Advancing Strategies for Healthy Young People
We know that health education can help young people gain the knowledge and skills they need to stay healthy throughout their lives. When teens have accurate information and know how to make good choices, they are more likely to take care of their health. ETR creates, studies, and shares programs and materials that support youth health in areas including:
Select a category to learn more:
Sexual Health/HIV
Reimagining Youth Centered Strategies and Engagement (RYSE)
The RYSE Innovation Hub supports youth-led Innovation Development Teams (IDTs) to create creative products that center youth voice in adolescent health and wellbeing. RYSE provides funding, technical assistance, and partnership with Youth Innovation Advisors to help IDTs across the country advance creative products that address adolescent health issues, with a focus on reducing unintended pregnancies and STIs.
To learn more about RYSE or apply to join an IDT, visit our website.
Yes & Know
Yes and Know is a fully online program created by ETR to help teens ages 14–19 build strong relationships and important life skills. ETR is studying how the program affects things like preventing unplanned pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). The research also looks at how well virtual sexual health programs work, especially ones that let students learn at their own pace using technology.
Next4You
Next4You is a digital program created by ETR to help reduce unplanned pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among teens ages 16–19 in California’s foster care system. The program was designed with input from young people in foster care and is available on your phone. Researchers at RTI International are studying how well the program works by looking at things like birth control use, sexual health knowledge, confidence in communication and consent, and healthy relationships.
Prevent HIV Using PrEP: Free Educational Video
Prevent HIV Using PrEP is a free mini health lesson you can download. It helps teens and young adults learn about PrEP, a medicine that can help prevent HIV. The video is easy to follow and explains what PrEP is, how it works, why it’s helpful, and how to get it. It’s a great tool for teachers and health workers who want to give clear and useful sexual health information.
Safer Sex - ETR (full section on the store)
Check out ETR’s safer sex products made to help teachers, health workers, and youth programs teach sexual health in a way that’s clear and interesting. These include pamphlets, infographics, and interactive tools that cover topics like birth control, consent, and how to prevent STIs. These resources help teens learn important information, make smart choices, and stay safe.
Browse our safer sex products and find the right materials that fit your program’s needs.
Teen Options to Prevent Pregnancy (TOPP) Program
TOPP is a program that helps prevent teens from having another baby too soon and encourages healthy spacing between pregnancies. Over 18 months, trained nurses and social workers give support through phone calls and home visits. They help teens get birth control and connect them with other helpful services.
Tobacco and Nicotine
Seeds of Tradition, Preserving Heritage, Promoting Health
Seeds of Tradition is a youth-led group that teaches other youth and Tribal communities about the dangers of commercial tobacco. At the same time, it honors the traditional use of tobacco in American Indian culture. The group builds trust, encourages people to care for the environment, and strengthens cultural connections to protect clean air, trees, and water. By sharing lessons passed down from elders, Seeds of Tradition helps young people choose a smoke-free life that respects their culture and protects the Earth for future generations.
INSPIRE+
INSPIRE+ works with teens in communities affected by the War on Drugs. It helps young people come up with creative ideas to improve health in their neighborhoods. The goal is to stop substance use before it starts by looking at the real reasons it happens—like stress, violence, and lack of support. Teens lead the way by sharing their stories, designing solutions, and working with adults to make change. In 2022, INSPIRE+ won the Excellence in Adolescent Health Award from the Adolescent Health Initiative.
Learn more about INSPIRE+ here.
Tobacco Use Prevention - ETR
ETR offers easy-to-use tobacco prevention materials that help people learn about the risks of smoking, vaping, and other tobacco use. You can find pamphlets to hand out, posters to hang in clinics or schools, and signs for smokefree areas. These materials cover important topics like how to talk to teens, the dangers of secondhand smoke, and facts about tobacco and vaping. They’re designed to be clear, helpful, and ready to share.
View the ETR Store for tobacco education materials.
Tobacco Education Clearinghouse of California (TECC)
TECC is a California-based program that helps create and share free health education materials and social media posts to prevent tobacco use. If you sign up on the website, you can access hundreds of free resources like posters, stickers, brochures, and fact cards that you can print anytime.
View their resources created for youth that emphasize the importance of being tobacco free for their health and well-being.
Mental Health
Emotional and Mental Health
We love to help young people learn how to take care of their emotional and mental health. Our resources teach healthy ways to handle strong feelings and tough situations. We also offer support for common mental health issues like depression, anxiety, and panic attacks.
Check out ETR’s Emotional and Mental Health pamphlets here.
B3: Brain, Body, Behavior
B3 is a fun program for students in grades K–6 that uses videos and activities to help kids move their bodies, think clearly, and feel better. It’s easy for teachers to use and doesn’t cost much. B3 helps students stay active, focused, and ready to learn.
HealthSmart Emotional Health Inventory Worksheets
Did you know you can download free worksheets from HealthSmart, a customizable health education program for grades K–12? These worksheets help students think about how they show emotions in healthy ways, take a short quiz to see where they can improve, and set goals for their emotional health.
Nutrition and Physical Activity
HealthSmart Filling MyPlate Worksheets
Learning about healthy eating starts with understanding the nutrients in different foods. HealthSmart is a customizable K–12 health education program that teaches students how to build healthy habits. One lesson includes a worksheet where you match nutrients to what they do in the body and where they fit in the five food groups. Click here to download the free exercises that include matching nutrients to their main function in the body and where each nutrient is within the five food groups.
HealthSmart Daily Eating & Activity Journal
To build healthy habits, it helps to look at what you eat and how active you are each day. HealthSmart offers a journal where you can track your meals and physical activity. This helps you see what’s working and set goals to improve your health. Download this free journal here.
5 Benefits of Physical Activity in the Classroom for Students - ETR
Teachers and schools can help students stay active and healthy. Classrooms aren’t just for learning—they’re also great places to build lifelong healthy habits. Read our blog for ways to add physical activity into the mix of education.
