Focus Area News Post

Why Mindfulness Education Should Grow with Students

Elizabeth Porter2026-10-08T16:01:58+00:00

October 08, 2026, Durham, NC – Students face different challenges at different stages of development. An elementary school student learning to recognize strong emotions has different needs than a middle school student adjusting to new academic expectations or a high school student managing greater academic demands and responsibilities. The fact that young people experience stress across ages raises an important question for schools and youth-serving organizations: When should we begin teaching young people skills to manage stress, regulate their emotions, and cope with challenges? The answer is not to wait until stress becomes overwhelming. Mindfulness and self-regulation are skills that can [...]

Why Mindfulness Education Should Grow with StudentsElizabeth Porter2026-10-08T16:01:58+00:00

Homecoming to Tailgates: Make Safe Driving Part of the Plan

Elizabeth Porter2026-10-08T15:50:54+00:00

October 08, 2026, Durham, NC – Fall brings plenty of reasons to celebrate. Homecoming dances, football games, tailgates, watch parties, and other gatherings bring teens, college students, families, and communities together. As people make plans for where they are going and who they will be with, there is another plan worth making ahead of time: How will everyone get home safely? Driving risks can increase when celebrations run late or involve alcohol or other substances. For young drivers in particular, the trip home may combine several risks at once, including limited driving experience, nighttime driving, fatigue, distractions, and other young passengers. [...]

Homecoming to Tailgates: Make Safe Driving Part of the PlanElizabeth Porter2026-10-08T15:50:54+00:00

iRT Receives NIH Funding to Develop New Toolkit to Support Youth Mentors

Elizabeth Porter2026-10-08T15:25:14+00:00

October 08, 2026, Durham, NC – Mentoring Central, a division of iRT, has received a Phase I Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) award from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), to develop and evaluate the Building Assets Together (BAT) Toolkit for youth mentors. The project, led by iRT Research Scientist, Dr. Rebecca Stelter, will develop a new approach to providing mentors with practical, ongoing training and support throughout their mentoring relationships. For many mentoring programs, mentor training is concentrated before the mentoring relationship begins. Initial onboarding training can provide an important foundation [...]

iRT Receives NIH Funding to Develop New Toolkit to Support Youth MentorsElizabeth Porter2026-10-08T15:25:14+00:00

How Improving Self-Awareness Helps Youth Build Coping Skills

Elizabeth Porter2026-09-23T21:57:25+00:00

September 23, 2026, Durham, NC - In our last article, we explored what mindfulness is and why it matters for young people today. Mindfulness involves a set of practical skills that can help youth notice what they are experiencing, understand how stress affects them, and respond to challenges in healthy ways. However, for many adults who work with children and teens, one important question remains: How do you teach mindfulness to young people in a way they can understand and use? One helpful approach is to organize mindfulness education in ways that represent the four foundations of mindfulness: awareness of the [...]

How Improving Self-Awareness Helps Youth Build Coping SkillsElizabeth Porter2026-09-23T21:57:25+00:00

What is Mindfulness and Why Does It Matter for Youth Today?

Elizabeth Porter2026-09-10T18:11:04+00:00

September 09, 2026, Durham, NC – Over the past several years, many adults who work with young people have noticed the same thing: today's youth are facing increasing stress and anxiety. Whether you are a teacher, youth program leader, counselor, coach, mentor, clinician, or parent, you may have seen children and teens struggle with worries, frustration, emotional outbursts, difficulty focusing, or feeling overwhelmed by everyday challenges. Many youth are navigating academic pressures, social media influences, family stress, and a constantly changing world, all while they are still learning how to understand and manage their own emotions, thoughts, and behaviors. As schools, [...]

