Youth School Safety Program

The TxSSC believes in young people's ability to contribute to and be part of the solution when creating safe and healthy schools. When young people are provided with training, support, and opportunities to engage their peers, they can help reduce violence and create a positive school environment.

Therefore, TxSSC has developed a statewide program focused on engaging middle and high school students in school safety initiatives to illuminate students’ perspectives and experiences.

The Youth School Safety Program provides 6th-12th grade students with opportunities to express their viewpoints as well as work on initiatives for campus safety, violence prevention, building connectedness and positive social norms among their peers, preparedness, and increasing awareness about the dangers of alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, and other drugs through a variety of youth-friendly resources. These resources include online training, toolkits, guides, projects-in-a-box, and other resources that encourage youth and adults to work together to help build a safe and healthy school community. Student leaders can start a KEYS (Knowledge Empowers Youth Safety) Group to access resources and connect to the movement.

Say What! Movement

Funded by the Texas Department of State Health Services, Say What! (Students, Adults and Youth Working Hard Against Tobacco) is the state's official statewide youth tobacco prevention program. Say What! connects middle and high school-aged youth groups across the state, provides training opportunities, resources, and materials to support local youth-led efforts toward the goal of making Texas safer from the harmful effects of tobacco, nicotine, and vaping with the ultimate goal of achieving the first tobacco, nicotine, and vape-free generation.

The Say What! program is built on a foundation of youth leadership and engagement. Leadership roles and training opportunities encourage and equip students to become more engaged in their school and larger communities as well as promote positive character development in the areas of teamwork, accountability, and decision-making. Student leaders can join the Say What! movement to access resources and connect with like-minded peers across Texas.

Texas E-Cigarette and Tobacco Awareness Program

The Texas E-Cigarette and Tobacco Awareness Referral Course is the state's official vaping (e-cigarette) and tobacco awareness program and is intended for individuals under the age of 21 who are cited for possession of tobacco products, including vapes. This free online course meets the requirements of Section 161.253, Texas Health and Safety Code.

In addition to the referral course, schools/educators are encouraged to promote the Prevention Course as a way for students to receive awareness education regarding the harmful effects of tobacco use and vaping. This course teaches students about the history, marketing, and health risks of tobacco products as well as strategies to resist peer and social pressure and how they can share the information they learn in the training.