Distinctly Montana Magazine

D I ST I N C T LY M O N TA N A • W I N T E R 2 0 1 8 60 F O R T H E L o v e O F . . . ANOTHER OUTSTANDING MONTANA NONPROFIT. P O W E R U P, S P E A K O U T ! e lessons are geared at 7th-8th grade. Most other programs start teaching about sexual harassment, sexual assault, and teen dating violence in high school. But, by then it's usually too late. Healthy relationship skills need to be taught sooner. Since 2012, over 500 educators in Montana have been empowered by Power Up, Speak Out! for free. Educa- tors attend training where they're given a toolkit that contains what they need to teach the lessons. ose educators include school counselors, health and P.E. teachers, family and consumer science teachers, school administrators, private counselors, violence prevention educators, domestic violence and sexual assault advocates, school resource officers, and others—even a martial arts trainer! is healthy relationships program is flexible enough that Montana teachers use it in 4th-5th grade classes, as well as in high schools. Power Up, Speak Out! can be found on reservations, in Montana cit- ies, and increasingly across the nation. Power Up, Speak Out! and DSVS partner with several organiza- tions to give students as many opportunities as possible to create healthy relation- ships. For example, in the local middle and high schools, a caring adult is paired with a selected student. e men- tors meet their students once a week for lunch. Mentors listen and provide students with someone who believes in them and can help them through tough times. Power Up, Speak Out! and DSVS also host an annual trip to Yel- lowstone in partnership with Yellowstone Forever, the Red Lodge Area Community Foundation, and a generous private donor. Each year, 12 middle school students go for a five day trip to Yellow- stone, led by a Power Up, Speak Out! educator and an educator from the Red Lodge Area Community Foundation. e students are immersed in an experience that teaches them how to be closer to their environment and each other. e group not only experiences outdoor activities such as whitewater rafting and art projects, but also lives together during the week in a cabin. ey learn to respect each other's boundaries and deal with conflict. Students learn the skills to create a group in which everyone is treated well. Because Power Up, Speak Out! lessons are so successful in Montana, DSVS received requests for our program outside of the state. To learn more about Power Up, Speak Out! and the great work they do, visit their Website, www.powerupspeakout.org/. To buy-in to the program, go to www.offers.powerupspeakout.org/. P OWER UP, SPEAK OUT! WAS CREATED BY DOMESTIC AND SEXUAL VIOLENCE SERVICES (DSVS) IN RED LODGE WITH A VISION TO END VIOLENCE IN MONTANA COMMUNITIES AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY. is educational program was created for middle school teachers to help them teach students to think critically about healthy relationships, power dynamics, boundaries, and consent. Power Up, Speak Out! began in 2010. DSVS received the support of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the OP&WE Edwards Foundation, and many other donors. Concerned and experienced Montanans created the program with rural schools in mind. ese lessons take a positive approach, teaching students what TO DO instead of what NOT to do. Power Up, Speak Out! teaches the foundational skills necessary for students to know what they deserve in healthy peer relationships for their whole lives. Photos by Randy Dragon Leader Travis Burdick

• Cover