AIR Expert Speaks at White House Conference on Helping America's Youth

Washington, D.C. – The American Institutes for Research’s (AIR) Sheppard Kellam, a nationally recognized expert on the prevention of school failure, aggressive and violent behavior, and drug abuse among adolescents, will be participating in a White House Conference on Helping America’s Youth on Oct. 27.

The Conference, which will be held at Howard University, will engage researchers, policy experts, and community leaders in a discussion of ways to help American children avoid risky behavior and develop into responsible, healthy adults.

Kellam will be discussing outcomes of the Good Behavior Game, a teacher-led classroom behavior management method that helps socialize first and second grade children into the role of the student, and fosters teamwork and positive behaviors. It is aimed at creating a positive classroom learning environment, increasing school success, and reducing drop-out, delinquency, drug use, and violent behavior among adolescents and young adults.

Randomized field trials conducted since 1984 in more than 40 elementary schools in the Baltimore City Public School System indicate that school-based universal interventions that address all children can have short- and long-term behavioral, academic, and mental health benefits.

About AIR

The American Institutes for Research (AIR) is an independent, not-for-profit organization that conducts behavioral and social science research on important social issues and delivers technical assistance both domestically and internationally in the areas of health, education, and workforce productivity.