The DARE to be You (DTBY) program was developed by Jan Miller-Heyl, Program Director, in 1979, as a grant-funded program under Colorado State University Extension 4-H Youth Development. The initial program funding was to develop grass roots problem prevention programs for youth working through families and community teams. DARE to be You has a strong multi-level, theory-driven background which includes Bandura's theory of social-cognitive development and Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Systems Theory.

DARE to be You builds on the strengths of youth and develops individual assets building skills in:

D -Decision making/problem solving/reasoning.
A -Assertiveness/communication/social skills
R -Responsibility/role modeling
E -Efficacy/esteem for self and others/empathy development

Through a collaboration with the Department of Human Development and Family Studies at Colorado State University, DARE to be You has grown from a small research project to multiple programs including studies and replication sites in several Colorado counties and in 35 states nationally. Over 250 sites have implemented the program.  DTBY has shown positive impact results with major indigenous and immigrant populations in the United States.

DTBY responds directly to needs expressed by families and community members with whom we work closely by developing programs to meet those needs, evaluating through a control-experimental research design, and disseminating the results to community teams in Colorado and nationally.

 The training, evaluation and technical assistance component of the program is now managed as a 501C3, operating under Onward, a Legacy Foundation.

David MacPhee, Phd.