Mission Statement

The mission of the N.O.V.A. Principles Foundation is:  “Nurturing youth to seek out positive Opportunities, internalize good Values, and to accept Accountability for their choices in life.”

History

The N.O.V.A. program was created in March of 2003, by officers from the Orem Police Department in Utah.  In April of 2004,  N.O.V.A. Principles LC, was created to allow the  N.O.V.A. program to be implemented beyond the confines of the City of Orem.  N.O.V.A. quickly expanded to other locations outside of the City of Orem. In January 2016, N.O.V.A. Principles LC, became the N.O.V.A. Principles Foundation, a 501(c)(3) Non-Profit Public Charity.

Involvement

N.O.V.A. acknowledges the key role of parents and family in keeping youth away from the harmful effects of illegal drugs, violence, and negative media exposure.  N.O.V.A. supports parents in this endeavor by teaching youth and also by providing a Parent’s program.  The N.O.V.A. Parent’s program is derived from sound psychological principles to give parents assistance in raising youth in today’s world.

The Program

The N.O.V.A. Principles Elementary program is a 13-15 week program taught at the 5th or 6th-grade level by uniformed law enforcement officers.  Some departments provide students who participate in this program a N.O.V.A. folder, program material, and a N.O.V.A. T-shirt.  N.O.V.A. Officers spend time with students in the classroom, at lunch, and on the playground building a great rapport between students and officers.

The N.O.V.A. Principles Jr. High program is a 4-week program taught at the 6th, 7th, or 8th-grade level by uniformed law enforcement officers.  Some departments provide students who participate in this program a N.O.V.A. folder, and program material.

The N.O.V.A. Principles High School program is a 2-week program taught at the 9th, 10th, or 11th-grade level by uniformed law enforcement officers.  Students who participate in this program receive program material.

 

Elementary Program Curriculum

The following is a brief outline of the elementary program curriculum.  One lesson is presented each week for a total program course of 13 to 15 weeks.

Lesson 1 – Purpose and Principles

• Define Purpose and Principle while applying to everything in life.
• Develop an understanding of the First NOVA Core Principle: Accountability.
• Develop an understanding of how a person is able to say “No” to harmful, dangerous, or wrong situation.

 

Lesson 2 – Substance Awareness

• Develop an understanding about the STS Application and how this application can assist a person preventing them from engaging in Risky Behaviors. (Study the Situation).
• Develop an understanding about the Cause & Effect Application applies to every choice we make in life.
• Develop an understanding about harmful substances (tobacco, vaping, marijuana, alcohol).
• Discover how partaking of harmful substance can imped an individual.

 

Lesson 3 – Positivity

• Develop an understanding of NOVA Principles Positivity.
• Discover how pain and tragedy can be handled.

 

Lesson 4 – Paradigm

• Learn and develop skills to work through put downs.
• Develop understanding of the NOVA Application Paradigm in becoming the victor in life.
• Learn and develop skills to work through troubles and problems.
• Discover how the negative influence from being left out can impact an individual.

 

Lesson 5 – True Colors

• Develop an understanding of the NOVA True Colors Application.
• Develop an understanding of the NOVA Lifetime Decisions Application.
• Develop an understanding of the NOVA Principle of Knowledge.
• Discover how peers can influence me.
• Discover problem solving.
• Discover how to avoid traps in life.

 

Lesson 6 – Anger

• Develop an understanding of the NOVA Core Principle: Work.
• Develop an understanding of the NOVA Which Wolf Am I Feeding Application.
• Discover how to control my anger.
• Develop an understanding of the Stages of Moral Development Model (Anger Management)
• Develop an understanding of how the brain impacts our Fight or Flight impulses

 

Lesson 7 – Respect

• Develop an understanding of the Respect Principle.
• Develop skills to avoid Mean Spirited Teasing and Bullying and develop coping skills for each.
• Develop and understand the NOVA Toolbox – Be C.A.L.M.

 

Lesson 8 – Awareness

• Develop and understanding about the influences of the media.
• Develop and understanding about the Fire Application.
• Develop and understanding of safe media guidelines.

 

Lesson 9 – Internet and Social Media Interaction

• Develop an understanding of Internet and Social Media Benefits & Risks.
• Develop an understanding of the dangers of Pornography, Predators & Sexting.
• Develop an understanding of NOVA Fire Application.
• Discover how various media formats draw me into viewing risky and positive media.
• Discover how I become desensitized.

