Florida Center for Prevention Research (FSU)

Congratulations to our newly trained TOP Curriculum Facilitators. Teen Outreach Program (TOP) is a research-based, nine-month curriculum designed for grades 6–12 to promote healthy development, life skills, and community service. It utilizes weekly interactive peer group meetings focused on building social-emotional skills, positive decision-making, and healthy relationships to prevent risky behaviors.

Core Curriculum Components:
The curriculum is organized into three main books (Building My Skills, Learning about Myself, and Connecting with Others) that address key developmental needs.

Building My Skills (BMS):
Focuses on emotional management, goal-setting, problem-solving, and healthy decision-making.

Learning About Myself (LAM):
Encourages self-understanding, social identity, health and wellness, and values clarification.

Connecting with Others (CWO):
Develops relationship skills, communication, empathy, and community engagement.

FCPR is excited to be implementing this curriculum with 6-12 grade students at Graceville School in Jackson County.

Today our FCPR team participated in Lauren’s Walk, which aims to bring awareness around the prevention of childhood abuse. We also had a table for the block party after the walk to share resources for parents and meet other like-minded professionals. We love serving our community and supporting causes we are passionate about!

Big news from our center! 🎉🏆

Our Executive Director, Dr. Cindy Wilson, was honored with the Faculty Leadership Award at this week's FSU Leadership Awards Night, and we could not be more proud as a team.

This recognition reflects something we care deeply about at FCPR: the ongoing commitment to growing as leaders so we can better serve our student research assistants and further our research mission. We believe leadership development is part of the work, not separate from it, and this award affirms that commitment.

Congratulations, Dr. Wilson, and thank you to and for this honor! 👏

Congratulations to Karen Zak, FCPR Program Coordinator for the Wakulla County Drug-Free Communities (DFC) grant, for winning 4H Volunteer of the Year at last night’s Wakulla 4H Gala. Also congrats to the Wakulla County Coalition for Youth (WCCY) for winning the Friends of 4H award. FCPR is proud to support the work of WCCY & 4H through the DFC grant and through the efforts that Karen Zak is doing in the community. Way to go!! 🎉🎊🍀🥳

It was a fantastic day for our FCPR team at FSU Day at the Capitol! We loved sharing our work with legislators, Capitol staffers, community members, and our fellow FSU colleagues.

One last presentation at the National Council on Family Relations annual conference by FCPR postdoctoral scholar, Dr. Lenka Feng, who presented research from our FL Dept of Children & Families Applied Opioid Research project.

Tyriq Stewart, a Data Analyst at The Florida Center for Prevention Research, recently presented at the American Public Health Association 2025 Annual Meeting. He shared findings from a secret shopper study conducted under our Applied Opioid Research contract with the FL Dept of Children & Families.

Several team members from The Florida Center for Prevention Research are at the National Council on Family Relations conference this week presenting findings from our research. They also participated in the university showcase, helping to represent FSU. Noles!

Happy Halloween from FCPR!