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January-February 2018
Issue 39
In This Issue
Prom Safety
Inhalants
Violence
Smoking
Pitt County SADD
Weldon Middle School
South Lenoir High School
Weldon High School
Rosalyn Wilkinson
Alcohol Awareness
Distracted Driving Awareness
Ideas? Questions? Concerns?
Contact
Harriett Southerland
919 807-4408
hsoutherland@ncsadd.org
Visit NC SADD. www.ncsadd.org
Facebook: ncsadd
Twitter: @SADDNC
SADD National
www.sadd.org
www.ncsadd.org
Spring...
is just around the corner! Birds, flowers, butterflies, sunshine, longer days, and prom time! Prom should be an evening of glamour, fun, and happy memories for teens. Prom season is also one of the most dangerous times of the year for youth. Teens driving at night have a four times higher fatality rate in crashes compared to driving in the daytime. Many young people think that prom and graduation celebrations must include alcohol, and that drink-ing is a rite of passage. Regrettably, some parents agree and condone or assist in these illegal celebrations. They rationalize that since teens are “going to drink anyway,” they are providing them a safe place, taking their keys, and letting them party.
To prevent the dangers of young people partying or driving late at night or in the wee hours of the morning, some schools are working with the community to hold all-night after-prom parties that feature fun, games, competitions and excitement, but no alcohol is involved. The parties are chaperoned, and food, including breakfast, is provided. These events are becoming popular with students and parents.
Prom Safety Tips
Discuss plans with your friends and your date ahead of time.
Know your agenda, and provide the information to your parents.
Plan ahead what you will say or do if someone offers you alcohol or another illegal drug. Phrases such as, “No thanks,” “Are you kidding? I want to remember this night!” or “Actually, I’d rather have a soda. Do you have one?” often work, even if you think they won’t.
Know your date before you go. If your date is someone you do not know well, spend a little time together in advance. Take a walk at a park or go for an ice cream before the big night. You and your parents will feel better about your staying out late with someone you know.
Find out what your curfew is, and tell your date and/or friends before prom night. Discuss with your parents any after-curfew possibilities.
Ask a trusted adult to be available on prom night in case you need to call. Make sure your cell phone is fully charged. 2
Avoid using alcohol and drugs.
Buckle your seatbelt.
Watch out for dating violence.
On prom night, with more partying and less supervi-sion, teen dating violence is an even greater concern. It is a very real issue for many people. Teens often don’t re-port it because they are afraid or ashamed to tell friends and fami-ly. The abuse can be verbal, emotional, physical, or sexual. Know beforehand what your sex-ual boundaries are, and communicate those to your date. Tell an adult or call 911 if you or someone you know is being abused or appears to be in danger.
If you plan to go to an after-prom party, be sure it is adult-supervised. Be aware of your surroundings, and it’s always good to go with a buddy. Make sure par-ents know where you are at all times in case of emer-gency, and call a parent, guardian, or someone you trust in case plans change or you need help.
What Can We Do?
SADD members can make flyers or posters with the safety tips in this newsletter and post them around the school or hand them out. You can also download helpful materials at SADD Think About It: Prom and Graduation Kit and Prom Pledge Cards. Young peo-ple have great imagination; let them think of innova-tive ways to promote prom safety at your school. If you are having a prom safety event and need a speaker, contact the SADD state coordinator at harri-ett.southerland@doa.nc.gov or 919-807-4408.
INHALANT AND POISON AWARENESS
March 18-24 is National Inhalants Prevention Week. Thanks to our efforts to educate students and parents on the prevalence and dangers of inhalants, inhalant abuse has decreased considerably in recent years. However, it has not gone away. Middle and high school students continue to huff, sniff, snort, dust, bag and spray harmful chemicals in an effort to get “high” or get a “buzz.” Inhalant use is most prevalent among 12-17 year olds, although use before age 12 is common. One in five teens have tried inhalants.
Where Do Students Get Inhalants?
There are more than 1,400 easily obtainable house-hold products that can be abused: Paint thinners and removers, dry-cleaning fluids, gasoline, lighter fluid, art and office supply solvents including correction flu-ids (for example, Wite Out or Liquid Paper), felt-tip marker fluid and glue.
