OK, Inc. began in the spring of 1988, reaching 65 students in one school. Since that time, thousands of youth have benefited from OK, Inc.’s positive approach to the issues of adolescent well-being. Annually, OK, Inc. provides educational programming to more than 20,000 students in over 130 schools and youth organizations. OK, Inc.’s organizational theme is: Decisions Determine Destiny. All programming encourages teens to become other-centered as opposed to self-centered and to acknowledge that their decisions not only affect their own lives, but the lives of those around them.
As a psychologist who works primarily with children and their families, I have reviewed OK, Inc.’s curricula and can attest to the fact that it is grounded in psychosocial theory to promote the behavioral health and social and emotional well-being of youth, particularly vulnerable youth. Current social, psychological, and medical research data is used to create the curriculum that is presented to youth in an engaging manner.
Amel Sweis-Haddad, PsyD