Takes 8 to 9 hours. Build awareness of current and past behaviors, consider consequences, and reflect on impact to self and others. Then, create reasons to make better choices, develop skills, build confidence, and desire, and share with peers and leaders to get feedback and support. Click HERE to logon and explore
the full PEAK CHOICES Program |
Peak Choices Activites and DiscoveriesHelps students, youth through adulthood, to build awareness of current and past behaviors, research and consider potential consequences, encourage reflection on the impact to self and others, create reasons for better choices, build assets that develop skill, confidence, and desire, and share with peers and leaders to get feedback and support. This version of Peak Choices is designed for self-guided, online use by teens in the juvenile justice system. We also offer versions of the Activities and Lessons that can be used with a partner and in group or classroom situations. | Required: AWARENESS and DETERRENCE Contemplate Your Behaviors
What behaviors have put you at risk?
How did it feel before and leading up to those choices?
How did it feel during those choices?
How did it feel afterwards?
Optional: Share/discuss with a partner on a specific occurrence:
What happened?
Be totally honest: in the moment, did you REALLY chose, or not?
What was your attitude going into the situation?
How did you react and feel afterwards?
What were your "reasons" for doing this? (Give examples)
Consider The Impact
Reflect on worst case outcomes for each choice above, in your life
Who does this impact, beyond you?
What impact does it have on them? Be specific.
Research the mandated consequences for your choices
What About Influences
What impact did friends have on these choices?
What risky behaviors have you seen your friends practice?
Describe what about you created the likelihood of this happening.
What is it about you that allows or does this?
Making New Choices
How will you avoid this in the future, before it happens?
Group sharing on your own and other people's stories
Required: PEAK CHOICES: DECISION and POWERWhat is a "Vector"?
Describe the Vector Story: how small changes today…
"Vectors" for you: small things that eventually made a big difference
Consider the Power of Decisions
Every single action you take is a decision… name three examples.
Positive decisions you've made in the past, and what happened
Decisions and Choice: The nature of your own power
Who or what in your life has created challenges for you?
How has that affected you? Be specific.
How might you rise above that now?
Name one small way you could shift the vector
Name one large way you could overcome that completely
Reasons: For yourself and for a higher purpose
Putting it Into Practice
Consider one choice or behavior from "Awareness and Deterrence"
Name three actions or decisions that would be negative (show examples)
Name three actions or decisions that would be positive (show examples)
If you change this vector, where will you end up?
If you don't change this vector, where will you end up?
Set an intention, create a goal (show examples)
How will you remind yourself of this every day?
How will you remember this in the moment, when the opportunity arises? | Optional: CRIME and VANDALISM Consider Choices and Consequences
Identify the criminal or illegal activities you chose
Investigate the legal and sentencing consequences
Identify other legal issues: costs, sentences, impact on your life
Who was the direct victim and how did you impact them?
Who else did this impact? How might they feel about it? What property?
How would you feel and what would you do it this happened to you?
Learn About What Others Have Been Through
Group sharing and discussion on discoveries
Reflect on external situations, pressures, or individuals that put you at risk
Reflect on internal attitudes, beliefs, or decisions that put you at risk
Set intention on how to manage future behavior
Optional: DRUG and ALCOHOLConsider Choices and Consequences
Take a survey of your behaviors and why you made those choices:
Chose three examples and reflect on why
Impact on your health and finances
Impact on your legal status and freedom
Impact on your chances for jobs, education, and opportunities
Impact on your self respect
Read or hear others' stories of the nature of addiction and choices
Optional: Describe/share your stories of friends, family, others in your life
How to Change This Vector
Reaching out...
What other resources or assistance are available (if you use them or not)?
How have other people sought help successfully?
Made a decision...
Refer to Decisions above, who could you reach out to?
What decisions could you make now to change your Vector?
Make the decision now to make that one small change
Honesty and sharing...
If you needed confidential help with this, where would you go?
What are you willing to change about you to improve this situation?
Willingness...
Knowing where this is leading you, are you willing to shift the Vector?
How could get willing or become more willing?
Asking for help...
Ask the person or whoever for help
Good - this is progress, you have made a Decision, changed a Vector
Maintaining...
Use the Decision and Power: what about next time?
Remember yourself in a past situation, now envision the future in detail
Record how you chose otherwise, how it felt, and decide to continue that
Staying Focused...
How will you take of yourself?
Finding and using local recovery and support resources | Click HERE to logon and explore
the full PEAK CHOICES Program
ADDITIONAL OPTIONAL MODULES Included- Counseling*
- Community Service
- Jail Visits / Jail Jolt
- Incarceration, Probation, Detention, Etc.
*Click here to sign up for our always-free Community Service Course |
Many intervention programs in the U.S. – diversion, probation, youth and teen courts, truancy centers, in school suspension, and juvenile justice centers – reach out to troubled teens and at-risk youth. Today’s troubled youth can become tomorrow’s prison inmate or worse, so it’s critical to motivate teenagers, help them see the consequences of their actions, and develop a vision for a better future. Helping them discover a sense of purpose and the confidence to get there can be the difference between success and failure. |
