Goooooooooooooooooood Morning Eagles!!
We are so excited to announce that The Diamond Standard Middle School curriculum has officially launched at Southeast Christian School in Parker! Thanks to our youth education team, A Promising Future, we were able to train staff and volunteers in the summer to prepare for the Fall 2023 semester! The Diamond Standard is offered as an elective for this school year. We are working with the principal and school counselor toward offering it as a required course for the 8th grade in the fall of 2024. It is our desire to have students who love to take the course and teachers who love to teach it!
If you haven’t heard, The Diamond Standard, is a life skills curriculum that seeks to
build a foundation for social and emotional learning, critical thinking and personal flourishing for a healthy transition into adulthood. Throughout the course, students learn about executive skills such as: planning ahead, problem-solving, regulating their thoughts and feelings and engaging with others in healthy ways. The ongoing practice of these skills enables young people to become better equipped to endure adversity, engage in healthy relationships, make self-honoring decisions and thrive because they have cultivated tools and support that help them navigate life.
The Diamond Standard was originally custom-written by Alternatives for a high school/college audience; however, thanks to the efforts of Alex Sopocy, A Promising Future Director, and Mattie Motl, Staff Instructor, a middle school version has been adapted from the initial curriculum with the needs of middle school learners in mind. For our faith-based partners, like Southeast Christian School, we include a Biblical Discussion Guide that is integrated into the curriculum to help students further contemplate and understand how life skills interact with faith in Jesus Christ. Each session includes relevant scripture, discussion questions, optional activities and additional resources.
Middle School is the perfect time to practice goal-setting and problem-solving while supporting spiritual growth and servant leadership. The Diamond Standard can be offered as an elective or required course. If you are interested in bringing this resource to your public or private school, community agency or church, please contact Alex Sopocy at 303.298.8815 or Alex@APromisingFuture.com.