From journalist to advocate, nonprofit leader pilots new approach to prevent substance abuse

credit: Flickr

"As a journalist, I could use my stories to make a difference," Angela Kennecke tells People. "But with Emily's Hope, I can save lives."

Kennecke founded the nonprofit in memory of her daughter, Emily Groth, who died of a fentanyl overdose in 2018 at the age of 22.

Now, with a grant from the Sioux Falls Area Community Foundation, Emily's Hope is introducing a prevention education curriculum designed for elementary students.

It includes lessons on the science, social, and health aspects of substance use; guidance for dealing with difficult emotions; and information to support the entire family's wellness.

Nine school districts in South Dakota and western Minnesota are piloting the curriculum at the third grade level.

"There are a lot of prevention programs out there for kids in middle school and high school and those are important," Kennecke says.

"But I think they're too late if we're not talking to kids at a younger age about these things.

Because when kids know how substances can adversely affect their brains, they'll be more likely to protect themselves."



Read the Entire Article

How's Your Community Doing?
Check Out it's
Community Vital Signs

Explore the
Social Progress Index
for the
Sioux Falls Area Community Foundation

El Rito 2024 Spring Arts Festival May 18-19

The New Mexico town of El Rito has been named one of America's 10 most livable cities by Time. The honor goes to El Rito for the third year in a row, thanks in large part to the work of its...more

Undergraduate Research Week Poster Competition Winners Announced

"This research pushed me outside my comfort zone and forced me to interact first-hand with hard truths about what social media is being used for in the modern day," Daisy Rehbock writes in her...more

Decision Reversed: Fair Park Ceo Put on 45 Day Paid Leave as Board Evaluates Performance

The CEO of the nation's second-oldest civic monument has been ousted over allegations of financial impropriety at Dallas' Fair Park, the Dallas Morning News reports. On May 1, Brian Luallen...more

An Evening Worth Its Weight in Art!

Quebec City's Mus ? 'e des beaux-arts du Qu'bec museum is getting a major boost from a single man. Michael Audain, chairman of the Jean Paul Riopelle Foundation, has pledged $10 million toward...more

Hasbro Teen'S Prom

It's not every day that a Rhode Island hospital hosts a prom for its teen patients, but that's exactly what happened at Hasbro Children's Hospital in Providence on Friday, the Providence Journal...more

Ford Fund Rebrands as Ford Philanthropy
Foundation: Ford Motor Company Fund

The Ford Motor Company's philanthropic arm is getting a new name: Ford Philanthropy. The rebranding reflects Ford's 75-year legacy of "driving impact in Ford communities around the world," says...more

Philanthropic Cause Takes Center Stage with Apo

Grace Reynolds, 17, sang "Landslide" in the style of Fleetwood Mac, while 11-year-old Rylee Campbell performed "Once Upon a December" in the style of Liz Callaway, but it was Reynolds who took home...more

P.B. Scott Named Ey'S Master Entrepreneur of the Year for Ja

"It's very nice to be recognized. It's an honor to be a part of something that's global." So says P.B. Scott, president and CEO of the Musson Group, after being named the Master...more

Margherita Therese Pappas Obituary

Margherita Therese Pappas was a singer and actor who performed in New York City, San Francisco, Amherst, and elsewhere before settling in Maui with her husband of 18 years, Miguel Sobel. Now...more

Pressr: Sustainova Startup Challenge 2024: Catalyzing Innovation for Sustainable Development

The winner of this year's Sustainova Startup Challenge in Saudi Arabia has a message for the rest of the world: "If you want to save the planet, you have to start now." The startup contest,...more