SYNAPTIC YOUTH
Brain Power. Get Connected
A Community Partnership
PROGRAMS
Synaptic Youth Research
Synaptic Youth, has implemented a new primary prevention elementary school anti-bullying and preventative substance abuse curriculum. The program’s decision to transition to the school curriculum was based on the presentation and publication of evidence which was accumulated following ten years of successful trials in California, Colorado and New Zealand.
Some educational approaches that currently target universal populations, such as Drug Abuse Resistance Education, or DARE, have shown a consistent lack of effectiveness in scientific studies.
Traditional educational and prevention formats have reported limited or no effect in changing youth behavior. In fact, some have reported a slight increase in maladaptive conduct.
Our Remarkable Brain U.S. (ORBUS)
The ORBUS© curriculum is consistent with the strategies and programs identified in Youth Violence: A Report of the Surgeon General "Promoting Healthy Children".
The empirically based, understandably novel, and pioneering curriculum is essentially a cooperative learning approach for young student healthy decision making. Utilizing the human brain, pencil-and-paper, and coloring diagrams, the program facilitates active, hands on learning and encourages collaboration between students and their families.
The formal program elements include:
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Students work collectively and assist one another
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Students promote each other's skills, asking another, helping another.
The ORBUS© program specifically encourages students to:
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Recognize the major brain structures involved in his or her healthy brain behaviors including anti-bullying, drug abuse, and suicide presentation behaviors.
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Retain understanding of brain healthy skills required to work and play with others.
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Work with their parents on activities targeting personal development, empathy, and communication.
Synaptic Youth Foundation
The Synaptic Youth Foundation is funded largely as an anti-bullying, drug and suicide prevention program working through library and school districts. The entity is established as a non-profit charitable foundation. It submits grants to the Departments of Justice and Education, the US Drug Enforcement Agency, Colorado Department of Public Health and the Environment, corporations, foundations, individuals, and other sources.
In addition, training and local programs typically receive funding from state legislative appropriations, state agencies, county, cities, school and library districts, hospitals, police and sheriff agencies, individual and community fund raisers. It is reasonable and customary to donate a small honorarium for Dr. Copelan’s presentation.
