336 • APPENDIX
Copyright 2023 Marline E. Pearson
Acknowledgements
This curriculum would never have made it to these pages if it were not for the encouragement,
inspiration, and support of many people. My first debt is owed to Kay Reed of The Dibble
Institute®, who believed in this project from the beginning. Her intellect, practical savvy, and
friendship have been a gift to me. Her dedication to supporting young people in developing healthy
relationships through her leadership of The Dibble Institute® has touched thousands upon thousands
of young people. Many, many thanks to Aaron Larson, Director of Programs of The Dibble Institute®,
for his tireless hours of careful attention to helping me shape this curriculum and for countless
conversations and support during the process. His fact-checking, expertise in the field, editing,
and technical support are deeply appreciated. A huge thanks to Dr. Rachel Savasuk-Luxton for her
careful help with research and in designing and improving activities, lessons, and the training of
facilitators. From her close involvement as a key researcher, trainer, and direct instructor with Auburn
University’s five-year evaluation of Relationship Smarts, she has generously shared her many talents
with me, along with her Auburn colleague Carlie Kaeppler. A ton of gratitude goes to Rebecca Powell
Jackson and Brooklyn Mohney, both themselves trained in this field, for their editing, copy-editing,
formatting, and design. They were always available to answer my many questions, and their varied
skills and efficiency are amazing. Thanks to Mirta Cabrera for her inspiring energy and her earlier
work in translating the first Love Notes journal into Spanish.
I am honored that Youth Build USA chose Love Notes for a major initiative and am very grateful
for the support of the Annie E. Casey Foundation in making it possible. The incredibly talented
and experienced Youth Build site leaders provided me with invaluable feedback, and I continue to
collaborate with their talented staff.
I am incredibly indebted to Dr. Anita Barbee and her research team at the University of Louisville,
who conducted a large-scale, five-year federal Tier II pregnancy prevention random control trial
evaluation on Love Notes. The positive findings from that study have shown it to be one of the most
effective pregnancy prevention programs in the country.
I am incredibly grateful and indebted to Drs. Jennifer Kerpelman and Francesca Adler-Baeder
of Auburn University who selected my earlier work, Relationship Smarts (from which Love Notes
is adapted), to evaluate and help refine as part of Alabama’s Healthy Couples Healthy Children
Targeting Youth Initiative. This 5-year study reached over 8,000 diverse students with impressive
results. It was wonderful to work with such brilliant researchers and be able to improve (and continue
improving) this work with their findings and insights.
Dr. Scott Stanley is someone who has for many years helped and encouraged me through many
discussions, and he, along with colleagues Howard Markman at the University of Denver, allowed me
to adapt some of their work on communication skills for teens and young adults from their flagship
program, PREP (Prevention and Relationship Enhancement Program). I am grateful for the opportunity to
have co-authored the program Within My Reach for single adults with Drs. Scott Stanley and Galena
Kline Rhoades.
Copyright 2023 Marline E. Pearson
Acknowledgements
This curriculum would never have made it to these pages if it were not for the encouragement,
inspiration, and support of many people. My first debt is owed to Kay Reed of The Dibble
Institute®, who believed in this project from the beginning. Her intellect, practical savvy, and
friendship have been a gift to me. Her dedication to supporting young people in developing healthy
relationships through her leadership of The Dibble Institute® has touched thousands upon thousands
of young people. Many, many thanks to Aaron Larson, Director of Programs of The Dibble Institute®,
for his tireless hours of careful attention to helping me shape this curriculum and for countless
conversations and support during the process. His fact-checking, expertise in the field, editing,
and technical support are deeply appreciated. A huge thanks to Dr. Rachel Savasuk-Luxton for her
careful help with research and in designing and improving activities, lessons, and the training of
facilitators. From her close involvement as a key researcher, trainer, and direct instructor with Auburn
University’s five-year evaluation of Relationship Smarts, she has generously shared her many talents
with me, along with her Auburn colleague Carlie Kaeppler. A ton of gratitude goes to Rebecca Powell
Jackson and Brooklyn Mohney, both themselves trained in this field, for their editing, copy-editing,
formatting, and design. They were always available to answer my many questions, and their varied
skills and efficiency are amazing. Thanks to Mirta Cabrera for her inspiring energy and her earlier
work in translating the first Love Notes journal into Spanish.
I am honored that Youth Build USA chose Love Notes for a major initiative and am very grateful
for the support of the Annie E. Casey Foundation in making it possible. The incredibly talented
and experienced Youth Build site leaders provided me with invaluable feedback, and I continue to
collaborate with their talented staff.
I am incredibly indebted to Dr. Anita Barbee and her research team at the University of Louisville,
who conducted a large-scale, five-year federal Tier II pregnancy prevention random control trial
evaluation on Love Notes. The positive findings from that study have shown it to be one of the most
effective pregnancy prevention programs in the country.
I am incredibly grateful and indebted to Drs. Jennifer Kerpelman and Francesca Adler-Baeder
of Auburn University who selected my earlier work, Relationship Smarts (from which Love Notes
is adapted), to evaluate and help refine as part of Alabama’s Healthy Couples Healthy Children
Targeting Youth Initiative. This 5-year study reached over 8,000 diverse students with impressive
results. It was wonderful to work with such brilliant researchers and be able to improve (and continue
improving) this work with their findings and insights.
Dr. Scott Stanley is someone who has for many years helped and encouraged me through many
discussions, and he, along with colleagues Howard Markman at the University of Denver, allowed me
to adapt some of their work on communication skills for teens and young adults from their flagship
program, PREP (Prevention and Relationship Enhancement Program). I am grateful for the opportunity to
have co-authored the program Within My Reach for single adults with Drs. Scott Stanley and Galena
Kline Rhoades.
