Middle School Brain Health Curriculum
22 FOREVER is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that believes the prevention of adolescent substance misuse and mental health disorders starts with early “brain health” education – and that knowledge has the power to save lives.
Our founder, Dr. Kristen Gilliland, lost her 22-year-old son, Anders Meisenheimer, to an accidental overdose. Anders’ addiction was the tragic culmination of a four-year struggle with schizophrenia, associated in part from his high-potency cannabis use in his early teens.
Rather than allow this loss to be in vain, Kristen is transforming her grief into purpose by developing a middle school Brain Health curriculum to reach youth during a critical time in brain development.
The Lessons
Middle School Brain Health Curriculum The Turnkey 22 Forever lessons include:
- Adolescent brain development and basic neurobiology
- Defining neuroplasticity and how choices/environment shape well-being – particularly during adolescence
- The impact of repeated stress on the developing brain
- Effects of excessive screen time/social media on the developing brain
- Substance use (alcohol, nicotine, opioids, and cannabis) and the adolescent brain’s reward system
- How THC affects the developing brain
- Dangers of synthetic street drugs (fentanyl, xylazine, zenes, etc.)
- Skills for lifelong well-being, including the importance of:
- Reframing negative self-talk and practicing self-compassion
- Mindfulness, gratitude, sleep, and boredom
- Emotional awareness, resilience, and problem-solving
- Human connection, creativity, and physical activity
The Delivery
- The turnkey curriculum will be compatible with multiple learning platforms including Moodle, Google Classroom, Schoology, Blackboard, etc.
- Peer-to-peer video lessons led by youth and young adults
- Engaging animations paired with real-life inspirational stories and insights
- Facilitator guides, printable activities, games, quizzes, and discussion tools