Young people inhale paints, hair and deodorant sprays, computer cleaning spray, and cooking oil sprays (for example, Pam). They inhale gases from butane lighters, propane tanks, and whipped cream dispensers (a source of nitrous oxide). They inhale ether, chloroform, and other nitrites. Young people inhale the vapors from these sources unaware that using inhalants, even once, can have serious health consequences. Inhalant abuse can damage the brain, heart, kidneys and liver.
Why Do Students Use Inhalants?
The products young people use as inhalants are legal and available in most homes. There is no age re-striction on the purchase of these products, and they are inexpensive compared to other drugs. Inhalants are quick-acting (effective in 7–10 seconds), although the effects last a short time. This helps prevent detec-tion by parents.
Inhalants are easy to use and conceal. They are ac-cessible from everyday items like aerosol cans, plas-tic bags, or balloons. Inhalant odors are also a part of everyday life, so the smell doesn’t set off any alarms. Because inhalants evaporate quickly, there is no sign of use.
Common household products used as inhalants 3
What Can We Do?
The Alliance for Consumer Education and SADD have partnered to create an Inhalant Abuse Prevention Fa-cilitators Guide and Lesson Plan. The guide prepares facilitators to discuss inhalant abuse with middle and high school students through interactive activities that inform students of the statistics, dangers, and warning signs of inhalant abuse. This is a great resource to use in your prevention activities in high schools and middle schools.
Get parents involved. Children are less likely to try an inhalant if an adult has talked to them about the dan-gers of inhalant abuse. Be sure to put up posters and pass our flyers to parents when your school has any event that parents will attend. You can download the lesson plans here.
(Sources: Centers for Disease Control, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)
VIOLENCE PREVENTION
March 19-23 is Youth Violence Prevention Week. Vio-lence is bullying (including cyber bullying), fighting (punching, slapping, kicking), weapon use, and gang violence. Violence is a serious public health problem that results in premature deaths (including suicides) of over 4,300 young people in our country each year, with 1,300 of these deaths involving guns. Another 500,000 youth suffer injuries that leave them with physical and psychological problems. These numbers might be shocking, but violent crime has gone down almost 50 percent over the last 20 years!
Many young people who are involved in violence as teens have histories of childhood conduct problems, aggression, frequent exposure to violence, victimiza-tion, delinquency, and criminal behavior.
What Factors Contribute to Violent Youth?
Physical violence starts early and is common among toddlers. Before starting school, most children have learned better ways to solve problems and express emotions than resorting to violence. Some children, however, continue to be violent, and if their behaviors are not addressed, the violence can continue and get worse.
Child abuse and neglect, substance use, academic problems, and hanging out with delinquent peers are some of the risk factors for youth violence. These youth often have home environments where there is conflict, violence, and other family problems. Many violent students have suffered trauma and show signs of behavioral and mental health problems from experi-encing, witnessing, and living with exposures to vio-lence and in unhealthy environments.
What Is School Violence?
Violence does not have to occur on the campus to be considered school violence. School violence is any violence that occurs on school property, on the way to or from school, during a school sponsored event, or on the way to or from a school sponsored event.
Although every school shooting is a tragedy, most school violence does not result in death. When deadly school shootings do occur, they are not spur-of-the-moment situations. They have been thought out and planned for some time, some as long as a year. Most school shooters hold a grievance against someone
Middle school students huffing and bagging
Physical violence
— Annually in America —
4,300 youth killed by violence
500,000 seriously injured 4
over actual or assumed wrongs. For example, a situa-tion where a student snatches another student’s back-pack and tosses it around from one person to another — keeping the owner from getting it back — may be considered harmless (though irritating) fun by one stu-dent, but may be felt as public humiliation by another. No one would consider that a teacher would be shot by a student who failed an important test or failed a grade, but it has happened.
In almost all school shooting cases, the shooter told at least one other person what they were planning to do. Unfortunately, two-thirds of school shooters have never received a mental health evaluation, and of those who have, less than 20% were diagnosed with a mental dis-order. Most violent students have mental health issues that are not being addressed by any segment of the community.
What Can We Do?
