L.I.N.K.

L.I.N.K.

What is L.I.N.K.?

L.I.N.K. is an organized outreach effort targeting high-risk behavior data which suggests our youth would benefit from focused efforts supporting them in making protective and informed decisions around topics, such as:

• Digital Citizenship
• Substance Misuse and Addiction
• Mental Health and Suicide/Self-harm Awareness and Prevention
• Domestic and Social Violence
• Physical and Relational Health

Which schools will participate directly in L.I.N.K.?

All secondary (middle and high) schools within APS are invited to participate. They will need:

• Student leaders
• Monthly and weekly time allocated to LINK efforts
• Digital devices for every student

What will participation include?

For schools:

• Advisory/Homeroom
  Monthly check-in with student leaders, during which the Google Classroom site with each theme's content will be shared.
• Student Leaders/Mentors
  Student leaders will be trained in mentorship skills and will be available as a "safe person" for their peers to connect with, and through whom referrals to other resources and services will be provided. These students will be able to earn additional honors hours and credits toward graduation/scholarship applications. Student leaders will also collaborate, assist and support in selecting content relevant to their age group for each topic of discussion.

For Community Partners:

• Agree to hang and rotate out bi-monthly "Connecting the Dots" periodicals for backpacks of restroom stall doors.
• Be available for connection, support, or additional promotions at times when topics of discussion are relevant to services provided. (Ex. Alamogordo Public Library will provide suggested reading/title lists for students and parents during the month of September to promote digital citizenship, and other topics throughout the school year.)

For Students and Parents/Guardians:

• All secondary APS students will be provided information during the school day on how to access the Google Classroom where rotating content will be made available.
• All APS students and families district-wide will be able to access Connecting the Dots periodical flier resources with the mobile device cameras, via the QR codes provided.
• A Parent Advisory Committee will be formed to support efforts in sustaining this outreach program and to solicit feedback on future initiatives and focus areas.

How will the program be managed?

2021-2022: APS will be forming community partnerships relevant to each focus area throughout the year. Some prospective and committed partners already identified are:

• Alamogordo Public Library
  Digital Citizenship
• The Counseling Center and PDOPS
  Substance Misuse and Addiction Prevention and Awareness
• The Counseling Center and COPE
  Domestic Violence Prevention and Awareness
• Alamogordo Pediatrics and Otero County Public Health
  Physical and Relational Health

With the support of community partners, APS students and parents will have wrap-around access to helpful resources, information, and support services as they relate to each focus topic throughout the school year. After September, the remainder of the school year will be divided into 2-month spans, during which a focus area will be highlighted through content delivered at school, fliers throughout the community, and website/social media PSA blasts that will link every stakeholder to vital and relevant information.

When will the program begin?

Our projected launch date is sometime during the month of September 2021. Our first focus topic will be Digital Citizenship. The whole school year maps out as follows:

• Sept. - Digital Citizenship
• Oct./Nov. - Substance Misuse and Addiction Awareness and Prevention
• Dec./Jan. - Mental Health and Suicide/Self-injury Awareness and Prevention
• Feb./Mar. - Domestic and Social Violence Awareness and Prevention
• Apr./May - Physical and Relational Health