Project For Teens (P4T) members from Saint Peter High School met with eighth graders in Mr. Sharstrom’s and Mr. Bartholow’s classes at Saint Peter Middle School on Wednesday as part of their continued peer-to-peer education program.
“(During these sessions) we taught the eighth graders about healthy relationships vs. unhealthy relationships,” Amanda Rodning, SPHS’s P4T advisor, said. “We role-played different scenarios teens experience within a relationship and showed how to respond to those scenarios. We also talked about mental health myths and mental health facts.”
The group met with six different classes over the first three blocks on Wednesday. Included in their sessions were group and small group activities which allowed the students to connect on a more personal level.
According to the group’s website, “P4T is a peer-to-peer education program that involves approximately 180 10-12th grade students from five Greater Mankato area high schools: East, West, Loyola, St. Peter, and Lake Crystal. They interview with the program director and school advisors to become P4T Peer Leaders, and if selected, attend a one-day training with their fellow peer leaders where they discuss various topics including healthy relationships, consent, sexual education, vaping, drugs/alcohol, body image and bullying. Once trained, peer leaders share these messages that promote healthy decision making with fifth–eighth graders through various methods including small group discussions, skits and role-playing. Community discussions and presentations are provided as well.
