A New Year of Healthy Choices: Life Education Center Heads Back to School!

As we begin 2026, the Life Education Center team is excited to continue its mission of promoting health, wellness, and safe choices among students across Kankakee and Iroquois Counties. For more than three decades, our educators have partnered with local schools to deliver engaging, age-appropriate lessons that help nearly 10,000 kindergarten through high school students each year build the skills they need to thrive physically, mentally, and socially.

In the coming months, Life Education Center educators will continue to visit public and private schools throughout the region, bringing hands-on learning experiences directly into classrooms. While dates and locations vary school-to-school, you can expect our team at elementary and middle schools in communities throughout Kankakee and Iroquois Counties as part of our ongoing commitment to youth health and prevention education.

What We’re Teaching This Year

In a fun and inviting way, our curriculum is designed to meet children where they are — developmentally, socially, and emotionally — and equip them with practical skills for healthy living. Our educators, along with our mascot Harold the Giraffe, bring to life relevant topics for students’ daily lives. Here’s a quick overview of the key topics students will explore during our visits:

Early Grades (K–5): “Harold the Giraffe and Wise Highs”

• Hygiene & Personal Health: Students learn basic habits that keep their bodies clean and healthy.

• Healthy Eating & Exercise: Fun activities teach why good nutrition and staying active matter.

• Peer Pressure Skills: Lessons help children understand what peer pressure is and how to make confident decisions.

• Social-Emotional Well-Being: Students practice recognizing feelings, communicating with others, and coping with challenges in positive ways.

“Wise Highs” uses interactive games, visual aids, visit from Harold the Giraffe, and classroom discussions to make learning engaging and memorable.

Upper Elementary / Middle School: “Too Good for Drugs”

Too Good for Drugs is a research-backed prevention curriculum that equips students with practical

life skills and protective factors proven to prevent substance use, including: peer pressure resistance, goal-setting and decision-making, managing emotions and stress, and healthy relationships and communication. In addition, students can also expect to discuss: 

• Resisting Unhealthy Behaviors: Through the evidence-based Too Good for Drugs curriculum, students build decision-making and communication skills that help them resist drug and alcohol misuse.

• Safe Medication Practices: Lessons discuss the importance of using medicines responsibly and understanding that “medicine isn’t candy.”

• Mental Health Awareness: Our educators introduce strategies for maintaining mental wellness and talking about emotions in healthy ways.

• Internet & Social Situations: Students explore topics like cyber safety and how to handle bullying or risky online interactions.

This age group benefits from interactive activities and group problem-solving that encourage thoughtful choices both in and out of the classroom.

Outside of the Classroom

The Life Education Center’s impact extends well beyond school walls. Throughout the year, our team participates in community events, health fairs, and family-focused programs that reinforce healthy choices for children and teens. Additionally, our Parent Communication Campaign provides caregivers with relevant information, conversation starters and practical tools to help continue important discussions at home. By supporting parents and engaging the broader community, we strengthen the lessons students learn in the classroom and create a unified approach to prevention and wellness.

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Why It Matters

The Life Education Center’s programs go beyond facts — they build confidence, resilience, and real-world skills that support positive choices throughout childhood and into adolescence. By partnering with schools, families, and community leaders, we’re helping students feel empowered to take charge of their health and wellbeing year after year.

We look forward to another incredible year of learning, growth, and community engagement.

Visit us again for updates and resources you can use at home or in your classroom!

Want to bring the Life Education Center to your school or learn more about our schedule? Contact us through the Life Education Center page on PledgeForLife.org.