While most of youth violence prevention must be ad-dressed by the home, community, mental health ser-vices, and the school at large, SADD members can contribute to creating safer schools by staging antivi-olence campaigns at school. We can work to help vio-lence-prone students feel connected to the school and other students by making sure they are included in class and school activities and programs, offering to help them with their school work, and helping them learn to engage in positive relationships with others while at school.
Most school violence takes the form of bullying. The reasons for being bullied reported most often by stu-dents include physical appearance, race or ethnicity, gender, disability, religion, and sexual orientation. Stu-dents are not advised to try to break up a serious fight on their own, especially where weapons may be in-
Your chapters can use the following steps on post-ers, flyers or handouts to help reduce violence at school. They can also be used in violence prevention role play.
Stop whatever you are doing and count to 10 back-ward. This will help you think about your feelings be-fore they get out of control.
Recognize situations or events that are likely to escalate into violence. If you can't control your an-ger, get away. Take a time out.
Think about the options and consequences of your actions. For example, hitting someone could result in suspension from school or injury. If necessary, get help from a third party to solve differences.
Cool off. Make sure you are calm, and then talk to the person.
Listen carefully to the other person's opinion.
Don’t speak in an attacking mode. Begin sentenc-es with "I." For example: "I feel this way..." or "I don't like it when..."
Be willing to admit and be responsible for some-thing you may have done wrong.
Respond with your HEAD – not your fists, threats, or weapons.
School fight with spectators
Bullying 5
volved. However, research found that 57% of bullying situations stop when a peer intervenes on behalf of the student being bullied.
To learn more about what you can do to help, down-load Package for the Prevention of Youth Violence.
(Sources: Centers for Disease Control, Bureau of Justice Statistics, Na-tional Center for Educational Statistics)
LET’S KICK SOME BUTTS!
March 21 is the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids Na-tional Kick Butts Day. Every day, over 3,200 American youth under age 18 smoke their first cigarette, and 700 of them will continue to smoke. Since the majority of people who have died from smoking related diseases started smoking when they were young, it is important that we continue to work to keep young people from beginning to smoke.
Efforts to prevent teen tobacco use have been suc-cessful through the years. The rate of high school stu-dents who smoke has dropped dramatically. In 1997, 65.4% of high school seniors said they had ever smoked a cigarette. In 2017, only 26.6% of seniors said they had ever smoked. Today, the number of mid-dle and high school students using tobacco-free ciga-rettes far outnumber the students smoking traditional cigarettes.
The current rage in e-cigarettes is the “Juul” brand, and students brag about their “juuling.” Students rea-son that since tobacco-free products don’t contain harmful tar and carbon monoxide, they must be safer. A few vaping liquids contain only flavoring, but the vast majority contain many harmful substances in addition to nicotine, which is an addictive chemical that is also toxic to developing fetuses. Nicotine exposure can harm adolescent brain development. Not only are most vaping liquids laced with nicotine, some contain mari-juana or other mood-altering substances.
The long-term health effects of vaping have not been studied, since they have been in use for a relatively short time, and health organizations didn’t begin meas-uring teen vaping until 2015. In the last two years, the number of seniors vaping has increased from 35.5% to 38.8%, and this number continues to climb.
What Can We Do?
SADD and the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids (CTFK) have partnered to provide tobacco prevention outreach and advocacy training courses for students. The courses are free and can be taken online. SADD is offering four service hours for two training courses. Once you’ve completed Taking Down Tobacco 101, you can become a certified Taking Down Tobacco Trainer. By completing the Train the Trainer course, you will learn the skills to train other students and de-liver the Taking Down Tobacco 101 course in your own school and community. The CTFK has great Kick Butts activity ideas that you can use. Click here to learn more about Kick Butts Day and register your event.
Our chapters have done great work in teen smoking prevention. We need to make sure that we continue to
Teenager Vaping
Teenager Dripping (vaping from a tank)
6
incorporate vaping awareness into our prevention pro-jects and activities.