 

Lesson 10 – Initiative

• Develop an understanding of the NOVA Initiative Application.
• Discover the difference between being a producer and a consumer.
• Discover how NOVA Principles and Applications will help an individual.

 

Lesson 11 – I Steer My Life

• Develop an understanding of diversity & inclusion.
• Develop an understanding of the positive and negative aspects of stereotyping.
• Discover how the positive roads to life are taken.
• Develop an understanding of how the NOVA Principles and NOVA Applications assist a person in taking the positive roads of life.

 

Lesson 12 – NOVA Constitution

• Review how life is rigged to “win” if a person follows the NOVA Principles.
• Prepare a life roadmap through the creation of a N.O.V.A. Constitution.

 

Lesson 13 – The Challenge

• Discover how the tools to follow The Path to Excellence.
• Discover how taking risks can be positive and negative.
• Develop an understanding on how taking risks is powerful.

 

Certification Program:

To wrap up the N.O.V.A. program, a special Certification Program is held to award students who complete all the requirements of the N.O.V.A. program a Certification of Achievement.  Students also have the opportunity to earn other special awards such as, the Project N.O.V.A. Award, the N.O.V.A. Pack Award, the N.O.V.A. Constitution Award, and the Super N.O.V.A. Award as well.

 

Jr. High Program Curriculum

The following is a brief outline of the Jr. High program curriculum.  One lesson is presented each week for a total program course of 4 weeks.  Much of the Jr. High curriculum is derived from several key lessons taught in the Elementary school curriculum.  The idea behind this is to reiterate and reaffirm key principles and knowledge taught in Elementary school, as well as to give these basic principles and knowledge to those students who did not have the N.O.V.A. program in Elementary school.

Lesson 1 – Drugs:

This lesson starts off by introducing the N.O.V.A. Principles program and the basic key points of the program.  Students are then taught the following basic N.O.V.A. Principles: “STS” (Study the situation), “Cause & Effect” (When you do something or don’t do something, something happens), “Boiling a Frog Analogy” (When do you know you’re a boiled frog?  When it’s too late), and, “Knowledge is Potential Power” (Using knowledge gives you power).

The main focus of this first lesson is to educate students about the harmful effects of drugs.  This is accomplished by giving a basic review of the gateway drugs taught in the Elementary school curriculum, as well as teaching students about the harmful effects of harder drugs such as: Meth, Heroin, Cocaine, LSD, etc..  The premise for this drug education is that if a person knows the harmful effects that drugs cause, that knowledge will help a person to stay away from them.

An Active Learning Lesson game is played that centers around the idea that drugs are addicting and once addicted it will be very hard to break that addiction.  In the end, when it comes to drugs, there is no path to excellence.

 

Lesson 2 – Self-Esteem:

This lesson is one of N.O.V.A.’s most powerful lessons that focuses on self-esteem.  Much of what is taught in lesson 3 of the Elementary school curriculum is taught in this lesson as well.

Students are taught that feeling good about yourself, liking who you are, avoid giving put-downs to others, and having a positive attitude are important conduits in order to become happy and successful.

Students are taught that it’s what’s on the inside that counts, and that one of the most important things for everyone to do is to do the best they can with what they have.

This lesson reinforces the fact that everyone has troubles and problems that they have to deal with.  Students are taught that they can handle their troubles and problems, and that the biggest issue is not that they have troubles or problems, but it’s how you deal with your problems, what you do to solve your problems, and what can you learn and how you can grow from your troubles and problems that’s important.

The, “Paradigm” (The view or perspective of how you see things) principle is taught, and that there are 2 Paradigms a person can have, the Victim Paradigm, or the Hero Paradigm.   Everyone gets to choose which Paradigm they want to have in life.  Students are encouraged to have a Hero Paradigm where they have a positive attitude and see themselves as producers who create things of value for themselves and others.

An Active Learning Lesson game is played where students work through a mathematical formula with amazing results.  This game teaches students that if they follow good principles, good outcomes are guaranteed.

 

Lesson 3 – Anger Management

Students are asked if they like to have people control them.  They are told that this lesson on anger management will help them learn how to prevent this from happening.

This lesson teaches the basics of what is in lesson 7 of the Elementary school curriculum, as well as some material in lesson 8, and lesson 13.

