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| Danielle Meyer |
| School: |
Hill City Schools |
| Email: |
lifeways@midconetwork.com |
| Phone: |
605-716-6555 |
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Hello!! My name is Danielle Meyer and I am currently the advisor for Hill City’s middle and high school. I was born and raised in South Dakota and am honored to be able to work on a daily basis with our future. My goal and passion has always been able to work with youth. I graduated in 2005 from Chadron State College with a BA in Criminal Justice and Psychology. After graduation, I spent my initial career years holding various positions at STAR Academy (SD’s State Treatment and Rehabilitation Academy). This year I took a different path in life and moved to working with families in the community. I am very excited to have the opportunity to work with so many highly motivated and dedicated youth, family, and team members. On a personal level, I have the privilege of having a wonderful fiancé, beautiful daughter, and feisty puppy; all of which keep me on my toes. I love the outdoors, traveling, and spending time with family and friends.
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| David Herrick |
| School: |
Stevens High School |
| Email: |
lifeways@midconetwork.com |
| Phone: |
605-716-6555 |
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My name is David Herrick, and I am the Lifeways Advisor at Stevens High School. I am excited about being apart of the Lifeways team. I enjoy working with students, being part of the excitement and energy that students bring with them into the classroom, and helping students experience personal growth. I have in the past worked as a Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention Graduate Assistant at the University of South Dakota. I enjoy running, camping, reading, hiking, and especially hanging out with my amazing wife and new daughter. My wife and I just have one daughter, but we also have a border collie/golden retriever mix dog that until recently we considered our pseudochild.
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| Chelle |
| School: |
Central High School |
| Email: |
lifeways@midconetwork.com |
| Phone: |
605-716-6555 |
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Hey my name is Chelle and I am the Advisor at Central High School. As an import from Nebraska some of the things that I have GROWN to love about living in Rapid City are Zumba, sushi, the beauty of the Black Hills and ALL the amazing people that I have gotten to know since arriving. I have a husband and two children and as a family we enjoy staying healthy and active and spending time together! I have an Associates degree in Human Services, a Bachelors degree in Psychology with a Minor in Information Technology and am currently working on my Masters degree in Addiction Studies. I am passionate about this field of work and the families whose lives I am privileged to be a part of!
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| Molina Schweigman |
| School: |
Administrative Assistant |
| Email: |
lifeways@midconetwork.com |
| Phone: |
605-716-6555 |
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Hello, my name is Molina and I am the administrative assistant for Lifeways. I love working for Lifeways with people who are passionate about what they do! I am an artist by trade and work with several mediums but at the moment I love spending most of my spare time beading.
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| Chris Schmit |
| School: |
West & South West Middle Schools; Central SADD |
| Email: |
lifeways@midconetwork.com |
| Phone: |
605-716-6555 |
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This is my 5th year with Lifeways and I absolutely LOVE working with students! I spend the majority of my time presenting presentations at Southwest MS and West MS. I am going on my 3rd year advising the Central SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions) group. I spend my free time playing with my 3 year old son Zeke.
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| Amanda Thomas |
| School: |
North Middle School |
| Email: |
lifeways@midconetwork.com |
| Phone: |
605-716-6555 |
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Hi! My name is Amanda Thomas and I am the Advisor at North Middle School. I have been with Lifeways since 2007, and I am looking forward to another great year! I truly enjoy working with youth of all ages and have done so for the majority of my career. As a Lifeways Advisor, my main goal is to empower youth and help them realize their potential. I provide students with support, advocacy, and prevention education which they can use to make knowledgeable, healthy choices in their lives. I grew up in Omaha, Nebraska and moved to Spearfish in 2001 to attend Black Hills State University, where I graduated with a Bachelors Degree in Sociology and minor in Psychology. My husband and I had our first child last November. He is absolutely AMAZING!!! I enjoy spending time with family and friends, I like playing volleyball and softball, we love hiking with our two dogs, and football season is a big deal in our family! :o)
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| Rebecca Weathers |
| School: |
Custer Schools |
| Email: |
lifeways@midconetwork.com |
| Phone: |
605-716-6555 |
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Hi my name is Rebecca Weathers and I am the Lifeways Advisor at Custer school district. I am continuously inspired and amazed by the youth I work with. There are so many challenges in today’s world and yet I see strong and capable youth all around me. My goal is to bring out those talents and abilities that each student has within and encourage them to use their skills to better their own life and the lives of all those they come in contact with. Simply stated my goal is to teach and role model: living in a happy and healthy way. I grew up in a small farming community in Nebraska with 9 siblings. I graduated with a Bachelor in Social Work and later moved to South Dakota where I earned my Masters of Science in Counseling. I am honored to be a Mom to 3 sons and 3 daughters who range from 5 years to 26 years of age. Life is never dull and always rewarding as a Mom. I have worked in a variety of jobs, but the one that ignited my passion for working with youth was the Custer Youth Correctional Center. I enjoy being outdoors, hiking, gardening, laying in the sun, sitting around a campfire and most anything that involves being with family.
