Creating Positive Relationships began programming in 1990. CPR’s founder, Gayle Bucher, began working with teenagers in crisis in 1987. Through those experiences, Mrs. Bucher strengthened her conviction that prevention is preferable to crisis counseling and intervention. CPR was founded to educate young people, allowing them to make informed relational decisions that lead them to future success. In 1992, the Internal Revenue Service recognized Creating Positive Relationships as a tax-exempt organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
In 1990, CPR piloted the middle school program, Building Healthy Futures, in Indiana. A faith-based middle school program, Building Healthy Futures PLUS, was written soon after the implementation of Building Healthy Futures. In 1993, CPR implemented an Associate program. Through the Associate program, CPR licenses curriculum to organizations across the United States and around the world and trains personnel in those organizations to use the CPR curriculum. For the first five years of operation, CPR was run entirely by volunteers. In 1995, CPR’s instructors became paid employees rather than volunteers. In 1996, CPR added a high school program, Choosing Healthy Lives. All of CPR’s programs included a parent information meeting at the pilot stage. In 2006, CPR began offering parent workshops, Parenting 911 Seminars, to school districts and community organizations. In 2007, CPR implemented a 5th grade program, Starting Healthy Lives. In 2008, CPR received the Indiana Achievement Award, distinguishing CPR as one of six nonprofit organizations across the state honored for exceptional service in innovation, impact and sustainability. In 2012, CPR completely rewrote the high school program. The revised high school program provides each student with a resource booklet and includes all new classroom resources, more engaging lessons to encourage thoughtful interaction between students, and updated topics, such as: relationship attachment, characteristics of responsible dating and effective communication. All parent information meetings were replaced in the fall of 2013 by Tough Talk Clinics. In 2013, CPR formed a Teen Advisory Board (TAB). TAB provided input on curricular and instructional changes. TAB participants served as high school speakers for parent Tough Talk Clinics. A Parent Guide, filled with helpful resources including Conversation Starters and Creative Group Activities for teen get-togethers, was created and handed out at Tough Talk Clinics. Also in 2013, CPR began using a rubric to score open-ended question responses from high school students to document learning outcomes and measure program impact. New evaluation methods and assessments were also piloted in 6th, 7th, and 8th grades in 2014. Data collected is used to guide program and instructional improvements, as well as provide a tangible measure of program impact for school administrators, parents and donors.
In an effort to provide more options and be even more accessible for parents, CPR is made a transition from building-based Tough Talk Clinics to live-hosted webinars in the fall of 2015.
Significant Milestones
1990 – CPR piloted Building Healthy Futures (middle school) in Indiana.
1992 – CPR recognized as tax-exempt organization by Internal Revenue Service.
1993 – CPR implemented the Associate program, partnering with organizations around the world.
1995 – CPR teachers became paid employees rather than volunteers.
1996 – Choosing Healthy Lives (high school) rolled out.
2006 – Parenting 911 Seminar implemented for parents.
2007 – Starting Healthy Lives (5th grade) implemented.
2008 – CPR received Indiana Achievement Award.
2012 – Complete revision of high school program.
2013 – Tough Talk Clinics replaced Parent Meetings as communication tool with parents.
2013 – Formation of TAB (Teen Advisory Board).
2013 – Creation of Parent Guide to be handed out at Tough Talk Clinics.
2013 – Scoring Rubric used to evaluate high school student responses.
2014 – New assessments / evaluation used for 6th, 7th, and 8th grades.
2015 – Tough Talk Clinic Webinars
2018 – Choosing Healthy Lives- for Single Adults rolled out.