By Mary O’KEEFE

The PTSA of Crescenta Valley High School invites families on Monday to hear Gina Morris from Challenge Success speak about the pressures kids are facing in life and in school.

Challenge Success was brought to the attention of the PTSA by its president Monna Johnson who had heard of the program but did not know much about it.

“I was really interested in what [the program] was doing and how they defined success,” she said. “I attended an event where Denise Pope, co-founder of Challenge Success, was speaking.” Pope is the author of a book titled, “Doing School: How We Are Creating a Generation of Stressed-Out, Materialistic, and Mis-educated Students.”

Johnson said the program offered information on creating a culture of balance for kids.

“I was very impressed by the way she presented her material,” Johnson said.

Her core presentation dealt with helping students cope with the pressures of homework and college competition to finding ways to relax and have fun.

“I thought this [program] would be a great thing to bring to CV and our school district,” Johnson said.

This year the PTSA’s theme is a Culture of Caring. When Johnson welcomed the freshmen to the campus she said, “We are the same parents that were there as room moms at your elementary schools and we are here for you still.”

“We need to provide an environment where kids know they are loved and are supported,” she said.

Barbara Miller from First District PTA was also aware of the program and contacted Lynn Miyamoto, former PTA Glendale council president, who is now on the board of the CV Alliance [formerly CV Drug and Alcohol Prevention Coalition]. Miyamoto was able to bring in the PTA and Alliance to pay for the program and bring it to local parents.

“The program [covers] how to create a loving environment and give kids some down time, to let them figure things out on their own and not be so stressed,” Johnson said.

The presentation is on Monday in the MacDonald Auditorium, 4400 Ramsdell Ave. in La Crescenta on the CVHS campus at 7 p.m. Admission is free.

  Mary Okeefe