Dent County Health Center was excited to welcome 7th and 8th grade students from across Dent County for another Teen Maze event. Thanks to support from previous sponsors and opioid settlement funding, we were able to host this two-day experience at the Salem Community Center at The Armory.
This event would not have been possible without the many partners and community members who joined us, including Compass Health, Prevention Consultants, Health Dent County’s Prevention Coalition, Teens on Prevention, the Dent County Sheriff’s Office, Salem Police Department, Wilson’s Mortuary, Russell House, Phelps-Maries County Health Department, the Rotary Club, and other local supporters. Their time, effort, and dedication helped create a meaningful experience for our students.
To better understand the impact of the event, we conducted pre- and post-surveys with participating students. The available data showed encouraging signs of growth in both confidence and knowledge after attending Teen Maze. For example, the percentage of students who said they think about how their choices affect their future “all the time” increased from 18.5% before the event to 29.2% afterward. Students also showed increased confidence in recognizing unhealthy dating behaviors, understanding pregnancy and STI prevention, identifying mental health concerns, and resisting peer pressure.
We are grateful for the opportunity to continue building and improving Teen Maze each year. We look forward to bringing this experience back again for Dent County students in 5th, 8th, AND 12th grades.