What is Mindfulness and Why Does It Matter for Youth Today?Elizabeth Porter2026-09-10T18:11:04+00:00

iRT to Advance Media Ready Parent with Support from New NIH Grant

Elizabeth Porter2026-09-09T18:28:25+00:00

September 09, 2026, Durham, NC – Adolescents encounter messages about alcohol, nicotine, cannabis, and other substances across social media, entertainment, advertising, and other parts of their everyday media environment. These messages can shape what young people perceive as normal, healthy, popular, or safe, often at the same time they are beginning to make more independent decisions about their lives. Parents have an important opportunity to help their children navigate and understand the messages in the media environment. Conversations at home can encourage young people to question the messages they see, consider potential risks, and make healthier and safer decisions. However, knowing [...]

iRT to Advance Media Ready Parent with Support from New NIH GrantElizabeth Porter2026-09-09T18:28:25+00:00

Helping Youth Start the School Year Strong Through Goal Setting

Elizabeth Porter2026-08-13T14:51:39+00:00

August 13, 2026, Durham, NC – The start of a new school year is more than a return to the classroom. It is an opportunity for young people to set new goals, build positive habits, and envision what they want to accomplish in the months ahead. Whether you are a teacher, mentor, afterschool professional, youth leader, or another trusted adult, you can play an important role in helping youth begin the school year with purpose. By encouraging meaningful goal setting and providing ongoing support, adults can help young people develop the confidence and skills they need to succeed both in and [...]

Helping Youth Start the School Year Strong Through Goal SettingElizabeth Porter2026-08-13T14:51:39+00:00

Coming Soon: A New Blog Series Exploring Mindfulness Education for Youth

Elizabeth Porter2026-08-13T17:24:56+00:00

August 11, 2026, Durham, NC – Why has mindfulness become an important topic in schools, youth programs, and healthcare? Organizations have been implementing mindfulness practice in everyday youth activities, but what does the research actually say about its impact on children and adolescents? In the coming months, iRT will be exploring these questions in a new blog series dedicated to the science of mindfulness. From understanding the foundations of mindfulness to exploring its role in healthy coping, emotional regulation, social-emotional skills development, school functioning, and substance use prevention, each article will examine the evidence behind mindfulness and how developmentally appropriate mindfulness [...]

Coming Soon: A New Blog Series Exploring Mindfulness Education for YouthElizabeth Porter2026-08-13T17:24:56+00:00

iRT Releases Fourth Edition of Media Ready to Address Today’s Evolving Media and Substance Use Landscape

Elizabeth Porter2026-07-16T18:30:53+00:00

July 14, 2026, Durham, NC – Today's middle school students are exposed to more substance-related media messages than ever before, and Media Ready has been helping them navigate those influences for two decades. Now, iRT is excited to announce the release of the fourth edition of Media Ready, our evidence-based substance misuse prevention program designed to help students think critically about media messages and make healthier decisions. Today’s middle school students are navigating a media landscape that looks dramatically different than it did just a few years ago. From influencer marketing and viral trends to emerging nicotine products, targeted digital advertising, [...]

iRT Releases Fourth Edition of Media Ready to Address Today’s Evolving Media and Substance Use LandscapeElizabeth Porter2026-07-16T18:30:53+00:00

iRT Publishes Long-Term Effects of Media Aware on Young Adult Sexual Health Beliefs

Elizabeth Porter2026-06-11T20:31:41+00:00

June 11, 2026, Durham, NC – iRT is pleased to announce that researchers Dr. Tracy Scull, Dr. Christina Dodson, Dr. Janis Kupersmidt, Dr. Reina Evans-Paulson, Dr. Katie Stump, and Liz Reeder have published a new study in Prevention Science, the flagship journal of the Society for Prevention Research. The article, Long-Term Efficacy of a Web-Based Sexual Health Promotion Program Using a Media Literacy Education Approach in a National Sample of Community College Students, examines the effectiveness of iRT's evidence-based sexual health education program, Media Aware, among community college students across the United States. Meeting the Sexual Health Needs of Community College [...]

iRT Publishes Long-Term Effects of Media Aware on Young Adult Sexual Health BeliefsElizabeth Porter2026-06-11T20:31:41+00:00