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| Paula Wilkinson Smith |
| School: |
Program Director |
| Email: |
lifeways@midconetwork.com |
| Phone: |
605-716-6555 |
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Hello. I am Paula Wilkinson Smith, Lifeways’ Executive Director. My work with Lifeways is my lifelong dream and vision fulfilled. Early in my chemical dependency career, I realized what a difference one person can make in a young person’s life. If someone has at least one person in their life that believes in them, shows them hope and compassion, this can impact their life forever. Now I have the privilege of working with a group of people, at Lifeways, who are doing that every day impacting every year hundreds of young people. I have the greatest job ever.
On a personal level, my husband Steve and I enjoy hiking, biking and kayaking. In the winter when it’s too cold for some of that, we plan short trips to see the ocean somewhere warm. I also garden and love to spend time with my two daughters, two sons and three grandchildren.
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| Michelle Mott |
| School: |
Jefferson and Lincoln Academy |
| Email: |
lifeways@midconetwork.com |
| Phone: |
605-716-6555 |
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Hi, my name is Michelle Mott and I am the Lifeways Advisor at Jefferson and Lincoln Academy. My passion is helping others. I've been working with children and teenagers for most of my career. I graduated from Black Hills State University in 2001 with a Bachelor's Degree in Sociology and Human Services. In 2004, I obtained a Master's Degree in Counseling from SDSU. My goal is to connect with youth on a genuine and caring level. I want to understand their struggles and share my experience, strength and hope. Knowledge is power, so I aim to teach
kids about the effects of alcohol and drug use as well as empower them
to make healthy decisions. I have journeyed on the road to recovery
myself so I know how hard it can be at times, but that it is so worthwhile. I am married to a wonderful man, have an awesome step-son and three silly Boxer dogs. I love doing yoga and pilates, spending time with my family, camping, reading and meditating. Anything else, just ask!
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| Kelsey Arneson |
| School: |
Dakota and South Middle Schools |
| Email: |
lifeways@midconetwork.com |
| Phone: |
605-716-6555 |
|
Hey! My name is Kelsey Arneson I am the Lifeways Advisor at Dakota & South Middle Schools. I graduated from Chadron State College with a Bachelors Degree in Human Services and currently working on my Master’s Degree in Addiction Studies. I enjoy working with youth and giving them the skills necessary to help them succeed and live healthy lives through drug and alcohol prevention education. Every person has the ability and capacity necessary to live a happy, healthy life and my goal is to help those skills and talents surface in the student. This agency has an amazing team that works daily to help youth and families in need. In my free time I enjoy spending time with my family, camping, fishing, reading, cooking and baking (but not cleaning up afterwards) and traveling.
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Lifeways, Inc.
Lifeways is a non-profit alcohol and drug prevention and intervention agency. We provide school-based prevention programs for area schools. The earlier a child receives help – the more likely they are to successfully complete their academic and life goals. In the past 20 years of prevention research, important principles have been identified for prevention programs. We implement prevention programs understanding these principles, designed to enhance “protective factors” that positively impact youth and decrease “risk factors” for possible future risky behavior. Lifeways’ alcohol and drug prevention specialists are available to bring programs to youth and families. These specialists have the knowledge and skills to provide assistance and expertise to prevent and intervene on the devastating effects of drugs and alcohol.
OUR MISSION:
Building Bridges with Youth to Live Safe and Drug Free Lives.
Prevention Changes Communities!
ADVISORS PROVIDE
Classroom Education on alcohol, tobacco, drug use, abuse and dependence, and awareness on the connection between substance abuse and violence.
Research-based Prevention Curriculum with social skill components.
Support Groups for on-going abstinence and relapse prevention.
Individual Assistance on alcohol, tobacco, and other drug related issues.
Education to individuals, groups, and family members.
Assist in Peer-led Drug-Free Activities such as Youth to Youth (Y2Y), Stand Against a Violent Environment (S.A.V.E), IMPROV, etc.
Referrals to other resources in the community. |
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