Empowering Students to Choose a Healthier Future

R.E.A.L. Futures is a comprehensive opioid prevention and awareness program dedicated to equipping Idaho students with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to make life-saving decisions.

Through our evidence-informed R.E.A.L. decision-making framework Refuse, Explain, Avoid, leave we teach young people practical strategies they can use in real-world situations when facing peer pressure and risky choices.

Our Mission: To reduce opioid-related harm among youth by delivering prevention education that meets students where they are honest, relevant, and empowering rather than fear-based.

We believe:

• Every student deserves the tools to protect themselves and their peers
• Prevention education works best when it's practical, not preachy
• Young people are capable of making good decisions when given real strategies
• Recovery is possible, and hope should be part of every conversation
• Communities, schools, and families must work together to restore childhood joy

Our Approach: R.E.A.L. Futures combine classroom curriculum, school-wide assemblies, teacher training, parent engagement, and peer support all delivered in partnership with trusted organizations including 208 Recovery North, See Tell Now, and Panacea NW Region.

One student. One school. One community at a time.

Giving Students the Power to Protect Themselves and Their Friends

When a friend offers you a pill at a party, "just say no" isn't enough. When someone DMs you on Snapchat trying to sell you something, you need more than a lecture. When the pressure is real, you need real tools.

That's why R.E.A.L. Futures training goes beyond awareness we give students practical, proven strategies they can actually use in the moment.

The R.E.A.L. Framework:

• R – REFUSE: Learn to say no with confidence. No apologies. No excuses needed. Your voice steady, your boundaries clear.
• E – EXPLAIN: When pressure pushes back, have a reason ready. "I've got a game tomorrow." "My parents test me." A simple explanation takes the pressure off you.
• A – AVOID: The best way to handle a bad situation? Don't be in it. Learn to recognize warning signs and trust your instincts before things escalate.
• L – LEAVE: Walking away isn't weakness it's one of the bravest choices you can make. Know your exit plan before you need it.

More Than Self-Protection—Peer Support

R.E.A.L. training doesn't stop with personal decision-making. We teach students how to recognize when a friend is struggling, how to start difficult conversations, and how to connect peers with help through resources like See Tell Now! Being a good friend sometimes means doing the hard thing and we show students how.

Training Delivered Where Students Are:

• School-Wide Assemblies — Interactive 35–40-minute presentations with real scenarios and volunteer demonstrations
• Classroom Curriculum — 10-lesson program diving deep into each R.E.A.L. strategy
• Peer-Led Discussions — Student ambassadors reinforcing the message
• Take-Home Resources — Parent guides and family conversation starters

Because when students have the right tools, they don't just survive pressure they help others do the same.

Fireside Chats with Cops

For many students, their only interaction with law enforcement has been negative or nonexistent. We believe prevention happens through relationship, not regulation and that starts with real conversations.

Our Fireside Chats with Cops bring together students and volunteer law enforcement officers who donate their personal time because they genuinely care about keeping young people safe. No lectures. No podiums. No PowerPoint. Just honest talk about real issues.

What Makes Fireside Chats Different

• Honest Q&A: Students can ask the questions they'd never raise in a formal assembly. What really happens if someone gets caught? What do officers see on the streets? How bad is the fentanyl problem in our community?
• Humanizing the Badge: Students see officers as people parents, coaches, community members who volunteer because they believe in prevention, not just enforcement.
• Street-Level Reality: Officers share what they're actually seeing in our communities. Not statistics from a national report real stories from local streets that make the crisis tangible and immediate.
• No Judgment Zone: Students who may be struggling or curious can listen and learn without feeling targeted. Officers focus on prevention and support, not scare tactics.

Fireside Chat Format

• Setting: Small group, casual environment (classroom, library, or outdoor space)
• Size: 15-30 students for genuine interaction
• Duration: 30-45 minutes
• Frequency: Bi-monthly throughout the school year
• Led By: Volunteer local law enforcement partnered with school resource officers who give their own time to make a difference.

Topics Covered

• What fentanyl is doing to our community what officers see firsthand
• How drug dealers target teens through social media
• What really happens during an overdose call
• How to help a friend without getting them (or yourself) in trouble
• The truth about "experimental" use and counterfeit pills
• Recovery stories—because officers see those too

Why It Matters

These volunteer officers aren't here because it's their job they're here because they've seen what this crisis does to families, and they want to help stop it before it starts. When students see officers as allies in their safety rather than adversaries, they're more likely to seek help when they need it.

Real conversations. Real people. Real impact.