(04/30/25) CARENCRO, La. — As students and teachers rushed to their classes at Carencro Middle School recently, a group of students walked to a brightly decorated classroom near the entrance of the school. All around the class were posters and signs denouncing the use of drugs, vapes and alcohol. The students sat excitedly and patiently for their teacher, Na’lani Zeno, to get started.

On this day in mid-April, Laura Littleton and her students from David Thibodaux Magnet Academy also joined Zeno and the students from Carencro. While the students settled in, the teachers passed out buzzers and whiteboards for the students to play a game of Jeopardy! that quizzed them with different statistics and facts about drug and alcohol abuse.

This is one of the many activities that 4-H Health Rocks! has brought to Lafayette Parish. Implemented in the parish in August 2024, Health Rocks! is a program that teaches students how to handle issues like illegal drug use, alcohol abuse, bullying and, in recent years, vaping and peer pressure.

“The success of the LSU AgCenter’s 4-H Health Rocks! program is attributed to the dynamic collaboration with the Lafayette Public School System’s Physical Education Department alongside teachers, administrators, community partners and students. Some students have taken on leadership roles, serving as teachers,” said Charles Hebert, an LSU AgCenter 4-H agent in Lafayette Parish. “This program equips youth with essential life skills, strengthens decision-making abilities and empowers them to lead healthier lives.”

Health Rocks! has reached more than 6,500 students in the parish. The lessons are taught during P.E. classes throughout the parish along with the help of some resource officers that are stationed at the schools.

For principal Kris Leger of Carencro Middle School, the program has been helpful in reaching his goals as his first year as principal. He wanted to ensure his students were staying healthy and responsible, and the Health Rocks! program was exactly what he was looking for.

“One of the things that we wanted to do is increase awareness on character development — all the different skills and tools that middle schoolers need to cope through middle school because they're getting introduced to all kinds of things of this age,” Leger said. “Whenever we started talking about vaping and social media and all the different things that these kids have to deal with, it was a perfect program for us.”

The program was developed by the National 4-H Council and has reached more than 700,000 youth since its creation more than 20 years ago. The program was designed to give students an engaging way to learn about sensitive and important topics that can be difficult to address in the standard classroom.

Its lesson plans also act as a prevention method, ensuring students completely avoid the illegal and unhealthy behaviors that are discussed throughout the different lessons. Claire Zak, Louisiana 4-H healthy living coordinator, said these specifications make a huge difference.

“We found that a prevention program can really capture the youth and make the change for their lifelong habits,” Zak said.

At Carencro Middle, special resource officer Michael Smith also took the time to speak with the students about his experiences tackling illegal and dangerous drug use to allow the students to realize the severity of these issues. His speeches also act as a preventative measure, as they help the students understand the realities and consequences of illicit drug use.

For Littleton, a P.E. teacher at David Thibodaux Magnet, the design of the program has been a game changer because of its impact on the students.

“I really like that the Health Rocks! program provides innovative lessons for students to learn about the dangers of drugs and alcohol,” Littleton said. “The students get to play games like Jeopardy! and get to get up and move around. This really helps with the retention of the material.”

The students also have reacted positively to the program and what it has provided them. Kinsley Wilkinson, a middle schooler at David Thibodaux Magnet, said the program has given her better decision-making skills while keeping her engaged.

“I love the games and how they are entertaining, but yet, they are still teaching at the same time,” she said.

On the walls of a classroom in Carencro Middle School, where the Health Rocks! program is held, posters depicting information and warnings on vaping, drug use and bullying hang. Photo by Anthony Bailey/LSU AgCenter

Teachers Na’Lani Zeno and Laura Littleton talk in front of the class at Carencro Middle School as they go over the rules of Jeopardy! Photo by Anthony Bailey/LSU AgCenter

Students raise their hands to answer a question on drug use during the Health Rocks! Jeopardy! game at Carencro Middle School. Photo by Anthony Bailey/LSU AgCenter

Special resource officer Michael Smith talks to the students during a Health Rocks! lesson at Carencro Middle School. Photo by Anthony Bailey/LSU AgCenter