Life Education Center Wise Highs Program (Kindergarten – 6th Grade)

The Juvenile Justice Council of Iroquois County partners with the Iroquois-Kankakee Regional Office of Education and the Pledge for Life Partnership to bring students Life Education Center (LEC) programming.  This magical and interactive substance abuse prevention program teaches kids the skills they need to choose healthy lifestyles and avoid the dangers caused by abusing alcohol and other dangerous substances.

Beginning in kindergarten and continuing through sixth grade in Iroquois County, the LEC's curriculum uses age-appropriate material to teach students about the human body and how it works; good nutrition and exercise; the harmful effects of alcohol, tobacco and other substances; and teaches the skills students will need to deal with pressures from peers and society. The curriculum includes the K-6th grade Wise Highs Program.

​The LEC programs also provide additional activities for teachers and students including the annual Best Practice Contest for K-6 grade teachers and the Wise Highs billboard contest for 5th and 6th graders.

Funding for the LEC program comes from state and federal grants.

ANNUAL BILLBOARD CONTEST:  The LEC invites 5th and 6th grade students to create a billboard design for their annual contest.  One winning design will be chosen and made into a billboard in Kankakee or Iroquois County.  Please read the contest rules carefully, as they have been recently updated.

KINDERGARTEN LEC PARENT GUIDE

FIRST GRADE LEC PARENT GUIDE

SECOND GRADE LEC PARENT GUIDE

THIRD GRADE LEC PARENT GUIDE

FOURTH GRADE LEC PARENT GUIDE

FIFTH GRADE LEC PARENT GUIDE

SIXTH GRADE LEC PARENT GUIDE

2025 Winning Billboard Design

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Too Good for Drugs (7th grade, 8th Grade, and High School)

Skill development is at the core of Too Good for Drugs, a universal prevention program designed to mitigate the risk factors and enhance protective factors related to alcohol, tobacco, and other drug (ATOD) use. The program introduces and develops social and emotional skills for making healthy choices, building positive friendships, communicating effectively, and resisting peer pressure.
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Too Good for Drugs teaches five essential social and emotional learning skills, which research has linked with healthy development and academic success:

• Goal Setting
• Decision Making
• Bonding with pro-social others
• Identifying and managing emotions
• Communicating effectively

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​Toilet Times

Since 2018, all Iroquois County junior and senior high schools have proven to be key team players in expanding TIP the Scale’s prevention efforts by displaying The Iroquois County Toilet Times, a “newspaper” that educates teens with facts and prevention tips in a fun, encouraging format.  Its goal is to empower students to resist peer pressure and say no to underage drinking/drug use.  Posting this publication on the inside doors of school restroom stalls increases the probability that it will be seen, as most students use the restroom at some point during the school day.

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​Coach's Resource Sets

Coaches can have a very influential role in the lives of teens.  Not only do they spend a significant amount of time interacting with players during practices and games, but many of these coaches are also making an impact as our teen's school teachers.  For this reason, Coach's Resource Sets were given to junior and senior high school athletic directors and coaches in Iroquois County in 2019.  This resource provided useful information to coaches about the dangers and warning signs of opioid, marijuana, vaping, and tobacco use, as well as underage drinking.  Encouragement was also provided to these school employees to take an active stance with athletes/students and their parents to prevent underage drug use.

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