The powerful principles of Control & Maturity and how your brain works is taught, as well as dealing with Bullies and Gangs.  Anger Management tools are taught, as well as the, “Which Wolf are you feeding?” (Which Wolf is stronger?  The one you feed) principle.

Students are taught that Stereotyping is where you classify a person to a certain idea based on what they look like.  For the most part Stereotyping is harmless, unless it’s done to put down, make fun of, or to injure someone.  Students are taught that Stereotyping a person to harm, put down, or injure them is wrong and unacceptable.

An Active Learning Lesson game is played where students are presented with a choice to play a trick game where they can not win and a negative consequence is given when they lose.  This game teaches students to, “STS” and to think about the, “Cause & Effects” of things before they make choices.  Doing so will help them get to their path of excellence and avoid unnecessary troubles and problems in life.  In other words, “It’s easier to stay out of trouble, than to get out of trouble”.

 

Lesson 4 – Media

This last lesson teaches the combined basics of the 3 Media lessons found in the Elementary school curriculum, with the focus on teaching students to be careful about the type of Media they consume each day.

Students are taught that rating systems for Movies, Music, and Video games are there to warn them about the dark, depressing, violent, vulgar, obscene, and indecent content contained in much of the Media of today.

Students are taught that the Media of yesteryears is not the same as today, and that the change from decent, wholesome, and uplifting programs of years gone by to the dark, depressing, violent, vulgar, obscene, and indecent of today happened gradually, just like the, “Boiling a frog analogy”.

The, “Garbage in – Garbage out” (What you put in is what you get out) principles is taught.  Students are cautioned to be very careful as to the type of media they put into their heads, as what they put in will come out.

The effects of negative Media consumption is taught.  How our brain creates, “Neural Pathways” is taught.  An Active Learning Lesson game is played where students can experience how Neural Pathways are created in their brains, and why it is so important to create only positive Neural Pathways.

Students are taught that there are many positive and negative choices they can make each day.  Making positive choices will lead them to their path of excellence, whereas making negative choices will not.

 

High School Program Curriculum

The following is a brief outline of the High School program curriculum.  One lesson is presented each week for a total program course of 2 weeks.

Lesson 1  – Creating Value

The meaning of N.O.V.A. is explained, as well as the motto, and what it is to be a N.O.V.A. Lone Wolf… “A person who has the strength to stand against their pack of friends or crowd when they are choosing to do wrong.”

The “Paradigm Principle”, one of the most powerful principles in the N.O.V.A. Program is taught to the students.

The “15 Lines” Active Learning game is played.  This game is used to show that you can win this game every time if you have control over who starts the game, and that you don’t need luck to win.  This analogy is used to show that if you have control over your life, which you do, then you can win in life as well, you don’t need luck.

Students are taught what a “Consumer” and a “Producer” is.  They are encouraged to be a Producer, someone who creates or makes things of value for themselves and others.

The principle of being Box 1, Box 2, and Box 3 is explained.  A person who is being Box 3 is a consumer.  They consume more than they produce.  A person who is being Box 2 is a consumer, however, they produce about the same as they consume.  A person who is being Box 1, is a producer, they produce more than they consume.   “Be Box 1!”

 

Lesson 2 – Steering Your Life

The Control and Maturity principles are taught as explained in the Elementary and Jr. High programs.

Students are taught about “Initiative”.  This means that they need to go about taking the initiative to do the things that will lead them to their Path of Excellence and success instead of complaining or waiting for someone to help them.

Students learn about the different facets of the Path to Excellence.  First, there is the Path of Inability, which are the things you can’t do in life.  Then there is the Path of Ability, which are the things you can do in life.  Next is the Path of Expertise, which are the things you are expert at doing in life.  Lastly is the Path of Excellence, which is the thing you were born to do, the thing that makes you the happiest when you do it.

This lesson then teaches students about “Defeating their Giants”.  Everyone has problems and troubles.  This is normal.  Students are taught not to let their troubles and problems become as Giants that keep them reaching their Path to Excellence and success.

The last part of this lesson teaches students that their hands are on the steering wheel of their car of life.  Every day, they get to choose which roads to drive on.  They can choose roads that will lead them to misery, captivity, drugs, gangs, bullying, crime, etc., or they can choose roads that will lead them to happiness, liberty, success, etc..   It’s always their choice.