Natural Highs
Healthy Alternatives to Drugs and Alcohol is a holistic, interactive workshop for teens created by local substance abuse specialist, Avani Dilger. This interactive, strengths-based educational program integrates traditional and alternative approaches to substance abuse prevention and intervention. The curriculum provides cutting edge information on brain chemistry and development, hands-on opportunities to learn healthy coping strategies for stress management, creative and safe ways of accessing altered states of consciousness, and discussions about issues underlying substance abuse. The program is being offered in several local high schools in Boulder.
Natural Highs has been offered as a workshop at New Vista since 2006. The program has been so well received by our students that we have expanded it to include a Natural Highs II: Advanced Applications workshop, several drop-in lunch groups called Mate Philosophy Circles and the Natural Highs Action Group, whose mission is to create a positive and healthy peer culture in Boulder. The Natural Highs Action group, which is comprised of students from New Vista and several other local high schools and is facilitated by Catherine Douglas, has received a City of Boulder Youth Opportunities (YOAB) Grant this year to help fund monthly alternative sober "Natural Highs "Final Fridays" Events for Boulder teens.
For more information about the Natural Highs Program, please visit http://www.naturalhighs.us
Funding for Natural Highs Program at New Vista has run out and we are looking for sources to fund the program next year and beyond.