During the April 11 Catasauqua Communities That Care meeting, coalition members worked on identifying programs and starting to schedule the informational presentations.

As part of the coalition checkup project, the CTC members agreed to increase shared understanding among the group and with the community during the Jan. 17 meeting, particularly in regard to programs, services and practices available to students within the district.

The CTC members went through their three main focus areas and identified the programs intended to assist each one.

Regarding substance use prevention, some programs include Life Skills Training, Second Step, Strengthening Families, a vaping presentation and more.

Programs to address the mental well-being of students include Project SUCCESS, Olweus, CBITS and Bounce Back, Sandy Hook Promise, Snacks in the Park, STARS Club, Salisbury Mental Health services and more.

Catasauqua Community Cares Program focuses on supporting resource-stressed families, in addition to partnerships with faith-based organizations, school resource officers, donation drives in conjunction with the police department and Linton’s Closet.

The coalition wants to begin with the presentations in June. The presenter will explain the program and its impact in the district during the regular monthly CTC meeting. The presentation will be recorded and shared with the community and district faculty and staff.

The hope is to have the presentations posted online on the CTC page through the school district website.

Amy Dymond-Jones, Catasauqua Middle School counselor and CTC organizer, volunteered to present first. In June, she will detail the Sandy Hook Promise initiative, which includes Start With Hello and the Save Promise Club at CMS.

Other presenters will include the Center for Humanistic Change, Valley Youth House, Holy Trinity Memorial Lutheran Church Pastor Brian Riedy, CTC moderator and Penn State Extension educator Denise Continenza and more.

In other business, Riedy was nominated for the Making Good Happen Award through the Commonwealth Prevention Alliance. Continenza reported his nomination made sense because of all the effort and good work he and his congregation do in the Catasauqua community.

Other recognitions included Catasauqua High School seniors Ashley Price and Kayla Cunningham for participating in the Whitehall Area Rotary Club’s 4-Way Speech Contest March 15, CHS senior Angelina Dries for earning honorable mention in the Prevention Suicide PA public service announcement poster design contest and one of the CMS eighth-grade classes for initiating an Easter egg hunt for the younger Sheckler Elementary School students. It was noted this hunt was so successful that they are considering making it an annual event.

The next Catasauqua CTC meeting will be held 9:30 a.m. May 16 in the district administrative board room, 201 N. 14th St.