Initiative Description: A school and community-based violence prevention program for at-risk eighth-grade students in three public schools in Florida. School officials matched intervention students with community‐based mentors in an employment setting to allow targeted youth to explore careers and receive one‐on‐one intervention from an adult mentor. Students participated in the program for approximately 2 hours daily, four days each week under constant supervision of either the mentor or a designated adult. The average number of days of participation in the intervention for each student was 166. The school system gathered data on every student in the school throughout the year and compiled it at the end of the school year.

Study Results: Mentored students, as compared to control group students, had significant reductions in total number and days of suspensions, days of sanction, and infractions committed on school property.

Reference: Rollin, S. A., Kaiser-Ulrey, C., Potts, I., & Creason, A. H. (2003). A school-based violence prevention model for at-risk eighth-grade youth. Psychology in the Schools, 40, 403–416.

Level of Evidence: Very Good