Hey check out our new YC2 Newsletter: June 2011
Category Archives: Uncategorized
Being Involved In Positive Activites
To be involved in positive clubs and activities is a very good thing. It keeps you motivated to do the right thing and stay in that group and it sometimes changes your attitude towards things. For example, if you involve yourself in a school sport or something that you like you will be more motivated to do right and stay in that activity because you enjoy doing it. Plus its way better than being out there doing other things that are illegal. And plus you can feel good about what you are doing because you enjoy it. That is why it is important that young people try to be involved in positive activities so they don’t end up doing other things that are not good.
Surounding Yourself With Positive People.
It is very important for teens and young people to surround themselves with positive people. this is very important because if young people surround themselves with people who don’t have a positive influence in them, they might end up down that same road as the people they associate with. For example if a teen surrounds themselves with someone who does drugs or anything like that, it’s a good chance that they might end up doing the same thing. So don’t take that path, be positive and surround yourself with positive people.
As our friend Shaun Derik says, “Show me your friends, and I’ll show you your future.”
Advertising Can Be Questionable At Times?
Marketing to the youth is very questionable at times. If they don’t want youth to consume alcohol or drugs or cigarette products then why do the advertise it to them at times, for example, some big companies use cartoons in their advertisement to advertise cigarettes or alcohol to adults, but the children are going to pay more attention to the advertisement then the adults because children like to watch cartoons and that can be a bad thing because children might try to use these products. Or why would companies advertise drugs on their products if they don’t want to send the message to teens that it is okay to use drugs. Here are some tips for parents on how to prevent your child from using these products.
1. Offer alternative idols for your teens by involving them in mentoring programs.
2. Avoid having a television or computer in your teens room where you can’t monitor it.
to see more of these tips go to http://parentingteens.about.com/od/familylife/ht/media_literacy.htm
The Inside Scoop On Marijuana
Marijuana use in America has increased in 8th, 10th, and 12th graders in the years 2009 and 2010, but it has mostly increased in the 8th grade level. among the 12th graders it was at its highest point since the early 1980′s at 6.1%. Marijuana use is now ahead of cigarette smoking on some measures. Can you believe it! Neither can I! Thats crazy isn’t it? If you want these numbers to go down we must do something as a community to stop it from rising anymore. Do your part and help lower these numbers and make a difference in your community.
“A great leader’s courage to fulfill his vision comes from passion, not position.”
How do you define a leader? There are a variety of definitions that would qualify. One of them, was recognized during last Saturday at the 7th annual Shred Fest. 11 year- old Olivia Mayer, was the only girl competing amongst all the guys. It takes real dedication and commitment to show up to an event (or pretty much anywhere) where you may not be the social norm! For the entire story, go to the following link-
http://www.columbiamissourian.com/stories/2011/06/18/lone-female-skater-shreds-boys/
Unintentional Drug Overdose Deaths Continue to Increase
This is a reprint from Community Anti Drug Coalitions of America, www.cadca.org
A University of Maryland, College Park’s Center for Substance Abuse Research (CESAR) report revealed recently that unintentional drug overdose deaths now account for 24 percent of all unintentional deaths and surpass falls as the second leading cause of unintentional deaths.
While motor vehicle traffic accidents and crashes continue to be the leading cause of unintentional deaths in the United States (comprising 42,031 or 34 percent of all such deaths in 2007), drug overdose deaths have been rapidly increasing.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there were 27,658 unintentional drug overdose deaths in 2007, more than double the 11,155 deaths in 1999.
Unintentional drug overdoses include those resulting from illegal, prescription, and over-the-counter drug misuse, abuse, taking too much for medical reasons, and accidental ingestion (such as by a toddler). The most common drug categories involved in drug overdose deaths are prescription opioids, cocaine and heroin.
7th Annual Shred Fest
Looking for something to do this Saturday, June 18th? Check out Shred Fest 2011 in honor of National Skateboarding Day, located at Cosmo skate park from 4:00- 7:00PM. Come out and compete and/ or support your friends! Food and drinks will be available. Prizes awarded to the top skateboarders in the following events-
Highest Ollie -Advanced Only, Starts around 4:15PM ($50 Gift Certificate from Parkside)
BEGINNER Best Trick – Rider gets 3 attempts to perform their best trick anywhere on the skate park. Starts around 4:30PM ($50 Gift Certificate from Parkside)
INTERMEDIATE Best Trick – Rider gets 3 attempts to perform their best trick anywhere on the skate park. Starts around 5:00PM ($50 Gift Certificate from Parkside)
TIC TAC RACE – All Ages, Starts around 5:45PM ($50 Gift Certificate from Parkside)
KING OF THE MOUNTAIN -Advanced only, Starts around 6:30PM ($100 CASH)
ESCAPIST DEMO! Come and watch KC’s Finest rip our park a new one around 7:00PM
* ALL CONTESTANTS MUST WEAR A HELMET TO COMPETE IN EVENTS*
So…what is a coalition exactly?
Every once in a while we get the question: “What is a coalition?” Since sometimes it can be a confusing concept, here is a pretty clear definition…
“A formal arrangement for cooperation and collaboration between groups or sectors of a community, in which each group retains its identity, but all agree to work together toward a common goal of building a safe, healthy, and drug free community.”
If it still doesn’t make sense, a coalition is a group of people who work together on common goals. In the case of YC2, all of the member organizations and individuals work together to help youth live healthy and positive lives. If that sounds fun to you, you should join YC2! Email Ryan for more info.
Positive Youth Development and the Achievement Gap
Achieve is something we would like each child to be able to do. From the cradle to college it is the hope of parents, schools, and communities that their young people will be successful. However, there is a gap between the picture we hope for and the reality we see. Currently, in many school districts there is a gap in achievement between different ethnicities of students. In response to this, communities are pressing hard to find solutions to the problem. The local Columbia, MO community has been working extensively to address the achievement gap and get real answers as to why things are the way they are. Many answers are yet to be discovered, but one outcome that has already been realized is that it takes the whole community working together to close the achievement gap. From home to school to the community, each person has a role in making sure young people succeed.
One approach that many communities are employing around the nation, is Positive Youth Development. This approach focuses on providing developmental supports, or assets, that youth need to succeed. Rather than focusing on the risk factors only, positive youth development seeks to build upon the strengths and protective factors in a youth’s life.
No matter who you are, there is a role you can play in eliminating the achievement gap. One way to start is to learn about positive youth development and find simple ways to practice it every day.
