Whether you are a parent, grandparent, or guardian, this part of the website has been designed with you in mind. Each area will help you as a parent to talk with your teen and to come up with ways to handle a multitude of situations. We invite you to explore the entire Relationship Matters website!

Who is Stark STRONG?

Standing Together Reaching Our Next Generation

Whether you are a teenager in a dating relationship or an adult in a committed marital relationship, it seems that relationships truly do matter.  Because our relationships are so important to us, they also have a great impact on our lives.  And few relationships are as powerful and complicated as dating relationships and marriage.

PSC through Stark STRONG (Standing Together Reaching Our Next Generation) has embarked upon a great venture. Stark STRONG is a collaboration between Community Services, Catholic Charities, and PSC which has been in existence since 2004. The collaboration is the recipient of a five year grant, awarded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Administration for Children and Families (ACF), and the Office of Family Assistance (OFA).  With these and other funds, the collaboration has developed a program entitled Relationship Matters (R/M). This program offers Healthy Relationship Education to high school-aged students in 3 different ways:
 
  • Relationship Matters -  A semester-long, credited, elective class taught by state-licensed teachers, who've been trained on the curriculum. This curriculum is designed for 10-12 grade students.
  • Relationship Matters: Healthy Relationships - Is an 8-10 hour course/seminar that is presented by a member of the Stark STRONG staff to local churches, group homes, alternative high schools, etc..
  • Relationship Matters: Healthy Choices - Is a 10-session course presented in area high school health classes and is currently taught by a member of the Stark STRONG staff who is a state licensed educator.
A recent study found that the greatest fear among teens and young adults is the breakdown of the family.  Interestingly, these same people also say that having a successful marriage is very important to them. So, while teens and young adults greatly desire healthy marriages, they also fear that they may never be able to develop and maintain such a relationship.

Both students and teachers highly praise the Relationship Matters programs.