Guest Speaker Series: Mid-Coast Family Services
Youth Connection Life Skills & Leadership Series
Crossroads Christian School is proud to host Mid-Coast Family Services on campus for an interactive 12-week life skills and leadership program. Far from a routine lecture, the Curriculum-Based Support Group (CBSG®) – Youth Connection program offers practical, evidence-based personal development designed to help middle and high school students navigate challenges, build self-worth, and make confident, healthy choices for their future.
Program Highlights & Student Benefits
- 0.5 High School Transcript Credit: Eligible high school students earn half an elective credit upon completing the series.
- Mastering Mindset & Stress: Learn actionable techniques for emotional regulation, stress reduction, and healthy communication.
- Goal Setting & Future Vision: Concrete exercises to define purpose, outline personal dreams, and set actionable life goals.
- Resilience & Boundaries: Develop real-world strategies to navigate social dynamics, establish positive peer groups, and resist negative pressures.
- No Cost to Families: Offered on campus at zero charge through our community partnership with Mid-Coast Family Services.
12-Week Curriculum Journey
Over the course of 12 interactive weekly sessions, students progress through four key stages of personal development and leadership:
- Weeks 1–3: Self-Discovery & Emotional Awareness
Students kick off the program by building trust within the group, learning they are not alone. They explore their unique strengths and self-worth ("I am special, capable, and valued") while developing healthy, constructive ways to identify and express complex emotions.
- Weeks 4–6: Emotional Control, Vision & Healthy Choices
The focus shifts inward toward self-regulation and long-term planning. Teens learn practical de-escalation strategies to stay calm under anger, map out concrete goals and personal dreams, and recognize the personal power of choosing a drug- and alcohol-free lifestyle.
- Weeks 7–9: Social Dynamics, Peer Pressure & Support Systems
Students tackle the real-world pressures of adolescence. They practice building positive, mutual friendships, develop refusal skills to stand firm against negative peer influences, and understand how chemical dependency impacts families—including when and how to ask for help.
- Weeks 10–12: Resilience, Integration & Celebration
The final weeks equip youth with coping mechanisms to navigate unexpected changes and adversity. After synthesizing all the core tools learned throughout the semester, students celebrate their growth and make a lasting personal commitment to a purposeful, healthy future.
Enrollment & Participation
- Who Can Attend: Open to enrolled Crossroads Christian School middle and high school students.
- Required Forms: Participation requires a signed Texas Health and Human Services Parent/Guardian Consent Form on file with the school office.
- Get Started: Have questions or need a registration slip? Stop by the front office or contact us directly.
Meet Our Guest Speaker & Facilitator
Samantha Guillen ("Ms. Sam"),
Prevention Specialist, Mid-Coast Family Services
- Education: Bachelor of Science in Psychology, University of Houston–Victoria
- Approach: Dedicated to engaging teens through meaningful discussion, interactive activities, and supportive mentorship
- Mission: Equipping students with the practical life tools, coping strategies, and mindset needed to thrive socially and emotionally
Guest Speaker Spotlight
Red Ribbon Week: Teen Vaping Prevention
In honor of Red Ribbon Week, Crossroads Christian School welcomed guest speakers Samantha Guillen, Ashley Willson and Frankie Rogers to lead an engaging, eye-opening Teen Vaping Prevention Lesson for our students.
The interactive session dismantled common myths surrounding e-cigarettes, equipped students with actionable refusal tactics, and emphasized the role older students play as campus role models.
Red Ribbon Key Takeaways & Educational Highlights
Challenging the "Safer Alternative" Myth:
Students learned that the idea that vaping is healthier than smoking cigarettes is a dangerous myth. Nicotine reaches the brain in just 8 to 10 seconds, directly impacting mood, lung health, and cognitive function. Because the human brain continues developing until age 25, early exposure poses serious developmental risks.
Secondhand & Thirdhand Exposure:
The speaker emphasized that vaping affects more than just the user. Secondhand aerosol harms surrounding family members, siblings, and pets. Furthermore, thirdhand smoke leaves toxic residue on walls, furniture, and surfaces long after the device is used.
Understanding Dependence & Financial Cost:
The presentation addressed the cycle of nicotine dependency, including withdrawal symptoms such as irritability, as well as the significant financial cost that pulls money away from meaningful personal goals.
Practical Refusal & Healthy Habit Strategies
Students practiced real-world techniques to handle peer pressure and build positive alternatives:
- Direct Refusal Tactics: Saying a firm "no," walking away, using humor, or offering a quick excuse to exit the situation.
- Positive Replacement Habits: Substituting unhealthy urges with physical movement (walking), sensory and fidget tools, chewing gum, or changing up daily routines.
- Leadership & Influence: Older siblings and upperclassmen were encouraged to recognize their influence and set a positive, drug-free example for younger students and family members.
Interactive Learning: Telephone Charades
The session wrapped up with a high-energy Telephone-Charades activity. Students silently acted out clues down the line to see how the original message changed before reaching the final guess. The game provided a memorable lesson on how quickly rumors, myths, and distorted information spread about vaping—reinforcing the importance of relying on real facts rather than peer chatter.
- Guest Facilitator: Chelsea Akin Ganaway, Prevention Specialist (Youth Department, Mid-Coast Family Services)
Mrs. Ganaway visited our students for an engaging workshop on the power of Goal Setting. The session guided students through identifying their personal strengths, visualizing achievable goals, and building the self-confidence needed to turn positive aspirations into daily habits.
Key Learning Focus:
- Cultivating self-confidence by recognizing strengths and areas for growth
- Learning the difference between wishful thinking and actionable planning
- Developing focus, prioritization, and positive decision-making habits
Community Partnership History: Mid-Coast Family Services
For years, Crossroads Christian School has cultivated a dedicated community partnership with Mid-Coast Family Services to bring evidence-based life skills, character development, and proactive wellness programming to our student body. Check out the highlights from past campus presentations and ongoing initiatives.
About Mid-Coast Family Services
Mid-Coast Family Services provides a wide array of evidence-based programs designed to foster positive social and emotional environments that encourage healthy, drug-free lifestyles. Their youth and family services promote proactive health and wellness throughout Victoria and surrounding communities.
- Website: midcoastfamily.org
- Facebook: Mid-Coast Family Services
- Guest Facilitators: Larsen Davidson & Chelsea Akin Ganaway (Mid-Coast Family Services)
Students participated in an interactive Self-Esteem Bingo workshop designed to foster candid, supportive conversations around real-world challenges.
Topics Explored:
- Building confidence and fostering a healthy body image
- Recognizing and shutting down cyberbullying
- Identifying warning signs of depression and emotional distress
- Understanding the realities of chemical dependency and alcohol abuse
Through structured group discussions and interactive activities, students explored practical coping tools and learned the value of extending empathy and support to peers facing tough situations.
