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EAST PALESTINE -- A local member of Congress is making sure students in his district have access to life skills curriculum.
State Rep. Michael Rulli announced recently that the East Palestine School District has been selected to participate in the second year of the Education Revolution Association (ERA) Life Discovery Classroom Program.
According to Rulli's joint announcement with ERA, the first-of-its kind high school curriculum is designed to teach life and success skills to American students as a core part of K-12 education.
East Palestine is one of 14 schools across two states participating in ERA's expanded Year Two cohort, with all curricula, materials, teacher training, and school support provided entirely free to the district. East Palestine High School plans to offer the Life Discovery Classroom to its entire incoming freshman class -- an anticipated 50 to 60 students across eight sections of the course, according the announcement.
"East Palestine Schools is incredibly grateful to the entire team at the Education Revolution Association for including us in this meaningful program and for investing in our students," Dr. James Rook, East Palestine Schools Superintendent, said. "Preparing our students for success means giving them more than a strong academic foundation--it means helping them understand who they are, recognize their strengths, and develop the confidence to navigate life through graduation," he added.
Rulli said that too many students graduate without a clear sense of who they are, what they are good at, or where they are headed and the ERA Life Discovery Classroom fills that gap in a way he hasn't seen anywhere else.
"It gives students the self-awareness, communication skills, and real-world perspective they need to build a future right here in Ohio. I've made it a priority to bring this kind of investment to my district, and I'm proud that East Palestine High School is part of this national pilot," Rulli said.
According to the announcement, the Life Discovery Classroom course was created and launched in 2025-2026 to Year One pilot schools.
It is designed for every high school student, regardless of academic track or post-graduation plans.
A core component of the course, Life Discovery Interviews, brings professionals across sectors directly into the classroom, giving students structured practice in asking meaningful questions, listening actively, and holding the kinds of conversations that matter beyond high school, the announcement stated.
In the first year of the program the curriculum was made available to 10 schools across 10 states, reaching roughly 600 students.
All of the pilot curriculum, materials, teacher training, and school support were provided by the private philanthropy of software entrepreneur and former schoolteacher Fred Ode, ERA's Founder.
"Districts everywhere are setting goals around critical thinking, communication, and self-awareness. What's been missing, however, is a curriculum program that teaches those skills intentionally. That's exactly what ERA's Life Discovery Classroom delivers," ERA Executive Director Tim O'Shei said in the press release.
He went on to say that for generations these skills have gone largely overlooked and under taught.
"There is an urgent imperative to teach them now as American schools face a critical inflection point, and East Palestine is the kind of community where this curriculum can make a real difference," O'Shei said. "Teaching life and success skills in our classrooms is an incredibly simple idea, and yet represents real innovation for our nation's schools. In an age of AI, employers are clamoring for students who don't just know the answers, but know what questions to ask in the first place. We're grateful to Congressman Rulli for his leadership in championing this investment for East Palestine."
The program is built on three core pillars, which are Self and Career Discovery, Understanding of Others, and Maximizing Individual Potential
According to the announcement, the Self Discovery portion consists of personality and aptitude assessment tools throughout the course to become aware of individual strengths, preferences, and communication style, and utilizing that knowledge to form more effective groups and teams.
The Life Discovery Interview consists of deep-diving conversations with people from all walks of life, led by students, with reflection on how to apply the lessons and discoveries to their careers throughout the year - all intended to expose students to different career and life pathways.
The Success Skills course is anchored on a series of units that help students develop the skills they need for jobs, careers, and life.
The ultimate goal is to enhance classrooms so that by the age of 18, every student understands their strengths and weaknesses and how to leverage and navigate them in adulthood; identify their best-fit career options and achieve their maximum educational potential.
The course also aims to help students have a practical understanding of life, embrace kindness and undergo a journey of self discovery
The curriculum offers differentiation by grade level, with leveling guidance provided to teachers for 9th and 10th graders and 11th and 12th graders. Streamlined units, additional teacher support tools, and expanded professional development are designed to help educators take a coaching approach to instruction, the release stated.
For more information, visit ed-rev.org.