Course | Hooked on Success: Helping Students Discover Passion & Purpose in Life

Prices

The price listed is for the 500 Credit. Other pricing options are available for this course:

• CEU (Continuing Education Units): $195
• Oregon PDU: $195
• Washington Clock Hours: $195
• Pennsylvania ACT 48 Hours: $195
• 400 Credit: $280

For further information, please visit The Heritage Institute website.

Description

Without passion and sense of purpose, too many youth drift in life and school, falling short of their potential and becoming susceptible to drugs and alcohol, as well as academic underperformance. Educators in this course will learn how to use a proven program that engages students in grades 4-12 with what’s important for them, and helps prevent adolescent drug and alcohol abuse. Teachers show students a variety of short videos highlighting successful celebrities and cultural influencers from many different fields. These adults share their stories and speak powerfully about how they found direction in life—how they found a Natural High, which is the name of the program. Videos are supported by curriculum that guides discussion, provides students with opportunities for reflection, and concludes with a variety of activities that take students deeper into the subject.

All materials are found online at no additional cost. Outcomes from the Natural High program are aligned with Common Core and the National Health Educator Standards. While the Natural High program continues to be rated highly as a drug prevention program, its premise of finding and leading a meaningful life applies to all youth. Natural High has helped millions of students since its inception twenty-five years ago. Course is appropriate for educators of students in grades 4-12, counselors, psychologists, and intervention specialists.

The Heritage Institute advises you to review and download the course syllabus before registering.

Learning Outcomes

• An understanding of the foundation & history of Natural High and its founder, Mr. Jon Sundt.
• An understanding of the importance of helping students find a Natural High at a young age.
• An understanding of Natural High’s 6 principles and the research behind them.
• An understanding of how to use Natural Highs curriculum via the three step teaching process.
• An understanding of the science and research that supports the Natural High curriculum.
• Learned how to customize their own lesson plans from an established selection of storytelling videos and Common Core curriculum and activities that align with the subject(s) that they teach!
• An understanding of the relationship between Natural High’s curriculum and the CDC’s National Health Education Standards.
• An understanding of the relationship between Natural High’s curriculum and the CDC’s Characteristics of an Effective Health Education Curriculum.

For the complete syllabus, please visit The Heritage Institute website.

Materials Fee

None.

Instructor

Mario Reaves
M.Ed.

Mario Reaves, M.Ed. ESA, received his Masters Degree in Education from City University Seattle, Washington. He received his BA from Central Washington University. He has worked for the past 31 years as a public school counselor in the state of Washington. Mario currently works for the Clover Park School District. Mario served as a Professional Education Board member for City University of Seattle. He has been recognized locally and nationally for the proactive work that he does with students, teachers and his surrounding community. In 2011 Mario was named Natural High’s national Educator of the year. Mario’s passion is to motivate both students and staff to be their best. He has logged over 5000 hours of classroom instruction time teaching from a comprehensive counseling curriculum. His favorite, he admits, is Natural High’s curriculum. For 10 years, Mario was a district trainer for staff certification on how to de-escalate agitated and aggressive students. Mario is also a state certified mediator. In 2026 Mario presented the Natural High program at the Washington School Counselor state conference in Seattle. For the 23/24 school year, Mario was nominated for the Clover Park School District employee of the year and was also his buildings employee of the year. Mario coached sports at the high school level for 15 years in football, basketball and baseball. As the varsity head baseball coach 2001, Mario was named Washington State coach of the year in the 2A-Nisqually League. Prior to working in Education, Mario worked for 16 years for Washington State’s largest hospital that took care of people with mental illness. As an Institutional Counselor he helped take care of many patients who were there because of drug abuse.

When not motivating others, Mario’s Natural Highs are family, fishing, golf and singing.

Number of Credits

3 quarter credits (semester equivalent = 2.00 credits).

WA Clock Hours: 30
Oregon PDUs: 30
Pennsylvania ACT 48: 30

Credit may be available for this course and may vary by country or institution. Please verify eligibility with The Heritage Institute.