Grades 6 to 8

Kerry Berry Lab: Smart Choices

Twelve weeks of practical self-care, product literacy, and personal presentation. Students learn to question claims, build a routine they can explain, and prepare for opportunities without pressure to conform.

Discuss a program for your school

Schedule12 weeks, one class period each week

Hands-on learning3 Workshop Days, 90 minutes each, in weeks 4, 8, and 11

Investment$12,500Proposed all-inclusive price, pending final approval.

Group sizeUp to 25 students. Larger classes run as two sections.

Illustrative NYC student activity for grades 6 to 8 — AI-generated student scene, not a photograph of program participants.

The frame

Students may have heard the basics. Few have received clear instruction in evaluating what they use.

This tier begins with no assumptions about what students learned before. Every concept is taught as new material and practiced at the right level for this age.

Sweat, body odor, deodorant, skin and hair care taught as new material
Ingredient lists, certifications, and marketing claims
First impressions through cleanliness, preparedness, posture, and respectful communication; natural hair and cultural styles are welcome
A routine built under the same $15 cap for every student, preventing income-based ranking

Safety and privacy

Student Dignity Is Non-Negotiable

We teach skills without evaluating a student’s body, appearance, or home routine.

Firm boundaries

No touching, examinations, or applying products to students.
No personal questions, public hygiene discussions, or requests to disclose private concerns.
No sexuality discussion, private-area demonstrations, or public cycle questions.
No photography without written school authorization.

Teaching tools

Mannequin heads, props, charts, and ingredient cards.
Scent strips and product containers for label and texture education.
Fictional scenarios and routine-building activities.
Age-appropriate science and self-care instruction.

School staff are present. We follow school policies and address allergy and consent requirements where applicable; family communication is included when the school requires it.

What students experience

Four anchors across the program.

Each element protects privacy, builds reflection, and gives students a concrete way to see their own progress.

The sealed note

Week 1 to week 12

Students write privately about their routine, their ownership of its choices, and one change they want to make. Open prompts provide no suggested answers. Nobody else reads the note. The school stores the envelope and returns it unopened in week 12.

The Daily Check

Weeks 9 to 12 · Four checkpoints

Before leaving home, arriving at school, leaving school, and before bed. Each student scores their own card and has a guide for restarting. Cards stay private: never collected, graded, read aloud, displayed or made competitive.

The Family Session

Week 11 · Workshop Day 3 · 90 minutes

Students lead while their adult follows, making the routine product together. The focus is sharing what the student made and learned. A school adult is paired quietly in advance when a family member cannot attend.

The Showcase

Week 12

Students present their routine and explain each choice. Peer feedback addresses the reasoning, never the person. They open their notes and privately review four weeks of practice. Families are invited. Certificates, routine cards and restock lists go home.

School-ready delivery

Plan the details together.

Supervision

A school adult is present for every session. Kerry-Ann is never alone with students.

Consent and safety

Family information, consent where applicable, allergies, and materials are reviewed with the school before hands-on learning.

Private practice

No student is asked to discuss their body, routine, or home in front of the group. Private tools stay private.

School policies

Facilitators teach personal-care skills within the school’s policies. Individual concerns follow the school’s established support process.

Funding options to discuss with your school

Ask your budget team about enrichment, health education, or social-emotional learning and engagement funding. For the Family Session in week 11, ask the school’s Title I compliance office whether parent and family engagement funds are an appropriate source for that portion of the program.

Eligibility is not guaranteed. The school determines allowable costs and approvals. Using separate funding sources also requires separate accounting and approval processes.

Federal Title I parent and family engagement guidance

Who delivers the program

Led by Kerry-Ann McLaren.

Kerry-Ann McLaren, founder of Kerry Berry, leads and is present at every session. Kerry Berry holds active NYC DOE vendor approval and carries business insurance, with a certificate of insurance available on request. Background clearance documentation is provided to the school before week 1. Any guest instructor is named in advance and clears the same background process.

For grades 6 to 8

Bring Kerry Berry Lab: Smart Choices to your school.

Start with your school name, grade range, student count, borough, and preferred timeframe.

Discuss a program for your school

Need a smaller first step?

Plan a custom workshop.

Let’s hop on a call to discuss your students, schedule, and budget and shape a workshop that fits your school.

Discuss a custom workshop

Also available

Explore other grade ranges.

Grades 2 to 3Kerry Berry Lab: Foundations Grades 4 to 5Kerry Berry Lab: Changes Grades 9 to 12Kerry Berry Lab: Ownership