Above / Alcohol-Free ‘I Am Worth It’ campaign will feature winning designs of student posters that will be displayed in all District 203 & 204 schools throughout the 2019-2020 academic year.
The Power of Choice—in cooperation with 360 Youth Services, Naperville School District 203, Indian Prairie School District 204, Naperville Police Department, KidsMatter and District 203 & 204 parents—kicks off its theme, “I Am Worth It,” this fall in the five area high schools.
The goals of the campaign are to increase youth perceptions of the risks related to underage alcohol use and personal disapproval leading to reduced youth alcohol use.
The impact of the campaign will be measured by anonymous student reporting in the 2020 Illinois Youth Survey (IYS) administered to all students in both local districts. The IYS is administered by the Illinois Center for Prevention Research & Development in the University of Illinois’ School of Social Work.
Continuing decline in teenage alcohol use
Data from the 2018 Illinois Youth Survey show the percentage of high school students who chose to be alcohol-free for at least 30 days preceding the survey was 82 percent, up 1 percent from 2016, and 16 percentage point improvement since 2003. Other data show students continue to report with consistency behaviors that reflect most choose to be alcohol, tobacco, and other drug free.
Education around electronic cigarettes/vaping devices & aerosols
360 Youth Services’ Prevention Director, Karen Jarczyk, mentioned that while the Power of Choice’s message about most students being alcohol-free has been consistently effective at helping change usage rates by local teens, that there is still work to be done.
“Our prevention team present about the risks of addictive substance in local schools, and are available for community presentations,” Jarczyk said.
Furthermore, students need to stay informed about the ongoing research on the most recent type of addictive nicotine delivery system, e-cigarettes, including “JUUL.” Many students suspect some health risk from vaping e-cigarette aerosols, but are unsure whether they need be concerned about experimenting with the devices. Addiction to e-juice aerosols with nicotine from vaping, depending on frequency of use, can start in as little as a week, according to some teens. Nicotine addiction during adolescence can harm the developing brain. The compounds in vaping aerosols contains a mixture of inert (water) and toxic (nicotine), poisonous compounds (diethylene glycol), some carcinogenic (formaldehyde, cadmium, lead, nickel, nitrosamines) known to cause respiratory distress and other health issues. Those in the same confines exposed secondhand from e-cigarette use can receive a measurable dose of these odorless aerosols, containing chemicals that are not deemed “generally recognized as safe” for inhalation by public health and federal agencies and university medical researchers, despite widespread marketing and promotions fueling lucrative retail sales.
Volunteers Welcome
The Power of Choice high school campaign supports District 203 & 204 students, schools and parents, and is focused on building resiliency and providing education to increase the number of students making healthy choices regarding substance use. The high school committee is open to new volunteers.
For more information, contact Janyce Hamilton, Power of Choice High School Coordinator, jhamilton@360youthservices.org.
For information about the Power of Choice middle school campaign, contact jlezan@360youthservices.org.
Poster campaign begins with ‘Kind to my mind’
Power of Choice
The Power of Choice is funded in whole or in part by the Illinois Department of Health Services, Division of Substance Use Prevention and Recovery through a grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
Submitted by Janyce Hamilton, Power of Choice Campaign, High School Coordinator for 360 Youth Services.
