Impact

Impact

Here are some examples of PPN's ongoing efforts to ensure open dialogue about issues we see impacting our teens:

In 2020, 2021 and 2022, PPN made donations to the Wellness Center, which offers free, confidential counseling on-campus and connects students and families to vital community resources; helping to meet the challenges of adolescence through prevention, early-intervention and education.
In 2020, PPN switched to virtual meetings due to the Covid pandemic and offered support for confined parents, helping them to stay connected to their community, and to support each other. Many groups met over summer 2020 as well.
In 2019, PPN significantly increased sponsorship of the Education Speaker Series (ESS) to bring key speakers to address topics that emerged from the CA Healthy Kids Survey as Piedmont-specific issues--marijuana and the developing brain, vaping and adolescent health, teen drinking, managing anxiety, and others.
In 2018, PPN brought together Mindhood founder Susan Reynolds and teacher Anne Peacock in whose PHS Social Psychology class, Susan spoke with all 10th graders to raise awareness of healthy phone use & overuse. She told students to start the day with intention and positive goals instead of simply reacting to messages pushed through their phones. Students signed up to continue to learn about Mindhood, and several formed the Mindhood Club.
In 2017, PPN engaged Gretchen Wegner, the Anti-Boring to teach smart study skills to enter freshmen, including how to avoid procrastination, how to take notes, how to study for quizzes and tests, and how to prepare for finals so you stress less.
In 2017, Cindy Pierce is a leading sexuality educator and comic storyteller who has been performing her one-woman comedic show and providing educational programs on healthy sexual behavior and choices. Combining humor and research, she enlightens people about obstacles and choices confronted in today’s media-driven world. She is the author of SEXPLOITATION: Helping Kids Develop Healthy Sexuality in a Porn Driven World and co-author of Finding the Doorbell.
In 2016, Al Vernacchio, author of For Goodness Sex addressed all students, grades 9-12. In a world awash in negative messages about sexuality, Al Vernacchio encourages students to develop healthy values and safe habits. Most notably, he replaces the baseball metaphor with one of choosing pizza.In 2013, PPN primarily sponsored speaker James Steyer who spoke on How Technology is shaping the younger community and what to do about it.
In 2012, PPN primarily sponsored speaker Dr. Robert Brooks who spoke on Raising Resilient Children and Adolescents.
In 2010, PPN primarily sponsored the film Race to Nowhere", as a fundraiser for the PUSD Wellness Center. The film was followed by a facilitated discussion with the filmmaker, PHS administration and counseling, and an Alameda County Mental Health Professional.
In 2006, PPN members worked with PHS administration on innovative ways to address student stress. This led to professional mental health crisis evaluation and referral as a critical component of the support services provided by the Wellness Center on the PHS campus.
Beginning in 2005, PPN members initiate research and fund professional speakers for school assemblies and the community. One assembly in 2006 on the subject of drinking and driving was termed by many kids "the most powerful assembly ever".
In 2001, PPN members surveyed the entire PMS community about the quantity and quality of homework; utilizing the results we worked successfully with the school to improve homework load and content.