The Rainbows/Spectrum

program provides peer support to help grieving youths. It is an international

organization that provides a bridge to emotional healing for students

confronting death or other painful losses. The primary purpose of the

program is to provide a safe, loving environment for young people to sort

through their pain and confusion, build self-esteem and learn coping tools

to deal with their losses.

Although other

Fayette County schools have a Rainbows program in place, this is the first

time that it has been offered at the high school.

"We have

always worked hard to reach out to our students and try to meet their

needs," said Colleen Petty, guidance counselor and coordinator of

the program at FCHS. "After the loss of our two students in automobile

accidents, it became clear that we needed to help."

Rainbows/Spectrum

seemed to be the right fit. The program is not counseling or therapy.

It is strictly a peer group guided by caring, trained adults. There is

a curriculum that has been proven effective and beneficial to students.

Karen Spangler,

county Rainbows/Spectrum coordinator, conducted a survey last year of

schools that had the program in place to see if it had been successful.

Of the 12 schools surveyed, an average of 37 percent indicated that they

had academic, behavioral and social problems prior to the program's implementation.

After the program, the schools reported a 70 percent improvement in academic

achievement, a 72 percent improvement in behavioral problems and a 71

percent improvement in social issues.

The high school

plans to begin with four Rainbows/Spectrum groups and grow as needed.

At the end of the program, students will participate in a special "Celebrate

Me" day.

"We have

already had a wonderful response and the program is going great,"

said Petty. "We feel there is a definite need among our student population

and we know they will benefit from this wonderful program. We are very

excited that we have the opportunity to offer it to our students."

Currently,

Rainbows/Spectrum has 3,000 participants in Georgia.