(Sources: Monitoring the Future, Centers for Disease Control)
PITT COUNTY SADD IS ON THE GO
The SADD program was reestablished in Pitt County just last year, but they are moving forward by leaps and bounds. Pitt County SADD is made up of all middle and high schools in the county, and there are two county coordinators, Sue Anne Pilgreen and Deb Pomeroy. This model is proving so successful that the coordina-tors have been asked to present it to the Wake County Board of Education and Parent Meeting. The Pitt Coun-ty SADD program was featured on WITN TV. Pomeroy and SADD leaders from middle and high school talked about their involvement in the program. You can see the segment here. Congratulations, ladies. You did an excellent job!
Bringing Awareness
January was Human Trafficking Awareness Month. In human trafficking, the trafficker benefits, financially or otherwise, by exploiting people. There are two types of human trafficking: In labor trafficking, people are used for work or services by force or under false pretenses. In sex trafficking, people are forced or deceived into performing sex acts for pay (prostitution), and minors are used for prostitution under someone else’s control.
To increase awareness of sex trafficking, Pitt County SADD members Sydney McDuffie and Kennedy Fipps of South Central High School developed and narrated a presentation on sex trafficking. Their civics class assignment was to identify a problem in the com-munity that they were passionate about, and propose a solution to the problem. Their presentation was used in Pitt County schools to educate students about sex traf-ficking, and to teach them how to reduce their risks of being exploited. The presentation fully explains sex trafficking and has great information for young people, including the dangers of social media. Please feel free to use the presentation in your own programs. You can view it here. Great work, ladies. Go Falcons!
Holding a Summit
Pitt Count SADD is holding it’s first SADD Summit, Sat-urday, March 24, 2018, 8:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m. at the East Carolina Heart Institute. The Eastern Carolina Injury Prevention Program at Vidant Medical Center will host the summit. There is no cost to attend, and there will be free food and giveaways. The event is open to parents, teens, and community members from Pitt County and surrounding areas. Jennifer Wobbleton, Injury Pre-vention Program Coordinator at Vidant Medical Center, gave some insight into the Summit. “The participants will engage in fun, interactive presentations and activi-ties to increase awareness and knowledge of risks teens face each day. The summit will feature several national speakers. We will focus on a range of destruc-tive decisions, including substance misuse, bullying, sexual health, and safe driving. In addition, the event will showcase the successes of Pitt County SADD chapters.”
The summit is open to all middle and high school stu-dents, not just those who are involved in SADD. A ter-rific aspect of this summit is that it will also involve the parents, and effective prevention must involve parents. The summit will provide education on destructive deci-sions for both students and parents. Chapters will pre-sent posters that showcase the work they’ve done to promote positive decision making at their schools. To recognize members who have done exceptional work, awards will be given for Most Creative Activity, SADD
Pitt County SADD Coordinator Deb Pomeroy and SADD members discuss SADD at WITN TV. 7
Club of the Year, Middle School Student of the Year, High School Student of the Year, Middle School Adviser of the Year, and High School Adviser of the Year. To register for the summit, contact Jennifer Wobbleton at 252-847-6298 by March 16.
View the flyer for the Pitt County SADD Summit. Click on the link under the narrative about NC SADD. Connect will give a report on the summit in the next issue.
WELDON MIDDLE IS CHARGED UP!
During Alcohol Facts Week, Weldon Middle School SADD in Weldon (Halifax County) sponsored the Gover-nor’s Highway Safety Program’s BAT Mobile (Blood Al-cohol Testing Mobile Unit)) to teach students the dan-gers of impaired driving. The activity was open to the entire school (5th-8th grades), and 210 students partici-pated. Byron Vernell, the BAT Mobile coordinator, showed the students how the unit works. The students learned about the intoxilyzer, an instrument used to test blood alcohol levels in drivers. They got to see the DRE, (drug recognition expert) room where it is determined if a driver is under the influence of any substance other than, or in addition to, alcohol. The students learned the purpose of the magistrate’s office in the BAT Mobile. Af-ter learning all about the unit, the students were subject-ed to sobriety tests wearing goggles that simulated im-pairment (drunk goggles). By doing the tests with, then without the goggles, the students got a clear idea of how almost impossible it would be to safely operate a moving motor vehicle while drunk.
