Overview
keepin’ it REAL (kiR) is an evidence-based, culturally grounded prevention program for 6-8th grade students (ages 12-14). Mantente REAL (MREAL) is the Spanish-language version of kiR, adapted for Mexico, Spain, and Uruguay and used in other Latin American countries.
Designed to reduce substance use, kiR and MREAL build essential life skills such as decision-making, problem solving, communication, and risk awareness through lessons grounded in real youth experiences. At the core of the program are the R.E.A.L. strategies: Refuse, Explain, Avoid, and Leave. These four simple, practical approaches give students tools they can use in real life to handle peer pressure and substance offers.
Recognized by SAMHSA as a Model Program and one of the most cost-effective school-based prevention programs in the U.S., kiR is now considered a legacy program and is implemented in schools and communities nationwide and around the world.
