It is not surprising to find that a teen who uses alcohol or other drugs is more likely to engage in risky behaviors. Using alcohol or other drugs can lower a teen’s inhibitions and cloud their judgement by influencing their ability to assess that a behavior is risky and can have lasting consequences.
The holidays are a time for fun and celebration, but, unfortunately, also a time of risk for young people.
On an average December day, more than 11,000 young people in the United States, aged 12 to 17, will use alcohol for the first time. Some of these young adults will not make it to the New Year, as nearly 400 young people under age 21 die from alcohol-related causes every month, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
There are many challenges during the holiday season. The holidays can be very emotional, they can create stressful situations where families get overwhelmed, work too hard to have a nice celebration, spend too much money or have unrealistic expectations about the holidays.
Members of Irvington High School’s Positive Impact Club attended the Youth-to-Youth Leadership Conference at the Westchester County Center on Dec. 2, where they collaborated with other high school students on suggestions and visions to enhance their schools and communities.
The 15 students from Irvington High School, who represented one of the largest groups at the conference, joined more than 330 students from across the county. The highlight of the conference was a presentation by Youth-to-Youth International director of training Ty Sells, a motivational speaker who conducted workshops for IHS students and parents last October. While at the conference, members of the Positive Impact Club worked with other students from neighboring districts to brainstorm ideas in creating and improving community-school partnerships.
Jennifer Nunziato, the student assistance counselor and Positive Impact Club advisor, and Michael Toolan, Irvington police detective and youth officer, also attended the conference. Transportation to and from the conference was funded and sponsored by Irvington About Safe Kids.
Source: Irvington Schools View article in the Rivertowns Patch.
“Little kids, little problems. Big kids, big problems.” There are few areas where that adage rings truer than with underage drinking. Here are the facts: It’s illegal. Most parents don’t condone it. It’s unhealthy. The best tactic is to delay it as long as you can.
In fact, there’s a lot of evidence that parents should strive to keep their younger teenagers away from alcohol because it damages the developing teenage brain.
But here’s another fact: Many teens are drinking. According to a Call to Action on Underage Drinking from the U.S. Surgeon General, by age 18, more than 70 percent of teens have had at least one drink. And they typically don’t stop at one. The report also found that teens are more likely to binge drink than adults: On average, teens have about five drinks on a single occasion.
Since its beginning in 1985, the Red Ribbon has touched the lives of millions of people around the world. In response to the murder of DEA Agent Enrique Camarena, angered parents and youth in communities across the country began wearing Red Ribbons as a symbol of their commitment to raise awareness of the killing and destruction cause by drugs in America.
In honor of Camarena’s memory and his battle against illegal drugs, friends and neighbors began to wear red badges of satin. Parents, sick of the destruction of alcohol and other drugs, had begun forming coalitions, like iASK. Some of these new coalitions took Camarena as their model and embraced his belief that one person can make a difference. These coalitions also adopted the symbol of Camarena’s memory, the red ribbon.Today, the Red Ribbon serves as a catalyst to mobilize communities to educate youth and encourage participation in drug prevention activities. Since that time, the campaign has reached millions of U.S. children and families.
Take the National Red Ribbon Campaign Pledge now and be a part of the creation of a drug free America.
I PLEDGE TO SET GUIDELINES TO HELP CHILDREN GROW UP SAFE, HEALTHY AND DRUG-FREE.
Ask your child if an adult will be present at the party, or if he or she thinks children will be drinking. Remind your child that even just being at a party where underage people are drinking can get them in trouble. Use this time to establish or reinforce your rules about alcohol, and what behavior you expect.
Helping your child say “no” to peer pressure is one of the most important things you can do to keep him or her alcohol-free. Work with your child to think of a way for them to handle this situation, whether it’s simply saying “no” or suggesting an alternative activity for them to do.
Every day can be Family Day! Here are some great ways to stay engaged in your children’s lives:
Become a Family Day STAR today!
Source: How to Raise a Drug-Free Kid: The Straight Dope for Parents
Students at Irvington High School are sending powerful messages to their peers thanks to more than 600 Post-It notes they left on school lockers throughout the building.
“They were designed to remind students that there is hope, that they can do more than they realize, and that people in their school and community care about them,” said Jennifer Nunziato (Traditi), student assistance counselor and advisor of the Positive Impact Club. “The goal was to promote positivity and instill hope in students as they began the school year.”
Members of the Positive Impact Club and Nunziato wrote encouraging messages, such as “you are important,” “you can make a difference in the world,” “you are beautiful inside and out,” “love yourself, you’re worth it” and “never, ever give up” on the Post-It notes. With assistance from the school’s Peer Leaders, they placed them on the lockers a week before school started, and the notes have continued to resonate with the community.
“The feedback has been outstanding,” Nunziato said. “The Post-Its are still hanging up. Students have already asked for this project to take place again later in the year. Teachers and staff have also asked to be included next time by having Post-Its placed on their mailboxes or classrooms doors. This little idea has left a big impact on the Irvington High School community.”
As the student assistance counselor, Nunziato works to enhance positive and healthy decision-making, as well as reduce the factors that put students at risk for alcohol and other drug use.
Irvington Police Detective and Youth Officer Michael Toolan suggested the idea for the Post-Its during an Irvington About Safe Kids meeting last spring. IASK is a coalition that represents all sectors of the community – parents, students, educators, law enforcement officials, medical professionals, businesspeople and more – and works to motivate youth to make healthy, happy and responsible decisions.
Source: http://www.irvingtonschools.org/pages/Irvington_UFSD/News/Post-It_Notes_Send_Positive_Me