Resilience Through Understanding
Resilience Through Understanding Program
Resilience Through Understanding (RTU) is an educational program for middle- and high-school aged youth that teaches the health risks of substance use and offers access to fun, healthy activities. The Collaborative has expanded its traditional program offerings to include a spring/summer RTU program season, in addition to the longstanding fall/winter program season. Through RTU, The Collaborative gives participating youth and schools real-world incentives to remain substance free through season passes to Stratton Mountain Resort, Stratton Mountain Bike Park, Riley Rink Ice Skating, Viking Nordic Center, Magic Mountain, Dorset Theatre Festival, Riley Rink Disc Golf, and Dorset Players.
Thanks to these organizations’ generous commitment, combined with oversight from The Collaborative, the RTU program reaches students from Arlington Memorial High School, Burr and Burton Academy, The Dorset School, Flood Brook School, Leland & Gray, Long Trail School, Maple Street School, Manchester Elementary and Middle School, new partner Stratton Mountain School, The Mountain School at Winhall, and the homeschool community within the catchment area of the above schools.
Got RTU Questions?
Email rtu@thecollaborative.us for help!
Seasonal Program Information
Fall/Winter Program
Fall/Winter Program Portal
In this Program Portal, you will find details about registration, payment, events, RTU Representative contact information, and links to all required surveys. This Fall/Winter Program Portal will always be accessible through this Resilience Through Understanding page on The Collaborative’s website.
Fall/Winter Registration
Registration for the 2024-2025 Fall/Winter season opens Thursday, August 15th. There is a $35 registration fee for Leland & Gray students and a $50 registration fee for all other participants. Email rtu@thecollaborative.us for questions about or help with registration.
Fall/Winter Payment
You can pay for your Fall/Winter RTU registration fees by mailing a check, via Venmo, or by paying with a credit or debit card. For complete payment instructions, access the Program Info page through the Fall/Winter Program Portal or visit the Program Payment page on The Collaborative's website.
Spring/Summer Program
Spring/Summer Program Portal
In this virtual Program Portal for the Spring/Summer season, you will find details about registration, payment, events, RTU Representative contact information, and links to all required surveys. This Spring/Summer Program Portal will always be accessible through this Resiliece Through Understanding page on The Collaborative’s website.
Spring/Summer Registration
Registration opens on April 15, 2024 at 5PM. There is a $30 registration fee for the Riley Rink Disk Golf pass and a $40 registration fee for the Stratton Mountain Biking pass. Registration forms and fee payments must be received by May 31, 2024 to earn the incentive on time. Email rtu@thecollaborative.us for questions about or help with registration.
Spring/Summer Payment
You can pay for your Spring/Summer RTU registration fees by check, via Venmo, or by paying with a credit or debit card. For complete payment instructions, access the Program Info page through the virtual Spring/Summer Program Portal or by visiting the Program Payment page on The Collaborative's website. Registration fee payments must be received by May 31, 2024 to avoid fee increases.
RTU Events Calendar
RTU Senior Scholarship
The RTU Senior Scholarship award is for $1,500.00 to go toward post-secondary educational pursuits. Eligible applicants include any current Refuse To Use senior who is in good standing with the program. Good standing means that student work is up to date, of a good standard, and that the student has adhered to all requirements as outlined by the Refuse To Use policies, rules, and regulations. If you would like more information about the RTU Senior Scholarship, email rtu@thecollaborative.us.
The Senior Scholarship application window for the current year is closed! Check back in the Spring of 2025 for next year's application information.
RTU Awards
RTU Senior Scholarship Winner
Congratulations to our 2023-2024 RTU Senior Scholarship recipient – Barit Perry! We are so proud of Barit and his dedication to improving the world around him. Good luck with your future endeavors!
RTU Rep of the Year
Karren Meyer, Leland & Gray Union Middle & High School Rep
Karren has been the Leland & Gray site coordinator since the program expanded there in 2017. In the words of longtime Leland & Gray rep Kristina Wright, “Karren has always worked hard to ensure all students have the chance to participate in the program. She has always found speakers [for flagship program events] and even let them stay at her house.”
Want to bring RTU to your community?
Check back soon to find out about how you can obtain a license to implement our program anywhere.
Incentive Partner Profiles
Stratton Mountain Resort has been part of RTU from the very beginning, when a marketing executive from the mountain's leadership team approached The Collaborative with the idea of an incentive-based substance misuse prevention program back in 2003. Since then, they have continued to support our programming with additional incentives, including season passes to their ski resort (no blackout dates!), mountain bike park, and rock climbing gym.
Since 2015, Magic Mountain has offered a similar incentive to the one originally provided by Stratton Mountain: a season ski pass with no blackout dates. The Collaborative is grateful for the opportunity to offer passes to two different mountains with two different feels.
In 2006, Viking Nordic Center began the process of branching out our RTU incentives beyond downhill skiing. They offer unlimited use of their cross-country skiing and snowshoeing facility for the duration of their operating season.
Not only has the Northshire Civic Center been a dedicated incentive partner since 2006, their Riley Rink is also the venue for our annual Kickoff event! Fall/Winter participants may earn a season pass to the skating rink, while Spring/Summer participants may instead pursue unlimited use of their Disc Golf course.
In 2009, Dorset Theatre Festival began a unique model for incentive partnership: Participants who complete all five Fall/Winter events earn four tickets to each of their performances at the historic Dorset Playhouse.
New in 2024, the Dorset Players offer two free tickets to each of their performances as a "pass" alongside other Fall/Winter program incentives. The Collaborative extends a heartfelt welcome to its newest partner!
Program Portal Archive