Implementation of Sex Can Wait, Baby Think It Over, S.O.A.R. and TNT continued to be successful in the SBCSC and Mishawaka school districts. During the 1999-2000 school year, Penn-Harrision-Madison school system began to offer the Prevention Initiatives programs as well. Continued success led to Teen Leader participation increasing from 45 in 1996 to over 120 in 1999. Moreover, as a result of Memorial and SBCSC's successful leadership in abstinence programming (both at the state and national levels), the Indiana State Department of Health awarded them over $188,000 in grant funding for the 2000-2001 school year.

Evaluation of past school-based program implementation shows a significant impact is being made in the attitudes and beliefs of adolescents. Since 1996, teen births in the 15- to 17-year-old age range have been decreasing in St. Joseph County. School-based programs have been very well received by all school districts. Staff and parents alike support the deepening and broadening of the message to resist peer pressure in making unhealthy choices. Lives of individual students and Teen Leaders have been significantly changed not only by the message, but by the mentoring relationships that have developed with Memorial staff. Schools are donating administration and staff time, office space and equipment. Perhaps most important, strong partnering relationships now exist with all St. Joseph County public school systems. Future possibilities are unlimited.

The table below illustrates just how the Prevention Initiatives have grown into the local school systems. Approximately 5,300 students at the SBCSC were involved in Prevention Initiatives in 2001; 3,800 students at Penn-Harris-Madison School system; and 1,300 in the Mishawaka school system.

School System	SOAR	TNT	PSI	BTIO	Total
SBCSC	1600	1600	1600	500	5300
PHM	1200	1200	1200	200	3800
Mishawaka	400	400	400	100	1300
Totals	3200	3200	3200	800

Memorial Hospital Vice President Carl Ellison sums up the success of the Prevention Initiatives in observing that "the relationship between Memorial and the SBCSC has grown over time and reflects the possibilities that exist in relationship and community building when one begins with a single project and goes on to develop a continuum of services that is executed and supported by both the school system and the hospital. All of our tithing principles," he concludes, "are demonstrated in this partnership." Without the hard work and dedication of Sharon Nieb and Ros Ellison (the developers, administrators and point people between the two systems) Memorial and SBCSC would not have achieved the level of cooperation and program success they have today.

Memorial and its partners, staff, parents, and students had the following recommendations for anyone considering developing Prevention Initiatives:

Don't hesitate to talk to the school corporation - schools are much more receptive then most people think.
Go slow! Talk through all project implications with your school partner(s). Do your research and present the facts to your Board(s). It may take eight months to a year to gain support and buy-in.
Bring all the potential partners to the table - school administrators, hospital administrators, teachers, parents, and students.
Be patient and listen to all the partners. Don't give up if you run into stumbling blocks - work through whatever issues arise. You may have to back up, but that is to be expected.
Be clear about how and what you choose to evaluate. Partners should be in agreement about what methods will be used to evaluate the program. You don't want to alienate partners, parents, or students.
Obtain a professional program that is user friendly. Dr. Marion Howard's PSI program is a well-established and successful curriculum - it has a proven track record.
Use students as the "sellers" of the program - obtain buy-in from students and you will get the buy-in from their parents. To get a program off the ground make sure students are clear about what they are getting into.
Open communication on all levels is critical to program success. Communicating openly with your administrators, educators, teachers, parents and students builds trusting, healthy relationships for all involved.