Scott County Health & Education Coalition

December 2009 Newsletter

Melissa Gasaway CPS, Coordinator PO Box 2254 Waldron, AR 72958 479-207-4177 www.scottcountycoalition.com

“Are You Smarter Than a Middle Schooler?”

Town Hall Meeting on Underage Drinking in Scott County

(Evidenced Based Curriculum Teachers: Joey Curtis: Class Action, Brad Johnson: Class Action, Debbie Saunders: Amazing Alternatives, Leanne Morgan: Click Tracy, Not Pictured-Patrick Millard: Amazing Alternatives)

The Red Ribbon week was wrapped up on Monday, November 2 with a Town Hall Meeting, “Are You Smarter Than a Middle Schooler?” at the middle school cafeteria. Over 175 people attended the fun filled night featuring the game. The goal of the evening was to educate middle school students, parents, and other community members about underage drinking in Scott County and ways to reduce and prevent it. SCHEC also recognized the teachers who implemented the evidenced based curriculums in the school during the Fall 2009 as well as the B.A.D.D. students who were the recipients of the trip to Washington D.C., February 7-12. Char Broiler catered the evening meal. The night was funded through the Strategic Prevention Framework State Incentive Grant through the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention Office (DHS). Thank you to all community members that attended the evenings activities!

A Special Thank You to Sheri Thompson, Jessica Owens, Jacy Thompson, and Lisa Harrison for making Red Ribbon Week a huge success!

Don’t miss the December SCHEC meeting!

Wednesday, January 6, 2009

12:00-1:00 pm

RMCC

Lunch served FREE! Everyone invited!!

RSVP by calling 207-4177 or email mkgasaway@hotmail.com

According to the 2008 Arkansas Prevention Needs Assessment:

Reports of being seen as Cool if they began drinking alcohol regularly in Grades 6, 8, 10, 12:

48.5% (State average is 42.8%)

**Grades 6, 8, 10, 12 will be taking the APNA survey during November 2009.

Results will be available in early spring**

BADD News:

Written by BADD members: Caroline Owens and Bailey Nelson

The recipients of the trip to D.C. were announced at the Town Hall Meeting, Monday, November 2. The Following are going to D.C.- Rachel Tischer, Karla Mendez, Eric Vongphakdy, Brandon Freeman, James Bates, and Dylan Madden. These students will be attending a National Leadership Forum where they will attend the Summit for Youth Leaders.

All B.A.D.D. students are currently working on focus groups for our peers. The students are also making yard signs to be put out over the holidays. These signs will let the whole community that teens don’t want other adults providing alcohol to them. B.A.D.D. students are also making posters to hang around town at all the hopping teen hang out spots! Additionally, the students have used APNA data to put on basketballs and banners-watch for those at the Bulldog Basketball games!

B.A.D.D. is trying to show their peers that you don’t have to drink to be cool and is trying to show parents that they should not provide alcohol to their teens.

Remember to check out SCHEC on Facebook and at www.scottcountycoalition.com