This study describes perspectives of participants in a substance abuse and HIV prevention (HIVP) program targeted to middle school students and families in an urban Phoenix, Arizona, school district. Data collection and analyses complement past quasi-experimental, pre/post designs which found the program to be successful in terms of increasing students' perceived harm of drugs, HIVP curriculum knowledge, and reported ability to stop sexual advances and express opinions about sexual matters. A total of seven small-group, semi-structured interviews were conducted with program staff and current and past program participants, including middle and high school students and an interview with mothers(conducted in Spanish). The study is based on an integration of risk protective and resiliency models of prevention, multicultural learning theory, and ethical guidelines for the research of socially sensitive topics. Two researchers gathered and analyzed interview data and developed categories using grounded theoretical research methods. Following transcription, all data were coded and analyzed descriptively and thematically. Subsequently, the researchers compared descriptive and thematic interpretations of the data, and derived three reciprocally related, overarching themes: relationships, delivered curriculum, and embodied curriculum. Associations among these themes with patterns in the data about participants' perspectives on program outcomes, challenges, and recommendations for improvement provide for additional reflection with respect to program strengths, challenges, and implications for future direction. (Contains 2 tables.)