Bridgeland High School – Peer Assistance Leadership (PALs) I-II 1-2 credits

Mar 2026 · 2nd Semester

The Peer Assistance and Leadership (PAL) program focuses on working with elementary, middle, and high school age youth. Participants receive effective training in resiliency strategies. Course content and interactive activities combat issues like school violence, drug use/abuse, teen pregnancy, gang participation, school dropouts, and/or behavior problems. PAL began in 1980 as a peer mentoring program, commonly referred to as “peer helping”, by combining peer assistance and peer leadership strategies originally developed in the 1970’s. PAL applies these basic prevention strategies by implementing the program as informal extra-curricular activities, or as structured, evidence/curriculum-based programs. The outcomes identified through implementation of the PAL program in a school setting are a reduction in substance use/abuse, an increase in academic performance, a reduction of absences/truancy, a reduction of discipline referrals to the school office, and an increase in positive decision-making skills and risk resiliency. Parents and school administrators note a favorable perception of the program effectiveness. Students selected for PALs must complete an application, submit recommendations, and schedule an interview with the PALs sponsor.