PPT for High School Students explaining ACEs

Hello Ms. Nall-
I saw your post on ACEs Connection and wondered where you were from.  And if your state or area had ACE Interface available. It is a specific curriculum and ppt. developed by Dr. Anda and Laura Porter. I have found it to be one of the best and thorough and consistent presentations that can be built out and broken down as needed for an audience.
Our Mental Health Region brought the training of trainers to us and we have trained additional presenters. So depending on where you are from, I wonder if there wouldn’t be trainers/ presenters available to you.
I think the core content is great as it works through neuroscience, epigenetics, the ACE study, and resiliency in community building.
I don’t know if there is a specific component of education that you would want to build out with the youth/parents/staff or service providers you are thinking of focusing the information around, but it would be beneficial to plan that out with a presenter of ACE/trauma training.
I can also reach out to other ACE Interface co-presenters to see how they have customized presentation and learning to youth audiences if that is what you thinking. Again, the ACE Interface presentation is very specific, but I would think someone could provide you something comprehensive and individualized to your target audience need.  

The Resilience video and facilitator guide may be a good beginning as well to a different way of learning about ACEs and responses.  http://kpjrfilms.co/resilience/

Let me know if I can be of help or connection- Ana (ana.clymer@uweci.org).

Ana - I just attended the ACE Interface Train the Trainers session in northern Michigan, and I asked whether Dr. Anda and Ms. Porter felt the "Understanding ACEs" presentation was appropriate for teens. Their counsel was that it is not, for a variety of reasons. So perhaps you may wish to make a follow-up contact with ACE Interface about the matter.

Thanks so much for your replies, ladies!  I have been told it is appropriate and that it is not appropriate to discuss ACEs with teens.  As I stated, I am working with kids in a residential treatment program for drugs and alcohol as a teacher, not a counselor.  These poor kids do not always choose this destiny as it is bestowed upon them.  With their brains functioning differently, I feel it is important for them to know why and work to find ways to deal with their individual strengths and weaknesses.  I base these comments off of Paper Tigers and the school in Walla Walla, WA.  That school did it and had great success.

Please understand, not all my students are ready to learn about ACEs, but I do have some that need this knowledge to move forward.

Thanks so much for your insights and if you think of anything else or any other ideas, please let me know.  I'm in Pensacola, Florida.

Thanks again--Barbie

I'm also interested in how to teach to the at-risk youth, as was done at Lincoln.  I'm not looking for "if" we should teach it, but rather "how," as we know the information is powerful, we just need to make it developmentally appropriate.  If anyone has integrated ACE science into their work, I'd love to hear how and the outcomes!  Thanks!

I'm glad to know I'm not alone, Tracy!  If you hear of anything or locate anything, will you please share?

Thanks in advance,

Barbie

If you've had a chance to watch the film "Paper Tigers" they clearly taught their at risk teens about ACE's. From the film I'd say this had a profoundly positive effect. Obviously take the best advice out there but understanding in a judgement free setting and with therapeutic support available is surely a positive step for many young people. It explains why they are not "bad" and their behaviour is adaptive. This new understanding can increase choices.

Hope this helps and good luck. :-)

Barbie - Have you found any resources for teaching directly to our at-risk students?  Our local alternative high has asked for ideas, as they will be integrating it into their work this year.  I'd love to be able to share some ideas with them. 

Hi, Tracy!  I'm sorry to say, but I have been unsuccessful.  I keep telling myself it must be out there somewhere.....

If I develop something, I will happily share it with you.  I signed up for a course with The Center for Adolescent Studies so maybe I will get some help from them.

Either way, I'll let you know when I find or develop something.  Thank you!

Carlene Przykucki posted:

Ana - I just attended the ACE Interface Train the Trainers session in northern Michigan, and I asked whether Dr. Anda and Ms. Porter felt the "Understanding ACEs" presentation was appropriate for teens. Their counsel was that it is not, for a variety of reasons. So perhaps you may wish to make a follow-up contact with ACE Interface about the matter.

When I was a suicidal teen, I wish someone would have explained to me what was going on in my brain and that I wasn’t insane.   I believe it is appropriate for teens -generally - maybe explained in a more general way like when you have these experiences and poverty and foster care and homelessness - your brain develops in a certain way and you will need support and to take special care.   I’m my humble opinion, Laura and Dr. Anda are wrong. PS - If I had still been in N. MI, I would have been in the group with you.   I’ll be in the last group in Saginaw - because I NEVER GIVE UP. 

Hi all, 

I think Paper Tigers would be appropriate for most teens--I would say 13 and up, but that is just my guess. I would suggest a brief intro about about the movie, letting people they can and should step out/stay safe as needed and then show the movie with a debrief afterwards. In central Maine, where I was visiting, this was shown in many high schools and I saw many high school students attending and participating (one group even made dinner for the attendees).  

We, in the Harrisburg area (West Shore School District), are showing the film Resilience multiple times and have again, arbitrarily recommended it for 14 years and above. We felt that people/parents needs some guidance, similar to the PG- system for movies, but then could decide for themselves. At the first showing I don't recall any teens attending.  Good luck and if content/presentations are used, I would love to see them and use them to continue our work.