SADD Advisor Sgt. Raymond Vaughan said, “Over all, the students were amazed, and they had a newfound understanding of what it means to ride with someone that may be under the influence. The danger of trying to drive while impaired really hit home with them.”
Sgt. Vaughan was able to get the Bat Mobile through
the Dept. of Health and Human Services/Division of Public Health/Forensic Test for Alcohol Branch. He said, “Weldon Middle School SADD Club put on a successful event. It was greatly received by all of the students and even staff that participated.”
What a valuable activity! The earlier young people learn these lessons, the better. Go Junior Chargers!
SOUTH LENOIR CHALKING TO SAVE LIVES
South Lenoir High School SADD in Deep Run (Lenoir County) recently held "Chalk the Walk." Advisor Carlos Dodd said this activity is targeted at the student population to pro-mote safe driving awareness. SADD mem-bers used chalk to draw messages on the walkway from the school to the student parking lot. Each square contained a message encouraging students to not text and drive, drink and drive, or engage in any un-safe activity while driving. SADD members placed dis-tracted driving statistics among the messages to help promote student discussions about positive decisions.
Weldon Middle School SADD and the BAT Mobile
Left: Byron Vernell talks to the students about impaired driving.
Right: A student tries to pass a sobriety test. 8
Dodd said, “We do this during the last block of the day, so that when it is first seen, it creates a shock factor, and students want to stop and read the messages as they pass. This event coincides with our "Lights on for Life" campaign, and we make announcements over the intercom everyday about safe driving. The very last block before the end of the walkway to the parking lot encourages all student drivers to turn on lights at their house and while driving to raise awareness about traf-fic safety.”
These are some of the creative and thought provoking messages shared by the students:
Keep safety in mind. It will save your behind.
Don’t drink and drive. Your dog won’t know why you didn’t come home.
You can’t concentrate on two things at once.
Six out of 10 teen crashes involve driver distractions.
A spill, a slip, and a hospital trip
Drug addiction is a family disease. One person may use, but the whole family suffers.
Take 5, Stay Alive.
Congratulations, South Lenoir. A job well done!
Go Blue Devils!
WEST J KICKS OFF STATEWIDE INITIATIVE
West Johnston High School SADD in Benson (Johnston County) was honored to have four of their members participate in a major traffic safety initiative. The Gover-nor’s Highway Safety Program (GHSP) is partnering with the NC State Highway Patrol and local law en-forcement agencies to conduct a six-month pilot safety initiative. This “Survive the Drive” initiative will focus on roads in rural counties. The campaign’s message to motorists is to slow down and avoid distracted driving. It is part of a national initiative to reduce injuries and fatalities on rural roadways. During the kickoff, the SADD chapter got a shout-out from GHSP Director, Mark Ezzell, for winning the State SADD Chapter of the Year Award for the past three years.!
West J SADD hosted the 5th Annual Mr. West J Pag-eant in February. Impaired vision goggles were used in the lobby of the auditorium before the show and during intermission where SADD members had the students play corn hole and mini golf while impaired. During the pageant, there was a “battle of the sexes” teen driving safety game. Some questions were, "Where are you supposed to hold your hands on the steering wheel?” "What are the five risk factors for teen driving?" Advisor Amanda Fisher said, “Hudson Roberts was our overall winner this year, and he’ll get to participate in our SADD community events for the rest of the year.” Fish-er said SADD members were not allowed to participate in the pageant because they are the sponsors. Con-gratulations Hudson!
West Johnston SADD recently catered a dinner for the fire department. It was an appreciation dinner for the department’s help with SADD’s annual mock crash event at the school. SADD members helped serve food and tea to the firefighters at their monthly meeting. Advisor Fisher said, “Without the 50-210 Fire Depart-ment, our SADD Club could not put on as many big
Front Row, L-R: West Johnston SADD members Summer Lanier, Victoria Jenkins, Ashley Godwin , and Jack Schweizer with members of the NC State Highway Patrol 9
events at our school. We wanted to thank them not only for helping us with our events, but also helping the community and county, and for keeping us safe.”
Keep up the good work West J. Go Wildcats!
