iowa State University in the late 1990s, the program strives to improve family life and reduce alcohol and drug use among teens, Hogan said.

Studies have shown the program is effective, he said.

“This is for any family to have some fun and improve their family relationship through family bonding and family problem solving,” Hogan said. “This program is rated No. 1 for reducing alcohol and substance abuse.”

Long-term studies revealed the program reduces the chance of children and grandchildren of people who participated in the program as students using drugs, he said.

Students and their parents are separated and meet with trained CTC facilitators separately for the first hour of the two-hour sessions, he said.

Activities include interactive games, parent and child role reversal scenarios and dinner. Child care is provided.

“Some families don’t get to spend much time together, We play games, learn together and bond,” Hogan said.

A location to hold the program hasn’t been determined.

Families wishing to participate should contact Hogan at karnscityCTC@gmail.com.

The second program, Positive Action, will be taught by teachers in one class in kindergarten through sixth grade at Sugarcreek and Chicora elementary schools in the fall.

The program, designed to instill positive attitudes, includes 15-minute lessons taught three days a week.

“The program focuses on the cycle of interactions for youth. Thoughts lead to actions, actions lead to feeling about themselves and that leads to thoughts about themselves. If that cycle is positive, it leads to positive feelings about themselves. If the cycle is negative it leads to negative thoughts about themselves,” Hogan said.

The lessons use scenarios to show how students can get upset with each other and how they can resolve matters without hurting each other’s feelings, he said.

The CTC will train the teachers who will implement the program.