Program Implementation
Project EX consists of eight sessions, each 40- to 45-minutes in length. The sessions are designed to be delivered over 6 weeks according to the following schedule: two sessions a week for 2 weeks, followed by one session a week for 4 weeks. During the first four sessions, students are not asked or required to quit immediately but are strengthened for their attempt to quit, which occurs between sessions 4 and 6. The last four sessions, held once a week, concentrate on helping students maintain their nonsmoking status and enhance their quit attempt.
Highly motivated classroom teachers or health educators should implement Project EX. Specifically, teachers should:
- Be motivated to help students
- Believe it is their responsibility to help
- Be non-smokers
- Attend a 1 or 2 day Project EX training (see Program Facilitator Training)
A number of strategies may be used to recruit students to Project EX clinics. A program facilitator can visit classrooms to make a short presentation about the forthcoming groups, the school may offer elective class credits and class release time, and/or referrals may be made by teachers or student smokers themselves. Each Project EX clinic group can contain 8 to 15 students, and up to four clinics may operate simultaneously in one school. The clinic should occur during school hours, not after school.
The Project EX curriculum guide and student workbook should be followed closely and all eight sessions delivered. To be eligible for the EX clinic, a student must have used tobacco in the 30 days prior to the first session and must join the clinic on or before the fourth session.