WELDON HIGH SCHOOL
Weldon High School SADD hosted a two-hour Human Trafficking and Healthy Rela-tionships training session that was pre-sented by Ashley Bass-Mitchell of the Council for Women & Youth Involvement’s Project COPE (Collaboration, Outreach, Protection, and Empower-ment). In an excellent example of high school and middle school mentorship and involvement, Weldon High SADD invited Weldon Middle SADD and National Academy Foundation students to join them.
According to Weldon High SADD advisor Dorothy Lynch, the students were “totally engaged” through-out the session. Advisor Phyllis Neville said the stu-dents were especially concerned about the part social media plays in increasing the risks of being trafficked. They had read newspaper reports of a teenage girl from a nearby county who met someone on social me-dia and was taken to Florida for exploitation.
In addition to increased knowledge of trafficking, the students reported that they had an increased under-standing of teen dating violence and signs of healthy versus unhealthy relationships.
If you would like to have Project COPE visit your school, contact ashley.mitchell@doa.nc.gov.
Great program. Go Chargers!
SAB MEMBER NEVER TIRES OF WELLDOING
Student Advisory Board member Rosalyn Wilkinson of West Ire-dell High School in Statesville (Iredell County), was recently awarded a Red Cross jacket for donating blood five times last year. Rosalyn said, “Since I have a universal blood type, O-, I try to donate as often as I can. I donate because I want to help people in the emergency rooms and other high trauma areas.”
In addition to being president of her SADD chapter, Rosalyn is president of the West Iredell High School 1st Priority Club. This faith based club holds a Bears for Soldiers drive every year. The current campaign began in February and ends April 30, 2018. Rosalyn
Rosalyn rocks her new Red Cross jacket.
Ready to serve our protectors!
L-R: SADD members Ashley Godwin, Brody Hall
and Zach Langness at the firehouse
) 10
said 1st Priority is about helping soldiers in overseas villages gain the trust of the villagers. “We collect all kinds of stuffed animals to send over; not just bears. Last year we collected 675 stuffed animals, which is almost triple what we collected the year before. We do this because we saw a need to help our troops. With 1st Priority's home base in JROTC, it only made sense for us to do something to help the troops.”
Thanks for all you do for others, Rosalyn.
ALCOHOL AWARENESS
April is Alcohol Awareness Month. This initiative is sponsored by the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Addiction (NCADD), and the theme for 2018 is “Changing Atti-tudes: It’s not a ‘rite of passage.’” During the month of April, there will be local, state, and national events to educate people about the treat-ment and prevention of alcoholism, especially among youth. A major focus will be the important role that parents can play in giving kids a better understanding of the impact that alcohol can have on their lives. Lo-cal NCADD affiliates as well as schools, colleges, churches, and other community organizations will sponsor activities that create awareness and encour-age individuals and families to get help for alcohol related problems.
An important part of Alcohol Awareness Month is Al-cohol-Free Weekend, which is the first weekend in April. The purpose is to raise public awareness about alcohol use and how it may be affecting individuals, families, businesses, and communities. During Alco-hol-Free Weekend, everyone is invited to engage in three alcohol-free days. Those who experience diffi-culty or discomfort in this 72-hour experiment are urged to contact local NCADD affiliates, Alcoholics Anonymous, or Al-Anon to learn more about alcohol-ism and its early symptoms.
Alcohol use by young people is directly associated with traffic fatalities, violence, suicide, educational failure, alcohol overdose, unsafe sex and other prob-lem behaviors, even for those who may never devel-op a dependence or addiction. Adolescence is a time of risk-taking, and when alcohol and drugs enter the picture, there is even more high risk behavior.
DISTRACTED DRIVING AWARENESS
April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month. Along with other projects planned, chapters can use the Just Drive Pledge as an awareness and prevention tool.
The Just Drive Pledge
I pledge to Just Drive for my own safety and for the safety of others with whom I share the roads. I choose to not drive distracted in any way. While driving, I will not…
• Have a phone conversation – handheld, hands-free, or via Bluetooth
• Text or send Snapchats
• Use voice-to-text features in my vehicle’s dashboard system
• Update Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Vimeo or other social media
• Check or send emails
• Take selfies or film videos
• Input destinations into GPS (while the ve-hicle is in motion)
• Call or message someone else when I know they are driving. 11