In an interview with Alison Stumacher, deputy director of education for the Alliance for Decision Education, MaST students heard about making choices. Write a reflection about a time you made a decision that turned out to be a mistake and what you learned about the experience. Would you make a different decision?

In the interview with social worker Kevin Carter, eighth-grade students learned about coping with emotions like depression and anxiety. One of his suggestions is to practice self-affirmation, finding positive ways to remind yourself of your worth and strengths. Write yourself an affirmation and put it somewhere where you’ll frequently see it—in the front of your school notebook, or on your bathroom mirror, or maybe next to your bed.

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Keith Prewitt, a former deputy director of the U.S. Secret Service, had these tips to help people make good decisions:

Say something if you see something that doesn’t look right.

Pay attention to your intuition.

Be a good listener.

Create a public service announcement that uses this advice. Include an illustration.

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Tricia Yeo, senior manager of health and wellness at the Food Bank of South Jersey, shared information about healthy snacks. She says a healthy snack includes at least two of the five food groups (for example, apples and peanut butter or a banana and yogurt). Create and illustrate some healthy snack ideas.

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Dr. Pearl English, school nurse at Eleanor Emlen School in Philadelphia, described what students miss when they are absent from school. Write a reflection about what you miss when you are home sick.