Program aims to prevent problemsome behavior: Pennsylvania: Bensalem Township School District.

Bensalem Township School District in Bensalem, Pa., is the state's winner of the 2005 Civic Star Award for a program aimed at reducing drug use, delinquency and school dropout rates.

The program is based on a partnership among the school district, a community organization called Building a Better Bensalem Today (B3T) and the Township of Bensalem. It began when Bensalem's mayor, the school superintendent, the director of public safety, a local business leader and the director of a drug and alcohol/mental health agency agreed to support a community-based prevention program.

A community needs assessment had shown that the community had little involvement with the schools, and this effort along with regular meetings by B3T to discuss school and community issues would help address that deficiency.

Over the past five years, a variety of initiatives emanating from the partnership have been introduced in the schools. The efforts rely on commitments from community leaders, community volunteers and funding through grants.

Significant initiatives implemented include Project Alert, Life Skills, Preparing for School Success, and Olweus Bullying Prevention, which has been established in all public, private, parochial and charter elementary schools in Bensalem.

The X-SITE program provides one of the best examples of the partnership's initiatives. The goal of X-SITE, which stands for Extreme Service and Intergenerational Training Experience, is to prevent drug use by helping youths bond to a positive peer group, caring adults and the community through intergenerational training and community service. The program has four main components:

* Intergenerational partnerships in which students aged 13 to 15 pair with adults.

* Training where youth and adult partners participate in two orientation sessions and eight core training sessions.

* Community service, in which students participate in two community projects, including one involving advocacy.

* Recognition at a public ceremony and through the awarding of certificates.

School and community members recommend students for participation in the program. They also contribute ideas for meaningful community service projects and often serve as adult mentors. Students who complete the program are asked to serve on a B3T youth committee.

An evaluation of the X-Site program found that student participants showed significant improvement in decision-making skills related to situations involving alcohol, tobacco and drugs. They also reported increased positive interaction with adults and greater community involvement. The evaluation found qualitative and quantitative indicators of effectiveness related to each of the program's four main components.

According to program leaders, the strong partnership that has developed among community participants continues to gain strength, and their goal is to ensure the success of many of the initiatives beyond their initial funding.

For more information, contact Superintendent Victoria C. Gehrt at Bensalem Township School District, 3000 Donallen Dr., Bensalem, Pa. 19020, or call [phone], Ext. 4100. Gehrt's e-mail address is [e-mail].