Designers
Designers
Designers
Break the Silence
Educating students on healthy relationships through peer-led support and leadership.
Key Words

Designers
Kristina Bonisisio
Lucy Fazenbaker
Fiorella Michael
SUMMARY
The Speranza Student Leadership Network was developed to address a critical gap in how schools handle teen relationship health and domestic violence. Research showed that students often recognize issues first, yet schools rely on reactive systems and one-time programs that fail to drive lasting change. In response, we designed a scalable, peer-led model that trains student leaders to educate, support, and intervene within their communities. By embedding prevention into existing school systems, Speranza creates sustainable impact while offering a viable, repeatable model for schools.
challenge
Research revealed a core infrastructure gap: schools are largely reactive, responding only after harm occurs. Students often recognize unhealthy relationships first but lack the tools, language, and safe channels to act early. Faculty also lack structured systems to support disclosures consistently. This creates an opportunity for a scalable, peer-led model that shifts schools from reactive responses to proactive, embedded prevention.
Outcome
The project became the Speranza Student Leadership Network, a peer-led, school-integrated program delivered through curriculum modules, training, and ongoing support. Unlike one-time assemblies, it embeds prevention into clubs and advisory systems. Student leaders are trained to recognize warning signs, lead conversations, and provide peer support, creating early intervention pathways. This directly addresses the reactive gap by shifting schools toward proactive, consistent, and scalable prevention.




MEET THE Designers:



Kristina Bonisisio
Lucy Fazenbaker
Fiorella Michael
