Student-Led Chapters

A school starts a chapter in three steps: contact SLS about your school, have a staff advisor complete SLS training, then students begin leading workshops for their peers.

SLS helps each school choose the right model at the first conversation, and provides the chapter framework, startup materials and ongoing advisor support from then on.

SLS, Students Leading Students, is the high school chapter model. STAND, Students Taking A New Direction, is the middle school model.

Both are student-led and advisor-supported, and both build the same leadership and prevention habits. STAND starts earlier, before peer pressures peak.

Each chapter gets a chapter framework and startup support, advisor training with ongoing materials, membership of a statewide network of peer schools, invitations to the annual SLS High School Conference, and the ability to nominate students for the annual SLS awards.

Advisors have ongoing direct access to the SLS team rather than a one-off training.

SLS membership is tiered so a school can choose a level that fits its budget, and schools that cannot afford the cost can apply for a grant or scholarship.

Higher membership levels include more SLS services. Schools that would rather not take a membership can buy individual trainings and services separately, though membership is better value. Where cost is a genuine obstacle, SLS has sponsorships and grants that may cover it, and what is available varies by area of the state and from year to year. Get in touch and SLS will work out the level that fits.

Most chapters meet two to four times a month, and the most effective ones meet weekly for at least 45 minutes.

Chapters typically attend three or four SLS trainings across the year and pick two or three focus areas, for example mental health or school respect, then build their activities and messaging around them.

SLS chapters progress through five levels, from getting a first project off the ground to a self-sustaining chapter running monthly activities and training its own successors.

Most chapters sit between levels one and three, with a few reaching level four. The levels are a planning tool created by the SLS Student Advisory Board, and SLS supports chapters wherever they are on it rather than expecting them to arrive fully formed.

Chapters run peer workshops on substance use, mental health, bullying and inclusion, safe driving, and healthy relationships.

Topic material is available to students through the Learn and Lead section of this site.

Every chapter is led by a trained staff advisor, with the prevention workshops run by the students themselves.

The advisor receives full SLS training and continuing access to SLS staff and materials. Students deliver the peer education.