The FOCUS Foundation is critically important because it empowers young people to take active roles in safeguarding their peers through Project-Based Learning. Here's why it matters:

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• Peer-driven engagement: FOCUS recognizes that students can often influence one another more effectively than adults. By training peer leaders, it fosters authentic conversations about issues like substance use, mental health, and risky behaviors.

• Inclusive and scalable: Open to all interested students, not just a select few like most peer helping programs, FOCUS fosters broad-based peer support and community partnership across schools. 

• Evidence-driven and sustained: As a long-standing program, it aligns with best practices in youth prevention: holistic, multi-session, interactive programs backed by data showing improved social skills, decision-making, and reduced risky behaviors. 

• Real-world impact: Alumni consistently report that FOCUS shaped their leadership, communication, and empathy-transforming them into advocates who felt heard and understood during challenging adolescent years. 
  
  In short, the FOCUS Foundation is more than a school program—it’s a proven catalyst for change. By supporting FOCUS, you're investing in student leadership, school safety, and the future of mental health advocacy. Together, we can build a generation of students who lift each other up and lead with resilience.