Marsing School District Forms Youth Prevention Coalition

The Marsing School District has prioritized implementing the Communities for Youth model over the past couple of years to best support youth well-being. As this initiative continues to grow, the district has brought together a diverse group of individuals from across the community and schools to form a prevention coalition. This coalition includes parents, teachers, law enforcement, coaches, migrant liaison services, Southwest District Health (SWDH), faith-based leaders, city officials, business owners, and others.  

The prevention coalition held its first meeting in November of 2024 and will continue to meet on the first Monday of each month in the afternoon at the Marsing HUB. The coalition will use the annual youth well-being survey results as well as insights from community conversations to set goals based on priorities identified from the survey data. They will then develop an action plan to address these priorities. Members of the coalition will share responsibility for implementing and monitoring activities, addressing challenges, and gathering feedback from youth and families in the community. For the second year in a row, funds to support these new youth well-being activities will be provided by Southwest District Health. Superintendent Norm Stewart said, “We’re excited to have established a coalition solely dedicated to making Marsing the best place for youth. When we collaborate as a community we can make a bigger impact on youth well-being.” 

A Communities for Youth team member reviews data from the student well-being survey with members of the Marsing community.

The coalition’s work aims to support the ongoing implementation of the Communities for Youth effort in Marsing, including monitoring the results of the annual survey, tracking progress over time, and using the data to guide future efforts to better support youth. The ultimate goal is to increase protective factors while reducing risk factors for young people in the community. 

If you’d like to get involved in the exciting work in Marsing, please contact Tara Woodward at Southwest District Health. If you’d like to stay connected to the work of the SW Idaho Communities for Youth Initiative please sign up for our newsletter.